Alatta
(360 Card Cube)
Alatta
Cube ID
Art by Phil FoglioArt by Phil Foglio
360 Card Unpowered Legacy Cube47 followers
Designed by Alveric

This cube leans hard on aggressive/tempo focused play with an emphasis on low curves and the intention of providing players the opportunity to be able to act and react. A back-and-forth if you will. It’s going to be a war of attrition and consequential decisions… but in a fun way, ya know?

What I really mean by the above is that this cube is fundamentally focused on Magic at its most distilled form: casting spells and turning creatures sideways.

In a similar vein, a recent fixation has been trying to emphasize clean/clear cards and design. Reading the card should readily explain the card and thinking should be primarily reserved for the games being played and not sussing out sixteen abilities on a one-drop. What this really means is that the cube kind of shies away from one-off mechanics and features a lot of classic well known “boomer” era cards.

I break singleton for the mana base by featuring two sets of fetch and three sets of shock lands. I want players to have a mana base that enables their deck to do its thing and enjoy the tension created by painful lands.

All cards featured come from sets that were Type II (Standard) legal. No cards printed exclusively in supplemental products. No cards featured/printed on special bonus draft sheets from a set. No gods. No masters.

Major inspiration and credit are due to @andymangold's Bun Magic Cube, @dinrovahorror's Atomic Cube, @couchlife's Couch Cube, and @snowtorch's Mini Cube. All of them have written more, and more eloquently, on design and gameplay goals that I ape in varying degrees.

Alveric posted to Alatta -

Isn't it wild how a few days of warmer weather and more sunlight will dramatically improve your mood? Yes, things are, by-and-large undeniably terrible, but sometimes you're just a dog trying to have a cup of coffee while a fire rages all around you or someone pushing middle age who feels much more alive when they can sleep with the windows open and spends a few days primarily listening to the first Tiny Hawks album. Spending a day with friends playing this game was also nice as was all of the time spent not playing this game. Thank you all so very much.

I am taking a pause from lamenting the passage of time and the changing of this game to make some changes to this cube by way of reintroducing a bunch of cards and adding some new ones. At some point I had it in my head that I wanted to streamline and simplify the cards featured herein but I don't think I have gotten there yet. Instead, I am introducing one of the wordiest cards in a moment in Kaito, Bane of Nightmares. In my defense, I watched a boshnroll video featuring the card in a "Hybrid Tempo Deck" and I am a sucker for the word "Tempo". Also the card was cool in the video, or what I was paid attention to while folding the laundry.

In support of this "hybrid tempo" thing I am re-adding Elusive Otter and going to give Mockingbird a shot. They are evasive creatures that can support Kaito's ninjutsu and are also cool in their own right. Vapor Snag is also a tempo card and can clear blockers but it is really just a classic that I love and it wouldn't be a cube update without at least one odd classic meant only for me. I considered adding Mischievous Mystic and Faebloom Trick but I don't think I am there quite yet. I am taking out Faerie Conclave which was really fun to see in a draft so we'll consider its addition a success, Delay, and Negate. There are probably better cuts to be made but these are what caught my eye at this time.

I am also removing Raven's Crime and Condemn as being too cute and standing out in the list while looking for cuts. Getting to play Recommission in Theseus reminded me that it's a good card actually and I like the "cost" of Murderous Cut and wouldn't mind another removal spell.

In terms of "reject modernity, embrace tradition" I'm going to throw in two Savannah Lions in Usher of the Fallen and Dauntless Bodyguard. Student of Warfare continues to underperform and trip people up and Hopeful Initiate really relies too much on hope.

I have got a billion red two-drops and should really clean the section up on a whole but for the time being Kari Zev, Skyship Raider is coming out for Searslicer Goblin. I am still a little skeptical about how good the card may be but I like goblins and this is more goblins.

Circling back to Theseus, I had a lot of fun being on the receiving end of Ajani Vengeant and think the card will attract more attention than Boros Charm.

Finally, I think vehicles are dumb. Don't like the mechanic that much and don't have any particular fondness for Esika's Chariot or Smuggler's Copter. Adding back in Ulvenwald Oddity as green beef and Phyrexian Revoker to return to its role as a sideboard card.

All done for now.

View All Blog Posts