Ever since a friend invited me to my first cube draft, I've loved this format. Getting to play with old classic favorites from my childhood mixed with heavy hitters throughout the game's history - and in a way where the mechanics blend together in new ways - is still maybe my favorite way to experience Magic. Something that really struck me wasn't just that the cards were strong, or mechanically cool; there was a personal touch to the cube list that spoke about the curator's personality. Something special that made it theirs. And that's something I've wanted to capture with my own list.

There's lots of amazing resources out there for cube creators (including this very site!). Lots of databases, tables, and charts. Lots of discussion about the best cards and the coolest archetypes. But something that I think gets overlooked is the pursuit of something genuine, self-expressive, and unique.

Trying to balance your priorities with a cube is difficult. Power limits and balance, archetype support, mana curves, synergies, combos, mana base, ... fun ... personality. These things aren't always at odds. Fun is obviously subjective. But sometimes, it can be hard to pinpoint and define. My goal here is to curate a list that continues to explore different avenues to fun without losing its edge. I've studied the lists of various great cube creators of all stripes, I've pulled inspiration from numerous draft formats, I've even glanced at past constructed formats to gauge what it takes to get certain ideas working, all an effort to squeeze the greatest of gameplay experiences into a single list that has the potential to spark joy within myself and within those who I am fortunate enough to share my cube with.

I've also set my own limits and restrictions that I think detract from my ideal cube experience. For example, I try to avoid one-off mechanics, and mini-games like Initiative and Monarch. Other cube crafters might not agree with these restrictions, but I personally want to immerse myself in what I personally call "Magic", without what I see as distractions, bogging down gameplay for diminishing returns on fun. I also try to include cards whose mechanics have reminder text, because I want everyone to be able to jump in and know what they're doing, regardless of whether they're a longtime, diehard MTG fan or relatively new to the game.

Beyond that, I mostly just exclude cards I don't own. I do use proxies for valuable cards (I would not like to beat up my Mox Diamond, thank you), but they are still on display while placeholders are present for draft. As such, there's no power here; I also exclude cards like Sol Ring and Mana Vault because they may simply be a bit too overpowered when other drafters can't similarly pick up various moxen. Beyond that, it mostly comes down to taste.

I've spent many hours trying to figure out how adequately represent themes I want in the cube. I've run tallies to make sure I have approximately X number of this, about Y number of that, and so on. I want people to get a sense that if something is in the cube, it was chosen deliberately and with care, and that rewards await an inspired player who tries to draft something more than just cards that seem strongest in a vacuum. That said, I'm not going to list everything here. In fact, I think it might be best to just let people figure out that stuff themselves. After all, I think discovery is one of the most fun aspects of the game.

I hope you enjoyed reading this! And I hope you enjoy the list. May it inspire you to the most enjoyable experiences you can have with your friends. Happy cubing!