1. Remove cards that don't see play.
2. Remove cards that take a long time to resolve and aren't in dialogue with the other synergies in the cube.
3. Add more wraths.

Student of Warfare -> Guardian of the Great Door

Reasoning: Student of Warfare is usually too slow for this cube, and there isn't enough proliferate to justify leveling being included. Guardian, on the other hand, plays nicely with all the artifact tokens being generated as well as the low mana value reanimation spells.

Sylvan Library -> Smuggler's Surprise

Reasoning: Sylvan always takes so long to resolve, feels like a color pie break, and only plays in the space of "card draw matters." Smuggler's Surprise on the other hand: gives green game against countermagic and removal and also plays into the graveyard synergies.

Quest for the Necropolis -> Unearth

Reasoning: Quest is way too slow, and can be destroyed without allowing an instant speed activation.

Psychic Frog -> Scuttling Sentinel

Reasoning: Psychic Frog warps games around itself, and dominates the entire game. While it does play well with other synergies in the cube, that's not how it sees the most success. Scuttling Sentinel provides some more protection for creature-heavy decks against the really efficient removal here and fits into the flicker archetype.

Damn + Damnation

Reasoning: Board stalls are a problem in the cube right now. My hope is that increasing the density of wraths makes control more viable and increases the likelihood that at least one wrath is seen in every draft.

Bonesplitter

Reasoning: Another nice target for both Urza's Saga and Stoneforge Mystic.

Collected Company

Reasoning: Coco is probably too good here, because everything is so low on the curve. However, it is another way for green to play at instant speed, and it applies some nice deckbuilding restrictions when drafted.

Bedlam Reveler

Reasoning: I am forever on a quest to make "spells matter" viable. This increases the likelihood that at least one of Bedlam Reveler and Murktide Regent are available in any given draft.

Ancient Tomb

Reasoning: This always felt like bait in the cube. Cards are generally low curving, lands are already painful, and splashing lots of colors is encouraged.

• For the next few drafts, I will experiment with giving Arclight Phoenix drafters an extra copy when it is drafted.

1. Add a density of support for Spells Matter decks
   1. They are underperforming, but multiple players get pulled into the archetype each draft by signpost cards
2. Increase the power level of the cube
   1. Games are still taking too long, see below
3. Add Foundations cards that interact with multiple archetypes
   1. The elegant design of cards in Foundations will allow me to reduce some of the overall cube complexity while still supporting the existing archetypes

Every time I draft this cube, I play at least 1 match that goes to turns (if not multiple.) If the designer of the cube is still having their matches go long, there is a fundamental problem.

I think the problem is twofold:

1. There is a high density of answers that are more efficient than the threats
2. The design pillars of high player agency and exclusion of cards that end games on their own means that games will necessarily take longer

Therefore, this update to the cube aims to increase the overall power level of the threats to close out games more quickly.

If game length continues to be a problem, I will consider removing some of the really efficient removal.

• Regal Bunnicorn
• Filigree Vector
• Mental Note
• Mockingbird
• Dreamtide Whale
• Thundertrap Trainer
• Shark Typhoon
• Goblin Tomb Raider
• Virtue of Courage
• Emberheart Challenger
• Enterprising Scallywag
• Rimrock Knight
• Goddric, Cloaked Reveler
• Experiment One
• Managorger Hydra
• Bloodtithe Harvester
• Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff
• Cosmic Rebirth
• Ravenous Squirrel

• Skyknight Squire
• Patched Plaything
• Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student
• Drake Hatcher
• Mischievous Mystic
• Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
• Kitsa, Otterball Elite
• Sphinx of Forgotten Lore
• Hired Claw
• Slickshot Show-off
• Ivora, Insatiable Heir
• Irencrag Pyromancer
• Sentinel of the Nameless City
• Briarbridge Tracker
• Mossborn Hydra
• Sprite Dragon
• Fire Covenant
• Teysa, Opulent Oligarch
• Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar

it's hot

1. Add MH3 cards that I was missing and I want to test
2. Buff aggro, so that people take it more highly
3. Remove power outliers that are generically good and unfun to play against
4. Remove underperformers

Removed for low pick/play rate:

• Faerie Guidemother
• Tarrian's Journal
• Ash, Party Crasher
• Break Out
• Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar
• The Underworld Cookbook
• Prosperous Innkeeper

Other:

• Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
  • It's just too good. Yes, it synergizes with everything because it does everything. If you are able to splash red then it is worth taking this card over pretty much anything in a pack. That removes agency from players and isn't fun to play against.
• Inspiring Overseer
  • I've been removing the generic 2-for-1 creatures. I'll try removing this one and see how it goes.
• Dauntless Bodyguard
  • Good, but doesn't really fit as an essential glue or synergy card. Awkward to play on turn 1.
• Unearth
  • I like Unearth, but I'm trying Quest for the Necropolis as a lands-matter tie in to reanimator
• Duelist of the Mind
  • Outside of cantrips, there aren't a ton of ways to draw several cards per turn. I like this card for control, but it's seemed lackluster when it's been played.
• Slickshot Show-Off
  • Slickshot is so polarizing. Some games it won't do much, others it will win on the spot. Removing it for now.
• Rishkar, Peema Renegade
  • This may be a mistake. I struggled to remove a 3 drop, and this seemed like a good choice since there aren't a ton of big mana plays for after 3 mana.
• Sprite Dragon
  • There are an abundance of prowess-y creatures. I am removing two with these changes, so I'll put Sprite Dragon back in if spells decks aren't coming together.

These are cards that I'm closely monitoring as they might need to be removed.

• The Wandering Emperor
  • This card is similar to Fable in that it just does so many things that it is often the correct choice over every other card in a pack. However, it is more difficult to cast than Fable and at most yields a 2-for-1 if you don't have the means to protect it.
• Warren Soultrader
  • There may be too many sacrifice outlets, although there is only enough support for a single sacrifice deck in at an 8-player table. This is the best outlet, and makes me hesitant to include Gravecrawler
• Sinister Concierge
  • This card is really strong, while not necessarily fitting into an archetype cleanly. It can slow games down quite a bit by removing things without progressing towards an end state.
• Psychic Frog
  • What do games where this card is played look like? Is it just a removal check?
• Rishkar, Peema Renegade
  • Should this actually come back in? Are green decks struggling to land Primeval Titan or make a large enough Voracious Hydra for it to matter?

Consider swapping Wrath of God for a wrath with downside