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Author Topic:   The Cube
michaelsean09
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posted January 20, 2011 10:02 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for michaelsean09 Click Here to Email michaelsean09 Send a private message to michaelsean09 Click to send michaelsean09 an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
My magic collection is fairly small still. I just started playing in May. I am very interested in putting together Evan Erwin's cube and I was wondering if anyone could tell me approximately how much i would end up spending when its all said and ton. The idea of cube drafting seems awesome but it also seems ridiculously expensive. Any incite is appreciated.
 
Aznopium
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posted January 20, 2011 10:12 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for Aznopium Click Here to Email Aznopium Send a private message to Aznopium Click to send Aznopium an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View Aznopium's Have/Want ListView Aznopium's Have/Want List
My guess will be around 2.K to 2.5K

High Level stuff:
Just the lands itself will cost will cost you $1K

10 Duals - 400-500 (or u can CE Duals, probably 200-250)
10 Fetches 100
10 Shocks 60-70
10x Filter 50
1x Libary 120-150
Good Stuff, Maze, Cradle, Tolarian, Waste, Port, Stronghold, etc.
100-150

Non Lands
CE Power 500
Each Color: 200-300 as a high level guess

etc.



[Edited 2 times, lastly by Aznopium on January 20, 2011]

 
chapman24
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posted January 20, 2011 10:12 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for chapman24 Click Here to Email chapman24 Send a private message to chapman24 Click to send chapman24 an Instant MessageVisit chapman24's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View chapman24's Have/Want ListView chapman24's Have/Want List
it can be costly to start but you can make proxies and slowly trade for the cards you need and when its done the cost is super low maybe a few cards a year make the cut and its the most fun you can have playing magic

i started this way and now I have 2 proxies left (library and mana drain) and have upgraded about 75% to foils

[Edited 1 times, lastly by chapman24 on January 20, 2011]

 
michaelsean09
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posted January 20, 2011 10:28 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for michaelsean09 Click Here to Email michaelsean09 Send a private message to michaelsean09 Click to send michaelsean09 an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by chapman24:
it can be costly to start but you can make proxies and slowly trade for the cards you need and when its done the cost is super low maybe a few cards a year make the cut and its the most fun you can have playing magic

i started this way and now I have 2 proxies left (library and mana drain) and have upgraded about 75% to foils


I thought about that but
a) not sure of a good method to make nice looking proxies
b) I would have to make a ton lol

 
choco man
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posted January 20, 2011 03:22 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for choco man Click Here to Email choco man Send a private message to choco man Click to send choco man an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View choco man's Have/Want ListView choco man's Have/Want List
Just make the best possible cube out of the cards that you own for now. Slowly upgrade over time and as sets come out. Try to trade instead of buy.

You will find that cards that were once great no longer are any good. For example, you could have gone out and got Morphling. Until they changed the combat rules and printed Sphinx of Jwar Isle.

Don't copy a cube card for card. Especially the ones on forums. Most of them aren't good. Experiment and get feedback from your playgroup (if they're helpful and know how to play Magic well).

However, if you need a cheat-sheet, I suggest Tom Lapille's Cube. It's one of the best. Start by acquiring the commons/uncommons.

 
caquaa
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posted January 20, 2011 05:33 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for caquaa Click Here to Email caquaa Send a private message to caquaa Click to send caquaa an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View caquaa's Trade Auction or SaleView caquaa's Trade Auction or Sale
You could also build an only common/uncommon cube. Those are really fun to play with and help keep the costs down all at the same time.

If you want nice proxies I'd suggest buying a CE set, but those are still expensive. It gets you demonic tutor, 10x duals, P9, swords, savannah lions, armageddon, wrath of god, black/white knights, uh.. I'm sure theres more but those were the ones off the top of my head that I remember using to start.

You could also find a nice color laser printer and print directly onto peeled foils, or just find any decent color printer and either print on a piece of normal paper and slip it into the sleeve or print onto some thicker card stock and trim it as needed. Plenty of easy ways to make proxies if you give it a bit of thought.

 
Timmyhill
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posted January 20, 2011 05:36 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Timmyhill Click Here to Email Timmyhill Send a private message to Timmyhill Click to send Timmyhill an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View Timmyhill's Have/Want ListView Timmyhill's Have/Want List
There is also the blank gold bordered cards you could use to make the proxies... last time I bought them I got 100 for a 3 bucks.

You can also use them to make your own cards

 
Scopes13mtg
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posted January 21, 2011 02:17 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Scopes13mtg Click Here to Email Scopes13mtg Send a private message to Scopes13mtg Click to send Scopes13mtg an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
I started off making this common/uncommon cube. It's a lot of fun, and really rewards tight play. Also, a very large portion of the cards will stay once you upgrade to a rare cube.

A few months ago I set out to build Evan's cube, and slowly traded away the bigger cards in my collection to get the pieces. Eventually, though, I just realized how huge it was and "downgraded" to this smaller one. She also updates hers more often and publishes articles about cube drafting on StarCity.

I agree with the other people, though, that building your own and customizing it to your group will be more rewarding... I just haven't done so because I don't use it often enough and only end up doing 2-3 person drafts. :-(

 
caquaa
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posted January 21, 2011 03:03 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for caquaa Click Here to Email caquaa Send a private message to caquaa Click to send caquaa an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View caquaa's Trade Auction or SaleView caquaa's Trade Auction or Sale
quote:
Originally posted by Scopes13mtg:

I agree with the other people, though, that building your own and customizing it to your group will be more rewarding... I just haven't done so because I don't use it often enough and only end up doing 2-3 person drafts. :-(

while this is true, you need somewhere to start. I'd say looking over the lists then picking which one seems the best is the right way to go to start. After you play with it a bit you can get a feel for what you want. I started w/ Evan's list. I then spent 6 hours w/ a friend one day and we trimmed out the multicolor sections down to 5 cards per color combo, 1 of each of each shard, ditched anything outside of that. We also balanced out the color's creature/spell ratio (or unbalanced it in the case of green and blue), and reworked black completely. I started w/ something that wasn't mine in any way, and after some effort came up w/ a list that is completely mine. It does need to go through an update again. I would recommend when a new set comes out don't just add cards you get to the cube. Find everything you want to add and what cards you'll cut for those and make the swap all at once that way you don't have to go back in the sets, you essentially know what set its updated until.

 
msmike2
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posted January 21, 2011 11:29 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for msmike2 Click Here to Email msmike2 Send a private message to msmike2 Click to send msmike2 an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
I've got a question with cube, I'm almost done with mine (maybe 20 cards away), I was thinking of adding Planeswalkers, was wondering if anybody else have added them, I was thinking one for each color. Any thoughts?
Mike
 
Volcanon
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posted January 21, 2011 11:32 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Volcanon Click Here to Email Volcanon Send a private message to Volcanon Click to send Volcanon an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
Add the good ones. I dont bother with "cycles" in cube.
 
caquaa
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posted January 22, 2011 05:26 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for caquaa Click Here to Email caquaa Send a private message to caquaa Click to send caquaa an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View caquaa's Trade Auction or SaleView caquaa's Trade Auction or Sale
I've got the good ones in mine: Jace TMS, Jace 1.0, elspeth 1.0, tezz, koth, garruk, giddeon, chandra (may have been or likely be cut), and ajani vengeant. They are very powerful tho, so if your group doesn't like them then they might need cut. My group complains about tinker from time to time, its just too fun to randomly pull that stuff off tho.
 
daner
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posted January 22, 2011 01:04 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for daner Click Here to Email daner Send a private message to daner Click to send daner an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View daner's Have/Want ListView daner's Have/Want List
quote:
Originally posted by msmike2:
I've got a question with cube, I'm almost done with mine (maybe 20 cards away), I was thinking of adding Planeswalkers, was wondering if anybody else have added them, I was thinking one for each color. Any thoughts?
Mike

My cube consists of every planeswalker except for Nissa, and Chadra Ablaze. Probably won't add in new Tezzeret as I don't have a ton of artifacts, the old Tezz is in there because he can fetch up the REALLY good ones...ie Sol Ring, Jitte, SOFI, SOLS, Skullclamp etc etc.


EDIT: My play group hates a single card, Contract from Below, it's been errated to read as following

B - Remove the top card of your library from the game, then draw 7 cards. It's the most powerful card in the cube IMO.

[Edited 1 times, lastly by daner on January 22, 2011]

 
Lord Crovax
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posted January 22, 2011 01:08 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Lord Crovax Click Here to Email Lord Crovax Send a private message to Lord Crovax Click to send Lord Crovax an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by daner:
My cube consists of every planeswalker except for Nissa, and Chadra Ablaze. Probably won't add in new Tezzeret as I don't have a ton of artifacts, the old Tezz is in there because he can fetch up the REALLY good ones...ie Sol Ring, Jitte, SOFI, SOLS, Skullclamp etc etc.


EDIT: My play group hates a single card, Contract from Below, it's been errated to read as following

B - Remove the top card of your library from the game, then draw 7 cards. It's the most powerful card in the cube IMO.


New one would be fun with Artifact Lands, which IMHO should be in, as it would give Trinket Mage more targets.

and making Lands into 5/5's seems fun.

But that's just me.

__________________
I shall have the souls of all who defy me. "Lord Crovax"

 
Timmyhill
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posted January 22, 2011 01:11 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Timmyhill Click Here to Email Timmyhill Send a private message to Timmyhill Click to send Timmyhill an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View Timmyhill's Have/Want ListView Timmyhill's Have/Want List
my cube contains once cards of each color from each set... with the excptions of mana artifacts. its a long list but if anyones intrested i can post it.
 
CubFan81
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posted January 22, 2011 04:29 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for CubFan81 Click Here to Email CubFan81 Send a private message to CubFan81 Click to send CubFan81 an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View CubFan81's Have/Want ListView CubFan81's Have/Want List
Slightly related question...how do you guys make or prefer to make the packs for your cube? The two ways I've heard about are to:

1) Just shuffle the whole thing together and start counting out 15 cards face down as a pack.

2) Shuffle up each individual color and take 2 cards each from White, Blue, Black, Red, Green, Multi, and 3 from a combined shuffle of Artifacts and Non-basic Lands.

The only problem with the 2nd option is that after the first pick you know exactly what color was drafted out of the pack so an alternative would be to shuffle up your pack of 15 and randomly select 2 cards from it and pass them to the drafter who won't get your pack. ie if you're passing the pack left then pass the two randoms to the right.

 
caquaa
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posted January 22, 2011 11:41 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for caquaa Click Here to Email caquaa Send a private message to caquaa Click to send caquaa an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View caquaa's Trade Auction or SaleView caquaa's Trade Auction or Sale
option 1 for shuffling works fine, just make sure to spent a few minutes shuffling instead of being in a hurry. Our standard shuffle just divides the cube somewhat evenly among the players, the players shuffle and pass half of their stuff to someone and shuffle more, then pass half, then shuffle, repeat a bit. For the most part its fine. You do end up w/ stupid stuff together some times, but that's how real packs work too (notice the glint hawk + glint hawk idol common run in SOM?)

RE: daner
contract form below wouldn't even be considered in my cube. I don't do house rules on anything. Everything is English and has text, just read what it does. The only exception is oracle wording changes, which is rare. Impulse used to be a good example but I finally got a foil one which doesn't mention shuffling. I also won't play any un-cards with un effects. Currently there are no silver bordered cards, but I might be convinced some day to add a very few that are ridiculous.

 
daner
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posted January 23, 2011 02:08 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for daner Click Here to Email daner Send a private message to daner Click to send daner an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View daner's Have/Want ListView daner's Have/Want List
quote:
Originally posted by caquaa:
RE: daner
contract form below wouldn't even be considered in my cube. I don't do house rules on anything. Everything is English and has text, just read what it does. The only exception is oracle wording changes, which is rare. Impulse used to be a good example but I finally got a foil one which doesn't mention shuffling. I also won't play any un-cards with un effects. Currently there are no silver bordered cards, but I might be convinced some day to add a very few that are ridiculous.

Well I have 2 things then for a response.

1. So what do you do about Chaos Orb? You don't really flip it do you? Or don't you use it at all?

2.I think that's half the fun about a cube, using stuff from the Un-sets or even having to have a house ruling on a card. Personally, I made these up, and had someone make the cards for me seeing as I'm a huge Ghostbusters fan.

Here are my creations

Peter Venkman CC = 1 R/U R/U

Legendary Human - Ghostbuster

Protection from Black and Green

When " " Enters the Battlefield ti deals 4 damage to target non-human creature.

3/3

"Back off man, I'm a scientist" ~ Venkman

Ray Stantz CC 1 G/W G/W

Legendary Human - Ghostbuster

Protection from Black and Enchantments

When " " enters the battlefield exile target non-human creature or enchantment.

2/3

"The Heart of the Ghostbusters" ~ Venkman


Egon Spengler CC 1 U/W U/W

Legendary Human - Ghostbuster

Protection from non-human creatures.

U/W tap: Exile target non-human creature.

1/4

"I collect spores, mold, and Fungus." ~ Spengler

Winston Zeddmore CC 1 G/R G/R

Legendary Human - Ghostbuster

Protection from Black and Blue

Haste, Trample, Persist

When " " enters the battlefield put a Twinkie token into play.

Sacrifice a Twinkie: Regenerate " "

4/2

"That's a big twinkie." ~ Winston

Proton Pack CC 2

Lgendary Artifact - Unlicensed Nuclear Excelerator

Target creature gets +2+2 and protection from black. When equipped creature deals combat damage to a player you may exile target non-human creature.

Equip 2(0 on any Ghostbuster)

"Why worry? Each on of us is wearing a unlicenced nuclear exceleator on his back." ~ Venkman

Ecto-1 CC 3

Legendary Artifact - 1959 Cadillac Ambulance

Equipped creature gets +1+0, Haste, Trample, and Shroud.

Equip 1(0 on any Ghostbuster)

"We're ready to believe you."


Ghost Trap CC 1

Legendary Artifact - Ghost Trap

1 Tap: Exile Ghost Trap and target non-land permanent.

"We have the tools, we have the talent!" ~ Winston

 
Volcanon
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posted January 23, 2011 02:30 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for Volcanon Click Here to Email Volcanon Send a private message to Volcanon Click to send Volcanon an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
A handful of the silverbordered cards are pretty good in Cube. Tainted Monkey, Magical Hacker and Blast from the Past come to mind. Most un-cards aren't strong enough to really warrant being in a cube anyway - or they are hideously busted like Blacker Lotus or Chaos Confetti.
 
Cyno
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posted January 23, 2011 02:51 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for Cyno Click Here to Email Cyno Send a private message to Cyno Click to send Cyno an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
Only vintage legal cards in my cube, so no Un-stuff, no ante, no throwing cards. The only things with errata that actually matters would be Impulse and Dauthi horror (that I remember).

Re planeswalkers: I just include anything I find strong enough. Currently that's all except Bolas, Chandra Ablaze, Nissa, Venser, Sarkhan the Mad. Although Lilliana and Sarkhan Vol may be on their way out.

Re cycles: I don't do it, at all. Sure there are cycles that are just all great cards, like duals, fetches and shocklands. Cards that would make it in individually, but I'm not playing all 10 signets just because I want to include the B/U and U/W ones.

 
Montague
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posted January 23, 2011 03:02 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for Montague Click Here to Email Montague Send a private message to Montague Click to send Montague an Instant MessageVisit Montague's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
What was errata'd on dauthi horror?
 
stab107
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posted January 23, 2011 04:32 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for stab107 Click Here to Email stab107 Send a private message to stab107 Click to send stab107 an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Volcanon:
A handful of the silverbordered cards are pretty good in Cube. Tainted Monkey, Magical Hacker and Blast from the Past come to mind. Most un-cards aren't strong enough to really warrant being in a cube anyway - or they are hideously busted like Blacker Lotus or Chaos Confetti.

I'm currently building a common/uncommon Cube that will be more geared toward multiplayer.* A few Silver bordered cards are likely to make the cut, the biggest one being Booster Tutor. Think about that in a powered Cube: Take any 15 cards that are leftover from the original draft (only works if you have more cards than players, obviously) and consider that a Booster...then have fun! In a c/uc Cube it's a little less insane but I still think it's worth a slot for the fun factor.

*If anyone has any advice they would like to share on how to draft for multiplayer (larger packs, an extra pack, larger decks etc.), feel free to drop them on me. At first this Cube will be tested one on one but the goal is to have a fun multiplayer alternative to EDH (you know, the other singleton format where most of the stuff you play is rare). Thanks in advance!

edit:

quote:
Originally posted by Montague:
What was errata'd on dauthi horror?

A lot of Errata has to do with Creature type. For example, Khabal Ghoul is now a Zombie and not a Ghoul. Similarly, Dauthi Horror is no longer a Beast, it's a Dauthi Horror (which id kind of interesting). Hope that helps clarify things!

-Glenn

[Edited 1 times, lastly by stab107 on January 23, 2011]

 
WeedIan
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posted January 23, 2011 05:35 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for WeedIan Click Here to Email WeedIan Send a private message to WeedIan Click to send WeedIan an Instant MessageVisit WeedIan's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View WeedIan's Have/Want ListView WeedIan's Have/Want List
My cube has a lot of good cards, but it also has alot of colors.

15 Fetches (yup the mirage ones are still in)
10 Duals
10 Shocks
10 Filters
10 Karu Lands

I think I based my list Original after the one about but have gone from there.. I need to go through my cube and re-list it out.

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keywacat
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posted January 23, 2011 05:46 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for keywacat Click Here to Email keywacat Send a private message to keywacat Click to send keywacat an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View keywacat's Have/Want ListView keywacat's Have/Want List
quote:
Originally posted by CubFan81:
Slightly related question...how do you guys make or prefer to make the packs for your cube? The two ways I've heard about are to:

1) Just shuffle the whole thing together and start counting out 15 cards face down as a pack.

2) Shuffle up each individual color and take 2 cards each from White, Blue, Black, Red, Green, Multi, and 3 from a combined shuffle of Artifacts and Non-basic Lands.

The only problem with the 2nd option is that after the first pick you know exactly what color was drafted out of the pack so an alternative would be to shuffle up your pack of 15 and randomly select 2 cards from it and pass them to the drafter who won't get your pack. ie if you're passing the pack left then pass the two randoms to the right.


My cube is 66 cards of each colour, 60 artifacts and 60 non-basic lands. I make up 30 packs by carelessly laying out 30 white cards, 30 red cards on that, 30 green on that, and so on until I have a stack of 5.

Once I have 30 stacks of colour I cover each with 1 artifact and 1 non-basic land, then another stack of 5, artifact and non-basic land as above.

The remaining 30 (6 of each colour) cards are lain face down randomly on each stack, finalizing each pack of 15 cards. I sleeve the packs in mylar envelopes I purchased from a confectioner. Tough enough for repeated use and a perfect size for 15 sleeved cards.

This method probably makes experienced drafters groan, but it works well for the people I play with.

My cube gets drafted maybe once a month, and I want my friends to be able to see what colour was kept, (usually they don't even pay attention) though that extra random colour throws a wrench in the works.

As an aside, has anyone ever had Chandra Ablaze work out in thier cube? I don't play enough to see her prove herself, just read a lot of comments that she isn't quite good enough for most cubes.

If anyone is curious (or is willing to give me some suggestions ) I have my cube on an excel sheet. Email / PM me and I'll send it over.

Cheers;
keywacat

[Edited 1 times, lastly by keywacat on January 23, 2011]

 
daner
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posted January 23, 2011 05:56 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for daner Click Here to Email daner Send a private message to daner Click to send daner an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View daner's Have/Want ListView daner's Have/Want List
quote:
Originally posted by keywacat:
As an aside, has anyone ever had Chandra Ablaze work out in thier cube? I don't play enough to see her prove herself, just read a lot of comments that she isn't quite good enough for most cubes.

Cheers;
keywacat


I had her in once. She's only "OK", and when playing with a highly powered cube she just tends to be mediocre at best. You never want to pitch the spells bc they are usually game-breakers, and her wheel of fortune esque second ability gives your opponent as many good cards as you are going to get off the reload. She is usually one of the last picks in drafting with the cube. I think I cut her for Red Titan since it fit the same mana slot, and haven't looked back since.

 

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