The Big, Overdue Change

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!