Start date: November 2024

This is the first cube I am creating "on my own." Naturally, it draws inspiration from other cubes, sets, and constructed formats. My desire to build this cube arose after originally making a powered Vintage cube similar to the MTGO cube. That project brought me a lot of joy, and I had a great time playing it with others. However, over time, I started feeling bored with the non-games, the difficulty of introducing new players (especially as friends of mine have joined the Magic "world"), and the power disparities when a deck contained the Power 9, Sol Ring, fast mana, etc. Additionally, many archetypes felt undefined—powerful for the sake of power rather than offering a meaningful gameplay experience.

To me, that’s what the Island of Misfit Toys represents—not just a nostalgic reference to a movie I watched three times every holiday season with my family, but also the draft experience I want to create and enjoy. On this "island," you'll find archetypes that were too slow or required too much synergy for the Vintage cube, cards that were just missing one crucial line of text to push them to the max, and cards that were slightly "broken" and dismissed as unplayable—ones that never got a real chance. Most importantly, this cube is full of cards that bring me joy when they hit the battlefield.

July 2025: I am revisiting this cube, now having my "main" nutritious cube, I am able to take some of the archetypes out of here as I get to enjoy them elsewhere now. I think the most recent update really reflects the goal of the cube and hopes to emulate games similar to the top levels of standard in 2017-2019. My start of magic and decks I truly enjoyed (UB Scarab god, Hazo-red, God-pharoahs gift, etc.)

Draft winners:
Draft 1: Abzan Midrange (Winston draft)
Draft 2: Jeskai Artifact combo (6 man, 4 pack draft)