Cube Masters Series | Building The Cube | Artifacts

[wv]

Philosophy of Artifacts

The Artifacts in the Cube should offer strong mana fixing for midrange/control decks, without leaving other strategies redundant.

Removal and utility cards for all strategies should be available.


Strengths

Mana fixing and mana ramp
Equipment
Removal for Permanents

Weaknesses

Situational cards (equipment, utility cards)
Vulnerable to Artifact destruction

UPDATED 22 FEBRUARY

Artifacts (45)

Mana artifacts

Black lotus

Mox Diamond

Chrome Mox

Mox emerald

Mox jet

Mox pearl

Mox ruby

Mox sapphire

Coalition relic

Mana Crypt

Mana vault

Sol ring

Amarillary Sphere

Equipment

Bonesplitter

Loxodon warhammer

Grafted Wargear

Sword of fire and ice

Sword of light and shadow

Sword of Body and Mind

Sword of Feast and Famine

Skullclamp

Lightning Greaves

Umezewa's Jitte

Creatures

Wurmcoil Engine

Duplicant

Razermane Masticore

Molten-tail Masticore

Solemn simulacrum

Myr Battlesphere

Lodestone Golem

Utility

Aether vial

Engineered explosives

Cursed scroll

Smokestack

Tanglewire

Nevinyrral's disk

Oblivion stone

Phyrexian processor

Scroll rack

Sensei's divining top

Mimic Vat

Memory Jar

Ratchet Bomb

Chimeric Mass

Maze of Ith

[Paul Hodgson]

Perhaps replace 2 of the Masticores with Juggernaut and Duplicant? Also Sphere of the Suns could be a good enabler for multicoloured strategies.

[wv]

I actually like this suggestion a ton - there's no Squee in red, so 2 Masticores might be too much - isn't Molten-tail Masticore just too busted to drop though?

 

Sphere of the Suns might be better than Expedition Map, as there aren't any REALLY busted lands to fetch in this 360.

Paul Hodgson said:

Perhaps replace 2 of the Masticores with Juggernaut and Duplicant? Also Sphere of the Suns could be a good enabler for multicoloured strategies.

[Simon O'Keeffe]

Lodestone Golem feels fairly out of place. there isn't mutch support for a heavy artifact strategy. Would need stuff like Karn and Staff of Domination, Metalworker, Memnarch, Sundering Titan.

 

I think three masticores is way too many. Without many ways of breaking there upkeep cost, they aren't all that exciting, and just punish aggro decks.

 

I would definitely add Chrome Mox, certainly over Mox Diamond. Also remember that power and cheap artifact acceleration usually will aid control and combo decks more than aggro.

 

Also I'm pretty sure Maze of Ith was not an artifact last time I checked :-)

[wv]

Agree with cutting Lodestone - he's a good agro card, but Juggernaut does this job too.

 

Agree with the Mox change!

 

I count Maze of Ith as an artifact, as it doesn't make mana.

sokeeffe said:

Lodestone Golem feels fairly out of place. there isn't mutch support for a heavy artifact strategy. Would need stuff like Karn and Staff of Domination, Metalworker, Memnarch, Sundering Titan.

 

I think three masticores is way too many. Without many ways of breaking there upkeep cost, they aren't all that exciting, and just punish aggro decks.

 

I would definitely add Chrome Mox, certainly over Mox Diamond. Also remember that power and cheap artifact acceleration usually will aid control and combo decks more than aggro.

 

Also I'm pretty sure Maze of Ith was not an artifact last time I checked :-)

[Dan Barrett]

Will there be enough support for a storm deck? If no, then memory jar should prob be cut.

 

Will all/most of the planeswalkers make it in? If so, Contagion Clasp is pretty hot. (also I LOVE this card)

[wv]

There's no space for storm in a 360, but I don't think this justifies taking out Jar - it is completely and utterly busted even outside of storm!

 

Planeswalkers that are in:

Jace x 2

Sarkhan x2

Garruk

Lliliana

Ajani Vengeant

Elspeth x 2

Gideon

Koth

Chandra Nalaar

 

Clasp just might be good enough! I'll have a look at how many other cards use counters - that would seal the deal!

Dan Barrett said:

Will there be enough support for a storm deck? If no, then memory jar should prob be cut.

 

Will all/most of the planeswalkers make it in? If so, Contagion Clasp is pretty hot. (also I LOVE this card)

[Thea Steele]

Probably an oversight, but Jitte!

 

Lodestone Golem is actually an extremely general card. Aggro can drop it when they are ahead on board, and delay a wrath. Control can drop it when their opponent is slow and keep them playing only one spell a turn. If you can make it asymmetrical, great, but it really doesn't have to be. It's always asymmetrical because one of you has a 5/3, anyway :)

 

I think that Masticores are all worthwhile, and your heavy reanimation theme in black works well with them (except for Molten-Tail, which is really for aggro and excellent anyway). If you have to cut one for Duplicant, probably the original is the first to go.

 

I'd fit in Mana Crypt as well- just so unfair. It's better than the land fetch artifacts, IMO.

 

[wv]

Oversights on both Jitte and Mana Crypt!!

I'm disgusted with myself!! Argh! :)

Adjusted accordingly.

[Eugene Hwang]

What's the rationale behind cutting signets but leaving behind the more broken fast mana?

[Allan Chong]

Any thoughts on Lightning Greaves as opposed to one of the swords, or maybe bonehoard?

[Simon O'Keeffe]

Ooops, I totally agree on Lodestone Golem. I was getting it confused with Lodestone Myr!

Thea Steele said:

Probably an oversight, but Jitte!

 

Lodestone Golem is actually an extremely general card. Aggro can drop it when they are ahead on board, and delay a wrath. Control can drop it when their opponent is slow and keep them playing only one spell a turn. If you can make it asymmetrical, great, but it really doesn't have to be. It's always asymmetrical because one of you has a 5/3, anyway :)

 

 

[Charlie Grover]

I like all the masticores and lodestone golem, I wouldnt cut those. Lightning greaves should be in as its one of the best cards for midrange/aggro against BU control. Triskelion has been underwhelming me recently, so i cut it. Would rather have duplicant by a significant margin.

 

Ive onlt had phyrexian revoker in for like 1 draft, but in that draft he was surprisingly good, and given that your cube is powered and mine isnt its probably better in yours. 

 

I might cut lotus petal, I really dont like it without comboing out.

 

As a general point, ill have a look through my cube later and see if I can see anything you have obviously missed.