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This twobert is aiming to be a masters' level draft set for 2-4 players. It has 3 major design goals:

1. Creatures and combat should matter
2. Every card should be non-foil with the basic frame
3. The cube should remain budget

Creatures Have Feelings Too

In many cubes, the creatures need to be excellent quality, because most of the removal will be at instant speed. Therefore, with few exceptions, this cube runs its unconditional removal at sorcery speed. I am looking to curate an environment where combat tricks abound. This also leads to fun gameplay during the combat step where players are able to bluff opponents to get in more damage. Most fun draftable sets have very fun combat, and most higher-power cubes don't.
Along that line, this cube is also absent board wipes. A control deck in this cube will have to rely on their creatures providing the value to stay ahead of their opponents. I may include 1 or 2 in the future, but the major design decision behind it will remain. Games should be decided by incremental advantage, and there should be no blowout potential.

I'm Hot For Basic

All of the cards in this cube are non-foil in the modern frame. This is for a couple of reasons. I like the aesthetic of everything matching. It creates a nice uniform pile of cards to look at. That said, where possible, I will choose the art that I consider the best for the card, because we all have our own tastes. It also leaves nothing distracting to my drafters. There's nothing shiny or popping out at you while you draft. So the only thing you can even focus on is the text on the card.

We Ain't Got No Red American Express

This cube also aims to be as budget as good gameplay will allow. With how often reprints hit our game, this isn't as hard as it used to be. One of the major goals of this cube is to be able to take it out to LGS' and other gatherings and not worry about the cardboard game pieces while playing. Playing a powered cube or powerful cube is a blast, but if you're the curator you really have to trust your drafters. With this in mind, the combat cube allows me to connect with more players without risk.

One of the functions of this cube is to be an accessible way to play 2 player games with my partner. Because of that, the list will change often, and more often than not include a bunch of cards I am testing for other cube(s). With that being the case, I do attempt to keep some very broad archetypes in mind while swapping cards in and out. So these descriptions will be short and to the point, so I'm able to update them as needed.

Esper

Esper is where the majority of ETB matters cards go.
Blink
Ninja
Small Reanimator

Jeskai

Jeskai runs a spells-matter matter theme
Heroic
Prowess
Spells help creatures

Bant

Bant cares about ETB value
Blink
+1/+1 Counters
Self-Targeting Matters

Mardu

Mardu is all about aggresive aristocrats
Aggr-eanimate
Aggro
Aggro-ristocrat

Abzan Naya Grixis

Grixis is a tempo archetype
Ninjas
Prowess
Aggro-ristocrat

Sultai Temur Jund