Thanks to @UsmanTheAwesome I've been able to make a very significant update to my cube. Before I dig into that I wanted to share something I've been asked: "How do you keep your cube?"
As a firm believer in good sleeves, I use the one-two combination of KMC Perfect Fit into glossy black KMC Sleeves. For lands I've switched to putting all of them into the deck box you get with the Deck Builder's Toolkit. It works very well. For storing the cube I use one of the promotional boxes you get a the large "regional" Prerelease events. They have a curved vertical side that makes access very easy when packing the cube tight - something I recommend to keep pushing the air out from in between the Perfect Fit and regular sleeves.
Now that that is knocked out of the way, here is my complete cube update:
The PMC Cube Changes
(Includes ROE Update)
White:
Cut:
Soltari Foot Soldier - underperforming
Saltfield Recluse - underperforming
Safe Passage - expensive Fog; underperforming
Neck Snap - four-mana removal
Divine Verdict - four-mana removal
Add:
Steppe Lynx – more aggressive
Benalish Cavalry – more aggressive; evasive
Knight of Sursi – more aggressive; evasive
Lone Missionary – support for control
Hyena Umbra – efficient, aggressive aura
Ication Javelineers – removal on-a-stick
Moved to White-Blue:
Momentary Blink – only W/u or U/w grab it anyway
Cut from White-Blue:
Sanctum Plowbeast – bad creature; too much landcycling
Blue:
Cut:
Æther Tradewinds – expensive, sometimes awkward bounce; not abusable
Thornwind Faeries – redundant, harder-to-cast pinger
Zuran Spellcaster – redundant pinger
Rootwater Hunter – redundant pinger
Arcane Denial – draws opponent into new threats too often
Gossamer Phantasm – not as effective as desired
Add:
Mana Leak – should have been in here to start
Ponder – should have been in here to start
Memory Lapse – nice tempo counter
Mystic Restraints – true blue removal
Deprive – two mana hard counter
Narcolepsy – true blue removal; very strong
Black:
Cut:
Death’s-head Buzzard – awkward to trigger when desired
Phyrexian Ghoul – M10 really did kill it
Vampire Aristocrat – M10 really did kill it
Absorb Vis – expensive effect; too much landcycling
Eyeblight’s Ending – upgraded to Vendetta
Ravenous Rats – upgraded to Hymn to Tourach
Add:
Death Denied – black control card advantage
Ravenous Skirge – agro evasion
Sign in Blood – pretty good I hear
Hymn to Tourach – should have been in here to start
Vendetta – good in ROE, awesome outside
Cadaver Imp – recursion; try it with Unearth
Red:
Cut:
Spikeshot Goblin – awkward redundant pinger
Rift Bolt – used as Flame Slash 90% of the time
Puncture Blast – upgraded to Staggershock
Add:
Plated Geopede – aggressive
Goblin Patrol – aggressive
Flame Slash – kills almost every creature in the cube
Staggershock – kills over half the creatures in the cube, twice
Moved to Red-Green:
Kird Ape – only red and green decks want him
Cut from Red-Green:
Streetbreaker Wurm – there are other fatties
Green:
Cut:
Patron on the Wild – bad Giant Growth on-a-stick
Sylvan Bounty – nice effect but weak landcycler
Gilt-Leaf Ambush – not quite good on average
Deadly Recluse – not aggressive enough
Add:
Gather Courage – free pump spell
Nesssian Courser – solid curve spot
Centaur Courser – solid curve spot
Kozilek’s Predator – ramp and dude
Next Invader – ramp and dude
Moved to Black-Green:
Elves of Deep Shadow – every GB deck worth their salt grabs this
Cut from Black-Green:
Golgari Rotwurrm – M10 curbed back power
Coolorless, Artifact, and Land:
Cut:
Shimmering Grotto – upgraded to Evolving Wilds
Add:
Ulamog’s Crusher – damn good fun (ramp/reanimation target)
Evolving Wilds – Terramorphic Expanse #2
You can download an update copy of my cube spreadsheet here: http://drop.io/thePMCcube
You can post your feedback in the comment below as well as tweet them to me @the_stybs. I'm at GPDC all weekend so you'll have a chance to see this in action Sunday! See you then!
