Another year, another opportunity to review and update the cube...

2023 has been another record-breaking year for Magic with more than 10,000 cards* released across 92 releases. (This number includes alternate art, alternate frames, or promo versions and Secret Lair releases... but still!)

The last two years of Commander releases opened a lot more options especially if you consider the sheer number of reprints (Commander Masters, many many pre-cons...) and the fact that we got products devoted to the two "typal" archetypes featured in this cube: Elves, with the Lord of The Rings products; and Pirates, with the latest Ixalan set.

Drafting and playing the cube with different player counts has highlighted some areas that could be tweaked.

This update is a little more extensive than the previous one to address two areas previously left unaddressed when the cube was built in 2021: (1) underperforming Commander Legends (CMR) cards that were included in the cube by default as a starting point, and (2) options for 3-color commanders, which were initially just all the 3-color rares from Commander Legends.

The updates from last year proved to work really well: None of them created unforeseen issues and Hero's Downfall, and The Council of Four had a positive impact on games... The Big Top was used successfully in multiple games. Of course, future games may prove me wrong! But that's the joy of curating a cube.

So here are the latest updates:

• Destroy Evil (replacing Skywhaler's Shot): This first update is to give players more flexibility with white removal. Destroy Evil is creeping up in price so it's a popular card but not necessarily the budget all-star it was for a short time.

• Generous Gift (replacing Iona's Judgment): This is a similar update. Generous Gift is a staple of the format and gives more flexibility to players by having a lower mana value than Iona's Judgment and being instant-speed.

• Deconstruction Hammer (replacing Dispeller's Capsule): This is not necessarily an upgrade but an attempt to increase the equipment count in the cube for white-red decks. This cycle of common equipments from LCI fits in the cube effortlessly.

• Commit // Memory (replacing Out of Bounds): Assist is only viable when playing in teams... Commit does not improve on the mana value aspect (this is still a 4-mana counter spell) but it offers blue players some flexibility by also targeting nonland permanents at instant speed. The Aftermath half (Memory) also gives the player more options in the late game.

• Pirate Hat (replacing Spontaneous Mutation): Spontaneous Mutation is not a great card despite being a one-mana combat trick. It's not a popular card with players (draft or deckbuilding) where players want more removal. Instead Pirate Hat reward players for playing Pirates, and helps increase our equipment count in the cube.

• Haunt of the Dead Marshes (replacing Sanitarium Skeleton): For 3 mana, Sanitarium Skeleton returns to our hand. For the same cost this nightmare elf returns to the battlefield tapped. It's an elf, which is relevant in green-black. It scries which is always nice. The ability shouldn't be too hard to trigger given the high number of legendaries included in the cube.

• Skeleton Crew (replacing Lys Alana Scarblade): Lys Alana Scarblade is too conditional to work well in the green-black archetype. Skeleton Crew costs more but it interacts with your graveyard (relevant in blue-black) and creates tokens (relevant in white-black and red-black) so it's good value. Giving pirates +1/+1 is just an extra little bonus...

• Enterprising Scallywag (replacing Wily Goblin): The Scallywag is easier to cast, has higher power and toughness, and can create multiple treasures over the course of the game so it's relevant in blue-red and red-black decks... Wily Goblin is clearly outclassed.

• Gemcutter Buccaneer (replacing Storm-Kiln Artist): Storm-Kiln Artist was initially included in the cube to help red decks create treasures. The Magecraft ability may be too good. Gemcutter Buccaneer is a new kid on the block and seems more synergistic in this cube since it cares about Pirates. The ability to turn treasures into equipments is also quite relevant.

• Diamond Pick-Axe (replacing Impending Doom): The third card of the cycle of common equipments from LCI. Seems good value all around.

• Throes of Chaos (replacing Frenzied Fugue): There are few mono-colored cards with Cascade cards out there to make the Averna, the Chaos Bloom deck. Throes of Chaos should help. Another solution to this problem is to replace Averna with Maelstrom Wanderer. Let's see how this pans out. Frenzied Fugue is less relevant now that we're replacing Ghen (see below).

• Haldir, Lórien Lieutenant (replacing Wildheart Invoker): Wildheart Invoker's ability is relevant but a little too expensive. Haldir is also an Elf, it cares about +1/+1 counters (another theme in green) and the last ability is another finisher in green (see also Creeperhulk, Kamahl, Heart of Krosa).

• Elvish Archivist (replacing Pollenbright Druid): Elvish Archivist is an elf, cares about +1/+1 counters and artifacts and enchantments. There are a lot of Elves in the cube and the archetype is OK. We'll see if any of these new inclusions are pushing the archetype too far.

• Regal Behemoth (replacing Scaled Behemoth): This should have been included in Commander Legends to begin with. The four (!!) reprints of this card in 2023 helps make sure it's now a budget include. You can't go wrong with Monarch and the ramp is great for green-blue.

• Shower of Arrows (replacing Crushing Vines): Nothing is quite as frustrating as playing a modal removal card that does not let you target enchantments... On top of being a flavorful inclusion (Elves!), you also get to scry for the same cost. A no brainer.

• Rampant Growth (replacing Three Visits): With Three Visits, the land comes into play untapped. However, you can only get a Forest. Rampant Growth is simply more flexible. Three Visits is less relevant at the "limited" power level, especially when there is no non-basic Forests in the cube.

• Predatory Hunger (replacing Hydra's Growth): Exodus has some really cool spells. Predatory Hunger is less threatening than Hydra's Growth. I like that it's only 1-mana. Not the most crucial update to the cube.

• Captain Storm, Cosmium Raider (replacing Captain Vargus Wrath): There is a new pirate 2-cost Izzet Legendary pirate on this ship... Vargus has never been super popular so he's been ousted. We'll see how this goes...

Now in regards to three-color commanders:

• Bane, Lord of Darkness (replacing Nevinyrral, Urborg Tyrant): Nevinyrral is a great character and one of the few all-around good options in Esper colors... That being said, Nevinyrral's brand of Esper control proved to be too oppresive (especially in 3-player games). Just the threat of Nevinyrral has been enough to sway the game too much in favor of the control player. Since 2021, options for Esper commander have expended and Bane represents a better option for the kind of 3-color "good stuff" commander I want to include in the cube.

• Sol'Kanar the Tainted (replacing Obeka, Brute Chronologist): Obeka has not been a problem but the ability is a constant source of confusion for players. Sol'Kanar is a new commander who is interactive and fits in with the chaos/forced combat sub-theme present in the cube, especially on the Grixis side of things.

• Jan Jansen, Chaos Crafter (replacing Ghen, Arcanum Weaver): Ghen, Arcanum Weaver cares about enchantments but this cube cares about artifacts a lot more. Jan Jensen is a new card since 2021 but it seems to fit right with the rest of Commander Legends.

• Aragorn, King of Gondor (replacing Gnostro, Voice of the Crags): Gnostro is a pretty bad creature but it's also the only commander that allows you to play a white-blue-red deck in this cube. Aragorn, King of Gondor will likely prove to be too strong (4/4 for four mana with Vigilance, Lifelink and two other abilities) for this cube but I like to have a Monarch commander in the cube aside from Jared Carthalion, True Heir. Aragorn still dies to removal (and is susceptible tobeing turned into a fish with Ichthyomorphosis).

• Crown of Gondor (replacing Pennon Blade): Both cards have the same costs and have the same ability but Crown of Gondor cares about Monarch, which is one of the most important mechanic to the cube. SOLD!

• Promising Vein (replacing Evolving Wilds): Promising Vein (or its LOTR printing, Shire Terrace) is a new budget option where it comes to color fixing. Early, you can sack it, to search for one of your missing basics. In the late game, it's still a land that comes into play untapped.

• Throne of the High City (replacing Foundry of the Consuls): Not unlike Regal Behemoth, this recent reprint seems like it belonged in Commander Legends in the first place. It's a good utility land if your play a lot of cards that care specifically about being the Monarch. Foundry of the Consuls 5-mana ability is proving to be too expensive.

Other cards that were considered but ultimately didn't make the cut: Francisco, Fowl Marauder, Fathom Fleet Captain, Shire Terrace, Faramir, Steward of Gondor, Admiral Brass, Unsinkable, Bloodthorn Flail.

That's it! Happy New Year! GLHF in 2024!