Art by Brian ValezaThis cube is an iteration on my first cube.
Many goals remain the same:
- Focus on midrange/grindy, creature-dominated games
- Generally fun interactions for a casual group
- Minimal discard, disruption, or taxing/anti-fun cards
- Nothing too broken or painful
This cube aims to solve a few problems, though:
- Archetypes led to on-rails drafts and less-skilled deck building
- Balancing archetype power became difficult while maintaining themes, and pushed me away from including cards that didn't fit but were fun
- The overlap of archetypes in a color often didn't exist
- There were way too many tokens to keep track of
- There wasn't enough selection, and too many games relied on top-decking
- Cards generally didn't offer enough optionality
- Too much of a lack of disruption limited more skilled plays and interaction
- Too many gold cards led to more strict drafts and decks
This cube was not designed with archetypes in mind. Instead, I built it like this:
- Central Cards: For each color pair, select a couple cards that embodied the kind of traits I want the cube to exhibit
- Core Cards: For each central card, add in a few core cards that allowed those central cards to work, feel fun, and point to a theme
- Synergy Cards: In each color look across all core themes to add cards that synergized with two or more
- The rest: Add power, selection, removal, interaction, etc
ETB effects should be powerful, and often creature-based
Spells you cast should have optionality, and more hidden information
Lifegain should be available and have an effect on the game, but not be a central “deck type” or win condition
Vehicles should be powerful and plentiful
There should be plenty of combat tricks
Equipment should actually be good and artifact synergies should be supported
Accruing value should be built-in/easy and provide a natural strategy
You should be able to go wide, but not have a billion different kinds of tokens to keep track of
The graveyard should be a more valuable resource
Card selection is critical, and should permeate the cube
You should be able to assemble fun and weird combos
You shouldnt have to play big dumb creatures if you don’t want to
You should have access to fun stuff that you may not otherwise play
Fetch lands + landfall are just fun, and should be able to be central to decks
Blood tokens should be a supported means for card selection
Looting is a great way to provide both card-selection and graveyard-matters support, so should be on more cards
Recursion should be plentiful
Graveyard combos should exist
As much as possible, tricks should be making permanent changes to cards in play (e.g. +1/+1 counters)
Big creature decks should be supported
Card Types
Battle
A battle enters the battlefield on its front side with a number of defense counters denoted in the bottom right. You can do damage to this battle to remove its defense counters (i.e. through by choosing to attck it rather than a player or direct damage.) When the last defense counter is removed, flip it over and you may cast the back side of it for no cost.
Enchantment - Class
Each level has an ability that is static. Abilities from previous levels are retained when gaining a new level.
Enchantment - Case
A case has three abilities, the first is static and always applies. The second tells you how to solve the case (which can be done during your end step if the condition is met.) The third occurs when the case has been solved.
Enchantment - Saga
Each chapter has a triggered ability, which triggers when the counter is added. A counter is added when it enters the battlefield, and after your draw step. it is sacrifice when the final counter is added, after the ability has triggered.
Dual Faced Cards
Dual faced cards have up/down symbols at the top left on each side, and when casting the spell you choose the side you want to cast. These cards stay on the side you cast while in play, and are face up (side with the up arrow symbol) if moved to any other zone.
Split Cards
Split cards have two cards printed small and horizontally, and when casting the spell you choose which you want to cast.
Hybrid Mana 
To pay this cost you can spend mana of either color
Phyrexian Mana 
To pay this cost you can spend either mana of this color or 2 life
- Divide everything into 6 stacks: W, U, B, R, G, everything else (use stickers to identify, if unclear)
- Shuffle each stack individually
- Take 20% of each color and shuffle it into the everything else stack
- Split the everything else stack into 5 equal stacks, distribute to WUBRG Stacks. Shuffle.
- Take three cards from each stack to make a 15 card pack
Adapt N [Ability]
If this permanent has no +1/+1 counters on it, put N +1/+1 counters on it
Adventure [Ability (From Hand)]
You may cast either part of this card from your hand. If you cast the adventure portion, exile it as it resolves, then you may cast the other portion later from exile
Affinity for X [Keyword]
This spell costs you 
less to cast for each X you control.
Aftermath [Ability (from graveyard)]
The second half of this split card must be cast from the graveyard rather than the hand
Alliance Z [Keyword]
This ability triggers whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control
Amass [subtype] N [Keyword]
If you don’t control an Army creature, create a 0/0 black [subtype] Army creature token. Choose an Army creature you control. Put N +1/+1 counters on that creature.
Backup N [Ability]
When this creature enters the battlefield, put N +1/+1 counters on target creature. If that's another creature, it gains all abilities from this creature until end of turn (excluding the backup ability)
Bestow X [Ability (From Hand)]
You can cast this spell for X as an aura spell with enchant creature, which you can then attach to a creature. If it ever becomes unattached (i.e. if the creature its attached to dies) This card remains on the battlefield in its non-aura form.
Blitz X [Ability (From Hand)]
If you cast this spell for its Blitz cost, it gains haste and "When this creature dies, draw a card" and "Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step."
Channel X [Ability (From Hand)]
You can use this ability from your hand at instant speed by paying X and discarding the card
Cloak [Keyword]
Puts a card onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature with ward 
Commit a Crime [Keyword]
You commit a crime as you cast a spell, activate an ability, or put a triggered ability on the stack that targets an opponent, a spell/ability/permanent they control, or card in their graveyard.
Companion [Ability]
Before the game begins, you choose a single companion whose condition is fulfilled by your starting deck and keep it outside the game. Once during the game, at sorcery speed, you may pay 
and put that card into your hand. This card does not have to be a companion, but can just be a normal card in your deck.
Connive [Ability]
Draw a card, then discard a card. If you discarded a nonland card, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
Convoke [Ability (From Hand)]
When casting this spell, you may tap untapped creatures you control to reduce its cost. It's cost is reduced by 1 or one of that creature's colors
Crew N [Ability]
Tap any number of other untapped creatures you control with total power N or greater: This permanent becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.
Cumulative Upkeep X [Ability]
At the beginning of your upkeep, if this permanent is on the battlefield, put an age counter on this permanent. Then you may pay X for each age counter on it. If you don’t, sacrifice it.
Cycling X [Ability (From Hand)]
When this card is in your hand, you may pay X to discard it and draw another card. If the cycling ability is specific, you can search your deck for that type of card instead (e.g. plainscycling searches for a plains)
Deathtouch [Ability]
Any damage the creature does is lethal
Defender [Ability]
The creature cannot attack
Delirium [Keyword]
You have delirium if you have four or more card types among cards in your graveyard (a single card may contribute multiple types e.g. artifact creature)
Delve [Ability (From Hand)]
For each generic mana in this spell’s total cost, you may exile a card from your graveyard rather than pay that mana.
Descend X [Keyword]
This cares about have X or more cards in your graveyard
Descended [Keyword]
You've descended if a permanent card has been put into your graveyard from anywhere.
Devoid [Keyword]
This card is colorless
Discover X [Keyword]
Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value X or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.
Double Strike [Ability]
The creature strikes twice, at both first strike and regular strike speeds
Dredge N [Ability (from graveyard)]
If this card is in your graveyard you can return the card to your hand by choosing to skip a draw and mill N cards.
Energy [Counter Type]
When you gain energy you add energy counters to yourself. You may later use that energy for various effects by reducing the number of counters you have
Enlist [Ability]
As this creature attacks, you may tap up to one untapped creature you control that you didn't choose to attack with and isn't summoning sick. When you do, this creature gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the tapped creature's power.
Escape X [Ability (from graveyard)]
If this card is in your graveyard you can cast it for its escape cost and exiling a specified number of other cards from your graveyard
Eternalize X [Ability (from graveyard)]
You can only do this while this card is in your graveyard. Pay X, and Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that's a copy of it, except it's a 4/4 black Zombie with no mana cost. Eternalize only as a sorcery.
Evoke X [Ability (From Hand)]
You may cast this spell for X, if you do its sacrified when it enters the battlefield
Exalted [Ability]
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each instance of exalted on the battlefield under your control
Exert [Keyword]
When a creature with the exert ability is exerted, then an ability is triggered and the creature doesn't untap at the beginning of its controller's next untap step.
Explore [Ability]
If a creature you control explores, you reveal the top card of your library. If the revealed card is a land, put that card into your hand. If it's not a land card, put a +1/+1 counter on the exploring creature. Then, you decide whether the nonland card goes back on top of your library or into your graveyard.
Extort [Ability]
Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay . If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain life equal to the total life lost this way.
Fabricate N [Ability]
When this permanent enters, you may put N +1/+1 counters on it. If you don’t, create N 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature tokens.
Fathomless Descent [Keyword]
This cares about the number of cards in your graveyard
Ferocious [Keyword]
You may do this only if you control a creature with power 4 or greater
Finality [Counter Type]
If a creature with a finality counter on it would die, it's exiled instead
First Strike [Ability]
During combat, this creature deals damage before creatures without first strike
Flash [Ability (From Hand)]
This card can be cast any time you could cast an instant.
Flashback X [Ability (from graveyard)]
You can cast this spell from your graveyard for X. Exile it when it resolves
Fight [Keyword]
Creatures fighting deal damage equal to their power to each other
Flying [Ability]
Can only be blocked by creatures with flying or reach.
Foretell X [Ability (From Hand)]
A player may pay and exile a card with foretell from their hand face down. That player may look at that card as long as it remains in exile. They may cast that card after the current turn has ended by paying X rather than paying that spell's mana cost.
Haste [Ability]
The creature can tap or attack the turn it came into play
Heroic [Ability]
This ability triggers when you cast a spell that targets it
Hexproof [Ability]
This cannot be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control
Impending N - X [Ability (From Hand)]
If you choose to cast a spell for its impending cost, it enters with N time counters and isn't a creature until the last counter is removed. At the beginning of your end step, you remove a time counter from the enchantment card.
Imprint [Ability]
You imprint a card by exiling it, and gain some benefit from the card that was exiled
Indestructible [Ability]
Damage and destroy effects do not kill this creature (but exile and -X/-X effects that would reduce its toughness to 0 still do)
Inspired [Ability]
This triggers whenevr a creature becomes untapped
Investigate [Ability]
Create a colorless Clue artifact token with ": Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card"
Kicker X [Ability (From Hand)]
You can pay an additional cost when casting this spell. This additional cost will give you an additional effect when casting.
Landfall [Ability]
Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, this ability triggers
Level Up X [Ability]
Pay X at Sorcery Speed, add a level counter to the card. A cards level is determined by the total number of level counters on it (starting at 0)
Lifelink [Ability]
Whenever the creature deals damage, you gain that much life
Magecraft [Ability]
This triggers whenever you cats or copy an instant or sorcery spell
Manifest [Keyword]
When you manifest a card you put it on the battlefield face down as a 2/2 Creature. if its a creature you can turn it face up for its mana cost (this would not trigger enters the battlefield abilities)
Manifest Dread [Keyword]
Look at the top two cards of your library. Manifest one and put the other in your graveyard.
Meld [Ability]
Two cards can be melded together (flipping them to their back side to make one big card)
Menace [Ability]
A creature with menace can't be blocked except by two or more creatures
Metalcraft [Ability]
You may do this only if you control three or more artifacts
Mill [Keyword]
Put the top card of your library in your graveyard
Miracle X [Ability]
You may reveal this card from your hand as you draw it if it’s the first card you’ve drawn this turn. When you reveal this card this way, you may cast it by paying its miracle cost rather than its mana cost.
Modified [Keyword]
A creature is modified if it has one or more counters on it, if it is equipped, or if it is enchanted by an Aura that is controlled by that creature's controller.
Modular N [Ability]
This enters with N +1/+1 counters on it, and when it dies you may put a +1/+1 counter on target artifact creature for each +1/+1 counter on it.
Multikicker X [Ability (From Hand)]
You can pay an additional cost (multiple times) when casting this spell. This additional cost will give you an additional effect when casting.
Ninjutsu X [Ability (From Hand)]
Pay X During combat to return an unblocked creature you control to your hand and put this directly into play (tapped and attacking)
Overload X [Ability (From Hand)]
If you pay the overload cost in addition when casting the spell, you replace the word "each" with "all" in the card text
Partner [Ability]
A commander ability (does nothing here)
Plot [Ability (From Hand)]
Plot only during your turn. Plotted cards are exiled, then can be cast from exile on a later turn for free
Protection from X [Ability]
This cannot be the target of spells or abilities from sources that match X. This cannot be blocked by or take damage from sources that match X.
Prowess [Ability]
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this gets +1/+1 until end of turn
Reach [Ability] RETURN Can block creatures with flying
Rebound [Ability]
If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.
Reconfigure X [Ability]
You can pay X to attach this card to a creature as its equipment version. If removed, this card returns to its non-equipment form
Regenerate [Ability]
The next time this permanent would be destroyed this turn, it isn't. Instead tap it, remove all damage from it, and remove it from combat.
Retrace [Ability (from graveyard)]
You may cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card as an additional cost to cast it.
Riot [Ability]
You may have this permanent enter with an additional +1/+1 counter on it. If you don’t, it gains haste.
Scry N [Ability]
Look at the top N cards for your library, you may put them on the top or bottom of your library in any order
Shield [Counter Type]
If this permanent would be destroyed as the result of an effect, or if damage would be dealt to this permanent, prevent that damage, and remove a shield counter from it
Skulk [Ability]
Can’t be blocked by creatures with greater power
Spree [Spell Ability]
Choose one or more modes. As an additional cost to cast this spell, pay the costs associated with those modes.”
Surveil N [Ability]
Look at the top N cards for your library, you may put them on the top of your library or in your graveyard in any order
Survival [Ability]
This triggers at the beginning of your second main phase if this permanent is tapped
Suspend N - X [Ability (From Hand)]
You may pay X and exile this card with N time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter, and if you remove the last one, you cast this spell for free
Trample [Ability]
When dealing damage, after lethal damage is assigned to any/each blocker, any excess damage is assigned as its controller chooses among blocking creatures and the player or planeswalker the creature is attacking
Transform [Keyword]
Flip this card to the other side. This is not considered leaving the battlefield, and any counters/attached cards will remain
Valiant [Ability]
This triggers whenever it becomes the target of a spell or ability you control for the first time each turn
Vigilance [Ability]
The creature attacks without tapping
Ward X [Ability]
If this is the target of a spell or ability by a person other than its controller, that person must pay the ward cost to have that effect resolve
Wither [Ability]
Damage is dealt to creatures as -1/-1 counters