Removing cards that don't see much play, as well as Despise and Cryptic Command for readability.

Let's do something about Gaea's Cradle, Tolarian Academy, and Mishra's Worshop, shall we?

I like being able to deal with an indestructible Kaldra Compleat or Blightsteel Colossus

Cryptic Command is just not quite what it used to be. Plus I have the Invocation Version which is hard to read.

Sphinx is also not holding its own anymore. Let's draw 4 cards at instant speed.

Terese Nielson's signature obscures the text on Despise. I love a good Bob effect.

These man-lands just aren't hanging anymore. Lets add in a couple more artifact payoffs.

So long, Boo, and thanks for all the fish.

I've realized Minsc & Boo just isn't fun to play with or against.

I don't think Uro is as egregious. Some other balances and changes are listed below.

Nando is a great alterist. I have multiple cards altered by him.
Here is the latest.

I went to MagicCon Vegas in 2023 and used two signature services this past year to continue to bling out this Cube. Due to using the services, cards have been missing from my Cube for almost a year and I've been "storing" planned Cube updates in the maybeboard since then.

The time has finally come that my cards have all returned and for the updates to be made!

I am also reducing this Cube from 384 down to 360 because I want to return to a normal 3x15 pack size.

Below is a picture of most all the cards that were acquired as alters or signatures since the last major update.

I'm excited to draft this Cube again with friends in the next month or so.

Finally got most of my cards back from signature services. Now I can start to get to some overdue updates I've been wanting to make and then hopefully play my Cube again soon!

I'm not exactly thrilled with some of the signatures blocking rules text like on Delighted Halfling and Ledger Shredder. So much so that I'm probably going to swap out Ledger Shredder for a different card altogether and may acquire a readable halfling. ::shrug::

Well, okay then...

The changes I'm bringing in from March of the Machine are being included because I think they will bring fun gameplay patterns.

I'm adding three MOM cards, Death-Greeter's Champion,Etali, Primal Conqueror, and Archangel Elspeth, as well as one BRO reprint, Mishra's Bauble.

The card I'm most excited about is Etali, Primal Conqueror (yes, I'm a bit of Timmy/Tammy in this regard). In my mind, the card can almost read as if it has Cascade, Cascade, whose ability triggers as an ETB (so works well with Sneak Attack and Reanimate strategies. Or if you just want to cast your mana elder dinosaur the old-fashioned way...regardless, I think Etali will be incredibly fun to play with because of the variance inherent in its design.

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I have a video on variance and how I think a certain level of variance in gameplay can be fun. I think Etali threads that needle nicely.

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Death-Greeter's Champion is a bit of a test. I think the backup mechanic is quite solid and drives interesting decision-making on where to put the +1/+1 counter. I included the full text version of this card because it has the reminder text. Something that I think is a feature by reducing cognitive load on drafters and players trying to remember how the dash and backup mechanics function.

Lastly, from MOM, Archangel Elspeth is a solid 4MV Planeswalker. Yes. I am also still running the OG Elspeth, Knight Errant. It may prove that having two 4MV Elspeth Planeswalkers is a bit much ... but it's not so different as also running the 6MV Elspeth, Sun's Champion. The 6MV Elspeth is starting to show her age. Yes I think she is still powerful enough as a control finisher. However, I don't think she is necessarily the most fun Planeswalker to play with or against.

From BRO comes Mishra's Bauble, a card that synergizes with artifact synergies and acts as a free cantrip. Maybe one day I'll get a serialized version? Who knows.

Removed from the cube are the BRO artifacts Bladecoil Serpent and Clay Champion, as well as DMU's Jaya. I must admit, I never got the chance to play with Jaya or Clay Champion. I did cast Bladecoil Serpent a couple of times. All-in-all, I do not think these cards get there on power level for this cube.

I have a rotisserie draft coming up in the near future for this cube. I'm hoping to see if the play patterns of these cards are as fun as I think they will be.

After seeing card previews, I was originally pretty concerned about the parasitism of this set. I went so far as to make a video about the topic here: Parasitism in Cube. As a curator, I did not want to add poison as an archetype into my environment, and this set seemed rife with the mechanic. On the other hand, Oil Counters, are just flavorful charge counters and can safely be included.

The updates pictured above lower the mana value of the environment (Atraxa is likely getting cheated into play, not cast). Four-mana Venser, Shaper Savant is a bit past his prime and I'm excited to experiment with the play patterns of Mercurial Spelldancer. Moreover, while casting a five-mana Living Death in the reanimator archetype is powerful, requires quite a bit of set-up, and even when pulled off, doesn't necessarily get there. The two-mana Sheoldred's Edict seems much more flexible of a removal spell.

Lastly, the step-and-compleat Atraxa, Grand Unifier is sexy as hell and I think will interest players more than Omnath, Locus of Creation. I'm personally excited to play with her in this environment.

Swapping brain maggot for BRO's Dreams of Steel and Oil because I like that the mana value cost is less and the discard effect is permanent, unlike the maggot's.

Also removing murderous rider from black as I feel there is already enough black removal to go around. However the biggest change in black is removing the gorgeously Rocky Alters revised Mind twist.

Mind twist just doesn't fall in line with my play goals. Fast mana can make a turn 2 or 3 twist against your opponent debilitating. And this is a real feel-bad for the opponent. I don't think "fun" is net-zero. But I think this card provides more "feel-bad" for the opponent than "fun" for the caster. So mind twist is now added to the banned cards list. I'm a bit sad to see it go (because the alter is sweet!) but know it is the right thing for the environment.

Also I'm removing Rootbound Crag for a second copy of stomping ground (Unfinity Galaxy Foil version). I'd really like Wizards to finish the cycle of Horizon Canopy style draw lands. For the time being, running double Shock in Gruul and Rakdos will work.

Red is getting a bit of an update with new aggressive focused cards like Gut, True Soul Zealot and DMU's Radha's Firebrand, as well as Goblin Bombardment, a card I have found to play more powerfully than it looks. Having an on-board sacrifice outlet can be pretty key in negating cards that trigger off of combat damage (such as Umezawa's Jitte). The addition of Mine Collapse is purely based on it's ability to be cast for mana.

Blue is getting Dress Down and Gold is getting WItherbloom Command. Not sure how these cards will perform but I've seen them used in other Cubes to great effect.

Lastly, some additional fixing in the form of Gemstone Mine has been added while removing the colorless mana planeswalker Ugin, the Spirit Dragon. Ugin plays fine in ramp (specifically artifact ramp) decks, but I'd rather lower the top-end curve a touch and I'm still leaving both Emerakuls in for the drafters who want to go that route.

Blue

Main goal of this update is to broaden blue's archetype's to include some aggressive slanted creatures. I'm finally getting around to testing the highly recommended Ledger Shredder and wanted to pair the Bird Advisor with BRO's friendly little construct, Surge Engine.

Additionally, I think folks may be overlooking the power of Teferi, Temporal Pilgrim. I love how he is so strong and doesn't require a second color like Teferi, Hero of Dominaria.

White

Even though Restoration Angel is very clean design, I find her value to not be as valuable as she should be at 4MV. Swapping one Angel for another, I'm bringing in Steel Seraph which I am planning on usually casting for the prototype cost.

I also love bringing in a clean Reclamation Sage variant in Loran of the Third Path. I have not found Lion Sash to be as strong as expected. The white mana cost to active Lion Sash's ability is very prohibitive.

Fun

I'm adding Bladecoil Serpent and Clay Champion for the pure fun of the cards. I want to see my players getting joy in casting these cards and I look forward to the first time I get to draw after casting Bladecoil for . To find room I'm taking out Abrupt Decay which has been outclassed by the flexibility of Tear Asunder and Niv Mizzet, Reborn which was usually a th pick.

They were put on watch and now they've been cut! Hexrdinker and True-name are out.

I think these removals are going to be permanent as I want to foster interactive and fun gameplay.

Other changes this update are adds from Dominaria United. Specifically, Sheoldred, the Apocalypse, Cut Down, Guardian of New Benalia, Ertai Resurrected, and Founding the Third Path.

Full update in the blog.

This update continues moving the Sol Cube away from non-interactive and non-fun play patterns.

First up on the chopping block are the two remaining swords: Sword of Feast and Famine; Sword of Fire and Ice.

Their protection from two colors incidentally prevents your opponent from interacting with the creature the Sword is attached to just based on the luck of match pairings and what colors your opponent happens to be playing. Not because of specific deck-building decisions a player may have made. Additionally, the to cast and to equip is a steep cost.

Second up on cuts is Bribery.

This card is incredibly un-fun to play against and incentivises your opponent to make their deck actively WORSE by siding out their threats. Blah.

Not being cut this update but on ACTIVE WATCH STATUS is True-Name Nemesis, Hexdrinker, and Mind Twist.

From DMU I am adding in Tear Asunder and Cut Down, but the Cut down is on order and will be added in a future update.