Welcome to my cube! The main goal of this cube is to emulate the feel of older magic, before the modern sets. Originally designed prior to Wizards printing cards in retro frames again, the list contains only cards that have been printed using the pre-8th edition border. There are a limited number of the new to old-border cards in my cube, as I feel they fit the general themes I'm aiming for, and fill out some archetypes nicely.

Cube Principles and Archetypes

1. Why did I choose these cards?
2. Fliers
3. Control
4. Reanimator
5. Ramp
6. Enchantress
7. Clerics
8. Value
9. Tempo
10. Spells
11. Aggro
12. Fixing
13. New Retro Cards

Why did I choose these cards?

I've always liked the aesthetic of old-bordered cards, especially the foils. My aim is to foil as much of this cube as possible in paper. However, several of the cards I've selected either don't have a foil printing, or have a version of art that I much prefer over its only foil version. Anyway, on to the specifics of the cards.

My rules that I consider when looking at additions:

• Restrict the number of extremely potent single cards, with potential to warp the game if they are played. e.g. Sol Ring is not included.
• Attempt to minimise on-rails drafting by including cards with broad usability
• Keep games interesting and interactive
• Maintain a sense of pre-modern magic.
• Aesthetics

Excluding obscenely powerful cards like the power 9 and honorary power cards puts my cube at a comfortable power level overall. Yes, there are some cards that are strong in my cube, like Rofellos and Time Spiral, but they probably aren't at a level where you would swap strategies mid-draft because of them. I try to keep these cards in check with the rest of my cube environment.

Minimising on-rails drafting is difficult in small cubes, especially with the inclusion of some tribal/kindred themes. However, it wouldn't be old magic without tribal/kindred subthemes! I have tried to include several cards that play well across multiple archetypes so that the players drafting tribal had competition for their pieces. Yes, some cards are only useful in singular archetypes, but they can make those archetypes shine!

There were so many weird creatures in old magic that having interesting board states is a pretty easy ask. Keeping the number of morph creatures (that are actually decent) high helps with this. Additionally, including some interesting combat tricks and limiting the number of cards that gave/had protection makes creatures feel more meaningful.

The fourth point is more aimed towards the new cards printed in old-border. There are some cards that will never see the light of day here - equipment and planeswalkers, for example. I am not against these card types in general, but this is not the place for them (and my feelings about the swords of X & Y in cube formats could occupy a whole section). Some cards just don't fit the theme of these older archetypes either, which brings me into my last point.

Aesthetics.
I will pick a card with nice art over a functionally similar card with bad art. This point is relatively minor, and is only a deciding point if I have multiple similar options

Now that we have the why down, let's move on to the what part of this overview:

Common Archetypes

Below are some of the draft strategies you can expect to see in this draft format.

Fliers

A timeless draft classic - when in doubt, draft the evasive deck. With relatively few creatures capable of blocking fliers outside this colour pair, it is easy to get in for damage in the air. Relying on for removal and for card advantage and tempo, you should be able to keep your the way clear for your main threats. If you are going all-in on fliers, also can support a tribal sub-theme for birds, with the use of some of the creature-type specific cards like Shared Triumph.

Control

Yes, storm exists in this cube. However, storm is intentionally pulled back a little bit in this cube, using as the accelerator colour with cards like Bubbling Muck and Cabal Ritual. If you want to play it safer, go down the more control-centric route and pick up some evasive creatures like Shadowmage Infiltrator to push through damage, or build your own evasive creature with Shadow Rift for the final points of damage.

Reanimator

Black-red plays like the more typical reanimation deck, with providing the tools for reanimation, and providing some good targets and outlets with a minor dragon tribal sub-theme. Back-up your reanimation plan by cheating out some of the best reanimation targets with a Zirilan of the Claw.

Rampy-Stompy

Accelerate early to out-threat your opponent with plenty of ramp available. This archetype has the options of going big or going wide with swarms of goblins, insects, bears, or saprolings. Plenty of token-producers and payoffs for making those tokens like Pandemonium and Tribal Forcemage.

Enchantress

Just over 12% of the cards in this cube are enchantments, so there should be some payoffs for focussing on them in your deck. Argothian Enchantress is the premier card for the archetype, letting you build up a board of hard-to-remove cards. Plenty of additional value to be had with these cards through token creation as well.

Clerics

This deck is stronger than you think, and is very consistent with its performance. Clerics have nearly exclusive access to the only ways of gaining life and preventing damage in this cube. Backed up by the strongest removal colours in this cube clerics can beat a majority of the aggressive and mid-range decks that get drafted through sheer persistence.

#Walue

The colour pair with some of the most powerful creatures available for their mana costs. There are a number of ways to take these decks, from more graveyard-based taking advantage of threshold with cards like Centaur Chieftain, to an aristocrats-style deck using powerful sac outlets like Phyrexian Plaguelord.

Bounce and Tempo

Welcome to the land of mystery, where every face-down card is Willbender. With plenty of ways to bounce both your own and your opponent's creatures backed up with some of the most powerful Counterspells in magic, you have an advantage in the long game.

Spells & Card Draw

Plenty of card draw and direct damage here, which should be no surprise. Best way to victory is simply beating your opponent to death through sheer card advantage and a high density of answers. Not your cup of tea? Draft this colour combination as a mill deck by wheeling your opponent to death with a Shocker enchanted with Arcane Teachings.

Creature Value

A classic, this deck is capable of going wide or protecting its creatures to beat the opponent with efficient threats. Always keep in mind that the player has the potential to send a Sheltered Pallimud to the face for some great damage.

Fixing

Fixing in this cube is designed to limit the prevalence of three-colour+ goodstuff decks. Not that it isn't impossible, it's just difficult. This cube has enemy check lands, ally tapped lands, enemy pain lands, and slow fetches. Mono-coloured mana rocks, with a couple of rainbow lands and filter mana rocks. If you want good fixing, you will need to play a deck, as nature intended.

New Retro Cards

Here, I'll justify my additions to the cube that have been printed after 2003. This section may be a bit lengthy, with a discussion on each of the cards I've included. It also may not be fully up-to-date, if I have recently added or removed cards.