Throne of Eldraine Update
This is one of the largest updates the cube has seen. A large part of it is because the set is powerful and offers needed effects in cubeable forms. Another large part is because we had a lot of cube drafts in the summer. The more we cube, the more feedback we get. Frequent play helps finding weak spots and realizing possible points of improvement. A few more cards were added from M20, which shaped up to be one of the best core sets in cube history. There is also a push for reanimator in black, which you can read more about below.
Talking about Eldraine, the defining and most memorable mechanic of the set is adventure. I am a fan of the mechanic – besides the built-in card advantage (usually), it offers choices. Do I cast the creature side of the spell side? If I cast the spell side, do I also the creature now, or later? Unlike similar mechanics in the past, such as bestow from Theros, adventure was pushed competitively in this set. I believe some adventure cards will survive in cube until the end if times. I do not like that the rare adventure cards do not have reminder text. Likely people will be familiar with the mechanic quite quickly though.
Another big mechanic is the new cycle of castle lands. My analysis of the cycle below is based on the fact that they are free inclusions, and that any deck in their color would want them. I am still not fully convinced this is the case. In a two colored deck when you draw them in your opening hand with another land from the second color they would enter tapped, and a basic land could very well be better.
White
–Cloistered Youth; +Venerable Knight
Why cut Cloistered Youth?
It’s the weakest white two drop. It is vulnerable for a turn, loses life in the race, is terrible on defense and has no evasion.
The more interesting question is why to cut a two drop. White currently has too many two drops. Youth is an aggro only card, and in an aggro deck you’ll always prefer a one drop unless you have 8+ of them already.
What I like about venerable Knight
It is a two-powered one drop. The passive ability is very narrow, but is actually decent value if it has a target compared to a one drop.
The Knights currently in the cube are:
Student of Warfare, Dauntless Bodyguard, Accorder Paladin, Mirran Crusader, Mirror Entity, Hero of Bladehold, Gideon, Ally of Zendikar’s tokens
All 7 of them are in white. In this update, 4 new knights are added to black as well as one in red (which might not live long in the cube).
What I dislike about Knight
In the vast majority of time, this is just an Elite Vanguard, which is the weakest white one drop.
Prediction
The card is not exciting, but still better than two other white one drops (Elite Vanguard and Dryad Militant, possibly Dragon Hunter or even Soldier of the Pantheon) so it has longevity in the cube.
–Seeker of the Way; +Charming Prince
Why cut Seeker?
He is the definition of a curve-filler. He is a 2/2 too often to be a good card in most decks, from aggro to control. In spell-heavy decks he is better, but he is not the sort of card you want to play in those decks. He is not a finisher like Monstery Mentor. The trigger doesn’t scale nearly as well with multiple activations per turn. He is not good on defense in artifact decks. Even in cantrip heavy decks a lot of the cards are sorceries so is he is also a bad blocker there. Finally in a spell-heavy deck he is a removal magnate as one of very few early game creatures. Overall, no one will miss the guy.
What do I like about Prince
He offers high option density. In most situations, he will do something valuable and desirable. Against aggro decks, the lifegain makes him almost a Lone Missionary. Less lifegain, but he also has more toughness. He is good as a sideboard or pseudo-sideboard card in that matchup.
The base mode that is always relevant is the scry. White has very few ways to improve draws so this is a welcomed effect. This is a colorshifted Sage’s Row Savant, or indeed an Omenspeaker. A hand with two lands and Prince is almost guaranteed to draw the third land. The base mode makes him a useful creature in aggressive decks too.
The flicker ability is the most situational, yet the most powerful. Cube is rich with creatures that do something when they enter the battlefield, from Thragtusk to Mulldrifter. What makes him extra useful to blink synergy, is that he is both an enabler and a payoff. He can also grab back a creature that was stolen with Control Magic.
What do I dislike about Prince
As with most versatile cards, he has a low powerlevel in each individual mode. If you do not have blink synergies, he is just a filler or a sideboard card. The 2/2 for 1W body is most interesting for aggro, but the abilities are least impressive there. There are some ETB effects, such as Blade Splicer, but they are rare and less valuable.
Prediction
He is good when behind and good when ahead. He support synergies, but is playable without and is always a good sideboard card. This prince adds decisions and interaction to the game, with some added humor to boot. He is going to stay for a while.
Play Tip
While it is tempting to keep this card in hand waiting for a good ETB abuse to come up, if you have 1W open and nothing better to do with it, it is almost always better to just cast this and scry into your bombs. Especially on turn 2.
–Kinjalli’s Sunwing; +Hanged Executioner
Why Sunwing?
White three drops are great and Sunwing is the worst in the slot. Sunwing’s ability drops a lot in quality if you play it out of curve. The body is unimpressive for the cost. It doesn’t provide value, a fast clock or resilience. The Kismet has diminishing returns, and with Thalia, Heretic Cathar and Imposing Sovereign this is not as rare as you’d think. I believe a more pushed three drop with this effect will be printed eventually and it might make it in the cube.
What I like about Executioner
Executioner provides value, option density and synergy. Value because even if he eats a spot removal, you have a 1/1 flying token that can attack, block and carry a sword. Executioner is option dense, as you can use it as removal, split the two bodies between attacking and blocking, or between opponents and planeswalkers. It also has a lot of immediate defensive value as it can block up to two attackers in the air.
The synergies are plentiful. Of course it works well with all the token deck cards, be they anthems and mass pump effects, Kytheon and Legion’s Landing or Gaea’s Cradle. It works like a charm with Skullclamp, and works well both with and against Tangle Wire, Braids and more. Executioner is fetchable with Recruiter of the Guard and has synergy with the few existing blink effects.
The removal is expensive, but is instant speed, exiles and actually works on curve. It is a rattlesnake, and discourages your opponent from playing high value creature in fear of them being removed. The biggest draw is that Executioner allows your deck to pack another answer without wasting a deck slot on a non-threat card. I can see tutored with Fauna Shaman and other creature tutors when you need the removal.
What I dislike about Executioner
Executioner is bad in both roles. A Midnight Haunting isn’t playable. Without synergies the bodies are slow and underwhelming for the cost. The removal will effectively take your entire turn more often than not and can be seen ahead of time so your opponent will seldom get blown-out by it.
The main body holds the bulk of the power, yet dies to everything. If it is killed by a Lightning Bolt you are not very sad, but a Liliana, the Last Hope, or a single Judith trigger are excellent counters to this card. A 1/1 flier is not quite worth a full card without support, so expect to see this killed plenty.
Prediction
With this card you pay for the versatility with potency. The card is a natural fit for the tokens deck, and an easy include for midrange decks. Aggro decks will likely play it, but it won’t be great there. A versatile support card.
Play Tip
When building the deck, I’d only count the card as half a removal spell.
–Windbrisk Heights; +Castle Ardenvale
Why cut Heights?
It is hard to activate. Aggro decks form a large part of decks that can attack with three creatures, but for them entering the battlefield tapped is a huge drawback, and the upside doesn’t save much mana either. The card is not powerful enough to justify the narrowness.
What I like about Ardenvale
Almost a flipped Legion’s Landing. Creating bodies is useful when you fear overextending. In white decks you often have mass pump and equipment to make the token more meaningful. It creates a lock with Opposition and Braids.
What I dislike about Ardenvale
Spending your entire turn to make a 1/1 is not a winning strategy. Besides cases of mana flood, creature screw, fear of overextending or outstanding synergy, this should not get used.
Prediction
This does an on-theme thing for white, which has strong synergies in some decks. I can see the card going either way.
Play Tip
If you have a superior board position, and fear a mass removal, use this land instead of overextending and keep some creature cards in hand.
–Ravages of War; +Law-Rune Enforcer
Why cut Ravages?
Heresy!
With that out of the way, yes, the Armageddons have been underperforming for a long while. When the cube started in 2005, they were the signpost cards for white weenie, which by the way was the dominant deck at the time. The plan is simple – play a couple of creatures, drop Armageddon, win. What went wrong?
Let’s start by stating the obvious. Armageddon is a narrow card. It only goes in aggro decks. In control it will do you more harm than good. In midrange you play too many expensive cards to profit from it. In ramp it is a no go. Theoretically it is good after you land your finisher, but that requires your opponent to have a vastly inferior board. Armageddon is a situational card in the best of days. In most days tough it is a straight up win-more. Already ahead on board by a significant margin? It will seal the deal. But you were likely to win those games anyway, and the card slot is better served for cards that hep you get to that position.
Armageddon is also a binary card. When it wins, it crushes, when you are behind it is blank. There is little middle ground. I don’t think this is a major strike against the card as it requires careful crafting of the deck and navigation towards the game to reach this potential.
So it is narrow, win-more and binary. But these things were also true 14 years ago. What changed? As is often the answer regarding modern magic, creature power creep and planeswalkers. This seems contradictory at first. If creatures are stronger, then having only two of them now will suffice at winning the game were once three were needed.
Creature became so powerful that now decks are forced to react to them during the first turns of the game. If before a deck could do basically nothing until turn 4, play a mass removal and have a real chance at winning the game, nowadays doing nothing for three turns is certain doom. As such decks pack far more interaction for the first few turns of the game. Planeswalkers also incentivize having creatures on the board, so you have the ability to pressure them once they arrive. Also, an opposing planeswalker is usually enough for you to not cast Armageddon.
Another huge change was the great influx of mana rocks. It is now quite common for a player to get hit by an Armageddon and still have mana of some form. As an aggro deck, your opponent will recover much faster than you do from an Armageddon. You play less lands and no card selection, and usually a mana elf or mox is enough for them to stabilize.
Simply put there are far less situations now where Ravages is good. We talked about cutting it for over a year. White already has a lot of great four drops. Armageddon is probably following suit at some point in the future.
What I like about Law-Rune enforcer
Tappers like Gideon’s Lawkeeper aren’t in the cube. Goldmeadow Harrier has been in the cube a decade ago and failed. Why even the interest?
This is the best one-drop tapper to date. It has more toughness, and it doesn’t cost a colored mana to activate. This is huge, as in a two colored deck you often had to choose between activating the ability and casting your white spells.
Cube has changed a lot in the last ten years. Creatures are a lot stronger, combat more common, blocking more relevant. The metagame also changed, and now a lot of white decks are midrange. In midrange decks a tapper is a better card than a 2-powered one drop usually.
What I dislike about Law-Rune Enforcer
Tapping a turn is still a weak form of removal. A lot of creatures have strong abilities this will not handle. It still costs one mana a turn. It also cannot tap tokens, which will be sometimes relevant.
In aggro decks, a 2 powered one drop is still better. The 1/2 body doesn’t add much in terms of tempo.
Prediction
This is a test. Other cubes had success with Enforcer. If he is great, perhaps other tappers will be worth looking into.
Play Tip
Don’t use his ability too often in the early game. It is more important to develop your board state in the critical turns than tap every time.
Blue
–Merfolk Looter; +Fae of Wishes
Why cut looter?
As the cube gets faster, looters get worse. You just have less activations per game. The one mana cantrips also heavily step on their toes. They have low deck inclusion rates.
What I like about Fae?
It has an amazing defensive body. Compare to Omenspeaker. More toughness means they can block 3 power attackers and they don’t die to Lightning Bolt. They can block fliers, and specifically they kill thopter and spirit tokens. Having flying also make them better attackers – they can ping planeswalkers and they carry equipment better. They are a good target for Hired Heist. They work well in Serra/Moat decks.
They also serve as a discard outlet. They require the discard of two cards at once, which looks like card disadvantage. But once they are in your hand you can use the adventure mode and make up for the losses. When with Omenspeaker the scry makes it acceptable later in the game, Fae offer proper card advantage.
What I dislike about Fae
Granted is expensive. For granted to be good you need to have a noncreature card in your sideboard, that you can cast with your colors, yet was not strong enough to make the main deck. That means that card is probably not very good or fit for your strategy. I wonder how often will Granted be used.
Prediction
It is hard to analyze Fae of Wishes as a lot of it depends on the Granted side. We never had something that resembles it in cube. Fae has some competition from other defensive blue two drops, like Thing in the Ice, Omenspeaker and more, and it unclear how well it stands up to them.
Play Tip
Packing cheap cards to survive the early game is critical. Include this in your decks to protect you and your planeswalkers.
–Into the Roil; +Watcher for Tomorrow
Why cut Into the Roil?
Into the Roil is there to give blue some cheap interaction, a way to buy time so it can survive until the late game. It is better to add cards that do this directly.
What I like about Watcher for Tomorrow
A card advantage two drop. An Impulse already costs 1U, and here you get on top of the body. Watcher is a great blocker. It is also quite good in an aggressive deck, as you do not care to overextend with it or suicide attack. There is also no real way to prevent the trigger with removals – even bounce and exile effects will cause the lad to leave the battlefield and cast a juicy Impulse. In fact, Watcher is a tasty blink synergy target.
What I dislike about Watcher
More than anything, that he comes into play tapped. It makes him from one of the best blockers to a questionable one. He has zero immediate board impact and is a horrible topdeck as a result. It goes deeper than that. While cards like Fblthp increase your chances to draw a land for next turn, this does not help reach a 3rd land on turn three. The earliest you’ll be able to cash in the card in a normal game is turn 4.
He also suffers from lack of natural homes, as blue decks are seldom aggressive and in control it is useless in the mirror.
Prediction
Blue always looks for more early blockers. Early board presence has become a lot more important in the last half a year. You want creatures to protect your own planeswalkers and pressure opposing planeswalkers. Superfriends decks highly desire the card, and he is fine in midrange decks, so even if in control or combo decks he is sideboard material he should see enough action.
–Blink of an Eye; +Brazen Borrower
Why cut Blink
Blink is poor early, and only okay late – the classic filler.
What I like about Borrower
You might think it is comparable in power to Blink. Both are bounce spells that cost 1U and draw a card. A 3/1 flier that can only block fliers is worth a card, but probably less than an average card in your deck.
This is flawed thinking. No one plays Blink for its four drop mode. At that mana cost you have Venser, Shaper Savant, Commit // Memory or blue bombs like Control Magic. BoaE is mainly played at 2 mana, to keep you alive long enough to cast your true bomb 4 drops. When BoaE is cast for 2 mana, it doesn’t draw anything.
You also get the option of just casting the fae side. It is almost a Nimble Obstructionist – a card I liked a lot. As it has flash, you can play at the end of turns when you didn’t counter anything. It can surprise kill planeswalkers. It is a decent clock on its own. It carries swords and Hired Heist well.
Did you notice how well does the bounce side curve into the creature side?
What I dislike about Borrower
The creature cannot block on the ground, which was a main use of Obstructionist. This is not a good topdeck when you are behind, unless facing planeswalkers.
If you want to bounce and cast the flying rogue at the same turn it costs three blue mana. As such the ideal deck for the card is heavy blue tempo, which isn’t actively supported in this cube.
The card cannot bounce your own permanents. The creature has only 1 toughness and dies easily to splittable burn and thopter tokens.
Prediction
A highly useful card, even in control decks. The drawbacks are not serious – you don’t have to play both halves in the same turn, bounce your own permanents is niche and you care little if they kill it. Not blocking prevents this from being a top pick. It is still one of the better options in its niche, and Into the Roil is still in the cube so I do not see it going anywhere. Also, blue permission decks are struggling so it is nice to throw them a bone.
Play Tip
Don’t cast the Fae just for the card advantage if you need to stabilize. If presented with the option of playing the fae to kill a planeswalker or bounce it, it is much better to kill it despite “wasting” your bounce.
–Spellseeker; +Castle Vantress
Why cut Spellseeker?
It is a trap card. Play it on turn three, then you can only cast your card on turn 4. Few are the spells that cost 2 or less that are great later in the game. Usually it will fetch a removal spell, so you technically got card advantage, but a 1/1 is not worth a card and certainly not worth the mana. The white recruiter can fetch expensive creatures, this cannot. A noteworthy disadvantage is Spellseeker’s lack of synergy with counter spells – as a three mana sorcery card it doesn’t work well with the most common type of blue cheap spells. With the other being cheap card selection cantrips, the value just isn’t there.
What I like about Vantress?
Permission based decks will often have unused mana at the end of their opponent’s turn to sink into this. Blue decks of all types usually aim for the long game, which increase the chance of activating the ability. It has minor synergies with Jace TMS, Brainstorm and Sylvan Library.
What I dislike about Vantress
Blue has a lot of ways to filter and draw cards, so it runs out of things to do much less than other colors. It will only be used when you have a lot of mana and under no pressure, as it doesn’t affect the board. As such it is a bit win more.
Prediction
Of all the castles, this is likely the weakest. It doesn’t help that blue already has a few great lands.
–Treasure Cruise; +Gadwick, the Wizened
Why cut Cruise?
It is uncastable early. Yes, in some situations late game it is cheap, but it doesn’t help you get there. The card was great in constructed, but it doesn’t translate well to cube. While the best case scenario is insane, it is usually win more. If in a blue deck you got to the very late game, you are likely winning already and can afford to pay more for your draw. Delve is also a parasitic mechanic, so the less of them we have, the better they are. We were talking about cutting it for a while, now we finally do.
What I like about Gadwick?
Juicy card advantage. This is a bomb late game, in a Hydroid Krasis style. It is also fine in the mid game. For 5 mana this is comparable to Mulldrifter. Having a body makes this a lot better than pure draw spells, as you do not concede as much tempo. The tap ability will have plenty of fuel by the cards he draws you.
Unlike most X spells, he looks goods at every value of X. He is even a fine three drop.
What I dislike about Gadwick?
The triple blue cost. Not every deck will be able to play him, especially not early. If you cannot play him early, he loses a major part of his appeal. Expensive blue card draw at sorcery speed is not hard to come by.
Which brings up the sorcery speed issue. This card doesn’t fit permission decks, which leaves blue midrange and tap-out control decks as aggro is not supported. But what is the role of the card in those decks?
As a card advantage outlet he is good, but far from important. Cheap card draw will help you dig for answers and gets out of mana floods and screws. Gadwick cannot, it is a major weakness shared by Cruise. At the later stages of the game, you probably want to end the game, not draw more cards. Blue is sometimes struggling with that, and Gadwick is not helping despite being an expensive card. In a long game, topdecking Gadwick might even present too much card draw, where you will use lower values of X in fear of milling yourself.
Unless you can get three blue mana early consistently, this card is also not good tempo. He will not be great against aggro. Krasis draws less, but because it is a finisher and provides better defense with the body and lifegain it is still the superior card (well, it is also easier to cast turns 4 and 6). Gadwick is likely yet another blue card that just owns the midrange matchup.
Prediction
Gadwick really depends on how often decks can support the triple blue. If decks will be able to play him early and really utilize the flexible cost, he will be good. Otherwise, he will just be superfluous. Like Cruise, it will be hard to realize he is bad because when topdecked late he will be often impressive. The alternative cost of taking up a cube slot for something more playable/flexible/in demand is hidden from the player.
Play Tip
Don’t try to shove him in decks that cannot support the triple blue costs at low CMC.
Black
–Sarcomancy; +Knight of the Ebon Legion
Why cut about Sarcomancy?
The inevitable cumulative life-loss. Black has very few ways to remove the enchantment (in colorless). There are not enough zombies to mitigate the drawback. As just a single token it is weak to bounce.
What I like about Knight?
It is a one drop that is good when drawn late. This is extremely rare. It can bash for 4 as early as turn 3, and grow itself in the process. It will go unblocked often for the threat of activation. In the late game it can even be activated twice a turn.
In an aggro deck, causing 4 damage to your opponent is quite trivial turn 3 and 4, which pumps the knight. It also activates for any life loss, of any player, so a shockland + Thoughtseize, a Dismember or Snuff Out will pump it, in addition to card in other colors like Sylvan Library and Adanto Vanguard.
A second point of toughness is also a big advantage on a one drop.
What I dislike about Knight?
It is weaker than other one drops on turn 1. The pump is expensive, and not in every game will you get a counter easily.
Prediction
We see the card has been very successful in constructed, I hope it will somewhat translate into cube.
Play Tip
Having some amount of mana sinks is good, but I’d try to avoid too many in an aggro deck. I don’t think there are many aggro mana sinks in black, but you do have them in other colors.
–Fatal Push; +Foulmire Knight
Why cut Fatal Push?
It fills a similar roles of being an anti-aggro card that costs one mana. Revolt is very hard to activate, and other deck types do not have the density of cheap creatures required to make this card good against them.
What I like about Foulmire?
It is a good roadblock against aggro and midrange early, and is an instant draw spell late. Playing this turn one will protect your planeswalker on turn three. Against midrange, it will trade upwards with Carnage Tyrants and titans unless removed. In the process it can buy a lot of time. The card draw is instant speed which works well with counter spells.
It can be included for curve-filling reasons in aggro decks. It is even a zombie and a knight for tribal synergies.
What I dislike about Foulmire?
Offensively the card is quite bad, having only one point of power and no real evasion. As a blocker he cannot block fliers, and is quite poor against tokens as it will not survive combat to block again. He should probably be sided out in the control mirror. In aggro he is a filler until you have tribal synergies.
Prediction
This card has high playability and black lacks good one drops. I’m optimistic.
Play Tip
This is a creature first and an adventure second. Don’t feel bad in the slightest casting this for one mana, that’s what it was (un)born to do.
–Gnarled Scarhide; +Tormented Hero
This is a simple swap so I’ll break away from the format. Scarhide’s ability is really bad. It is rarely used to begin with, and I’ve never once seen it do anything relevant. Scarhide reads great, having a late game mode and an acceptable base, but the late game mode is poor and the base is bad. Hero has a better body, and while Heroic is as close to blank as an ability could be, he has the relevant Warrior creature type for Najeela, Mindblade Render and Mardu Woe-Reaper.
–Dauthi Horror; +Order of Midnight
Why Horror?
A similar card – another evasive two drop that cannot block. This kind of drawback gets worse in multiples. The two cards are aggro only, and Horror is borderline as is.
What I like about Order?
Flexibility to the top. As a two drop it is similar to Horror. It even has more toughness. It also has the option of becoming a Gravedigger late game, providing card advantage. Unlike Horror, Order can still be relevant when vastly behind as a Raise Dead.
What I dislike about Order?
It cannot block, so only aggro decks are interested in it. Flying is significantly worse than shadow on a creature that cannot block. As a result it will not be as good in the basic functions of Horror – pressuring planeswalkers, carrying equipment and providing a reliable clock.
Gravedigger is not close to close, so having option to be one is not a ringing endorsement. In the aggro decks that will play Order, the Raise Dead will fetch weak targets and be a lot more expensive than you would want.
Prediction
I do think Order is the better card, but that does not mean it is good enough. It is more skill-intensive and a tiny bit broader in application in addition to having a higher power level, so I do not see this swap being reverted. Order’s longevity is questionable.
Play Tip
Another adventure card that is creature first and spell second. I’d expect not to use the adventure mode if I have Order in my opening hand. It is there for when things go wrong, the main plan is to never need it.
–Never // Return; +Murderous Rider
Why cut Never?
There is limited spells for expensive removals, especially those that cost double black. It doesn’t help that the card is underpowered. It is functional, but you never feel like you have gained a bargain. Last draft I sided it in for all my matches. I’ve never once cast the aftermath part of the card. I remember seeing it happen, but that is not why you play the card.
What I like about Rider?
Swift End is a Hero’s Downfall that draws a card. If we just look at that side of the card he is stronger than Never. The instant speed is huge, and likely about worth the 2 life loss.
The card you gain is better than Return. The creature has the all-to-rare lifelink in black, which helps regain all the lifeloss prevalent in the color. It even has two relevant creature types, for Gravecrawler and Venerable Knight shenanigans.
You also have the ability to straight up cast the creature. At first sight this seems almost useless. Swift end is definitely stronger and the reason we play it. However it is more useful than apparent. It will generally be cast in two situations. The first is when the spell part is worse than usual. Maybe you face an aggro deck or token board, where a removal is not worth a card and three mana. Maybe your life total is too low to cast Swift End. The other situation is when the creature has more value than usual. It is excellent against aggro, and will carry swords when needed.
The final nail in the coffin – creature tutors can now find it. It can be fetched with Survival of the Fittest, Fauna Shaman and co.
What I dislike about Rider?
The life loss hurts. Comparing to Hero’s Downfall, Swift End cannot be flashed back with Snapcaster Mage. Swift End is worse than Never // Return if it gets countered. Rider doesn’t work with reanimation.
Prediction
This is quite clearly the best three mana black spot removal (Dismember is a one mana spell). I like that it adds decisions to an otherwise straightforward effect.
Play Tip
As I explained in length, don’t be a slave to the Swift End, the creature sides has uses too.
–The Abyss; +Rankle, Master of Pranks
Why The Abyss?
It is a narrow card that I like more than the rest of the group. It is a lock card, not a win condition. It is easy to break the symmetry, but unlike Braids has a harder time guaranteeing value. Manlands, creatures with shroud and artifacts bypass it, not to mention many of the token making planeswalkers.
If stacks would ever make a return, The Abyss could come back, but I’d not count on it. Wizards are adamant not printing cards for that deck.
What do I like about Rankle?
Lots and lots of options. It passes the Vindicate test, having haste and evasion. Rankle is another maindeckable edict effect, which is great for keeping True-Name Nemesis and various eldrazi in check. It also can discard the last card in your opponent’s hand by surprise. The draw is symmetric, but increases the clock and can dig aggressively for that last burn spell or urgent answer.
Breaking the symmetry of the sacrifice is easy with the recursive black dorks or with token makers. The symmetric discard can be an advantage in reanimator decks. Making your opponent sacrifice a creature and discard a card simultaneously is a big hit.
Unlike other cards like it, be it Braids, Liliana of the Veil or indeed The Abyss, Rankle is also a win condition. The body makes him a lot more appealing, likely good enough as an aggro curve topper. He can murder planeswalkers or just apply pressure while disrupting.
What do I dislike about Rankle?
It’s poor on defense. It dies to most burn spells. Rankle shines when you are hellbent and they are not, or when you have dispensable bodies and they really care about all their creatures, or when their life total is so low that letting them draw a card is a fine price to pay for 1 damage. But there are many game states than none of that is true.
Rankle only triggers if he hits players, which means thopter and spirit tokens are an effective way of stalling him. Bigger fliers such as dragons and angels outright stop him from doing anything.
The card is definitely expensive for a discard outlet in reanimator decks. Even for aggro deck, the body is not enough to justify the cost if you are not using his abilities with some regularity.
Prediction
Rankle is a hard card to assess. Cards like it often read worse than they play. It can simply be a 3/3 haste flier for 4 too often to be worth the slot. Even if not, black has too many four drops, so he will need to fight for life with its peers like Skinrender, Brutal Hordechief, and Braids.
–Vraska’s Contempt; +Epic Downfall
Why cut contempt?
4 mana is a lot for a removal spell. The main draw of the card was the exile clause, as black doesn’t have access to such effects. Indestructible, persist or death-triggers pose a problem to black. More ways to answer The Scarab God and Rekindling Phoenix are always welcomed. Exiling planeswalkers is almost never relevant so Downfall seem like it might just be better. The other interesting part of contempt is the instant speed. We have another instant planeswaker removal spell now, and paying half the price should offset the speed difference.
What I like about Downfall
It exiles for cheap. Unlike Fatal Push, it exiles the cards you want to kill the most. Every deck plays three drops or higher. Unlike contempt the card is cheap enough to see play in aggro decks.
And hey, it is Epic.
What I dislike about Downfall
It cannot hit small creatures. Having it in the opening hand would feel like it is a late game card. It is also a sorcery, so if the exile doesn’t matter it is just worse than the two mana instant options.
Prediction
Downfall fills a need in black, while Contempt is mostly filler. Contempt is only truly desirable in permission decks, and even in that deck there are multiple cards that do the job better. Downfall at the very worst will be a sideboard card, but one that no other black card in cube can replace. I believe the exile is relevant enough, and the fail case decent enough that it will be a maindeck card.
–Asylum Visitor; +Castle Locthwain
Why cut Visitor?
It is basically a 3/1 vanilla. Drawing card is very rare. A 3/1 body without evasion is fragile and weak against tokens.
What I like about Lochtwain?
A land that draws cards always draws attention. It will be of huge help when running out of gas or flooding. Unlike Phyrexian Arena, it will not kill you as you can simply not activate when you are behind.
What I dislike about Lochtwain?
The lifeloss is a severe drawback in reactive decks that do not empty their hands quickly. Black already has a lot of life loss and black-expensive cards.
Prediction
Black aggro decks will love this card. Even though the ability will not be used that often, when it will it can have a high impact. As aggro decks really hate lands that enter the battlefield tapped, Locthwain depends on the severity of the drawback more than most.
Reanimator Life Vest
+Shallow Grave; +Corpse Dance
–Asylum Visitor; –Cast Down
Reanimator has been struggling. Many drafters think it is a trap. Rightfully so; I cannot remember the last time a reanimator deck succeeded, while there are plenty that flopped. If once the bottleneck was discard outlets and fatties, now it is in the reanimations spells themselves. While Wizards keeps printing quality discard outlets in a slow pace, the last Modern Horizons set proved that reanimation spells are out of the picture for good. As such there are two options – one, to forgo the archetype. Two, to exhaust the limited amount of existing, and likely unchanging, reanimation spells.
I decided to do the latter. Reanimator is one of the few archetypes this cube supports that are combo based, which would be hard to replace sensibly, as other combo archetypes have even less redundancy. It has cross-pollination with other archetypes, especially the cheat decks on the fatties, and aggro on the discard outlets. Of course it also has a high ceiling and offers proper rewards for your effort.
The other major reason is psychological. We will know we tried everything, and be certain of our conclusions. If we cut reanimator now, every time a new discard outlet or fattie would be revealed, we would wonder if it would be the tipping point that would make reanimator good again. If this experiment fails, we would never have the regrets or temptations – the issue is unfixable without more proper reanimation.
The final reason is that pruning reanimator would require a serious overhaul in black’s design as a color. This is hard to do anytime, but especially now since we have so many new cards from the last few sets in the cube.
As such, the quest for more reanimation began. There are loads of reanimation spells costing 4+. They are all value cards and not combo cards. Of the few cheap, competitive ones there are the temporary reanimation effects. Are they any good? A lot of fatties only really require one attack. This is true for Eldrazi, as well as Titans, Griselbrand and anything that works with Sneak Attack. They do work badly with cards like Sheoldred.
As for cuts, Hexmage was added as preemptive measure against planeswalkers in War of the Spark. Planeswalkers don’t dominate yet, and space is tight. If planeswalkers are a serious problem at any point in the future, it will still be in the arsenal. Cast Down is inconsistent as very often what you want dead is legendary. Black also has many spot removals.
I will note that Doom Blade is likely better than Cast Down and decks do want access to cheap spot removals. Doom Blade would likely replace a 4 drop once the dust settles after testing.
Heads up for the drafters – the next few months will be a critical time for reanimator. If the deck doesn’t rise in popularity and power, it will be pruned.
Red
–Alesha, Who Smiles At Death; +Chandra, Acolyte of Flame
Why cut Alesha?
She is the weakest red three drop. How far we have come. Alesha is only good in aggro, and requires a heavy commitment to another color. Her ability, besides being conditional, usually just brings back a 1 or 2 drop, often simply a 2/1. Red three drops are crazy good nowadays.
What I like about Chandra?
She flashes back spells, like Jace, Telepath Unbound and can do it twice back to back. The ceiling of flashing back Time Walk or Ancestral Recall is amazing. The average case scenario of simple burn spells is also good. She provides two bodies a turn for Purphoros and token synergies, as well as a lot of sacrifice fodder for Goblin Bombardment. She attacks for two haste damage, and the tokens are recursive – spot or mass removals won’t help you against them. She empowers other red planeswalkers well.
What I dislike about Chandra?
She cannot protect herself. She costs double red, so it will be hard casting a red spell the turn you play her. She is inherently narrow, requiring many cheap spells. The creatures don’t last, so unless you craft your deck with ways to utilize them, they will becomes useless easily by fat lockers from your opponent.
Prediction
Historically, cheap planeswalkers are better than they look. This Chandra also put up results in constructed. She is too strong ignore for testing, but personally I don’t think she will be good in cube.
–Shenanigans; +Embereth Shieldbreaker
Why Shenanigans?
A sideboard only card. Also there is the theoretical concern of it being oppressive against artifact decks.
What I like about Shieldbreaker?
Manic Vandal did not last. Shieldbreaker is much better for multiple reasons. You can destroy an artifact before turn three. Even better, you can destroy an artifact for cheap at any point in the game, and cast the creature in a different turn, if at all. I expect Shieldbreaker to be a spell only card a lot of the time.
When there is no artifact around, it will be a Goblin Piker.
What I dislike about Shieldbreaker?
Goblin Piker is horrible. Therefore there is a good chance this card will also be a sideboard only card. It is not Abrade or Goblin Cratermaker.
Prediction
Shieldbreaker attacks, blocks and carries equipment, but still heavily depends on the spell side. If he turns out to be a sideboard only card, this swap might be reverted, as Shenanigans is the more potent sideboard option.
–Rix-Maadi Reveler; +Robber of the Rich
Why cut Reveler?
It was played only in aggressive decks. The spectacle was never used – it is too expensive and conditional. The base creature mode is not strong enough to compete.
What I like about Robber?
There is a lot of additive distraction going on here. Robber is a 1R 2/2 haste, that can draw cards while attacking. When played on turn 2, you will have a choice between two exiled cards to cast by turn three. The ability to cast the cards is not reliant on damage, so you may kamikaze Robber if the cards exiled are worth it.
It has synergy with other rogues, mostly Bitterblossom tokens. Reach will matter rarely but is nice to have. Red has a lot of room to improve in terms of two drops, so the competition is not fierce.
What I dislike about Robber?
You need a lot of things to align to gain card advantage from Robber. It cannot hit lands, which rules out 40% of cards. You also need to have enough mana to cast the card, which will almost never happen on the turn you play Robber, and if you get a fattie or ramp target might never happen period. Then you need the card to be useful for you – counterspells and mass removals are off the question, so are ramp spells, mana rocks, reanimation spells etc. Then you need the card to be better than what you can cast from your hand. On top of that, you also need to empty your hand more quickly than your opponent. Having a low hand size yourself is not a big ask, but it means it might not trigger in the mirror or late game against some decks. It is also worse against an opponent that mulliganned.
I predict it will draw less than a card a game. The body itself is not worth the slot without a substantial chance at card advantage. The rogue synergy is largely nonexistent – there are only 8 cards that are rogues or creates rogues, none of them are in red and 5 are in blue.
Prediction
This will range between a bad card and a middling red two drop. This is not a bad to be – the cube power threshold is high, a middling card out of 14 is a good place to be and has longevity. This might be the red Glint-Sleeve Siphoner.
–Goblin Oriflamme; +Castle Embereth
Why cut Oriflamme?
It isn’t really worth over the alternatives. By alternatives I mostly mean burn spells. Unlike other mass pump, Oriflamme only pumps power, and only on attack. Besides inherent narrowness, how often will it be better than a Volcanic Hammer? Oriflamme is cheap, but is seldom cast on the second turn as you do not have enough creatures to empower.
What I like about Embereth?
Unlike the rest of the castles, this ability will provide value even when unused by threat of activation. Your opponent will avoid some blocks in fear of trade and be more conservative of their life total, and all you need to do is keep some mana untapped. Two actual use cases are when you alpha strike, ran out of gas or squeezing some damage while trying not to overextend to a mass removal spell. Embereth also works when blocking.
What I dislike about Embereth?
The ability is not cheap. For aggro decks is it very expensive, and you will certainly play your four drops over activating it almost all the time. Token decks are usually less red intensive so will have trouble activating it.
Prediction
This is likely the best of the cycle. It contributes to your strategy directly.
Play Tip
Try to maximize the threat of activation with this card – play things after combat, or at least after blockers are declared.
–Searing Blaze; +Bonecrusher Giant
Why cut Blaze?
It is red intensive and conditional on two more fronts – requiring a land drop and a creature to target. The heaviest red decks are aggro. But aggro decks run the fewest lands. The card was dead too often. One of the worst burn topdecks. Sucks when you need to wait for your opponent to play a creature just to cast this. The instant speed on this card is rather deceiving, as barring fetches you will always play it on your turn.
What I like about Giant?
A burn spell that draws a good three drop. This is not far from a 1R spell that deals 2 damage and draws a card. Red doesn’t have many ways to gain card advantage, so this is extra welcome. The burn spell has an anti-prevention clause – useful against a blocking True-Name Nemesis or Kor Haven.
The creature side is actually pretty pushed for a free value card. It comes on curve on turn 3 if you use the burn turn 2. It has healthy stats, in an aggro deck it might be your biggest creature. If it dies to a removal you still net a shock, which is almost worth a card in an aggressive deck, and you maybe still have played the burn before to be vastly ahead. Can we take a moment and appreciate how great the Giant is against bounce spells?
While it seems the card is aggro-orineted, burning their two drop on turn 2 and playing a fat blocker turn 3 for the cost of one card is actually a hot play against aggro. In a creature-light control mirror, the giant is a legitimate threat. He is big enough to trade with some midrange creatures too, and you had a chance to burn their mana elves before as well. I think this card is great in all red decks.
What I dislike about Giant?
Something to be aware of – if the spell side is countered you will not be able to cast the creature side. If you aim the burn spell at a creature and it was sacrificed in response, you won’t get the giant.
It should be noted that it is not always better than an Incinerate – it cannot kill 3 toughness creatures or 3 loyalty planeswalkers, nor does it win the game when the opponent is at exactly 3 life.
Prediction
This card could be much worse and still see cube play.
Play tip
Pick this highly and be aware of opposing sac outlet that would cause this spell to fizzle.
Green
–Adventurous Impulse; +Once Upon a Time
Why Impulse?
It is playable but very unexciting. In many green decks the strongest cards are planeswalkers. It deck of two+ colors, not getting instants or sorceries is a serious drawback. By only looking at the top three cards, you are often left with the choice of 2. While completely whiffing is rare, whiffing on creatures is not. Impulse is unexciting enough that I highly doubt anyone will play him in a deck that already contains Once Upon a Time or Oath of Nissa. There is limited real estate in green decks for cards that are not threats and do not ramp.
What I like about Once upon a time?
The free mode is ridiculous. A one land hand with Once is keepable, and the land doesn’t even have to produce green. Once Upon a Time can almost assuredly find a land. It can find a mana elf for turn one. Free spells that draw cards have a history of being broken.
But over 50% of the time you draw Once, it will not be in your opening hand. It digs five cards deep, which is 5/3 times deeper than Impulse. However, the chance of whiffing on a creature is far smaller. The card will be functioning as intended a lot more often. As such I think the effect is actually twice as good in practice. With the instant speed added, it could already be the better card even without the free mode.
The new mulligan rules increase your chances of having Once in your opening hand. Once can help you tutor for Library of Alexandria. In such a deck, you might opt to mulligan aggressively to either library or once as a valid strategy.
What I dislike about Once Upon a Time?
You still need a heavy creatures deck to run it – anything less than 15 is sketchy. The card is just as narrow as Impulse. It still cannot grab your best cards in the average deck – the planeswalkers, Channel, Natural Order, Time Walk or Black Lotus. The effective card selection will almost never be 5, it will closer to three – an Anticipate of sorts. Few green decks are in the market for an Anticipate. Green decks are not often positioned to utilize the instant speed of the card, nor can they really afford to pay two mana in the early stages of the game while they ramp.
Prediction
There is no doubt this is the better card, likely even better than Oath of Nissa. But I am still skeptical about it being an above average pick.
–Yavimaya Elder; +Gilded Goose
Why cut Elder?
He doesn’t ramp, he costs double green and you really want him to die. Against aggro that’s a fair assumption, but against anything else he is too slow and expensive. He is card advantage, but green wants to affect the board or ramp. Land cards in hand are not what you want to do with three drops.
What I like about Gilded Goose?
It ramps and fixes mana, which very few one drops do. It flies and has 2 toughness. It can block thopters, spirit tokens and of course 1/1s on the ground. It doesn’t die to Liliana, the Last Hope or the small part of Arc Trail. So your opponent has to spend more resources to kill Goose, and when they do you have still netted the food token. Very few one drops provide value even if killed immediately.
Goose is better late game than most other mana elves. Goose can create a food token a turn for a lot of repeatable life gain. Just producing an artifact a turn is useful for many synergies. It is good with Tolarian Academy and all artifact deck payoffs. The permanents are good with and against Tangle Wire and Braids, in fact it is one of the best engine cards for stacks being so cheap. He helps get the city’s blessing for Skymarcher Aspirant.
What I dislike about Gilded Goose?
It doesn’t provide mana every turn. It is the Jeweled Amulet version of Birds of Paradise. As a pure ramp card, it is worse than mana elves. The life gain he provides costs a lot of mana – 4 per turn. Artifact decks are seldom green.
Verdict
Mana elves are in such high demand that I can’t really see this not getting play, even if it is worse than the rest of them. As before, versatile cards always play better than they look, and it could very well be on the level of Boreal Druid. It doesn’t have to be though, three mana ramp is so much worse than one mana ramp that the chances of reverting this change are small.
Play Tip
As you don’t have access to the food every turn, you should calculate ahead and use them when they matter most.
–Lotus Cobra; +Paradise Druid
Yeah this is a fairly obvious swap that was somehow missed. Lotus Cobra has a lot of nostalgia and ridiculous ceiling. With fetchlands it is double ramp and double fixing. It fixes and ramps in addition to attacking! What it lacks is reliability. When you are mana screwed, he is a Goblin Piker. As a fixer, he relies on a constant stream of lands. Green aggro is not supported, no one plays him for the body. A hand with two lands and cobra is risky to say the least. For every game he is nuts there are three or more where he is worse than a two drop mana dork.
What I like about Paradise Druid?
She fixes mana, ramps reliably and has some resilience to spot removals. She still has 2 power for when attacking is necessary.
What I dislike about Paradise Druid?
She cannot both attack and ramp. Besides turn one, I expect her to be tapped most of the time so her hexproof is usually inactive. She is also not better than her alternatives. Land based ramp is resilient to removal. Mana elves are cheaper. Devoted Druid can ramp twice. Sylvan Caryatid is a great blocker and harder to kill. The list goes on.
Verdict
She holds equal footing to most of her competition. Ramp is like burn in red – a lot of it is needed, so even worse iterations see a lot of play. Her fixing capabilities will make her desirable in many decks, and I am confident in this swap.
Play Tip
Try to keep her untapped for as long as possible.
–Kodama’s Reach; +Castle Garenbrig
Why Kodama’s Reach?
Ramp spells that cost three mana are not hot. This is perhaps the least threatening three drop you can cast. Yes, it is card advantage, it is double fixing but it does not affect the board. If your fixing only comes online turn 4, you are too late to the party.
What is the dream scenario with this card? Probably to cast a mana elf turn one and this on turn 2. Now you have 5 mana turn 3. But this kind of deck is hard to build in cubes – there are not enough mana elves, and not enough Cultivates. Consider the alternative – a 1 or 2 mana ramp spell. It too would allow you to play a 5 drop turn three. You need to draw the third land in this scenario, and perhaps have less fixing power, so it is worse in this scenario.
But you do pay a price. A hand with Reach as the sole ramp spell is unkeepable. A hand with a cheaper ramp spell and two lands is. A cheap ramp spell has an easier time being cast in the mid game alongside other spells. In top deck mode, it is still hard to argue Cultivate is better than cheaper options.
Tl;dr – Reach is a trap that doesn’t fit fast environments like cube.
What I like about Castle Garenbrig?
It ramps, which is what a large number of green decks is all about. It will cast Craterhoof, Primeval Titan and Eldrazis earlier.
What I dislike about Garenbrig?
It is the narrowest of all castles. It cannot help you cast Ugin, and it doesn’t play well with creatures in other colors. You can pay for abilities, but not many green creatures have them. The greatest downside is simply that it is not a forest. Rofellos and the two Nissas will be weaker by a bit with the castle in your deck.
Prediction
While narrow, green ramp decks see consistent play here. Casting Atarka a turn earlier is strong. This is the sort of card that will table, but I expect it to see regular play and be impactful.
–Shifting Ceratops; +Questing Beast
Why cut Ceratops?
It is clear this card is not good as a four drop. Paying mana every turn just to keep it relevant is a bummer. The weakness to nonblue removal is big on this card, at least until you pay 2GGG for it for some immediate impact. It has little defensive value. Not the midrange green creature we want.
What I like about Questing Beast?
Finally a good green 4 drop! One that could actually see play in other colors!
Beast has an immediate board impact with haste. It is great at killing planeswalkers, as it can bypass the tokens they create and slay the walker while also hitting the player. Beast is positioned to shine in the current metagame, which is full of tokens and planeswalkers.
It can play both offense and defense simultaneously. Deathtouch ensures it is still relevant against larger finishers such as titans and reanimation targets. Simply a card that is hard to ignore, and has a reasonable chance to generate card advantage the turn it enters the battlefield.
Want more upside? Got it! True-Name Nemesis will die if it blocks with Questing Beast is on the battlefield. Same is true for sword-wielding critters. Beast nullifies Kor Haven.
What I dislike about Beast?
It is weak to removal, and unless you killed a planeswalker, you didn’t get anything out of the deal besides 4 damage. In most green decks 4 damage is worth far less than a card. While Beast would be a contender in other colors, it is still not up to the level of their premium four drops.
Also, it could use a few more abilities.
Prediction
Hard to see this not being the best when the other green four drops are so bad. It is strong against dominant strategies and fills a glaring whole in the green curve. I am very happy about the card.
–Ramunap Excavator; +Wicked Wolf
Why cut Excavator?
Narrowness. There are not enough lands that sacrifice themselves compared to the cube size. This is an inherently narrow card that has a hard time making the maindeck.
What I like about Wolf?
Somewhat of a green Flametongue Kavu / Skinrender. Worse than both, but green has the weakest removal suit by far and often has trouble killing small creatures. You are now less helpless against Dark Confidant, Grim Lavamancer or Monastery Mentor. Green has many tutors for creatures so having one serve as a removal, even conditional, can be significant. It helps green also has the worst four drops.
What I dislike about Wolf?
It can only really kill profitably creatures smaller than 2/3. Anything with three power will kill the wolf as well. Compared to Voracious Hydra, Wolf looks terrible. Garruk Relentless is also a similar card, but it trades the 3/3 body with a planeswalker. Usually a far better deal, but not when you are behind on board. The food ability is mostly trinket text.
Prediction
This might very well be the worst green four drop.
–Wickerbough Elder; +Master of the Wild Hunt
Why Elder?
The most replaceable green four drop. Green has many sources of Naturalize.
What I like about Master?
It was missed. Master can take over a game if left unchecked. It provides a steady stream of tokens for free for Opposition, Braids and Gaea’s Cradle.
Right now the wolf synergies are at their maximum. With Nightpack Ambusher, Wicked Wolf and a multicolored card that you will see later, it can be a fun theme while it lasts.
What I dislike about master?
It is super vulnerable to removals. It is also super slow. He is not great when you are under pressure, yet not fast at taking over the game when ahead.
Prediction
Master can stay for now, but when more good green four drops will be printed he will be cut. The card still leaves a lot to be desired.
–Avenger of Zendikar; +Worldspine Wurm
Why Avenger?
It is a seven drop that requires more land drops to be any good. Avenger is also quite bad when cheated into play early compared to alternatives, and doesn’t work as well with ramp spells. He doesn’t provide a lot of value in the face of removal, unless he can be immediately followed by land drops and/or fetch activations.
He also poses a minor logistic issue – tokens with counters on them are always messy.
What I like about Wurm?
Wurm is great to cheat into play. It is of the best Sneak Attack targets, as well as Natural Order, Eureka, Show and Tell and Oath of Druids, among others. It is of the better targets to have with the two new reanimation spells – Corpse Dance and Shallow Grave. It has the best death trigger in the game.
What I dislike?
Wurm is definitely a narrow card, being almost entirely uncastable. It doesn’t work with traditional reanimator. Wurm is weak to exile effects and bounce, as well as tap effects and Maze of Ith. Wurm has little defensive value until it dies.
On the other hand, Wurm can also be too powerful. Your opponent needs to have a mass removal to deal with the army Wurm leaves behind.
Prediction
A higher risk test than most, let’s see if it is a fun card.
–Tarmogoyf; +Doubling Season
Why Tarmogoyf?
He is not a card that fits many decks. You need to have discard, self-mill or a suitable deck full of fetches and cantrips for him to shine. Is it also rarely a big creature in the early turns. I am personally still a fan of the card, but the rest of the group doesn’t share that opinion. Goyf is simply a nice to have card, not an important role player to any deck so I doubt it will be missed.
What do I like about doubling Season?
It is great with planeswalkers and tokens. Now they are dominant in the meta, which makes Season a particularly good fit. With Season in play, many planeswalkers can instantly ultimate. This is likely a splashworthy card for superfriends decks.
What do I dislike about Doubling Season?
The elephant in the room – it costs 5 mana and does nothing immediately. It can also do nothing, period – you really must have a follow up. Most planeswalkers cost less than 5, which means you’d play them before Season – a bit of a nonbo.
Prediction
This was suggested as a fun-of. Let’s enjoy it while it here, as I doubt it would last long.
Multicolored
–Vraska, Relic Seeker; +Garruk, Cursed Huntsman
Why Vraska?
Because no one wants too many gold six drops. The cards are incredibly similar and will be compared below.
What I like about Garruk?
He has the best token making ability to date that is not negative loyalty. That is better than a Grave Titan trigger. Compared to Vraska, it is better offensively, potentially dealing twice the damage, but is even better defensively. Not only can you block two guys a turn, you further discourage attacks by loyalty gains. Killing Garruk through attacking will be very hard.
His second ability guarantees a 3-for-1, while affecting the board. I honestly don’t see it used often, as the first ability is so strong, but sometimes you need to kill a titan or a Baneslayer Angel.
The ultimate is frightening and will kill opponents quickly. While it might not be used often, it does a lot of work still by discouraging the death of his wolves, especially on offense. The process can be sped if you have a way to sacrifice the wolves. The wolves will even help your other Garruk planeswalkers.
Remember how we list advantages of token or permanent makers every other card or so in this review? Garruk is tremendous with Gaea’s Cradle, other overrun effects, mass pumps, sacrifice outlets and more.
What I dislike about Garruk?
He is weak to armies of flying tokens. Vraska can kill artifacts and enchantments, Garruk cannot. In many situations it will be hard to reach the ultimate as it is so indirect. The tokens will not generate loyalty if they are bounced, flickered or exiled.
A more general weakness shared by Vraska, is that Golgari prefers its top end to be creatures for reanimator decks and the green tutors.
Verdict
I had to stretch my dislikes. Good luck trying to repeatedly bounce two tokens per turn. Garruk passes the Vindicate test with flying colors. Against an army of flying tokens, he still provides 4 power and 4 toughness and will gain 5 life in the absolute worst case. Vraska kills a creature with her middle ability 80%+ of the time anyway, and a card is so much better than a Treasure token, especially on a six drop, that Garruk beats her on that front too.
Garruk is versatile, powerful, great as a stabilizer, inevitable as a win condition and has a different play pattern than other planeswalkers. The question is will he be worth splashing for in other decks. If he is, he will enjoy a long career in the cube. If not, he will ultimately be too narrow and be at risk from the next Golgari six drop.
–Shardless Agent; +Oko, Thief of Crowns
Why cut Agent?
The worst Simic card. Agent restricts deck construction a bit, as reactive cards are bad with him. This mostly refers to counterspells. He is also bad with X spells, and now there are two in the Simic gold section alone, let alone monocolored blue or green cards. Green and Blue have many strong three drops.
What I like about Oko?
He has a lot of loyalty, and it grows fast. It starts with six, and can grow by two a turn while providing three life. Aggro decks will hate this card. He can also serve as a token generator – he generates a 3/3 every other turn. He can also be a soft Beast Within like removal to what the opponent throws at you. The ultimate will allow you to eventually take back the beast within tokens or simply take powerhouses like Goblin Rabblemaster, Caller of the Untamed, Mirror Entity etc.
Again, he generates an artifact per turn with all the synergies attached with that.
What I dislike about Oko
He does nothing directly. The life gain costs mana. The removal leaves a relevant body behind. The ultimate requires giving something or having a food available. In no role will he be amazing.
Prediction
This is a particularly hard card to evaluate. I do think it will be better than Agent, but it might simply replace him as the bottom card of this guild.
–Electrolyze; +The Royal Scions
Why Electrolyze?
Worst Izzet card. This is an entirely skippable card. You often don’t even remember if it is in your deck. Cheaper burn spells are better, one mana blue cantrips are better. Electrolyze is not hot against decks low on cheap creatures. ‘Lyze will often make maindecks of Izzet decks, but will always be a card that wheels. No one will splash for it or change colors in the middle of the draft. It was on the chopping block for ages; we finally get some good Izzet cards.
What I like about Scions?
6 loyalty on turn three. They are cheap and very hard to take down in the combat. Looting improves card quality and enables graveyard synergies. This is a good discard outlet for reanimator, but it still fuels delve and the like. The ultimate is threatening and strong for the mana invested.
The middle ability reminds me of Elspeth, Knight-Errant‘s pump ability, which is her strongest. From now on they have to kill every single creature you cast or The Royal Scions themselves, as even a token will be a threat. Don’t have a creature to pump? Loot into one. I predict like Elspeth, the pump will be used to murder planeswalkers often, and make yet more rot useless in hands as they have no way to survive it. The Scions work well with Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin.
What I dislike about Scions?
They don’t protect themselves. Izzet decks usually have few creatures to pump. This is not great when behind at all. I also worry there will not be homes for this card. Do control decks play it? Do superfriends or artifacts?
Prediction
Three mana planeswalkers often play better than they look. This card looks formidable. Perhaps even splashworthy in a red aggressive deck.
–Kessig Wolf-Run; +Wrenn and Six
Why cut Kessig?
It sees little play. Wolf-Run requires a lot of mana, which limits its use to the ramp decks only. While a giant amount of reach can certainly be useful, it does very little on defense. It is also rather superfluous when attacking with titan. It does work well with mana elves, it is even best against control which is the worst matchup. Looks good on paper.
There are two issues. First, there is a limited number of colorless lands a deck can support. This has to compete with colorless manlands, of which several were printed lately. The manlands are better in earlier stages of the game, after a mass removal etc. The second, and it is a major one, Gruul ramp decks are not played here.
Wolf-Run is a card that has a realistic chance to make a comeback – if the only deck that wants it will rise in popularity, if more land searchers are printed and/or if other colorless lands get cut.
What I like about Wrenn and Six?
It is a two mana card that can produce repeatable card advantage. This is as cheap as you can get. The ping is half of the appeal of the card. W6 protect themselves against aggro, kill mana dorks, upgrade your burn spells and complicates combat math for your opponent. Of course, repeatable Strip Mines are as strong as ever.
What I dislike about Wrenn and Six?
Narrowness. You really need support for them to be worth play. What you want most are lands that sacrifice themselves. This is mostly fetches, including the 4 that fetch basics, horizon lands, Blast Zone, Strip Mine and Wasteland. Ways to discard lands or self-mill also help. How many such effects do you need before W6 are playable? I’d say three is a bare minimum, which is a tall ask.
Prediction
Crucible of Worlds and Ramunap Excavator did not last. Wrenn and Six are likely better than them, as the ping mode is strong, but I am uncertain it is better enough. This has a very big question mark looming over it.
Colorless
–Thran Dynamo; +Fabled Passage
Why Dynamo?
Following other expensive ramp spells. If you don’t use the mana right away, paying four mana not to affect the board is too risky. It is also a narrow card that doesn’t see much play.
What I like about Fabled passage?
It is a strictly better Evolving Wilds. It fixes mana for all decks of all colors. Entering untapped is huge.
What I dislike about Fabled Passage?
It doesn’t enter untapped in the first few turns, which are the most important. Also, the later you sacrifice Passage, the less strong the fixing aspect it as you have a higher chance of having an off-color source by the time you have four lands. Aggro decks still do not desire this card.
Prediction
This is closer to Terramorphic Expanse than to Prismatic Vista. That doesn’t matter much; all are great cards that improve the cube experience.
MtG Cube Crafting 