Cube Cobra Overview: No Banlist Modern Cube (nbm)

No Banlist Modern Cube (nbm)

(360 Card Unpowered Modern Cube)

(360 Card Cube)

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No Banlist Modern Cube (nbm)

Cube ID

nbm

Art by Julie Dillon

360 Card Unpowered Modern Cube1 follower

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README

Thanks for taking a look at my cube! This is an actual cube I play with my friends with some real cards and some proxies. I have been most surprised that despite the complexity of the average card in the cube, total beginners have had a blast with it.

Why Modern?

The most well known cube at the moment is the MTGO Vintage Cube. Playing Modern instead of Vintage means missing out on some of the most powerful cards ever printed, which is a type of limitation and trade off. The advantage of playing cards printed in Modern is there is a lower ceiling. A lot of the luck from first pick Black Lotus or Time Walk is removed. The best card for the deck might not be the best card from the pack. Colors are closer in the power in Modern as opposed to Vintage where blue and colorless are far and away the best colors. In addition, aggro strategies are much less viable when players can skip their curve and play original duals instead of shock lands. The downside is the same, that there is a lower ceiling. Some of the most exciting cards are out, but I would argue because of that there is a lot more emphasis on building a cohesive strategy instead of picking the most cracked card. Games are more back and forth, and players have more chances to make more decisions.

General Design Philosophy

Infinite combos rely on creatures. Interaction is at the heart of this cube, and players should have the ability to stop whatever it is their opponent is doing. On the same vein, tutors shouldn’t be too abundant or too good so that combos are more difficult to assemble and easier to interrupt.
Good old board interactions. Counters and removals are relatively light, creatures are pushed, and board wipes are rare. Draw go control is not a deck, but there are still control decks that can out grind the opponent.
No banlist. As much as possible, I chose what I would consider are the strongest cards and the most desired cards printed in Modern. Players should feel powerful casting the most broken cards ever printed in Modern.
No auto picks. I don't run The One Ring, Umezawa's Jitte, Skull Clam, Oko, Thief of Crowns, or Mental Misstep because it takes the decision of drafting out of the equation. Players should have agency on what to pick, not be dictated by the pack. While each color still has its strongest cards, there are trade offs with adding another color (or two). Even the best colorless cards Urza’s Saga needs to be in the right deck to be effective.
Cards with higher floors. I follow the Vindicate test religiously and try to avoid cards that have low floors. This means almost all cards are strong enough on their own so that synergies can naturally build over the course of the draft. The exceptions are the two card combos and engine cards that require critical mass, e.g., Birthing Pod, Aristocrat).
No hate, appreciate. There is minimal cards with protection from color or hate cards that would otherwise render certain decks or cards impossible to play. Sideboard cards are rare. There is less emphasis on stopping the opponent from playing Magic and more on building your own plan of attack. You get to do what you want to do instead of being told “no”.
Minimum RNG. Cards like Crabomination, Fallen Shinobi, or Invert Polarity can lead to wild swings in games depending on cards hit. Magic already has plenty of RNG built into it, and too much RNG can lead to frustration for one player and non-games where the previous decisions didn't matter. Cards that come into play later in the game like Etali, Primal Conqueror gets a pass because late game cards should feel powerful, and some RNG makes games fun.