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Remove two cards for the u-w blink archetype and add cards bolstering other themes in their respective colors:

Surgical suite // Hospital room - wb smallanimator and wg counters
Shipwreck dowser - u spells matter, and control to some extent

In the last draft the BG deck, despite getting its payoffs, did not perform well. The player mentioned he did not feel comfortable in that archetype. Nonetheless, I'm gathering some ideas for the future if I decide to boost this color pair.

Discard enablers should allow the deck to fill the graveyard to enable its payoffs. The black cards would work especially well also in context of discard being a subtheme in RB.

Format

7 players, round robin bo-1

Standings
PlaceDeckResultPlayerComment
1.wu5-1Maciekblink wide open, rewarded for being in the right seat
2.wg4-2Marcin+1/+1 counters did not feel like a theme, just an aggro enhancement
2.wr4-2RudySolid aggro
2.wrb4-2Igorno comments from the player
5.ub2-4Filipmill, the player praised the archetype as fun to pilot
5.b splash r2-4Pawełno comment from the player
7.bg0-6Sowaroots/spawning, claims he does not do well with value decks
Thoughts

I plan to dillute the uw blink a little. The play pattern of soulherder + ephemerate + elite guardmage provides a little bit too much value. I want to have soulherder and ephemerate as powerful pulls into the archetype, but I'll tone down ways to blink and provide a different blink target. The guardmage, when its ETB is triggered multiple times, wins the game from practically any boardstate.

The wg deck did not feel like it had a theme, it was mostly a generic aggro deck. Noting this for future reference if this vibe persists.

w seems to be on the top of the ranking this time, while b is on the bottom. We played BO-1, so those results are to be interpreted with caution, as previously I was under the opposite impression.

Players provided some feedback on individual cards, with no clear problems nor unfun play patterns mentioned. The games finished in a timely manner, very little rules and interactions were unclear. Seems like the cube is in an OK state!

Extra

After the draft the players helped me disassemble my old sofa, which I intended to do in the evening. They were very engaged and professional, it took them like 15 minutes. This is the real highlight of the gathering in Magic!

Discard subtheme

rb sacrifice feels oversupported. Recent prints allow to add a discard subtheme to this color pairing. Cards relevant for the theme:

  1. Blazing rootwalla - payoff to get a free creature on discard
  2. Ivora, insatiable heir - grows on discard and provides fuel with the blood tokens
  3. Greasewrench goblin - 2/1 for one that discards
  4. Marauding mako - grows, cycles, clean design
  5. Bloodtithe harvester - value creature instead of redundant sacrifice payoff
  6. Containment construct - turns discard into card advantage
Cut tokens
  1. flayer husk - not worth a unique token
  2. Oketra's monument - cuts an unique token and false signaling of the combo with kor skyfisher, which is often assiciated with this card.
  3. hard evidence - let's try another crab: Canyon crab
Other changes
  1. Vryn wingmare - instead of the monument
  2. Fuel the flames - instead of a wordy flame sweep
  3. Cut Dargo, the shipwrecker - too wordy and the sacrifice theme is already well supported
card updates

Making some vibes changes:

  • Gut too strong, let's try a mh3 2-drop
  • phyrexian missionary feels like it might slow down games too much with 3 toughness and lifelink. Sun-blessed healer looks like a good replacement.
  • psychic spiral swap to teferi's tutelage based on players feedback trying to make mill work.
  • unable to scream feels cooler than weakstone subjugation
  • tizeus charge felt off, a 4 drop with flashbacka should serve black better overall
  • skymarcher aspirant: ascend felt like a burden to track and rarely significant, giving white a Mana sink instead in recruitment officer
  • whirlermaker felt slow, levitating statue seems like a cool card for control decks
other ideas

Planning to try clockwork librarian as pack 1 seed next draft

overall cube update

I'm planning to wait with the next update for the end of the year when the cards printed in 2025 have some time to establish themselves. I might do some minor polishing taking player feedback into account, but I refrain from impulsive updates every set or so.

Format

Historic first instance of 8 players pod!!! Proper 3 rounds BO3.

Standings
PlaceDeckResultPlayerComment
1.bw3-0Madejsmallanimator
2.br2-1Kruksacrifice
3.bu / buw2-1Sowacontrol mill changed to soulherder value package later
4.gg2-1Filipramp and centaur glade
5.br1-1-1Denkiewiczsacrifice
6.ur1-2Guk
7.g / gu0-2-1Staśfirst draft ever?
8.rub0-3RudyTrzy w pizde i zdążę na dzienny
Remarks

Gut, True Soul Zealot: OP, I wanted to see myself how broken this card is, and one time is enough. I'll make a swap in FDN update.

ub mill: I had an insightful chat with the player playing this deck, I'll consider some adjustments, possibly swapping in Teferi's tutelage

g ramp: good density of mana accelerants with a proper mana sink of Centaur glade

wb: the player complained about ways of putting stuff into their graveyard and specifically not enough density of sacrifice in black. Seems like he got cut on those effects by other players. Noting this for future reference.

rb: this might be oversupported, two players were in this archetype with formidable decks.

b: a lot of players drafted black, delivering good results. Assess black section if this occurs more often.

w-r: no monocolored aggro deck again, somebody call the fun police next time.

Enchantments are great value engines, there was a comment about providing even more answers to those.

The colorless spells at peasant, unless somebody decides to run "fast mana" i.e. signets and talismans, is rather underwhelming. Instead of forcing myself to find options I decided to shrink the colorless section again.

CardJustification
Added to boost the u-b control with a pseudo-board wipe effect.
Aimed to get w-g over the edge, as this archetype did not get relevant results even when all the pieces were in place for the deck to deliver.
To enable w-r monocolored aggro.
To enable w-r monocolored aggro.
To see the surprised faces of players not expecting a spell to be countered for w.
Add more hand disruption to black. Assess if b isn't too heavy on 3.

Spectral sailor does not seem to pick any interest among players, thought scour is another cantrip, and has some additional synergy with the u-b mill plan.

Scry 2 on Condescend seems to be far more relevant than exiling the spell with syncopate.

I'd like to avoid the downside of Iwamori of the Open Fist, Surrak, the Hunt Caller seems like very similar card that can fill the role of stompy 4-drop. The haste mode should be very easy to achieve.

Format

7 players, round robin bo-1

Standings
PlaceDeckResultPlayerComment
1.ugbr5-1Adam4c ramp
1.urw5-1SowaJeskai value
1.gb5-1Janroots/spawning
4.br3-3Marcinaristocrats
5.wg1-5Jerzy+1/+1
5.urg1-5Wiktortemur stuff with mill
5.rw1-5Filip"I'm not playing black this time"
Remarks

✅ fixing: appropriate power and density
✅ roots/spawning deck went off
wg assess power level
❌ get a version of shriekmaw with reminder text or consider a swap, "fear" raises questions

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