TL;DR

• Draft: many interesting decisions until late into the draft between: power level, hard tribe commits and flexibility
• Gameplay: Core-Set like, combat focused, small creature sized
• Decks: most decks will be 2 color and 1,5 tribes

Tribes by Color

(ordered by frequency)

Colors by Tribes

(ordered by frequency)

Design Goals:

• A divers and "true" tribal centric cube: there are more than just some single and broad tribes. It feels tribal, because it matters regularly. Thus, keep other themes only on "package" size/power
• Prevent "on rails" drafting, via interesting choices and interactions
• Stay singleton to really learn off and about the "curse of tribal cube" and produce insights for the community
• Adjust power level to make tribal synergies good and tribe-slot filler creatures still matter, thus: stay far away from power maximization
• each tribe should play a bit different than the next one
• show history of tribal via inclusion of at least one example of the following tribal cycles:

1. Lorwyn: Tribal enchantments
2. Lorwyn: Kinship creature
3. Lorwyn: Harbingers: ETB; tutor to top
4. Lorwyn: Bannerets: make tribe A and B cheaper
5. Lorwyn: Tribal instant/sorcery
6. Lorwyn: Tribal equipment
7. Lorwyn: ETB; create off-tribe token
8. Apocalypse ETB; take from top 4
9. Onslaugt: Tap 2 of tribe A or B
10. Onslaught: tribal payoff lands
11. Onslaught: Cycle to give its tribe payoff
12. Onslaught: "Crown of X" cycle
13. Onslaught: "XYZ One": size of tribe creatures avatar
14. Ixalan: Forerunners: Tutor to top
15. Ixalan: 2 mana generic lord
16. Zendikar Rising: Relic Cycle

Design principles Prevent "on rails" draft - pick contention

• Make 90% of creatures have 2 relevant types for flexibility
• Make abilities of 90% of creatures general enough for different (macro-) archetypes
• Leave room for enough and good non-tribal creatures; cap tribal payoff at about 5
• cares mostly about tall games with small pieces
• few outright "kill" spells to let more fractional game pice parts in play

Add additional tension

• Support Party mechanic
• Support "human and non-human" archetype
• Support mini-themes across tribes and colors

Allow replay-ability

• Further prevent "Reshuffle decks into cube" by leaving out 10% -> ~400 cards
• Add contention to even tribal cards, see Add tension above

Tribal Support - give everyone enough cards

• Add any not fully embarrassing Changeling
• Add any not fully embarrassing "share a creature type" matter card

Reduce unnecessary parasitism

There is enough parasitism already, avoid any beyond that

1. multicolor cards are parasitic, ban all
2. break 1) only for tribal payoff cards and if and only if there are
   2a) too few (quality) monocolor payoff cards for that tribe
   2b) massive curve considerations

Quality density

Keep cube as small as possible. The quality of many highly important card (slots) drops rapidly. Keep a small power delta. Some examples of cards that dry up:

• Changelings

• Cards with "choose a creature type" or "with the same creature type"

• tribal payoffs for smaller tribes

• flexible creatures with 2 or more relevant types

---

Maybe reintroduce allys - most of them have 3 types, so one being not suppoted would work. only mechanical ally design is often ab bit parasitc
Color Pair changes:
WG Human --> Ally
GR Warrior --> human
? --> Warrior

Current approach :

Add for each tribe/class that has little creative room all cards where the is no alternative as "not enough at this cmc"
Done; #=pending; () = probably enough:

• Bird: w,u
• Goblin: b, (r)
• Vampire: w, b
• merfolk: u, g
• elf: b, (g)
• human: (w), #g, #r

_____Probably_not_necassary_as_done_via_tribe

• cleric: (w), #b
• warrior: #g, (r) (u --> party)
• wizard: r, (u)
• soldier: r, (w)
• rogue: b, u

loose mechanical themes

• (combat) spellS
• lifegain
• token/aristocrats
• +1/+1 counters
• creature recursion loops

* mill

Tribes by color

• Bird
• Vampire
• Human
• Elf

---

• Soldier
• Cleric
• (Wizard/Warrior?)

• Merfolk
• Bird

---

• Wizard
• Rogue
• (Cleric/Warrior/Soldier?)

• Vampire
• Elf
• Goblin

---

• Rogue
• Cleric
• (Wizard/Warrior/Soldier)

• Goblin
• Human
• Vampire

---

• Soldier
• Wizard
• Warrior
• Rogue

• Elf
• Merfolk
• Human

---

• Warrior
  .....
• Rogue
• Wizard
• Cleric

Lessons learned: Hyper focused cube lessons:

• build 360, cause
• it's a numbers game, even if it filling slots feels less creative at first

Tribal cube lessons:

• the strongest cards need to be payoff for tribal. why else should one jump through hoops? It's a big game synergy-type setting
• adjust to power level of weakest tribe, which is likely very low
• avoid gold cards as much as possible. Most tribal cards are hidden gold anyway
• use a design skeleton: each tribe needs it's own finely controlled curve - in each of the colors separately! Those still should vary between tribes
• numbers game again: if there are only 5 2mv merfolk (/wo changelings) just 1-2 added/missing cards can make a tribe rise, fall or be feasable aggro
• use every payoff <=3 mv. 4mv is very frequent and get's overcrowded anyway
• use "tribal check" over "tribal count" like "if you control a XXX" type payoffs > tribal feeling, but avoids all-in requirement > variation. Lord like payoffs lead to 100% tribe XXX incentive, which becomes repetitive, reduces distinction between tribes, and leads to lack mechanical cohesion
• Gameplay: games can go fast, when everyone want's to keep their creatures. few blocks lead to attacks passing each other. plan for it
• "choose your tribe"/"highest number sharing a type" payoffs are essential to increase tribal feel without creating "hidden gold cards"
• little (<10%) but very flexible fixing. 2-2,5 colors should be norm anyway, but splashes for creative variation should be easily accesible

Replayability in Tribal:

• making 80% of (creature) cards desirable in 2 and more archetypes is essential to avoid on rails
• add slight, broadly spread themes outside tribal association to give nuance (Recursion, spells, power matters, +1/+1 counters, go wide... ). Likely a Uw Merfolk-X Tempo&Spells / Gw elves go wide / BG Cleric recursion deck works sometimes
• add some off color incentives for exploration by players
• add many hybrid cards where possible (mostly non-creature effects). those can help reduce effectively empty packs

This cube (6 tribes + 5 classes + party):

• make 95% creatures have 2 relevant tribes and in the right color. A black elf warrior takes away space if B decks basically never care about warriors
• most tribes have at most 13 creatures in any given color. I couldn't go higher even if I wanted, because there are to few slots: each color has at least 4 supported tribes
• PREVENT 100% tribe X decks by having too few even in right color combination to regularly get 17 together in most drafts. that way most decks MUST build around 1,5 tribes, which makes draft less on rails and decks more different between drafts. "How deep into X vs Y" is a meaningful pivot decision
• I only use 5-7 explicit tribe specific payoffs per tribe. the rest is "choose your tribe"

---

Pivot Archetypes:

• Enchantments (Auras) - needs improvements
• lifegain: pad your life total to win the long game

• Tempo: play to the board early and prevent your opponent to stick larger threats
• Control: good long game instant/sorcery spells
• Mill: alternative win con, no other payoff

• Recursion: many X-for-1 from grave
• Sacrifice: use disposables to slowly gain an advantage

• Combat superiority: use tricks to stay ahead on board
• spells matter: casting, targeting and return to hand
• go wide: army in a can and mass pump

• +1/+1 counters

Tribes with 5 payoffs
Bird, Vampire, Merfolk, Elf, Human, Goblin, Soldier, Wizard, Rogue,

---

Old approach 2: start with 5 payoff and 5 individual strong cards per tribe

Next steps:

• tribe payoff:
  -- done: Bird, Elf, Goblin, Human, Merfolk, Vampire - Cleric, Rogue, Soldier, Warrior, Wizard
• for each color for each tribe add 5 in a vacuum most powerful cards
  -- done: Bird
• for each color for each tribe add 5 in a vacuum most flexible cards
  -- done: Bird

Bird, Elf, Goblin, Human, Merfolk, Vampire - Cleric, Rogue, Soldier, Warrior, Wizard

Grid:
creatures
5 tribal payoff cards * 11 tribes = 55
5 vacuum powerful cards * 11 tribes = 55
5 very flexible cards * 11 tribes = 55
changelings + "any tribe matters" = 55
Party matters = 22

Key Concepts:

• Rather soft support
• mostly Pivot Archetypes in 1,5 colors
• ~80% of creatures have 2 relevant types
• prevent "on-rails" by
  -- having two themes for each tribe (lifegain, aristocrats, mass pump, mill, ...) not just p/t modifier
  -- party + other (tbd) element to encurage branching

30 creatures per color -> 10% = 3 cards

W-C: 5 Soldier, 4 Cleric, 1 Warrior
W-T: 4 Human, 3 Bird, 2 Vampire, 1 Other
U-C: 5 Wizard, 4 Rogue, 1 Soldier
U-T: 6 Merfolk, 3 Bird, 1 Human
B-C: 4 Cleric, 4 Rogue, 2 Other
B-T: 4 Vampire 2 Goblin, 2 Elf, 1 Other
R-C: 5 Warrior, 2 Wizard, 2 Soldier, 1 Rogue
R-T: 5 Goblin, 3 Human, 2 Vampire
G-C: 4 Warrior, 2 Wizard, 2 Rogue, 2 Cleric
G-T: 5 Elf, 3 Human, 2 Merfolk

Macro Archetypes by Color

• W lifegain (cleric + ?), combat tricks matter (soldier
• U tempo (rogue +
• B
• R spells matter (+heroic), power matters,

Finding Tribes with good distribution and support

Color - Tribal - themes

• WU 5 Birds | flying matters > bird tokens > (Cycling vs artifacts matter)
• wB Vampires | drain >
• wB Clerics | lifegain > sacrifice
• Wr Soliders | equipment (double/first S.) > heroic > go wide (batallion/ token pump
• Ub rogues | unblockable + equipment > mill
• Ur Wizards | tempo > spells matter
• Ug Merfolk | +1/+1 | tap abilities
• bR Goblins

1. R Goblins | Goblin Morbid | Goblin pump
2. B Goblins | Goblin Sac

• bG Elves (Aristocrats vs go tall vs go wide vs draw on death vs grave utility)
  Variant 1:
• RG Warriors
• wG Humans
  Caveat: 3 race tribes 1 class in G, 3 race tribes 2 class in W, 1 Race in Red, 3 race in B
  Variant 2:
• RG Shamans
• WG Warriors
  Caveat: Bad Shaman Support, 1 Race in Red, 3 race tribes in B

Potential secondary Archetypes:

• WBU Cyclin
• Ub mill (Eldraine like eg secret keeper)
• Uwr artifacts/equipment
• Ruw prowess
• Wbg Lifegain/recursion loops

Potential tribal color identities by Color:

• U Merfolk > Bird | > not much else (human/faerie)
• B Vampire > Goblin/ Elf | >> Faerie
• R Goblin > ? | 112 Elemental > 37 Minotaur > giant
  Variant 1:
• W Human > Bird > Vampire
• G Elf > Merfolk/Human > Human/Merfolk
  Variant 2:
• W Bird > Vampire | Human
• G Elf > Merfolk | > Human

Potential class color identities by Color - V1 (Variant 1: RG Warriors, Wg Humans):

• W Human > Bird > Vampire
• U Merfolk > Bird > Human
• B Vampire > Goblin > Elf
• R Goblin > Human
• G Elf > Human > Merfolk
• W Soldier > Cleric
• U Wizard -> Rogues
• B Rogues -> Clerics
• R Wizards -> Soldiers > Warrior > Rogue
• G Warriors > Soldiers
  Distribution:
  Human: 8
  Bird: 4
  Merfolk: 4
  Vampire: 4
  Goblin: 5+1
  Elf: 4
  Soldier: 5
  Cleric: 4
  Wizard: 6
  Rogues: 5
  Warrior: 4+1
  Essence: Race almost always 3, Class mostly 2

Potential class color identities by Color - V2 (RG Shamans, WG Warriors, WR Humans):

• W Human > Bird > Vampire
• U Merfolk > Bird > Human
• B Vampire > Goblin > Elf
• R Goblin > Human
• G Elf > Merfolk
• W Soldier > Cleric
• U Wizard > Rogues
• B Rogues > Clerics
• R Warrior > Shamans > Wizards > Rogue
• G Warriors > Shamans

By Archetype

• Humans W > R > U
• Birds U/W
• Merfolk U > G
• Vampire B > W
• Goblin R > B
• Elf G > B
• Cleric W > B
• Soldier W > R
• Rogues B > U > R
• Wizard U > R
• Warrior

Most frequent co-tribe by tribe:
W Vampire: Soldier > Cleric > Knight
B Vampire: 12 Rogue > 7 Shaman > 6 Cleric / Warrior > 4 Soldier > 3 Knight > 2 wizard
B Goblin: Rogue > Shaman
B Elf: Assasin/ Shaman/Druid all ~ 3
U Merfolk 39 Wizard > 12 Rogue > 4 Soldier >
R Goblin 30 Warrior > 17 Shaman > 5 pirate
R Wizard 23
G Merfolk 4 Warrior / Shaman / scout
G Elf 18 Warrior > 13 Shaman > Druid > 2 wizard
R 112 Elemental
W Cleric

Zendikar Rising comparision:

• color combinations with prime + secondary creature type -> tribal
• G NO tribal archetypes but equally distributed for all
• color combinations with prime + tertiary/no tribal support -> party
  Takeaway
• apply 1. to all --> difficult counting, few flex spots

Finished searches:
Merfolk, Faerie, Vampire, Goblin, Elf, Bird
Warrior, Rogue, Wizard, cleric, shaman

Other interesting interactions:

• "mistform" creatures can become each creature type as well
• replica artifacts
• copy creatures

Open Problems:

• no third race tribe for almost any colr. There are only 2 playable R vampires with 2 relevant types
• differentiate BW vampire vs BW clerics
• b elves have NO SINGLE relevant second creature type!

Other ideas:
Pirates are in Human, Goblin, Merfolk, (orc), but only real payoff is 2x BR Orc
Cats - but only in white