Kiln Fiend saw play in some Delver-style lists, and the support for all-in Kiln Fiend decks looks much like Death's Shadow (phyrexian spells, Temur Battle Rage) so I think this is an easy-include that has a reasonable floor in Burn.

Twin has been a little too consistent, and with Blue Moon being removed, Spreading Seas isn't as critical, so I want to give Faeries a few new tools.

This cube was played at the Salt Box in Baltimore! One player named Sylvia (the eventual champion of the event) played a deck with both Blood Moon effects, and pointed out that each opponent was able to easily sideboard or change their fetch habits between games to dramatically reduce their value. Also, Moons in constructed were meant to catch opponents by surprise which is harder in a small pod, and there is no Tron or Inkmoth Nexus to punish anyway. Another cut I'll be making is Obstinate Baloth: Black Discard suffers here and doesn't need any additional hosing.

In their place, I want to give a Ponza-like deck a chance with Molten Rain, and Goblin Dark-Dwellers can recur it, or can go in a variety of decks like Nahiri control, Mardu Pyromancer, or Jund. In Baloth's place, Acid-Moss can flesh out a RG Ponza like deck, or get Scapeshift up to the key land number.

In the event, one of the FINALS matches was Death's Shadow/Pyromancer vs a Scapeshift combo deck! This is the most successful I've seen Shadow be, AND the first time I've seen kills with Valakut and it was great to see it work consistently when supported properly (the player was running extra cards to be able to hit the right land numbers mid- and late-game.)

Just to give Cavern of Souls another option to name

I recently received feedback that there were too many shocklands, especially those like Breeding Pool and Watery Grave that only one or two drafters at most are interested in. I analyzed decks from the era on mtgtop8, and sure enough, most decks ran twice as many fetchlands as shocklands. Since I was running 40 and 40 before, I decided to halve the shocks to 20 to match the constructed ratio. What I didn't account for was the draft, and players taking shocklands they won't play! This was too much, and I've decided to meet in the middle with 30 copies.

I've been asked for The Rack many times, but I never felt that it would be compelling enough of an inclusion when I already have two Shrieking Affliction that always deal 3 or 0. However, @pokasome has worn me down, that archetype could use some help, and I feel I have the colorless slots to spare. Raven's Crime could be played in a Smallpox deck, perhaps alongside Crucible of Worlds. Funeral Charm could be played in Pox with the Urborg, potentially useful to give a Death's Shadow a boost, or most cruelly, imprinted onto Isochron Scepter where it can be cast on every draw step.

I've intentionally excluded this archetype for a long time, feeling that it's too parasitic. However, when I consider the separate parts, Valakut could go into mono-Red control aside from this "combo". Scapeshift is certainly more narrow, but it's one of the best reasons to draft Bring to Light, which needs the help, and I didn't want to include just a single copy and risk players getting their deck's entire plan ruined by a single Thoughtseize or Mana Leak. Farseek and Sakura-Tribe Elder help accelerate the gameplan while still working fairly well in decks like Bant Company and Return to the Ranks.

Destructive Revelry is better than Wear//Tear for Zoo and Burn decks because it actually advances the gameplan, and you very rarely need to fuse it anyway. Sword of Body and Mind was the only one missing from the cycle, and it's more effective here than it would've been in 60-card constructed. Blasting Station is an extra sac outlet for Persist Combo decks and Aristocrats, and a nice anti-Pestermite tool. Rise//Fall was recommended to me by a player named Winter at CubeCon, used by Corey Burkhart at Grand Prix Pittsburgh 2015, and was the only maindeck nonland card I was missing from his Grixis Control list. Avalanche Riders saw play in Saheeli Cat lists, and seems like a solid option for Humans and the various flicker cards in White. Finally, I knew about decks playing Retreat to Coralhelm alongside Knight of the Reliquary, but I never thought about how powerful Retreat can be on its own thanks to all the fetchlands, and the ramp possible with Noble Hierarch and Birds of Paradise.

Treasure Cruise and Dig Through Time were only legal for six months! Not great representatives of the vibe the format is going for. Deathrite Shaman was legal for just 2 years, but I actually resent it for both the game-warping play pattern it represents when it comes down turn 1, and the fact it may be what pushed Jund so far that Bloodbraid Elf ended up on the banlist, where it remained for far too long.

Satyr Wayfinder #1 remains for its role in Return to the Ranks and sometimes Pod, #2 was supporting the graveyard deck that's now being cut out. Experiment One only goes in Zoo decks, and sometimes Humans. No other Green deck is really interested. Mutavault goes in Smallpox, 8-Rack, and sometimes Faeries. These are all less popular decks, so the second copy wasn't in high demand. Dryad Arbor might work for Birthing Pod or CoCo decks here, but in constructed its main role was to protect Infect and Bogles from edicts, which is nothing to worry about here. Thought Scour goes in Delver and Death's Shadow, Opt and Think Twice are nice counterparts that Control is more interested in. Lastly, Skullcrack has redundancy with Atarka's Command, which has become the more popular option by appealing to both creature-centric Zoo decks and creature-light Burn. Even the new Scapeshift deck might appreciate it, but would never take Skullcrack.

Monastery Mentor was far more played in every other format upon its release, and without all the free spells and cantrips available in other formats, it's clear why. Stinkweed Imp, Golgari-Grave Troll, and Darkblast were added for a "fair" graveyard deck that just doesn't really exist, or is being done well enough by Death's Shadow and Jund decks without using any cards with Dredge on them. Koth of the Hammer and Mind Stone are only Skred cards, and I don't currently use that version of Big Red. Chameleon Colossus and Volcanic Fallout I remembered too well from their time in Standard. Vines of Vastwood was only played by Infect, even if it did have the cute alternate mode of countering Splinter Twin here. Arbor Elf was used in Ponza decks alongside Utopia Sprawl, again not something I support. Deflecting Palm I brought in alongside Emrakul to give Burn something to sideboard in, but aside from Death's Shadow which doesn't need any punishment, I just don't think it has anywhere near the utility as in constructed against Infect and Bogles.

Cut some cards that didn't see much play in the era (in the decks I support) and don't have particularly compelling homes here. Added Doran which I think is a cool Junk option, and a little more Graveyard stuff without going fully Dredge.

Feed the Clan is also a unique sideboard card for Jund, Junk, and Zoo against Burn.

A recent comment by @Stnicholas brought me to analyze the mana fixing in the cube, and after reviewing decklists from the era and discussing it with many friends, I have decided to drop down to only two copies of each shockland. The fetches will remain at 4x, but filling out the gap provided by this restructure, we have additional support for existing archetypes, as well as some brand new ones: Return to the Ranks Aristocrats, Gifts Ungiven Control, a second Vengevine, and Abzan Ascendancy for another potential Aristocrats direction. Finally, a second copy of Saheeli for her combo deck, and a second copy of Flagstones for both Pox and Boom//Bust decks.

Patrick Tierney had an amazing run at CCC 24: didn't lose a match the first three drafts, and only lost in the finals of this cube draft #4. We were chatting afterward and he said it was his favorite, but had some requests.

"I have two copies of Sphinx's Revelation, but no shuffle-in effects. What about Emrakul?"

I had never considered this! When I added Nahiri, the Harbinger I did wonder if Emrakul was expected. You can also pitch it with Faithless Looting, Smuggler's Copter, and Desolate Lighthouse. But more than the Nahiri synergy, I had previously considered Through the Breach, and this was a tipping point. Similar to my use of Unburial Rites, it doesn't always have to be a combo, and the valuable targets are mostly the same: Titans, Reveillark, and Wurmcoil. I look forward to seeing how it plays!

His second request: "Would love to see Resto Angel go up to 2x. Between Pod, Humans, and Wall of Omens control, the card is in really high demand for a singleton."

This is correct, and was even a 2x at CubeCon less than a year ago. The only problem is, I like the rest of my White section quite a lot. Wall of Omens and Thraben Inspector are similar, but do go in different decks. Serra Avenger is a pet favorite from GP Copenhagen 2015 and GP Vegas 2017. Perhaps Flickerwisp and Felidar Guardian provide enough similar support? I am not sure, but it will remain on my radar.

Apostle's Blessing can support Death's Shadow, and a second Resto wasn't really necessary. We already have a multiple spells to counter noncreature spells or protect a combo, and Gearhulk will help round out a "Titan" for each color. No graveyard decks even came together in all 48 pools this year, I'm not sure I've even seen one that makes the Spellbomb appealing. Grave Titan can go in Pod or be a top end in Tokens or Control. Burn did so well it doesn't need the second Rift Bolt, but Abbot could go in Humans or Death's Shadow as well. Become Immense works well with Death's Shadow and in Zoo decks. Since we have self-mill, Faithless Looting, Nahiri, and Titans, a value reanimator strategy could be cool with Unburial Rites. Sadly, Cruel Ultimatum simply cannot hang at this power level, and there are tons of shenanigans to be had with an additional Ghost Quarter.

The players agreed there needed to be more removal in general, so we've added a new sweeper in White and Black, as well as more targeted removal for Black over the lesser discard effects. Also, a second copy of Engineered Explosives, which has a lot of potential to stave off a horde.

Deflecting Palm comes out since there isn't an Infect deck or Emrakul to really work against. I played a UB Faeries deck and don't believe Mystical Teachings works in the speed of this environment. Pyrite Spellbomb only has one good target (Auriok Champion) and works marginally with Delirium/Graveyard decks, but in the wrong color so it leaves for Magma Spray, which is an effective way to stop a Pestermite or a Persist Combo.

I must admit I underrated Jabs' suggestion of Gather the Townsfolk, it can work for Aristocrats, Humans, BW Tokens, or even Death's Shadow! Flagstones of Trokair and Crucible of Worlds are coming in as well, to support both the RW control deck with Boom//Bust and Ghost Quarter, and the BW Smallpox deck!

My thoughts for these changes: Conscripts can go in Humans to take a Planeswalker or prepare a lethal swing, or it can go in Kiki or Twin combo, or it can untap Birthing Pod and be sacificed into a Titan.

Volcanic Fallout can interrupt a Kiki combo or stop Twin targeting Pestermite, uncounterably.

Meddling Mage replacing one of two Zealous Persecution (do we really need two?) and can stop a combo or just hose a card after looking at hand with Kitesail Freebooter. Not completely sold but its funny to be the only cube you can play this card in reasonably. Also picturing they tutor something with a card like Ranger of Eos, and you Vial in Mage naming what they grabbed.

Harsh Mentor hates on fetches, combos like Twin, Kiki, and Pod, as well as Equipment and Viscera Seer and Isochron Scepter, feels relevant enough and could help flesh out a Boros Hatebears deck (with Eidolons or Moon effects).

Xathrid Necromancer has actually seen more mtgtop8 play than Tombstalker, I am finally prepared to accept the Demon being bad. Plus sick to vial in against a wrath in Humans. Also lets you sac your humans 'twice' in aristocrats.

Combed through mtgtop8 some more and discussed the cards and decks that were played back in this era with some friends. Also reviewed the banlist history and found that I'd misremembered Ponder and Green Sun's Zenith being legal for any real length of time.

These feels more distinctly recent than the rest of the cube to me, for reasons I can't quite explain. But by cutting them, we get a bit more for Big Red, some more artifacts, and Sygg who I love as a weird tool for BR Burn and Shrieking Affliction decks.

Not from 2012-2018

Saheeli+Cat
Shrieking Affliction + Raven's Crime
More Humans
More Toolbox creatures for Pod

I forgot to look at popular sideboard cards! These should make for some interesting games 2 and 3

No more Skred, more for Big Red
No more Sisters, more for Toolbox

Might be a little buggy