First bigger cube update changing 11 cards.
During previous drafts GW Tokens/+1 Counters consistently felt quite weak. I want to try out Scurry Oak and Ivy Lane Denizen combo pieces as further enablers and payoffs here. They also intersect with Persist combo decks. Sadly, FNM Krosan Tusker had to go...
Faerie Guidemother never impressed me / I never remember it getting picked. Descendant of Storms looks like a more potent 1 drop. Similarly for Master Splicer as the weakest flicker effect and its Militia Bugler replacement.
I cut both remaining planeswalker as both were too weak. Imodane's Recruiter got moved to Nahiri's slot as a 'hybrid' go-wide and Token option and Colossal Skyturtle is taking over for Kiora as a modal spell, fatty and reanimator target.
Malevolent Rumble looks great and I cut Abundant Harvest to not accumulate to much similar effects, although I liked the card.
Shoreline Looter is a straight upgrade.
Thought-Stalker Warlock looks cool and generally effective, I think I did not enjoy tutoring in this cube.
Coruscation Mage could be a cool back up Guttersnipe but I am not to sure on its powerlevel. Memory Lapse however is bonkers and replaces a quite weak Striped Riverwinder.
For the future: If I want more card advantage effects, Stock up seems like a good option.
Again, twice on the same day.
Same players, but this time 5x14, drafting the full 280 cards but burning the last 5 cards in each pack.
Was a different experience, decks are much more streamlined and powerful. I guess it was a nice experiment, but I would prefer 5x9 going forward.
Decks:
RB Sac - Maxim [2-1]
BG Value - Nils [2-1]
Bant Midrange - Max F [2-1]
Jeskai Flicker - mine [0-3] (did not pick Soulherder cause I am stupid)
Results:
Bant 2-0 BG
RB 2-1 Jeskai
Bant 2-0 Jeskai
BG 2-0 RB
RB 2-0 Bant
BG 2-1 Jeskai
Upcoming changes:
Discussed a few potential cuts and additions with players.
[Out - In]
Master Splicer - Militia Bugler
Kiora - Colossal Skyturtle
Nahiri - Imodane's Recruiter (from Red)
add Coruscation Mage in Red
Abundant Harvest - Malevolent Rumble
Untamed Kavu - Scurry Oak
Krosan Tusker - Ivy Lane Denizen
Talrand's Invocation - Stock Up
Striped Riverwinder - Memory Lapse
Rip Apart - Lightning Helix
I will make a blog post when the changes materialize.
4 players, 5x9
Decks:
UR Spells Matter - Nils [3-0] clean 6-0 run!
BGr Ramp - Maxim [2-1]
GWr Tokens - mine [1-2]
BUG Reanimator - Max F [1-2]
Results:
UR 2-0 BGr
GWr 2-1 BUG
UR 2-0 GWr
BUG 2-1 BGr
BGr 2-0 GWr
UR 2-0 BUG
Twice today! Same players as below.
Decks
R/W Aggro - Nils [2-1]
U/G(/r) Ramp - Maxim [2-1]
Esper Value - Max vG [2-1]
Naya Persist/Counters - mine [0-3]
Results
R/W 2-0 Esper
U/G 2-1 Naya
R/W 2-1 Naya
Esper 2-1 U/G
U/G 2-0 R/W
Esper 2-0 Naya
4 players, 5x9
Decks:
Sultai Ramp/Control (Capsize is quite good :D) - Nils [2-1]
Jeskai Flicker (Crystal Shard also as good) - Maxim [2-1]
Mardu Midrange - mine [2-1]
R/G Stompy - Max vG [0-3]
Results:
Sultai 2-0 Jeskai
Mardu 2-0 R/G
Mardu 2-0 Sultai
Jeskai 2-1 R/G
Sultai 2-1 R/G
Jeskai 2-0 Mardu
After a long time, all (more or less) planned cards are included and the paper version of the cube is now up-to-date with cubecobra.
Finally got FNM Reanimate and Animate Dead as replacements for Victimize and Necromancy.
Also replaced all commander-only cards now: Skizzik as top end for end instead of Amethyst Dragon and Twinshot Sniper instead of Spiteful Prankster (weakning Sacrifice strategies).
Curse of Disturbance replaced with Ransack the Lab.
Curse of Predation for Sylvan Library.
Also testing proxxed Demonic Tutor...
First time back in Germany with 4 players. 5x9
Decks:
Mardu SacAristocrats - Max W. [3-0]
U/R Spells Matter - mine [2-1]
R/W Aggro - Baran [1-2]
G/B/r Ramp - Nils [0-3]
Results:
U/R 2-0 G/B/r
Mardu 2-0 R/W
U/R 2-1 R/W
Mardu 2-0 G/B/r
Mardu 2-0 U/R
R/W 2-0 Mardu
Likely last time at DSTY and in Japan in general :'(
Got really nice gifts from the crew though :)
5x9 per player, 4 players
Decks:
Esper Blink/Token/Sac/Value/etc. - mine [3-0] (unfocused, but worked well)
R/W/g Midrange [2-1]
G/B Value [1-2]
B/W/r Aristocrats [0-3] (unfocused)
Results:
Esper 2-0 B/W/r
R/W/g 2-0 G/B
Esper 2-1 G/B
R/W/g 2-0 B/W/r
Esper 2-1 R/W/g
G/B 2-0 B/W/r
5x9 per player, 4 players
Decks:
R/W Aggro [3-0]
5C GreedPile - mine [2-1] (first time with 5C, felt good but lost to aggro)
U/B Control [1-2]
G/B Recursion [0-3]
Results:
5C 2-1 G/B
R/W 2-0 U/B
5C 2-0 U/B
R/W 2-0 G/B
R/W 2-0 5C
U/B 2-0 G/B
5x9 per player, 4 players
Decks:
R/W Aggro [3-0]
U/W/b Flicker - mine [2-1]
G/W Tokens [1-2]
G/B/w unfocussed midrange value [0-3]
Results:
R/W 2-0 U/W
G/W 2-1 G/B/w
R/W 2-0 G/B/w
U/W 2-1 G/W
R/W 2-0 G/W
U/W 2-0 G/B/w
Drafters are remarking that red feels a bit too strong overall and maybe green to weak. I am looking into cutting all Commander related cards (Curses, the 4/1 menace token sac outlet, and a few more). Maybe this and a few swaps are enough to alleviate the balance problem.