0 - unplayable in 40 card singleton
1 - effectively unplayable
2 - has low tier constructed decks it might go in
3 - has mid tier constructed decks it does go in
4 - pretty powerful stuff with several potential homes, able to perform well in lower powered cubes
5 - powerful stuff that is either just too narrow or has too many superior alternatives
6 - fringe cube worthy
7 - cube worthy
8 - cube staple
9 - unpowered cube bomb
10 - powered cube bomb
Moria Scavenger 7.5
This is just all round good. It is a rummage rather than a loot, obviously an icky gold card, and it is on a three drop rather than the more conventional two mana price tag for looters. For those concessions you get quite a lot back. Haste is lovely giving the card as much pace as the two mana looters. The body is also fantastic being able to hold off loads of attackers. Anything able to punch through 4 toughness is going to be trading down with this in combat, and that is before you take into account looting and amass. This generates value with the card quality and amass trigger while impressively holding the ground. Haste ensures this is trading pretty efficiently when answered, and when not it should do a good job of taking over the game. Hard to find any flaw with this from a mechanical point of view. I do find it odd that some of the most powerful cards in these sets are just random nobody orcs while the big name elves are all poxy. The ponies as well, why are the ponies so hard while all the ring bearing elves and literal living legends unable to stand upto them. This looks way more goblin than orc too. This card is powerful but it just feels like a mess. How did design get here? How does an orc wind up as a 1/4 deathtouch?
Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit 5
Two food, around two 1/1 tokens, a card, and perhaps a +1/+1 counter too. All in all a lot of card for just three mana. Some nice potential to scale and abuse as well. It seems quite reasonable and then you realize it is basically just Wedding Announcement but without the Anthem at the end! Just goes to show how nuts that card is... All in all I think this is a little slow and aimless to quite get there in cube. It is fine but there is no real draw to it, just a kind of filler card too high up the curve for that kind of thing. I like it a lot and want to play it but sadly probably not.
Raise the Palisade 2
Bounce their stuff and at least some of your stuff sticks. Sounds good but why play this when you can have a card that is much more useful like Mystic Confluence, or much more powerful, like Cyclonic Rift. Raise is simply too fair and too situational. Not sure I am interested even in a tribal deck where it is fully once sided.
Rapacious Guest 5
Fine but a bit slow to get going. I like the life gain aspect and artifact synergy potential but without those things being extra relevant I can't imagine this is getting any real interest. Just underpowered for cube.
Riders of Rohan 7
Really pushing that 2/2 haste theme with the Rohirrim. This is rather closer to Forth Eorlingas! than the saga managed. And the saga was pretty good looking too! At five mana this puts more stats into play than Forth Eorlingas! and still has decent immediate impact. At six mana they punch the same but this gives you the option to dash again and make more 2/2 tokens. This isn't quite as good, having a decent 4 mana mode and probably just outright winning the game much beyond six mana assures Forth Eorlingas! is the better card but it doesn't matter too much as I think there is likely room for both. They are both pretty well above the curve. This is just exactly the right kind of card for cube. Lots of stats, lots of bodies, a bit of value, and a bit of utility. Can't go far wrong. Much as it is a gold card it is the kind of gold card that is good in cube, it is a powerful top end draw to colours and towards doing something.
Saruman, the White Hand 4
A powerful Young Pyromancer but an expensive one. Too narrow for cube but a great commander for such things if you are going Grixis instead of Jeskai. Can get very out of hand with your Force of Will and delve spells.
Song of Earendil 1
Lovely card. Not good enough though, too gold and slow, just play a Mulldrifeter or a Wonder.
Shelob, Dread Weaver 2
Kalitas laughs at this card and Kalitas really isn't cutting the mustard anymore. Shelob the Hill Giant isn't doing it for me.
The Balrog of Moria 6
Mostly I like this for the cycling! Two treasure and a card for 4 mana feels OK. A bit situational but you have a fairly meaty alternative in the 8/8 trample haste! Without the cycling this would be too late game but with it I can get behind it much more. It is very powerful and acts quickly in ways that you want. Valki gets cast in seven mana mode quite often these days so I should give this a chance. I suspect it will be fine but not seen quite enough to justify lasting. Valki gets play because two mana Valki is good, this at four mana mostly feels like filler and there in lies my low expectation for this.
The Black Gate 4
The thing I like most here is the ability to turn on Death's Shadow (and then force it through!). While this is land with very little downside it is also not exactly dripping in upside either. Give me an extra pick and I'll play a Swamp in place of this very happily!
The Gaffer 2
Too situational for cube but lovely to have a card draw mechanism to help support life decks. Most 40 card lists probably are not even looking at this as it is too low impact for a card that high on the curve.
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