The Fugitive Wizard: Cube draft

I'm planning another Christmas Draftstravaganza this year. CBG is probably not going to make it, which is sad, but I will try to do some documentation myself to post up on this here site. I feel like the formats were somewhat uninspired this year, but I am going to try to spice things up with some smaller prizes that should hopefully make things more interesting. I'll spoil one of the contests to give you an idea of the flavor of what I want to do; I'm going to give a prize immediately after drafting Scars of Mirrodin to the player who drafted the least number of artifacts and Infect cards combined. The idea is that it's sort of a "pre-event" consolation prize, because the field is so dominated by those two strategies, and everyone knows it. But because I will announce the prize prior to drafting, the prize itself may affect the draft. I expect to see more last pick Golden Urns and Vector Asps instead of Assault Strobes and Turn Asides. Also, there are some tier 2 strategies (e.g. Furnace Celebration.dec and G/x "Dinosaurs") that don't buy into Infect or artifact cards, and I'd like to see if people push those archetypes more. Ultimately I'm trying to make things a touch less competitive and more a touch more unique.

Here's the schedule of events, if anyone is interested.

---

Three drafts. One day. DCI tiebreaks, timed rounds.

Prizes! Each draft will have a 1 pack ante in addition to any packs drafted. As long as there are at least 8 people, prize packs will pay down to 3rd. For drafts where packs are opened, Mythics/Rares/foils can be drafted afterward, assuming there is enough time to do so (So, TBD prior to each draft, you'll know before drafting). A draft set will be awarded to the drafter with the best record over all three events! Other prizes may be awarded throughout the day as the TO sees fit!

Food! Free brunch will be provided at about 11 AM! We can then order food and split the cost around 4 or 5 for dinner. Free snacks and beverages will be available throughout!

Formats!

Draft 1: Scars of Mirrodin Draft
Time: A noon HARD START will be enforced for this event. Sorry guys, but with three events we've got to start the day on time or we'll never finish! I suggest coming at 11 AM and eating some FREE BRUNCH! At 12 PM seating will assigned and at 12:05 PM the draft will begin. For realz.
Cost: $12 OR a draft set of Scars and one pack ante.

Draft 2: Chaos! Draft
Time: Roughly 5 PM. We may be willing to hold the draft a little to accommodate drafters coming from work.
Cost: $12 OR 4 tournament legal packs (3 packs for drafting, one pack for ante). Players choosing to pay $ will get three pulls at random from a bag containing packs from Magic's history!

Draft 3: Cube Draft (16 person max)
Time: Roughly 10 PM. The start time on this draft could be significantly earlier if there are fewer than 9 people at the other drafts. I HOPE this will be the latest start time likely for the final draft!
Cost: $3 OR 1 pack ante.

WHITE (101)
Abolish
Academy Rector
Admonition Angel
Ajani Goldmane
Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Archon of Justice

Archon of Redemption

Armageddon
Austere Command
Aven Mindcensor
Aven Riftwatcher
Balance
Baneslayer Angel
Battlegrace Angel
Blade of the Sixth Pride
Calciderm
Captain of the Watch
Cloudchaser Kestrel

Cloudgoat Ranger

Conquerer's Pledge
Crovax, Ascendant Hero
Day of Judgment
Disenchant

Eight-and-a-Half-Tails

Elite Vanguard
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Emerge Unscathed
Emeria Angel
Eternal Dragon
Exalted Angel
Faith's Fetters
Felidar Sovereign
Feudkiller's Verdict
Flickerwisp
Galepowder Mage
Ghostly Prison
Gideon Jura
Glory
Goldmeadow Harrier
Guardian Seraph
Hallowed Burial
Hand of Honor
Harm's Way
Honor of the Pure
Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Journey to Nowhere
Kami of Ancient Law
Knight of Meadowgrain
Knight of the White Orchid
Kor Hookmaster
Kor Firewalker
Kor Skyfisher
Land Tax

Lightkeeper of Emeria

Linvala, Keeper of Silence

Loam Lion
Longbow Archer
Luminarch Ascension
Marshal's Anthem
Martial Coup
Mirror Entity
Mother of Runes
Oblivion Ring
Marshal's Anthem
Pacifism
Paladin en-Vec
Parallax Wave
Path to Exile
Prison Term
Pristine Angel
Ranger of Eos
Refraction Trap
Return to Dust
Reveillark
Rout
Safe Passage
Samurai of the Pale Curtain
Savannah Lions
Serra Avenger
Soltari Crusader
Soltari Monk
Soltari Priest
Soul Warden
Spectral Procession
Stonecloaker
Stoneforge Mystic
Stonehewer Giant
Story Circle
Student of Warfare
Swords to Plowshares
Temporal Isolation
Transcendent Master
Twilight Shepherd
Wall of Omens
Wall of Reverence
White Knight
White Shield Crusader
Windborn Muse
World Queller
Wrath of God
Yosei, the Morning Star

BLUE (101)
Æther Tradewinds
Æthersnipe
Aeon Chronicler
Ancestral Vision
Arcanis the Omnipotent
Body Double
Boomerang
Braingeyser
Brainstorm

Bribery

Brine Elemental
Cache Raiders
Calcite Snapper
Capsize

Coralhelm Commander

Chronozoa
Clone
Collective Restraint
Compulsive Research
Confiscate
Control Magic
Counterspell
Cryptic Command
Deep Analysis
Dismiss
Djinn of Wishes
Draining Whelk

Echoing Truth

Enclave Cryptologist
Ethersworn Adjudicator
Exclude
Fact or Fiction
Fathom Seer
Force of Will
Frantic Search
Future Sight
Gifts Ungiven
Glen Elendra Archmage
Hinder
Horizon Drake
Impulse
Inkwell Leviathan
Into the Roil
Jace Beleren
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Keiga, the Tide Star
Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
Lighthouse Chronologist
Looter il-Kor
Magus of the Future
Mana Drain
Mana Leak
Man-o'-War
Master Transmuter
Meloku the Clouded Mirror
Merfolk Looter
Mulldrifter
Mystical Teachings
Mystical Tutor
Ninja of the Deep Hours
Ophidian
Opposition
Pestermite
Ponder
Ray of Command
Remand
Repeal
Repulse
Riftwing Cloudskate
Rite of Replication
Rushing River
Sea Gate Oracle
Serendib Efreet
Sower of Temptation
Sphinx of Jwar Isle
Sphinx of Lost Truths
Sphinx of Magosi
Stroke of Genius
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
Tezzeret the Seeker
Thada Adel, Acquisitor
Thirst for Knowledge
Tidespout Tyrant
Tidings
Time Spiral
Time Walk
Time Warp
Tinker
Tradewind Rider
Treachery
Treasure Hunt
Trinket Mage
Vapor Snare
Vendilion Clique
Venser, Shaper Savant
Vesuvan Shapeshifter
Vexing Sphinx
Voidmage Prodigy
Wake Thrasher
Waterfront Bouncer
Willbender

BLACK (101)
Abyssal Persecutor
Animate Dead
Anowon, the Ruin Sage
Ashling, the Extinguisher
Avatar of Woe
Bane of the Living

Barter in Blood

Beacon of Unrest
Bitterblossom
Bloodghast
Bloodhusk Ritualist
Bone Shredder
Braids, Cabal Minion
Cemetery Reaper
Chainer's Edict
Child of Night
Consuming Vapors
Corpse Connoisseur
Corrupted Zendikon
Damnation
Dark Ritual
Darkblast
Dauthi Slayer
Decree of Pain
Demonic Tutor
Diabolic Edict
Doom Blade
Dregscape Zombie
Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief
Dusk Urchins
Enslave
Entomb
Eyeblight's Ending
Graveborn Muse
Guul Draz Assassin
Halo Hunter
Hand of Cruelty
Hymn to Tourach
Hypnotic Specter

Incremental Blight

Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni

Kalastria Highborn
Knight of Stromgald

Kokusho, the Evening Star
Liliana Vess
Living Death
Lord of the Undead
Makeshift Mannequin
Malakir Bloodwitch
Mirri the Cursed

Mutilate

Nameless Inversion
Nantuko Husk
Nantuko Shade
Necromancy
Nezumi Graverobber
Night’s Whisper
Nirkana Revenant
Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
Okiba-Gang Shinobi
Oona's Prowler
Phyrexian Arena

Phyrexian Gargantua
Phyrexian Rager

Phyrexian Scuta
Profane Command
Promise of Power

Puppeteer Clique
Quest for the Gravelord

Reanimate

Recurring Nightmare

Rend Flesh
Sarcomancy
Sengir Nosferatu
Shriekmaw

Sinkhole

Skeletal Scrying

Slaughter
Slaughter Pact

Soul Collector

Sorin Markov

Stinkweed Imp

Stromgald Crusader
Sudden Death
Tainted Pact
Tendrils of Corruption
Terror
Thoughtseize
Thrashing Wumpus
Tombstalker

Trespasser il-Vec

Twisted Abomination
Undead Gladiator
Undead Warchief

Vampire Hexmage

Vampire Nighthawk

Vampire Nocturnus
Visara the Dreadful
Viscera Dragger
Withered Wretch
Yawgmoth's Will

RED (101)
Aftershock
Akroma, Angel of Fury
Anger
Avalanche Riders
Blistering Firecat
Blood Knight
Bogardan Hellkite
Burst Lightning
Caldera Hellion
Chain Reaction
Chandra Ablaze
Chandra Nalaar
Comet Storm
Countryside Crusher
Crusher Zendikon
Dead // Gone
Demonfire

Devastating Summons

Dragonmaster Outcast
Earthquake
Fiery Temper

Fire Imp
Fireblast
Firebolt
Flame Fusillade
Flame Javelin

Flame Slash
Flameblast Dragon
Flametongue Kavu
Fork
Forked Bolt

Frenzied Goblin

Gathan Raiders

Goblin Bushwhacker

Goblin Chieftain

Goblin Guide

Goblin Matron

Goblin Ruinblaster
Goblin Shortcutter
Goblin Welder

Godo, Bandit Warlord
Gorilla Shaman
Greater Gargadon
Grim Lavamancer
Hearth Kami

Heat Shimmer

Hellkite Charger
Hell's Thunder
Hellspark Elemental
Hissing Iguanar
Incinerate
Insurrection
Jackal Pup
Jaya Ballard, Task Mage
Jokulhaups
Kamahl, Pit Fighter
Kargan Dragonlord
Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
Keldon Marauders
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Kird Ape
Knollspine Invocation
Kumano, Master Yamabushi
Lash Out
Lava Hounds
Lightning Bolt
Lord of Shatterskull Pass
Magma Jet

Magus of the Moon

Magus of the Scroll
Mogg Fanatic

Obsidian Fireheart
Pact of the Titan

Plated Geopede
Predator Dragon
Puncture Blast
Pyroclasm
Reckless Wurm
Rolling Thunder
Ryusei, the Falling Star

Seal of Fire

Searing Blaze

Siege-Gang Commander
Squee, Goblin Nabob

Staggershock

Stigma Lasher
Sudden Shock
Sulfur Elemental
Tahngarth, Talruum Hero
Tarfire
Taurean Mauler
Threaten
Thundermare
Traitorous Instinct
Tribal Flames
Urza's Rage
Viashino Heretic
Warren Instigator
Wheel of Fortune
Word of Seizing
Zo-Zu the Punisher

GREEN (101)
Albino Troll
All Suns' Dawn
Ant Queen
Avenger of Zendikar
Awakening Zone
Berserk

Bestial Menace

Birds of Paradise
Blastoderm
Borderland Ranger
Briarhorn
Call of the Herd
Caller of the Claw
Carven Caryatid
Chameleon Colossus
Chord of Calling
Civic Wayfinder
Cloudthresher
Defense of the Heart
Deranged Hermit
Devoted Druid
Eternal Witness
Explore

Explosive Vegetation

Fertile Ground
Fyndhorn Elves
Garruk Wildspeaker
Genesis

Golgari Grave-Troll

Grazing Gladehart
Great Sable Stag
Harmonize
Harrow
Hystrodon

Imperious Perfect

Indrik Stomphowler

Iwamori of the Open Fist
Joraga Treespeaker

Kodama of the North Tree
Kodama's Reach
Krosan Grip
Leatherback Baloth
Life from the Loam
Llanowar Elves
Lotus Cobra
Master of the Wild Hunt
Mire Boa

Moment's Peace

Mold Shambler

Mycoloth

Natural Order

Naturalize
Noble Hierarch

Oracle of Mul Daya

Ohran Viper

Omnath, Locus of Mana
Overrun
Pelakka Wurm
Phantom Centaur
Plow Under
Primal Command
Protean Hulk
Rampaging Baloths
Rancor

Reach of Branches

Regrowth

Restock

River Boa
Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Scryb Ranger
Scute Mob
Seal of Primordium
Seedborn Muse
Simian Grunts
Spectral Force
Stonewood Invocation
Survival of the Fittest

Sylvan Library

Sylvan Scrying
Tarmogoyf
Terastodon
Terra Stomper
Thelonite Hermit

Thornling

Tooth and Nail
Troll Ascetic
Uktabi Orangutan

Vengevine

Vinelasher Kudzu

Vines of Vastwood
Viridian Shaman
Yavimaya Elder
Wall of Blossoms
Wall of Roots
Werebear
Wickerbough Elder
Wild Mongrel
Wild Nacatl
Wolfbriar Elemental
Wood Elves

MULTICOLORED (90)

W/U
Azorius Guildmage
Court Hussar

Dismantling Blow

Mirrorweave
Mistmeadow Witch
Momentary Blink
Plumeveil
Swans of Bryn Argoll

U/B
Nemesis of Reason
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Psychatog
Recoil

Ribbons of Night

Shadowmage Infiltrator
Soul Manipulation
Sphinx Summoner

B/R
Ashenmoor Liege
Bituminous Blast
Blightning
Murderous Redcap
Sarkhan the Mad
Shambling Remains
Terminate
Torrent of Souls

R/G

Ancient Grudge

Bloodbraid Elf
Boartusk Liege
Boggart Ram-Gang
Burning-Tree Shaman
Fires of Yavimaya
Tin Street Hooligan
Sarkhan Vol

G/W
Armadillo Cloak
Enlisted Wurm
Kitchen Finks

Knight of the Reliquary

Loxodon Hierarch
Mystic Enforcer
Qasali Pridemage
Wilt-Leaf Liege

W/B
Angel of Despair
Debtors' Knell
Mortify
Necromancer's Covenant

Necrotic Sliver

Stillmoon Cavalier
Tidehollow Sculler
Vindicate

B/G
Cankerous Thirst
Creakwood Liege
Lord of Extinction
Maelstrom Pulse
Pernicious Deed
Putrefy
Putrid Leech
Spiritmonger

G/U
Mystic Snake

Plaxmanta

Simic Sky Swallower
Snakeform
Spitting Image
Temporal Spring
Trygon Predator
Voidslime

U/R
Call the Skybreaker
Electrolyze
Fire//Ice
Izzet Chronarch
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
Nucklavee
Prophetic Bolt
Suffocating Blast

R/W
Ajani Vengeant
Balefire Liege
Brion Stoutarm

Duergar Hedge-Mage

Figure of Destiny
Goblin Legionnaire
Lightning Helix
Orim's Thunder

Tri-Color
Bant Charm
Broodmate Dragon
Doran, the Siege Tower
Lavalanche
Lightning Angel
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
Rhox War Monk
Rafiq of the Many

Sphinx of the Steel Wind

Woolly Thoctar

ARTIFACTS/COLORLESS (65)
Æther Vial
Artisan of Kozilek
Azorius Signet
Basilisk Collar
Bonesplitter
Boros Signet
Bottle Gnomes
Chrome Mox
Coalition Relic
Crystal Shard
Cursed Scroll
Dimir Signet
Duplicant
Eldrazi Conscription
Eldrazi Monument

Engineered Explosives

Etched Oracle

Gilded Lotus
Golgari Signet
Gorgon Flail
Grafted Wargear
Grim Poppet
Gruul Signet
Hammer of Ruin

Isochron Scepter

Izzet Signet
Juggernaut
Lightning Greaves

Lodestone Golem

Loxodon Warhammer
Masticore

Memnarch

Memory Jar
Mox Diamond
Mox Emerald
Mox Jet
Mox Pearl
Mox Ruby
Mox Sapphire
Nevinyrral's Disk

Obelisk of Alara

Orzhov Signet
Pentavus
Phyrexian Furnace

Phyrexian Processor

Platinum Angel
Powder Keg
Rakdos Signet
Razormane Masticore

Scroll Rack

Selesnya Signet
Sensei's Divining Top
Simic Signet
Skullclamp
Smokestack
Sol Ring
Solemn Simulacrum

Static Orb

Su-Chi
Sundering Titan
Sword of Fire and Ice
Sword of Light and Shadow
Tangle Wire
Triskelion
Umezawa's Jitte

LANDS (60)
Academy Ruins
Arid Mesa
Azorius Chancery
Badlands
Bayou
Bazaar of Baghdad
Blood Crypt
Bloodstained Mire
Boros Garrison
Breeding Pool
Celestial Colonnade
City of Brass
Creeping Tar Pit
Dimir Aqueduct
Flooded Strand
Gargoyle Castle
Godless Shrine
Golgari Rot Farm
Gruul Turf
Hallowed Fountain
Izzet Boilerworks

Kor Haven

Lavaclaw Reaches

Library of Alexandria
Marsh Flats
Maze of Ith
Misty Rainforest
Murmuring Bosk
Mutavault

Oran-Rief, the Vastwood

Orzhov Basilica
Overgrown Tomb
Plateau

Polluted Delta

Raging Ravine
Rakdos Carnarium
Riptide Laboratory
Sacred Foundry
Savannah
Scalding Tarn
Scrubland
Selesnya Sanctuary
Simic Growth Chamber
Steam Vents
Stirring Wildwood
Stomping Ground
Strip Mine
Taiga
Temple Garden
Thawing Glaciers
Tropical Island
Tundra
Underground Sea
Urza's Factory

Verdant Catacombs

Volcanic Island
Volrath's Stronghold
Watery Grave
Windswept Heath

Wooded Foothills

(Deep) Analysis:
First- we increased the size of the Cube to 720 (a 16 person draft) last update, but I have dragged my feet on updating the list, so if you're seeing this online and are surprised at the difference in size between this and the last update, that's why.
I did these changes autocratically, so if anyone in the playgroup wants to give input regarding these changes feel free. These changes are not written in stone.

NEW MULTICOLOR POLICY:
From this point forward any card with more than one colored mana symbol anywhere in the card frame will be considered multicolored. There are two exceptions- otherwise colorless cards which have colored activation costs or mono-colored cards with colored mana producing abilities. This should really make sorting the Cube more easy.

Example I: Ancient Grudge and Ribbons of Night will no longer be Red and Black cards, respectively. They will be multicolor like Court Hussar and Plaxmanta.
Example II: Cliffrunner Behemoth and Sejiri Merfolk will remain Green and Blue, respectively since although they interact with different colored permanents and lands, respectively, they don't actually contain more than a one type of colored mana symbol in the card frame.
Example III: Obelisk of Alara is still considered colorless despite having multiple colored activation costs.
Example IV: Noble Hierarch and Izzet Signet are considered Green and colorless respectively despite having multi-colored mana producing abilities.

One other benefit was that it allowed me to cut multicolor more deeply without actually giving up that many multicolored slots. I only reduced the number of multicolored cards by five, but I decreased the total number of cards with multiple mana symbols within the card frame by thirteen. I evened up the number of cards in each two color combination as well- eight now. I don't think it matters to the draft experience, but I do think it will matter if a multicolor card goes missing. Finally I actually (slightly) increased the number of tri-colored spells. I want people to be able to draft multicolor as a strategy and be rewarded, but I don't want it to be correct to splash for a third color as a matter of course. Hopefully this enables aggro a little more but also allows hardcore multicolor players to play the most powerful spells without any difficulty. One last thing: I changed the format of displaying mulitcolor to conform with the two-color "guild" model and then tri-colored spells. This is the only way I ever divide them anyway, and if a card is missing it will be much easier to isolate now.

COLORED CARDS:
Blue is Blue- always very strong, with a small variance between the weakest and strongest cards. Green is in a great place as well, with a very narrow power band. These are the most consistent colors and it shows in the difficult cuts I had to make. White is next best off, still a very consistent color right now as well. I took out Hallowed Burial to ease back the mass removal and enable aggro. I would have liked to have cut two board sweepers in White, but the next "worst" White sweepers are probably Planar Cleansing or Rout and I didn't have the heart to cut either. I added some combat tricks to help out decks with lots of creatures to keep alive, hopefully aggro decks. Red and Black are still in rough shape in my opinion. Both have relatively wide power bands that make drafting them as a main color risky. I removed bigger dudes and spells from Red in favor of some cheaper spot removal. No one was playing seven mana dragons anyway. Black- well what can I say about Black? We didn't get a lot of strong additions from Rise to help replace the dreck. At least we are rid of two cards that never saw play. I wanted to remove a Black sweeper like Mutilate, but I couldn't justify leaving in a card like Dead Reckoning to cut a great card like Mutilate, not at this time. M11 should be kinder to us.

ARTIFACTS/COLORLESS:
I only added two Eldrazi spells, Artisan of Kozilek and Eldrazi Conscription. I thought they might be worth the high cost for those effects. I don't know if this was correct. I could also see adding none at all or some of the big Eldrazi like Kozilek or Emrakul. Let me know what you think.

LAND
No changes. But I am hearing what people are saying about dialing back the fixing. If multicolor is still out of control, I think we can cut either the Karoos (probably the best choice) or the Worldwake manlands when we add M11. Be thinking of good lands to replace them with. I would like to see more cards like Kor Haven and Oran-Reif the Vastwood; powerful mono-colored effects. The last option is to cut the signets but I think they're more vulnerable than lands and thus more interesting to play with and against. Let's see how the changes I've made now play out though, first.

Finally: If anyone has a copy of Nirkana Revenant for trade or sale, let me know. I thought I had one, but must have traded it. I have all the other adds.

Here are the most recent changes:

White
In
Oust
Emerge Unscathed
Transcendent Master
Wall of Omens
Student of Warfare
Gideon Jura
Linvala, Keeper of Silence

Out
Planar Cleansing
Jotun Grunt
Stormfront Riders

Blue
In
Coralhelm Commander
Sphinx of Magosi
Lighthouse Chronologist
Sea Gate Oracle
Enclave Cryptologist
Regress

Out
Guile
Illusionary Servant
Mindbreak Trap
Permafrost Trap
Sejiri Merfolk

Black
In
Guul Draz Assassin
Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief
Nirkana Revenant
Consuming Vapors

Out
Bloodchief Ascension
Dead Reckoning

Red
In
Staggershock
Kargan Dragonlord
Lord of Shatterskull Pass
Devastating Summons
Traitorous Instinct
Forked Bolt
Flame Slash

Out
Lavaball Trap
Ricochet Trap
Shivan Hellkite
Devastating Dreams

Green
In
Vengevine
Joraga Treespeaker
Pelakka Wurm
Awakening Zone

Out
Cliffrunner Behemoth
Moldervine Cloak
Tower Above

Multicolor
In
Sarkhan the Mad
Doran, the Siege Tower

Out
Deathbringer Thoctar
Mirari's Wake
Wort, Boggart Auntie
Lim-Dul's Vault
Wrexial, the Risen Deep
Stun Sniper
Intimidation Bolt
Blitz Hellion
Spellbreaker Behemoth
Vithian Renegades
Azorious Herald
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
Lorescale Coatl

Artifact/Colorless
In
Artisan of Kozilek
Eldrazi Conscription

Out
Karn, Silver Golem
Sigil of Disctinction

The Fugitive Wizard

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Cube Draft List 5.3

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Draftstravaganza!: The Metalcraft Yule Log Edition

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Cube Comparison Thread

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Back

Monday, July 5, 2010

TooSarcastic's Cube Draft List v5.0 (through Rise of the Eldrazi)