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.

There are a few two-card combos, but they are intentionally limited, and I designed the cube so that if you only get one piece of a combo, the deck still functions. Additionally, I wanted to ensure great mana fixing, as my main complaint with Arena cubes has always been their poor mana. Hopefully—though still to be determined—mana won't be a constraint on players’ fun.

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

Archetypes:
Azorius (U/W)
Identifying card: Kykar
Main: Artifacts, control, some "flicker"
Secondary/compliments: Artifacts, control, token

Dimir (U/B)
Identifying card: Hostage Taker
Main: "Anything you can do I can do better"
Secondary/compliments: Mana cost in graveyard, delve, God-pharoah's gift, control

Rakdos (R/B)
Identifying card: Judith the Scourge Diva
Main: Sacrifice
Secondary/compliments: Aggro, discard, food combo

Gruul (R/G) - Still likely needs some work/better identity
Identifying card: Valukut the Molten Pinnacle
Main: Lands/scapeshift combo
Secondary/compliments: Domain, aggro, big green

Selesnya (W/G)
Identifying card: Pollen-Shield Hare
Main: Tokens
Secondary/compliments: +1/+1 counters, like gain, food combo

Orzhov (W/B)
Identifying card: Sorin of House Markov/Kambal, Profiteering Mayor
Main: Aristocrats/lifegain
Secondary/compliments: Tokens, creature control

Izzet (U/R)
Identifying card: Rielle the Everwise/Magma Opus
Main: Discard matters
Secondary/compliments: Delve strategies, tokens, control, artifacts, splinter twin combo

Golgari (B/G)
Identifying card: Hogaak/The Gitrog Monster
Main: Self-mill/recursion
Secondary/compliments: Lands (dark depths combo), food combo, God-pharoah's gift

Boros (W/R)
Identifying card: General Ferrous Rokric/Hero of precinct one
Main: Domain/Multicolor matters
Secondary/compliments: Discard, aggro, exile matters

Simic (U/G)
Identifying card: Zimone, Mystery Traveler
Main: Manifest/Manifest Dread/Hidden Creatures
Secondary/compliments: Self mill, delve strategies, big mana

Artifacts/Colorless (◇)
Identifying card: Paradox Engine/Glaring Fleshrake/Ugin, The Ineffible
Main: Colorless storm combo
Secondary/compliments: Mana fixing, stoneforge, God-pharoah's gift

White (W)
Identifying card: Angel of Invention
Main role: Provide creatures/threats
Secondary/compliments: Board control/Removal

Blue (U)
Identifying card: Ethereal Forager
Main role: Commit crimes + fill the graveyard
Secondary/compliments: Spell control, bounce, manifests, twin, dream halls

Black (B)
Identifying card: Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
Main role: Present advantage
Secondary/compliments: Board control/Removal, connects combos, sacrifice

Red (R)
Identifying card: Inferno titan
Main role: Deal damage
Secondary/compliments: Twin combo, discard, sacrifice, "storm"

Green (G)
Identifying card: Gilded goose
Main role: Go over the top
Secondary/compliments: Food, sacrifice, manifest, lands

Key combos:
Twin
Dark Depths
Scapeshift Valukut
Cat oven combo
God-pharoahs gift
Paradox Engine/Paradoxical Outcome
Hazel's Brewmaster w/ Devoted druid
Agatha's soul cauldron fun stuff
Dream Halls combo's
Mizzix Master shenanigans
Kinnan Bassalt
Basking Broodscale w/ Sadistic Glee/Bloodchief Blade

Power Outliers/Question marks:
Paradox Engine
Mishra's Workshop
Bazaar
Not enough removal/interaction