r/mtgcube

I’ve started the process of assembling set cubes for the early 10s era and I’m not sure what to do about [[Battle of Wits]].

I love the card, it’s so funny. I’ve always wanted to build a deck for Modern that uses it. But in a cube I don’t see a reason to include it? It’s just a dead card….

…but if set cubes are supposed to be like sealed, it should be there, right?

What do yall think? Do I just pack a ton of basics in case someone wants to try? Replace it with another rare? Let it ride?

Building a Commander Cube is the most fun I’ve had playing MTG and I’m here to convince you to build one too!

A very good friend of mine was moving countries. He had a large collection of rare and mythic cards he couldn’t transport with him. So, he kindly offered these to our group. I was quick to offer to re-home this collection, but I wanted to do something special with the collection. I wanted our entire group to benefit from his generosity and for all of us to enjoy this collection together. So, I said I’d take the collection, on the provision he help me build a commander cube.

We spent around three days building synergies, cutting cards, adding cards, laughing at interesting interactions, and finally play testing on a camping trip in the Australian outback. This was his send off before moving back overseas and it was a nice way for us to build a memento before he left.

As we were building the cube we discussed the main themes we’d like to build around, this one being Gods, as my friend purchased a large number of God cards for a commander deck that never was. The next step was putting in our playgroups’ pet cards based on the groups’ suggestions. Cards like Selfless Squire, Inksheild, Deflecting Palm, Wedding Ring, and the various tricks with adding Myriad to creatures always get a laugh in our group. Our goal was to make it fun, encourage interaction, and to have enough synergy that would call for a successful draft experience.

I love deck building, and building this cube collectively was essentially like trying to build five commander decks with all of our favourite cards. It took an activity that is usually done solo, and made it a shared experience which encouraged us to share our interests and to anticipate how our friends would respond when they saw our final curation.

This was the most rewarding part. To finally draft the finished product and hear our group say things like “I can’t decide, these are all incredible cards!” And to hear them laugh, and try to hide their enthusiasm for a particular card or combo and say “you guys are going to love, or hate this”. It’s rewarding to see people enjoy the cube we built. The cube immortalised our friend through the curation of his collection. In a way, he is still here jamming games with us.

The real positive thing I’m seeing now is that the cube has inspired others to build and curate their own cube. I’m really enjoying seeing what other people come up with, as I understand the effort and resultant joy of seeing people draft something we have carefully curated and continue to refine. So, I wrote this in hope this story, and my cube, inspires you to build a cube of your own so I can hear your cube story.

Removal spells can be a bit deck and textbox agnostic. How do we select removal spells for synergy cubes then?

I wanna give Goblin Welder and Engineer a try as the artifact count in my cube has been steadily rising recently.

I'm looking at things like Chromatic Star, Cryogen Relic, Winter Orb, Tangle Wire, [[demand answers]], Ichor Wellspring, Experimental Synthesizer and perhaps Shrapnel Blast as fun things to do in a value oriented artifact deck with Welder.

What are other cards, synergies or archetypes that works well when you have trinkets to sacrifice and gobins that keep bringing them back?

I’m getting a little metaphysical with a cube I’m designing called Being and Time. As part of the “Time” component, I’m looking at designing around Suspend and ”time matters” sorts of cards.

I obviously know you can use cascade to cheat out [[Crashing Footfalls]], but can suspend be good outside of this context? I’m looking at cards that give extra upkeeps or remove time counters like [[Paradox Haze]] and [[Rift Elemental]]. Is there a world where these cards helping you resolve a [[Gargadon]] faster are good, since the opponent knows when your spell is going to resolve?

Crucially, my plan for the cube is that counterspells aren’t really a thing outside of permanent-based solutions (e.g., [[Voidmage Apprentice]]. And the power level overall should be pretty mid. If you have run Suspend or anything messing with time counters in your cubes, what have you done to try and make them good?

One of the biggest changes in my approach to cube hasn't been about cube design. It's been about people. When I first started curating, almost all of my attention went toward the list itself and the common questions that come with this task. Over time, after hundreds of drafts and many iterations, those questions have become less dominant. Now, I find myself asking something very different:

What experience is most likely to succeed with this particular group of people tonight?

That shift completely changed how I think about hosting cube. This article explores that evolution as I've realized that I'm not just curating cubes anymore; I'm curating experiences.

The article: Curating Beyond the Cards

I'd love to hear whether anyone else has found their thinking evolving in a similar direction!

Hey everybody!

I am sleeving up my Zendikar Rising set cube, doing a pretty traditional 4/2/1/1 of each card, and making packs of 9/4/2.

What I want to do is make a bonus sheet of around ~60 cards that I can put into the last slot, to shake up the draft. I was a huge fan of how this worked in MOM where there were some cool build arounds that you could pivot your draft around. I also want to use this slot to buff the under performing archetypes (RG landfall, WG +1/+1, RW equipment, green in general).

Any ideas as to fun cards to include? Major preference to cards set on Zendikar, but a card that "feels" Zendikar would also be one I would include.

Post your Cube and your pack!

For a decade, I've had a cube dream that I'm trying to finally build out in paper. It's a cube called "As Richard Garfield Intended" (ARGI), and the title is most certainly sarcastic. It's meant to be a refuge for some of Magic's most obscure and unique game pieces, as well as a fun exhibition of Magic community humor and lore. It's very hard to describe, so here are some specific examples of where I'm reaching for inclusions, as well as some examples of cards I'm already/planning on including:

Un-Sets

Playtest cards

Draft matters cards

My Little Pony cards

Gavin Verhey's Unknown Event

Heroes of the Realm

Cards used to test applicants in the Great Designer Search

Sorcerer's Apprentice custom cards

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (this was a real thing)

Inquisition of Kozilek in Spanish (no one will expect it)

Misprinted German 4th Ed Drudge Skeletons on a Swamp

Voucher for 2 Explores called "The Bertoncini Special"

Voucher for a foil and nonfoil Embermage Goblin

Backwards Secret Lair cards

Multiple randomized and themed Lore Seeker packs

The comic sans "tARgeEt" Doom Blade

Misprinted green Serendib Efreet

Draftable Mutavault Token as a normal land

Cryptic Spires

Trusty Machete signed by Danny Trejo

Blue-Eyes White Dragon as an 8-generic-mana 3000/2500

Storm Crow errata'd to have Storm

Battle of Wits errata'd to say "60"

Mogg Fanatic errata'd to put damage on the stack

Colossal Dreadmaw with a $2 bill in it so you can money draft

Obviously, this will be one hell of a chore to attempt to balance in any meaningful way, as well as trying to keep it from becoming overly complex. It certainly won't be the cube I suggest to newer players. Even with those challenges, I'm pumped to finally get this thing put together and drafted.

So now, back to the point of the post, I would love to hear your ideas if you've got any for this project. Is there some super obscure promo card for a sock company I don't know about? (There is, I'll be playing it.) Is there a famous text or art error I should play as-written? Is there a way to turn the "WOW F**K TRON" meme into a draftable card or voucher? I'd love to hear what you would cook up if you were in my shoes. At this point, no idea is crazy enough to be beyond consideration. Thanks!

This is an anti-archetype cube designed for two-player draft. Each color pair is built to not do what its traditional identity does, and mono-colored cards are selected to push against their normal color pie expectations.

After play testing 1.0 I made a lot of changes. Blue needed powered down. I changed selesnya to even more control and less creature based. I completely changed boros to vehicles from control. I changed golgari to food token from exile matters. I'm not happy with golgari but wizards has been on point with making every golgari gold card about the graveyard.

I just am looking for any comments before I actually buy the new cards

I'm sketching out a cube idea and need a little inspiration. I want to look at some lists for Vintage powered cubes with a heavy graveyard theme. I tried looking through this sub and Cube Cobra, but couldn't get my searches to hit quite right.

Hello,
I'm watching Rhystic Studies videos about the craziness of early magic, and I'd like to try it with friends. Do you have good cube that would allow us to have fun with cards like black lotus, chaos orb (I know it was banned but still) etc. ?
Money will not be an issue, I intend on proxying everything.