[Cube] The mid-power no planeswalkers cube

[Phoenix Ignition]

The reason behind this cube is mainly that I want to be able to play cards that were in Legacy right when I joined the format. Where decks like UG Madness ran wild and you didn't have planeswalkers throwing removal spells out of whack.

The second thing that was important to me was that I needed to make sure there aren't any cards that just end the game. I hate cards like Grizelbrand that just win when they come down and you might as well scoop to. Every good card needs some way to interact with it, and if a card truly doesn't have many ways to interact, it must have a big drawback Blastoderm!.

So anyway, please keep those things in mind if suggesting anything. I've balanced it for color about as well as I can plus or minus a few cards.

Total = 436
White:

Path to Exile
Enlightened Tutor
Mother of Runes
Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Savannah Lions

Leonin Shikari
Nyx-Fleece Ram
Aegis of the Gods
Journey to Nowhere
Wall of Omens
Soltari Trooper
Whitemane Lion
Beloved Chaplain

Sigiled Paladin
Auriok Champion
Unexpectedly Absent

Survival Cache
Mirror Entity
Kor Sanctifiers
Ghostly Prison
Blade Splicer
Oblivion Ring
Oblation
Aven Mindcensor
Stonecloaker

Fiend Hunter
Kemba, Kha Regent
Skyhunter Skirmisher
Mystic Crusader
Soltari Visionary
Glorious Anthem
Mangara of Corondor
Flickerwisp

Honden of Cleansing Fire
Ranger of Eos
Endless Horizons
Lightkeeper of Emeria
Taj-Nar Swordsmith
Faith's Fetters
Magus of the Tabernacle
Academy Rector
Custodi Soulbinders
Galepowder Mage

Dust Elemental
Glimmerpoint Stag
Emeria Angel
Marshal's Anthem

Iona's Judegment

Karmic Guide
Cloudgoat Ranger

Stonehewer Giant
Sun Titan
Terminus
Austere Command
Yosei, the Morning Star
Akroma's Vengeance
Eternal Dragon


Red:
Fireball
Devil's Play

Teetering Peaks

Faithless Looting
Scorched Rusalka
Goblin Bushwhacker
Firebolt
Flame Slash
Lightning Bolt
Burst Lightning
Gamble
Spikeshot Elder
Monastery Swiftspear

Kiln Fiend
Satyr Firedancer
Fractured Loyalty
Incinerate
Stingscourger
Desperate Ravings
Pyroclasm
Mogg War Marshal
Stormblood Berserker
Tin Street Hooligan
Fling
Arc Trail
Dragon Fodder
Ashling the Pilgrim

Goblin Wardriver
Slith Firewalker
Eidolon of the Great Revel

Honden of Infinite Rage
Squee, Goblin Nabob
Goblinslide
Rift Bolt
Goblin Assault
Simian Spirit Guide

Claws of Valakut
Chandra's Phoenix
Countryside Crusher

Anger
Flametongue Kavu

Chain Reaction
Rakdos Pit Dragon
Forgeborn Oreads

Violent Eruption
Blistering Firecat
Obsidian Fireheart

Covetous Dragon

Reckless Wurm
Siege-Gang Commander
Magmaw
Voracious Dragon
Fissure

Godo, Bandit Warlord
Cyclops of Eternal Fury
Homura, Human Ascendant
Moltensteel Dragon
Pyrokinesis
Predator Dragon
Shivan Hellkite
Bogardan Hellkite


Black:
Skeletal Scrying

Cabal Coffers

Tragic Slip
Bloodsoaked Champion
Executioner's Capsule
Unearth
Tortured Existence
Dark Ritual
Carrion Feeder
Duress

Nezumi Graverobber
Ravenous Rats
Oona's Prowler
Night's Whisper
Reassembling Skeleton
Doom Blade
Oversold Cemetary
Go for the Throat
Nezumi Shortfang
Brain Maggot

Consume Spirit

Sith Bloodletter
Gatekeeper of Malakir
Black Sun's Zenith
Nantuko Shade
Nether Traitor

Profane Command

Dark Tutelage
Grim Haruspex
Slaughter Pact
Read the Bones
Dusk Urchins
Crypt Rats
Pain's Reward

Necroplasm
Vampire Nighthawk
Hypnotic Specter
Skull Collector
Chittering Rats

Pox

Zombify
Honden of Night's Reach
Mind Maggots
Fate Unraveler

Night of Souls' Betrayal
Diabolic Tutor
Braids, Cabal Minion
Death Pit Offering

Grave Pact

Shriekmaw
Doomwake Giant
Throat Slitter
Call to the Grave

Kagemaro, First to Suffer
Beacon of Unrest
Contagion
Fallen Angel
Ratcatcher
Visara the Dreadful
Tombstalker
Hypnox

Blue:
Quicken
Distortion Strike
Drowned Rusalka
Preordain
Delver of Secrets
Portent
Mark of Eviction
Ponder

Rootwater Thief
Aquamoeba
Gilded Drake
Think Twice
Azure Mage
Waterfront Bouncer
Ice Cage
Merfolk Looter
Mana Leak
Echoing Truth
Welkin Tarn
Remove Soul
Jushi Apprentice
Spectral Flight
Sigiled Starfish

Counterspell
Ideas Unbound
Deprive

Proteus Staff

Tideforce Elemental
Psionic Blast
Civilized Scholar
Spiny Starfish
Compulsive Research
Man-o'-War
Trinket Mage
Intuition
Mistblade Shinobi
Wakethrasher
Raven Familiar
Chasm Skulker

Aether Adept
Grand Architect
Dominate
Vexing Sphinx
Kira, Great Glass-Spinner

Gifts Ungiven
Ninja of the Deep Hours
Master Transmuter
Mystical Teachings
Pendrell Mists
Wonder

Sower of Temptation
Control Magic
Sleep
Summoner's Bane

Gush
Honden of Seeing Winds

Sphinx of Lost Truths

Riptide Shapeshifter

Magus of the Future
Keiga, the Tide Star
Frost Titan
Scourge of Fleets
Palinchron


Green:
Green Sun's Zenith
Hurricane

Noxious Revival
Mutagenic Growth

Birds of Paradise
Tinder Wall
Giant Growth
Basking Rootwalla
Vines of Vastwood
Rancor
Wild Nacatl

Flinthoof Boar
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Explore
Fauna Shaman
Werebear
Wild Mongrel
Skyshroud Elf
Jade Mage
Nest Invader
Wall of Blossoms
Elvish Visionary
Vinelasher Kudzu
Fists of Ironwood

Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
Viridian Zealot

Reclamation Sage
Yisan, the Wanderer Bard
Call of the Herd
Awakening Zone
Beast Within
Civic Wayfinder
Food Chain
Borderland Ranger
Daybreak Ranger

Carven Caryatid
Yavimaya Elder
Eternal Witness

Patagia Viper
Argothian Wurm
Oracle of Mul Daya
Roaring Primadox

Vengevine
Eidolon of Blossoms
Blastoderm
Obstinate Baloth
Iwamori of the Open Fist

Genesis
Honden of Life's Web

Bounty of the Hunt
Molder Slug
Arrogant Wurm
Acidic Slime

Weatherseed Treefolk

Brutalizer Exarch
Force of Nature
Roar of the Wurm
Krosan Tusker
Avatar of Might
Terastodon


Lands:

Arcane Sanctum
Terramorphic Expanse
Shimmering Grotto
Evolving Wilds
Mirrodin's Core
Blood Crypt
Overgrown Tomb
Temple Garden
Murmuring Bosk
Sacred Foundry
Watery Grave
Stomping Ground
Hallowed Fountain
Godless Shrine
Polluted Delta
Windswept Heath
Bloodstained Mire
Wooded Foothills
Arid Mesa
Marsh Flats


Artifacts:

Lotus Petal
Everflowing Chalice

Engineered Explosives

Orochi Hatchery

Wanderer's Twig
Explorer's Scope
Hex Parasite
Signal Pest
Darksteel Axe
Bonesplitter
Cursed Scroll
Brittle Effigy
Trusty Machete
Heap Doll

Cloak and Dagger
Coldsteel Heart
Prophetic Prism
Sphere of Suns
Armillary Sphere
Gorgon Flail
Genesis Chamber
Mask of Memory
Nim Deathmantle
Ratchet Bomb
Phyrexian Revoker

Heart of Ramos
Scuttlemutt
Spectral Searchlight
Darksteel Ingot
Manalith
Pilgrim's Eye
Phyrexian Totem
Crystal Ball
Fireshrieker
Sword of Light and Shadow
Sunforger
Helm of Kaldra
Grafted Wargear
Horn of Greed

Phyrexian Metamorph
Birthing Pod

Sword of Kaldra
Shield of Kaldra
Smokestack
Nevinyrral's Disk
Etched Oracle
Goblin Charbelcher
Juggernaut

Slash Panther

Kuldotha Forgemaster
Etched Monstrosity
Razormane Masticore
Karn, Silver Golem

Duplicant
Triskelion

Pentavus
Triskelavus

Sundering Titan

Trading Post
Scarecrone
Skyship Weatherlight
Grim Poppet
Temporal Aperture


Multicolor:
Reaper King
Doran, the Siege Tower
Woolly Thoctar
Slave of Bolas
Rhox War Monk
Sharuum the Hegemon
Lightning Angel

Tymaret, the Murder King
Terminate
Lava Zombie
Blightning

Nyx Weaver
Putrefy
Glissa, the Traitor
Grave-Shell Scarab
Vulturous Zombie
Spiritmonger

Selesnya Charm
Qasali Pridemage
Kitchen Finks
Harmonic Sliver
Loxodon Hierarch

Figure of Destiny
Lightning Helix
Duergar Hedge-Mage
Skynight Legionnaire
Rally the Righteous
Firemane Angel

Sygg, River Cutthroat
Dimir Guildmage
Psychatog
Sphinx Summoner

Coiling Oracle
Trygon Predator
Shardless Agent
Lorescale Coatl
Edric, Spymaster of Trest

Violent Outburst
Boggart Ram-Gang

Azorius Charm
Brago, King Eternal
Aven Mimeomancer
Swans of Bryn Argoll

Fire/Ice
Hypersonic Dragon
Electrolyze
Wee Dragonauts

Tidehollow Sculler
Pillory of the Sleepless
Mortify
Underworld Coinsmith

I mainly just wanted to post this so I can hover my mouse over cards to see them quickly, but if you have the option to somehow play it, you should give it a shot, everyone has enjoyed it so far.

[Phoenix Ignition]

I thought I'd leave an update about the things I've learned and changed since the start of the cube. It has probably been played a little over 10 times since the beginning, with minor changes every once in a while. Here are some of the major things I think aren't obvious at the beginning.

First and foremost, the following will only be true for cubes that are supposed to be "fun" in opposed to competitive. My group only plays for fun, and if there was something on the line it would be a different story.

Lands + color fixing:

There's a really fine line for how many things you want to fix people's mana bases. Too few and you don't get a good mix of decks being played, too many and the draft itself gets watered down with too many cards that only make mana. I really like fetch lands since they allow a free shuffle effect, and I think Shock lands > dual lands slightly, since I'm all about the tactical drawbacks you need to play around. I constantly noticed that no one really wanted a signet (Azorius Signet, etc) if it wasn't in their specific colors and a control deck. This led to consistent last picks of boring mana rocks that people generally didn't want.

Aside from that, the most important thing is to not play broken lands. Cubes that have stuff like Library of Alexandria also need a strong assortment of hate to be able to shut down those cards, but even running the full gambit of Strip mine,Wasteland, and Sinkhole alongside any other not-horrible land hate still doesn't give every deck a way to shut down the broken lands early enough to matter. Just having a single Wasteland in a deck is not enough to shut down a Library of Alexandria, and this gives you unbalanced games where one player just sits there hoping to draw their 1-of out to the problem.

The only way to really get around that is to fill the cube up with Stone Rains, which leads to either "dead cards" that no one wants to play or the infamously unfun land destruction deck. We consistently have newcomers join our cube every week and I want both players to have a chance at playing cards.

Good cards are not the same as build-around cards:
This one took a while to notice. Almost every draft I noticed a distinct lack of red/white decks being played, despite red and white having some of the best removal in my cube. White was much worse of a problem than red, though. People often splashed stuff like Lightning bolt or Iona's Judgment, but there was no build around card to make those your main colors. I think partly this is due to white's place as the "white weenie" archetype and not having card advantage in the normal forms. Even if you want to kill people fast, most people would try to go 3 colors and not take many white cards. Here's a good example of what I think was going on in a pack:

You open a pack and see:
Wrath of God
Food Chain
Wee Dragonauts
Death Pit Offering
Honden of Seeing Winds
Flametongue Kavu
Bloodbraid Elf
Journey to Nowhere
Glorious Anthem
Birthing Pod
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Harmonic Sliver
Fire-ice
Jushi Apprentice
Nezumi Shortfang
and there are so many decks you could try to build. But virtually none of them are "Wrath of God" decks or generic white removal decks. White just doesn't have the synergy or card drawing that other colors have which allows you to see more of your deck and try to build a cohesive strategy.

So to fix it I've done the biggest replacement since the start of the cube, which is ~12 white cards (and a couple multicolor cards). I've removed some of the generic weenies + removal cards in lieu of a flicker-type strategy. A few of these cards are:
Flickerwisp
Glimmerpoint Stag
Galepowder Mage
Stonecloaker
Whitemane Lion
Brago, King Eternal
Karmic Guide
Cloudgoat Ranger
Custodi Soulbinders
You can probably see a theme here, that also fits in with stuff already in the cube like Taj-Nar Swordsmith, and also provides some awesome synergy with other colors' creatures. I don't think I'm done with balance yet, but now white has something that it can do that adds both synergy and playskill relevancy (which people always enjoy).

Lastly,
Synergy is everything:
This is something that sounds obvious at first, so let me explain it with some examples. I try to strictly avoid cards that win the game immediately, not only because it shuts off interaction, but because those cards are generally good in everything. Something that is a stand out card on its own, like Liliana of the Veil that literally every black deck would love to play adds no strategy or fun to making a deck. You see Liliana and you're going black? You take her. The same goes with most Jaces and even stuff like Mind Grind that every deck playing those colors in a cube should take immediately. My overall strategy is to make a cube where people make decks that have strategies other than "drop one of my 4 planeswalkers and ride it to victory." If you go through the cards in the cube list you'll notice that there are almost no vanilla creatures, and most of the cards aren't game winning on their own. Flickerwisp is a good card, but you need something alongside it to make it a great card. Dark Confidant is another kind of no brainer card that you want in pretty much all black decks, so I went with Dark Tutelage to spice it up. That card you really need to commit to, whereas Dark Confidant has a pretty easy panic button of just killing your own creatures.

The other aspect is to pick cards that have decks behind them. Wee Dragonauts, Wild Mongrel+Vengevine, even Eidolon of Blossoms+any enchantments are all decks that are fun to build, play, and give you a different experience each cube. Many cubes you just pick a color combination and then drafts the bombs + removal in that color, and if you like picking the same color each time you get pretty much the exact same style deck each time. Lowering the power a bit (as I talked about in the paragraph above) lets synergy and strategy flourish, instead of just powerful bombs.

[Mister M.]

I mainly just wanted to post this so I can hover my mouse over cards to see them quickly, but if you have the option to somehow play it, you should give it a shot, everyone has enjoyed it so far.

If you have an Excel spreadsheet of your cube, you could just upload it to cubetutor.com. Once, you uploaded your list the site provides a list with mouse-over, a visual spoiler and the opportunity to test-draft your cube.

[Phoenix Ignition]

If you have an Excel spreadsheet of your cube, you could just upload it to cubetutor.com. Once, you uploaded your list the site provides a list with mouse-over, a visual spoiler and the opportunity to test-draft your cube.

Sounds like a cool site, I'll check it out.

Many changes have happened in the cube, all are updated in the OP. White is now one of the most fun colors and it's on red/black now to pick up their slack. Black has a lot of interesting strategies/flavorful cards, but I don't want them to be too narrow, so there's a balance that I'm still finding there (for example, Pox is awesome, but can't be played even in a majority of decks that play black due to the restrictive playstyle it requires).


In other news, the Kaldra have been assembled and B.C. (on this site) won with it last week. He will be receiving the 3 cards signed, along with a little artistic depiction of the epic battle, and I'll buy another set of Kaldra. Seems like it'll be fun to turn that combo into a "you win, you get the cards" type of thing.

Also, 3 weeks ago I was the first to assemble the Endless Horizons + Goblin Charbelcher mono-white combo and realized that you need 2 activations to kill someone if you're playing a 40 card deck with no mountains in it. Still works, still hilarious, but unexpectedly needs a mountain in the deck to work better.

[Phoenix Ignition]

In other news, the Kaldra have been assembled and B.C. (on this site) won with it last week. He will be receiving the 3 cards signed, along with a little artistic depiction of the epic battle, and I'll buy another set of Kaldra. Seems like it'll be fun to turn that combo into a "you win, you get the cards" type of thing.


http://i.imgur.com/tx1pk81.jpg

Just a fun thing to do with your cube, give out prizes for specific things.
The two in my cube are assemble all 3 Kaldra and assemble all 5 Hondens (likely impossible). Haven't thought of anything else that would be difficult enough to need a reward.