Mainboard Changelist+2, -2
Maybeboard Changelist+0, -1
Bag of Devouring is a nonbo with Bloodghast, need a d10 to be used properly (it work fine with halving a d20 but that's not aesthetically pleasing). Drawing card for doomed creatures is fine but it encourage a attentist gameplay.
Mainboard Changelist+10, -5
- Thalia and The Gitrog Monster
- Volrath, the Shapestealer
- Raffine, Scheming Seer
- Marchesa, the Black Rose
- Unleash the Inferno
- Gahiji, Honored One
- Kroxa and Kunoros
- Rashmi and Ragavan
- Narset of the Ancient Way
- Rafiq of the Many
- Sigiled Sword of Valeron
- Well of Lost Dreams
- Soul Foundry
- Seer's Sundial
- Illusionist's Bracers
Mainboard Changelist+5, -5
Mainboard Changelist+6, -6
- Vorel of the Hull CladeSlogurk, the Overslime
- Chasm SkulkerRona, Herald of Invasion
- Ajani's PridemateVoice of the Blessed
- StonecloakerWhite Sun's Twilight
- BloodtrackerVraska, Betrayal's Sting
- Erratic PortalHelm of the Host
- Jadelight Ranger
- Sawtusk Demolisher
- Froghemoth
- Sproutback Trudge
- Woodfall Primus
- Hullbreaker Horror
- Deadeye Navigator
- Carnifex Demon
- Spawn of Mayhem
- Necrotic Ooze
- Bloodghast
- Hidden Strings
- Skeletal Scrying
Mainboard Changelist+3, -3
- Thran QuarryDemolition Field
- Bloodthirsty AerialistBloodghast
- Meteor CraterMyriad Landscape
- Prosperous Partnership
- King Darien XLVIII
- Knight of Autumn
- Flickerwisp
- Circuit Mender
- Flooded Strand
- Spara's Headquarters
- Venser, the Sojourner
- Charming Prince
- Ojutai's Command
- Adarkar Wastes
- Mistmeadow Witch
- Hindering Light
- Champion of Wits
- Change of Plans
- Teferi's Time Twist
- Yorion, Sky Nomad
- Restoration Angel
- Ash Barrens
- Reveillark
- Ephemerate
- Stonecloaker
- Aether Channeler
- Cataclysm
- Pestermite
- Faithful Mending
- Saving Grasp
- Cloudblazer
- Brokers Hideout
- Dusk // Dawn
- Sygg, River Cutthroat
- Callous Bloodmage
- Supplant Form
- Polluted Delta
- Underground River
- Mnemonic Betrayal
- Obscura Storefront
- Raffine's Tower
- Soul Diviner
- Silumgar's Command
- Consign // Oblivion
- Promise of Power
- Desertion
- Far // Away
- Vendilion Clique
- Recoil
- Connive // Concoct
- Leech Bonder
- Gyruda, Doom of Depths
- Scarscale Ritual
- Thoughtseize
- Ninja of the Deep Hours
- Necrotic Ooze
- Soul Manipulation
- Rags // Riches
- Everdream
- Field of Ruin
- Kitesail Freebooter
- Baleful Strix
- Goblin Sharpshooter
- Profane Command
- Xander's Lounge
- Maestros Theater
- Cavalier of Night
- Anax, Hardened in the Forge
- Judith, the Scourge Diva
- Kher Keep
- Angrath's Rampage
- Underworld Breach
- Puppeteer Clique
- Bontu the Glorified
- Bloodstained Mire
- Sulfurous Springs
- Seasoned Pyromancer
- Custodi Lich
- Legion Warboss
- Cut // Ribbons
- Glint-Horn Buccaneer
- Strangling Soot
- Toil // Trouble
- Spiteful Visions
- Fire Covenant
- Torrent of Souls
- Chainer, Nightmare Adept
- Beanstalk Giant
- Sprouting Goblin
- Firespout
- Acidic Slime
- Karplusan Forest
- Wooded Foothills
- Wildfire
- Assault // Battery
- Tireless Tracker
- Giantbaiting
- Savageborn Hydra
- Greenseeker
- Wrenn and Six
- Road // Ruin
- Boartusk Liege
- Searing Blaze
- Nissa, Vastwood Seer
- Phylath, World Sculptor
- Riveteers Overlook
- Ziatora's Proving Ground
- Boom // Bust
- Courser of Kruphix
- Woodfall Primus
- Valakut Exploration
- Radha, Heart of Keld
- Nahiri's Lithoforming
- Yavimaya Hollow
- Lotus Field
- Bloated Contaminator
- Necroplasm
- Valentin, Dean of the Vein
- Strangleroot Geist
- Pollenbright Druid
- Llanowar Wastes
- Jungle Hollow
- Verdant Catacombs
- Experiment One
- Reyhan, Last of the Abzan
- Yawgmoth, Thran Physician
- Grim Affliction
- Deathrite Shaman
- Necroskitter
- The Gitrog Monster
- Worm Harvest
- Vorapede
- Skinrender
- Creakwood Liege
- Old Rutstein
- Tear Asunder
- Gala Greeters
- Ravenous Squirrel
- Indatha Triome
- Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons
- Fiend Artisan
- Urborg Repossession
- Young Wolf
- Fabled Passage
- Slippery Bogle
- Parcelbeast
- Gemrazer
- Migratory Greathorn
- Swarm Shambler
- Murkfiend Liege
- Shielding Plax
- Tradewind Rider
- Enclave Cryptologist
- Ordeal of Nylea
- Give // Take
- Sawtusk Demolisher
- Pir, Imaginative Rascal
- Pelt Collector
- Zagoth Triome
- Misty Rainforest
- Thornwood Falls
- Yavimaya Coast
- Vorel of the Hull Clade
- Kiora, Master of the Depths
- Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
- Prophet of Kruphix
- Ordeal of Thassa
- Gilder Bairn
- Plaxcaster Frogling
- Evolving Wilds
- Jaya, Fiery Negotiator
- Ral, Storm Conduit
- Mystic Confluence
- Blistercoil Weird
- Crackleburr
- Throes of Chaos
- Scalding Tarn
- Shivan Reef
- Swiftwater Cliffs
- Backdraft Hellkite
- Quicksilver Dagger
- Geistblast
- Ketria Triome
- Cryptic Pursuit
- Jeskai Elder
- Izzet Charm
- Brutal Expulsion
- Soul-Scar Mage
- Fire // Ice
- Sprite Dragon
- Niblis of Frost
- Bonecrusher Giant
- Expansion // Explosion
- Reduce // Rubble
- Monastery Swiftspear
- Arid Mesa
- Boros Charm
- Battlefield Forge
- Wind-Scarred Crag
- Rally the Peasants
- Kytheon, Hero of Akros
- Cavalier of Flame
- Devoted Crop-Mate
- Leonin Lightscribe
- Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
- Lorehold Command
- Duergar Mine-Captain
- Collective Defiance
- Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
- Balefire Liege
- Double Cleave
- Collective Effort
- Onward // Victory
- Ahn-Crop Crasher
- Terramorphic Expanse
- Nahiri, the Harbinger
- Monastery Mentor
- Raugrin Triome
- Earthshaker Khenra
- Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder
These six cards are often underwhelming by doing too little, too late and/or having too narrow uses.
Stolen by the Fae would be better and more interesting as an instant but maybe the most infuriating hurdle of this card is it's cost which significantly reduce it's range of applications. Meanwhile, while I was keen to insert token generators in all colors, it doesn't feel like a good design as it send a wrong message: the Populate and token doublign mechanics are in and the Death and sacrifice mechanics are in . Hence, if it doesn't hurt to get token generators in blue, this tag shouldn't be counted when comparing contributions toward the cube's mechanical themes. Stolen by the Fae contribute to Blink/Twin/Bounce, Removal, Token and Evasion (3 pertinent contributions) while Change of Plans contribute to CombatTrick, Collective, CA, Counters and Protection while being easier to cast (5 pertinent contributions).
...
Playing a lot with newcomers this last months and aiming to show them an accurate depiction of MtG's color identities, I made 10 bicolor 40 cards decks of each color pairs with clear mechanical theme:
Blink, Control/Appropriation, Agression/Suicide/Reanimation/Rudeness (!), Landfall, Token/Populate, Aristocrat, -1/-1 counters/Graveyard, Counters Proliferation, Spellslinger, Agression/Decisive Strike. Aiming to play at least 10 cards of my multicolor section in each deck, It happens that some cards wheren't able to make the cut for the wrong reasons: mainly being non-synergistic with what the colorpair does. Not every 2-color cards should be good together as they may be synergistic in 3-color deck. One exemple is Huntmaster of the Fells wich doesn't bring anything to a Landfall deck but should be great in a token/anthem/aggressive deck. Therefore, here is the first batch of card swaps that I made while testing my cube as a gauntlet of 2-color decks.
Ancient Grudge is too narrow for draft purposes. But this card cannot be replaced easily as its slot require a red card with an optionnal green cost, wich doesn't let me lots of options. Other pertinent options to replace it where Primitive Justice or Tin Street Hooligan but it happens that the cube is in more dire need of manaramp and manafixing than anti-artifact spells. Hence, Sprouting Goblin should do the job !
Impromptu Raid isn't worth it, Impromptu Raid isn't worth it, Impromptu Raid really isn't worth it. I though for a long time this card was an hybrid Sneak Attack but it isn't: the cost is too steep and even with a deck containing 22 creatures and 17 lands (plus that fatefull card), you'll alway have around 42% chances to fumble and lose your mana. Maybe if the activation cost was only one mana the card could work but what an horrible deck you would have to build to take advantage of that one card. On the other hand, Giantbaiting contribute to the Collective and Token Mechanical themes without hurdle. However, this last card could be way better and not that overpowered if only the giants wouldn't disapear at the end of turn (I'll probably make a custom version of that card soon).
Prosperous Partnership may just be a stricly better Goblin Trenches: it creates it's tokens rightaway and makes mana instead of sacrificing lands. Sure, it cannot be use to make a sudden and suicidal strike force of goblins but that last scenario happens so seldomly that I don't remember if it happens at least once !
Figure of Destiny is a deceptive design: yes it can be played turn one in lot of decks but only pure RW decks can get it to the Avatar level. More so, in an environment with levelers, it feel strange to not being able to spend mana more gradually to level it up. Boros Reckoner may also be the temporary choice for the RW hybrid section as it can be hard to play outside of a pure RW deck, but it's a solid creature that doesn't pose many more problems and may open the door to some combos. Spitemare could be a more playable alternative but it is way less agressive nor attractive.
Winding Constrictor is an anti-combo when using -1/-1 counters wich makes it awkward to draft most of the times. Making it go liberate more room for other mechanics and make the counter ramping/proliferating/doubling strategy an exclusively GU mechanical theme wich makes mechanical themes clearer overall.
Necropolis Fiend being replaced was predicted a long time ago but I never found a big black creature that could replace the top of my black section's curve. Including another -1/-1 counter themed card with Obelisk Spider was the occasion to rediscover Carnifex Demon when I rummage through old reddit posts about this average but interesting spider (maybe Obelisk Spider should be a candidate to a slight redesign to make it more potent and/or synergistic).
Slimefoot, the Stowaway may work by itself if you get enough mana to generate saprolings quickly. But played on turn three, it isn't a great card by any metrics. It was included because I loved it's character design. But, like we humans do sometimes, I didn't nurtured it enough to make it thrive. on the other way, Glissa Sunslayer feels like a sturdy creature wich check lot of boxes.
Simple card swap 134-139: way better fit, reducing the watchlist and including recent cards
Erceus posted to Multicolor Duel Cube -
Phyrexian Colossus is thematically a better fit for this cube than Traxos, Scourge of Kroog. It contribute to the Life and Tap/Untap mechanical themes by combining them in an interresting way. On the other hand, Traxos just contribute to the Tap/Untap mechanical themes while hinting to an Historic mechanical theme that is not in the cube even if its many legendary and artifacts cards could support it. But the fact that Phyrexian Colossus is almost never picked because of its really steep costs Traxos, Scourge of Kroog a sound replacement. Depth Charge Colossus could have been a good Prototype version of its Phyrexian cousin but WotC seems to have dropped the ball on this one.
Ashnod, Flesh Mechanist would be a dubious inclusion if it wouldn't have Deathtouch wich makes it a fine one drop. Her mechanical themes are quite similar to Qarsi High Priest but the side advantage of her trade is ramping for activating abilities instead of an uncertain card advantage. I think she's a better card overall that the former but not with a high margin if not for the deathtouch.
Mizzium Tank had a custom version who tap creatures with lesser power and untapped creatures with greater power: an interresting feat but not a really usefull one in this cube finally. I'm always ambivalent about adapted cards as they should be taylored for my needs but they're also welcomed with defiance by other players if they deviate too much from their original design. In any case, Brotherhood's End bring more Sweeper and Artifact removal effects.
Phyrexian Soulgorger is almost implayable on turn three and do so little in the short time it is sustainable. Originally, the plan was to get as much counter removal as possible to keep at the lowest the number of age counters on the Soulgorger. But there will never be a critical mass of these effects even if WotC suddenly printed a bunch of them, simply because there are a lot of other mechanical needs in this cube to cater for a norrow one such as this. On this topic, Mystic Remora should stay for now as it's a potent card without shenanigans. Meanwhile, Wheatherlight Compleated contribute to the same mechanical themes as Phyrexian Soulgorger and even more !
For one more mana, Aether Channeler is a more flexible Owl Familiar. It doesn't discard wich is a drawback designwise as the card no more fill the graveyard but better for almost anyone playing it... and in any case, the drawed card will probably end up in the graveyard sooner than later. With an endless supply of card slots, both could be in the same cube.
Bloated Contaminator doesn't contribute to the Sacrifice mechanical theme as Scourge of Skola Vale did but beyond that it's a better and funnier card by any other metrics. The poison win condition isn't atteinable in this cube most of the times but as the card stand by itself, it's the first stone to a potential latter inclusion of this mechanics (even if it isn't in my current plans).
Simple card swap 134-136: monocolored cards with offcolor ability from DMU
Erceus posted to Multicolor Duel Cube -
Mainboard Changelist+3, -3
Three swaps that are continuing this discussion: https://cubecobra.com/cube/blog/blogpost/61030bda61529044ad731afc
These three new cards lower slightly this section's density of graveyard interactions but increase the number of combat tricks and removals (both always welcome) while upgrading the overall attractiveness of these kind of cards.
In fact, I don't remember any time where Travel Preparations, Spider Spawning nor Deadly Allure where played and I'm sure was never thrilled by the prospect of picking one of these.
These kicker cards from DMU also add to the diversity of offcolor mechanics in this section (flashback, Aftermath), making Ongoing Investigation and Geistblast less awkward... wich could be better... maybe ? I would prefer if Strength of the Coalition and Tear Asunder where interracting with the graveyard in some way but one cannot get everything.