Cube Updated - Automatic Post

First opportunity to update this cube since cubecon, TDM offered a lot of goodies I'm not going to turn down:

• The 2brid uncommon spell cycle were mostly (with the exception of Defibrillating Current) pretty easy bangers to include, and all those sections have at least one reasonable cut.
• All the common 2brid creatures were kind of disappointing aside from Reigning Victor, but I try not to include 3 color cards that plays with 0 of the relevant companions, particularly since it'd be replacing a card that meets all 3 restrictions.
• All the stormbroods are slam dunks, the only thing I don't like is how often they'll be misread in such an adventure heavy environment. But I don't have the luxury of turning down mechanics that are a perfect fit for such a hyper-restrictive cube.

Most of the cuts for these cards were pretty straightforward underperformers. Exceptions being that Master Warcraft + Urborg Lhurgoyf will be missed, and Saheeli, Sublime Artificer + Vadrok, Apex of Thunder are being cut for overperforming not underperforming.

Two other swaps: Indoraptor, the Perfect Hybrid is actually not perfect and probably too far above rate. Stormscape Familiar has always been more of a conceptual stretch than I want and I was convinced that Toluz, Clever Conductor is actually pretty reasonable, even if Esper isn't exactly the colors that want it.

Complete the Circuit > Reenact the Crime

Complete the Circuit is too expensive to be playable and Reenact the Crime is exciting and efficient enough.

Thoughtpicker Witch > Thieves' Guild Enforcer

Thoughtpicker was definitely too cute. Thieves' Guild Enforcer also may be too cute, but at least it has flash.

Ruthless Technomancer > Halving Season > Into the Pit
Ruthless Technomancer has been just skirting by for a long time. Being sorcery speed and quite expensive for what it does has had me off it for a while. I briefly went insane and replaced it with Halving Season but that sounds like abject misery so lets try Into the Pit instead. At minimum its still an interesting sacrifice outlet.

Long Goodbye > Demonic Junker

This card rules. It's extremely below rate but it's sorcery speed removal so why not. I appreciate it doing a sacrifice outlet impression as well.

Marionette Master > Pactdoll Terror

Marionette Master has historically been a card that people overrate. It does as much damage as a 2-3 mana card for twice as much mana, but reads really flashy. Pactdoll is just a really solid pinger to replace it with.

Return to Action > Feign Death

Unexciting change. I just felt like this needed a better rate.

Contraband Kingpin > Cunning Nightbonder

This is really cute, arguably too cute, but neither were bringing home any awards. Flashing this in in response to countermagic would be pretty exciting.

Mystical Teachings > Memory Plunder

Mystical Teachings is so much mana for what it does.

Tor Wauki the Younger > Rakdos, the Muscle

Hopefully I'll edit in a proper blogpost about these changes later but I feel like dirt rn.

After running with it for a while I'm certain that 2 grixis commanders is 1 more than I want. I don't enjoy half the players in every draft ignoring magic's color mechanic entirely, and the 2 color commanders are more interesting. If I'm pairing down to 1, I'm keeping Parnesse. That's for a lot of reasons:

First is sentimental: Chris Mooney signed Parnesse at the 2023 cubecon after party, excited because they never see anyone playing her.

Second is that I favor cards that play off the environment in ways you have to really think through to arrive at, and Parnesse's ward is a really good, subtle, example; Zevlor on the other hand is straightforward. She has higher Aha! equity.

Third is that Parnesse is probably worse. I want the 3 color option to be pretty well below most 2 color commanders for balance reasons, and I think Parnesse is marginally worse but I'm not confident in that assessment.

Fourth is that she has triggered abilities and not activated abilities so she works with Harmonic Prodigy.

I'm a sucker for conspiracies, and I enjoy using this environment to explore more bafflingly powerful weird cards. Unfortunately most conspiracies either do nothing or are way too good.

Brago's Favor is boring but in the correct power band and feels interesting to evaluate during that draft. I like having a second hidden agenda to create a tiny bit of uncertainty with immediate action.

Hymn of the wilds sounds really funny, but I have no idea where the power level lands. It's a way bigger challenge than normal, but the payoff with flash creatures is huge.