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My name is Ryan Saxe (@rcsaxe), and I am extremely excited to share my Classic Cube with the world!
My vision for this cube is “Powered Cube, but where the fast mana comes at a cost.” Powered Cube is an awesome experience, particularly because playing with Moxen and the like feels special. My goal is to let players power things out early while making those interactions more engaging. In Classic Cube, Moxen and other early fast-mana cards like Sol Ring and Mana Crypt are replaced by cards like Lotus Petal, Crystal Vein, and City of Traitors. You can still power out a crazy play on turn one or turn two, but you also need to calculate the risks associated with throwing away resources to do that. This leads to an unpowered cube that plays out much closer to Vintage Cube than Legacy Cube.
On top of my initial vision for this cube, I have three other purposeful design decisions:
1. Let Players Discover
Classic Cube is a “classic cube,” so it is mostly full of historically good cards. But that doesn’t mean you can’t come up with novel strategies in the draft. I’ve seen players use Fae of Wishes to grab Oath of Druids from their sideboard to mill their whole deck and take infinite turns with Nexus of Fate. This cube is seeded with so many mini combos that, if you pay attention during the draft, you can always assemble some secret sauce!
2. Archetypal Diversity
I believe it is important to support many flavors of any color combination, and I purposefully seed unconventional cards in order to change the texture of what different archetypes look like. For example, Azorius Control can look very different if it ends up with Approach of the Second Sun as a finisher instead of planeswalkers like Elspeth, Sun’s Champion. Every card in the cube is there for a reason, which allows the drafter to pursue different perturbations of any archetype and express creativity.
3. Create Tension with Speed
While there are many sweet things to do in this cube, you cannot ignore the speed of the combo decks and aggressive decks. The decks in this cube will trample all over you if you can’t interact with them. Prioritize having a density of cards low on the curve regardless of archetype in order to keep up with the speed of other decks. This has the benefit of having games feel intense right from the get-go.
Green Creature Combo
My favorite archetype in my cube is a green deck focused on assembling a combo with some creatures. I love this deck because it’s all about playing a midrange strategy with good creatures while pairing that with tutors to assemble an “I win” button if the opponent can’t interact. It is the perfect Birthing Pod deck!
There are way too many viable combos for me to put into this article, but the most common and supported variant is persist. Draft a creature with persist, a sacrifice outlet, and any of the following cards: The Great Henge, Vizier of Remedies, Melira, Sylvok Outcast, Good-Fortune Unicorn, Grumgully, the Generous, Metallic Mimic, or Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit. I should note that there are quite a few other ways to combo off with these cards, too. For example, Basri’s Lieutenant can work instead of a persist creature alongside most of these.
This strategy is most commonly Selesnya with a splash, but basically any green color pair will work. Furthermore, if you find yourself playing half of a combo and have some tutors, it could be a good idea to throw in the other half: Any green deck that plays Devoted Druid and has some X spells can toss in Vizier of Remedies. Any deck that’s playing Walking Ballista can add Heliod, Sun-Crowned, and at that point maybe Spike Feeder. Don’t be afraid to speculate on half a combo in this cube!
Blue Control Combo
Blue control is an all-time favorite Cube archetype. In a cube with as many combos as this one, it’s pretty common for a combo to be the win condition in a control deck. Rather than trying to win the game with something like an Aetherling, blue decks in this cube will control the board until they can do something powerful with their counter magic up. And it really can be anything. Throw a Splinter Twin and a Pestermite in your Izzet deck. If you have enough non-basics, play Thassa’s Oracle alongside Tainted Pact. If you end up with Timetwister, then try and pair it with Hullbreacher.
There are a lot of combos in the cube, and throwing basically any of them in a deck with Preordain and Counterspell is rarely a bad idea.
Cheatty Combo
Out of all the combos in the cube, some have more support than others. The examples I gave above with Splinter Twin, Thassa’s Oracle, and Hullbreacher are cool, but the combo pieces don’t have enough redundancy to yield a hyper-linearized version of that strategy. Cheating things into play, however, has a pretty high density. There are a lot of large creatures to put into play, and lots of tutoring, card draw, and discard outlets in blue, red, and black. This deck should be viable and strong at every table.
Welder/Artifacts
Most commonly Izzet, but occasionally Rakdos, this deck is all about artifacts. Play as many mana rocks as you can and get a big artifact into play; or just cast Upheaval. One of the other benefits of this deck is that the strategy doesn’t fall on its face without access to the expensive artifacts. Goblin Welder can gain good value off cards like Retrofitter Foundry and Chromatic Star. And as far as value goes, there is redundancy in Emry, Lurker of the Loch, Goblin Engineer, and Daretti, Scrap Savant. My main word of advice is not to forget about discard outlets, as getting the artifacts into the graveyard is the hardest part.
Izzet Spells
Thanks to the increased density of cheap red interaction and cheap blue cantrips, it is not uncommon to end up in an Izzet deck where most cards in the deck are instants and sorceries. This deck most commonly splashes white for Monastery Mentor but can also splash black with good enough mana to pair cards like Thoughtseize with Snapcaster Mage or gain access to Sedgemoor Witch.
The Rock
This is a Golgari midrange deck that often has ways to leverage the graveyard. Whether that is through Delirium, reanimation, or recursion is dependent on the cards you have access to. This deck very often splashes for gold cards like Bloodbraid Elf, Oko, Thief of Crowns, or Lingering Souls. Emrakul, the Promised End is often the best top-end if the deck is properly constructed to use it, and black comes with the tools to tutor for it. Additionally, there is a variant of this deck that is more heavily red to play Dragon’s Rage Channeler and Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer on turn one.
Green Ramp
It wouldn’t be a Classic Cube if it didn’t support one of the most “classic” Cube archetypes: green ramp. Drafting all the mana elves and expensive creatures is definitely a viable strategy, although you don’t have to go all in. I personally prefer to draft green decks with less top-end, less ramp, and more of the midrange three- to five-drops that I can play ahead of curve with mana dorks. This leaves me less vulnerable to situations where my opponent can remove my Birds of Paradise all while letting me gain an advantage via ramp. That is why my cube lacks Hornet Queen and Avenger of Zendikar and fills those slots with cards like Voracious Hydra and Garruk Relentless.
Aggro
This cube supports aggressive decks in three colors: white, black, and red. Given this, it is quite rare for nobody to draft an aggressive deck at any given table, and it’s not uncommon for there to be two. Each color, including hybrid cards, has access to at least ten one-drops, so these strategies are reliable and fast. Each aggressive deck plays a little differently, too. Each deck also has a subtheme. This subtheme is rarely a key part to success with the archetype, but it’s a cool thing to do when the pieces come together.
The white aggressive deck has classic tax-style cards like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and Esper Sentinel. To compete past the first few turns, it can scale those up with cards like Benalish Marshal, cast planeswalkers like Elspeth, Knight-Errant, or close the gap for the opponent to come back with Armageddon and Ravages of War.
Humans subtheme: The white deck in this cube has a Humans subtheme, making Thalia’s Lieutenant and Elspeth, Sun’s Nemesis better than normal. Additionally, it can create some fun deck-building challenges to maximize Winota, Joiner of Forces.
Black aggro has been in my cube since its inception and has put up high-performing results forever. What black provides that red and white don’t are hand disruption and recursion. Picking apart opponents’ hands is one of the best forms of disruption in cubes of this power level. Pair that form of disruption with threats that are resilient to removal, and you have a recipe for success.
Aristocrats subtheme: Many cubes support a Rakdos Aristocrats deck, but it’s a little different in this cube. Judith, the Scourge Diva, Goblin Bombardment, and Falkenrath Aristocrat are all fantastic splashes for a black aggro deck. Think of Blood Artist as an extension of black aggro rather than its own separate thing.
Red has the fastest variant of aggro: cast one-drops, cast burn spells, and finish the game with some resilient top-end like Hazoret the Fervent or Sulfuric Vortex. It’s a classic Cube recipe, and it’s a good one.
Artifacts subtheme: The introduction of Urza’s Saga and the red Goblin Welder archetype creates a fascinating perturbation of mono-red. There are many cheap artifacts to play, the best being Equipment, and this helps turn on Dragon’s Rage Channeler, too.
I am so excited to share this cube with you, and I hope you enjoy drafting it as much as I do. While I will be on vacation this week, I will still try my best to stream it on twitch (@ryancsaxe). Furthermore, I would love to hear all about your experience with the cube, so feel free to tweet at me (@rcsaxe) all week.
Enjoy!
Ryan Saxe
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Full Classic Cube Card List
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Card Name Color Champion of the Parish W Dauntless Bodyguard W Esper Sentinel W Giver of Runes W Kytheon, Hero of Akros W Mother of Runes W Student of Warfare W Thraben Inspector W Usher of the Fallen W Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit W Charming Prince W Containment Priest W Luminarch Aspirant W Seasoned Hallowblade W Selfless Spirit W Stoneforge Mystic W Thalia, Guardian of Thraben W Thalia’s Lieutenant W Vizier of Remedies W Wall of Omens W Benalish Marshal W Blade Splicer W Elite Spellbinder W Flickerwisp W Heliod, Sun-Crowned W Monastery Mentor W Ranger-Captain of Eos W Recruiter of the Guard W Skyclave Apparition W Basri’s Lieutenant W Hero of Bladehold W Palace Jailer W Restoration Angel W Archangel of Thune W Solitude W Secure the Wastes W Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite W Iona, Shield of Emeria W Elspeth, Knight-Errant W Elspeth, Sun’s Nemesis W Gideon, Ally of Zendikar W Elspeth, Sun’s Champion W Enlightened Tutor W Ephemerate W Mana Tithe W Path to Exile W Swords to Plowshares W Timeless Dragon W Unexpectedly Absent W Oust W Prismatic Ending W Balance W Council’s Judgment W Sevinne’s Reclamation W Armageddon W Day of Judgment W Ravages of War W Wrath of God W Approach of the Second Sun W Portable Hole W Banishing Light W Oblivion Ring W Cave of the Frost Dragon W Emeria’s Call W Karakas W Remote Farm W Hard Evidence U Brazen Borrower U Emry, Lurker of the Loch U Fae of Wishes U Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy U Phantasmal Image U Snapcaster Mage U Thassa’s Oracle U Thing in the Ice U Arcane Artisan U Deceiver Exarch U Glasspool Mimic U Hullbreacher U Pestermite U Vendilion Clique U Glen Elendra Archmage U God-Eternal Kefnet U Urza, Lord High Artificer U Venser, Shaper Savant U Ethereal Forager U Torrential Gearhulk U Inkwell Leviathan U Narset, Parter of Veils U Jace, the Mind Sculptor U Jace, Wielder of Mysteries U Force of Negation U Force of Will U Brainstorm U Mental Note U Mystical Tutor U Opt U Thought Scour U Counterspell U Daze U Impulse U Lose Focus U Mana Drain U Mana Leak U Memory Lapse U Miscalculation U Remand U Forbid U Intuition U Supreme Will U Thirst for Knowledge U Commit // Memory U Cryptic Command U Gifts Ungiven U Mystic Confluence U Nexus of Fate U Dig Through Time U Ponder U Preordain U Sleight of Hand U Chart a Course U Show and Tell U Timetwister U Tinker U Temporal Manipulation U Time Warp U Time Spiral U Upheaval U Shark Typhoon U Control Magic U Opposition U Treachery U Saprazzan Skerry U Shelldock Isle U Tolarian Academy U Bloodsoaked Champion B Carrion Feeder B Cryptbreaker B Diregraf Ghoul B Dread Wanderer B Gravecrawler B Gutterbones B Viscera Seer B Blood Artist B Bloodghast B Dark Confidant B Dauthi Voidwalker B Oona’s Prowler B Putrid Goblin B Scrapheap Scrounger B Skyclave Shade B Valki, God of Lies B Murderous Rider B Ophiomancer B Opposition Agent B Sedgemoor Witch B Woe Strider B Grief B Rankle, Master of Pranks B Ravenous Chupacabra B Yawgmoth, Thran Physician B Shriekmaw B Grave Titan B Archon of Cruelty B Griselbrand B Liliana of the Veil B Liliana, the Last Hope B Dark Ritual B Entomb B Fatal Push B Malakir Rebirth B Vampiric Tutor B Power Word Kill B Tainted Pact B Snuff Out B Bloodchief’s Thirst B Bone Shards B Duress B Imperial Seal B Inquisition of Kozilek B Mind Twist B Reanimate B Thoughtseize B Collective Brutality B Demonic Tutor B Exhume B Hymn to Tourach B Life // Death B Toxic Deluge B Damnation B Necrogen Spellbomb B Wishclaw Talisman B Animate Dead B Bitterblossom B Attrition B Contamination B Necromancy B Recurring Nightmare B Agadeem’s Awakening B Lake of the Dead B Peat Bog B Phyrexian Tower B Bomat Courier R Dragon’s Rage Channeler R Firedrinker Satyr R Goblin Guide R Goblin Welder R Greater Gargadon R Grim Lavamancer R Monastery Swiftspear R Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer R Zurgo Bellstriker R Abbot of Keral Keep R Bonecrusher Giant R Dire Fleet Daredevil R Earthshaker Khenra R Eidolon of the Great Revel R Embereth Shieldbreaker R Flametongue Yearling R Goblin Cratermaker R Goblin Engineer R Kari Zev, Skyship Raider R Magmatic Channeler R Young Pyromancer R Feldon of the Third Path R Goblin Rabblemaster R Goblin Sharpshooter R Hanweir Garrison R Imperial Recruiter R Legion Warboss R Najeela, the Blade-Blossom R Seasoned Pyromancer R Hazoret the Fervent R Hellrider R Pia and Kiran Nalaar R Wildfire Devils R Fury R Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker R Zealous Conscripts R Inferno Titan R Chandra, Torch of Defiance R Daretti, Scrap Savant R Firestorm R Lightning Bolt R Spikefield Hazard R Tarfire R Unholy Heat R Abrade R Incinerate R Punishing Fire R Searing Spear R Through the Breach R Chain Lightning R Faithless Looting R Firebolt R Flame Slash R Arc Trail R Wheel of Fortune R Fiery Confluence R Pyrite Spellbomb R Seal of Fire R Goblin Bombardment R Sulfuric Vortex R Sneak Attack R Splinter Twin R Den of the Bugbear R Sandstone Needle R Shatterskull Smashing R Arbor Elf G Avacyn’s Pilgrim G Birds of Paradise G Elvish Mystic G Fyndhorn Elves G Gilded Goose G Hexdrinker G Ignoble Hierarch G Joraga Treespeaker G Llanowar Elves G Noble Hierarch G Devoted Druid G Fauna Shaman G Hermit Druid G Melira, Sylvok Outcast G Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary G Sakura-Tribe Elder G Scavenging Ooze G Tarmogoyf G Courser of Kruphix G Eternal Witness G Manglehorn G Ramunap Excavator G Reclamation Sage G Spike Feeder G Tireless Tracker G Esika’s Chariot G Nightpack Ambusher G Polukranos, World Eater G Questing Beast G Voracious Hydra G Deep Forest Hermit G Deranged Hermit G Thragtusk G Carnage Tyrant G Primeval Titan G Craterhoof Behemoth G Terastodon G Woodfall Primus G Garruk Relentless G Garruk Wildspeaker G Nissa, Who Shakes the World G Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate G Worldly Tutor G Once Upon a Time G Chord of Calling G Abundant Harvest G Sylvan Tutor G Traverse the Ulvenwald G Green Sun’s Zenith G Life from the Loam G Regrowth G Pest Infestation G Natural Order G Finale of Devastation G Birthing Pod G The Great Henge G Fastbond G Wild Growth G Oath of Druids G Survival of the Fittest G Sylvan Library G Gaea’s Cradle G Hickory Woodlot G Lair of the Hydra G Turntimber Symbiosis G Adarkar Wastes WU Celestial Colonnade WU Flooded Strand WU Hallowed Fountain WU Seachrome Coast WU Tundra WU Talisman of Progress WU Teferi, Time Raveler WU Supreme Verdict WU Fractured Identity WU Teferi, Hero of Dominaria WU Creeping Tar Pit UB Darkslick Shores UB Polluted Delta UB Underground River UB Underground Sea UB Watery Grave UB Baleful Strix UB Lim-Dûl’s Vault UB Talisman of Dominance UB Master of Death UB Notion Thief UB Badlands BR Blackcleave Cliffs BR Blood Crypt BR Bloodstained Mire BR Lavaclaw Reaches BR Sulfurous Springs BR Rakdos Cackler BR Talisman of Indulgence BR Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast BR Judith, the Scourge Diva BR Kolaghan’s Command BR Falkenrath Aristocrat BR Murderous Redcap BR Copperline Gorge RG Grove of the Burnwillows RG Karplusan Forest RG Stomping Ground RG Taiga RG Wooded Foothills RG Orcish Lumberjack RG Talisman of Impulse RG Wrenn and Six RG Grumgully, the Generous RG Bloodbraid Elf RG Dragonlord Atarka RG Brushland GW Horizon Canopy GW Razorverge Thicket GW Savannah GW Temple Garden GW Windswept Heath GW Eladamri’s Call GW Talisman of Unity GW Good-Fortune Unicorn GW Kitchen Finks GW Knight of Autumn GW Caves of Koilos WB Concealed Courtyard WB Godless Shrine WB Marsh Flats WB Scrubland WB Silent Clearing WB Damn WB Priest of Fell Rites WB Talisman of Hierarchy WB Lingering Souls WB Lurrus of the Dream-Den WB Unburial Rites WB Fiery Islet UR Scalding Tarn UR Shivan Reef UR Spirebluff Canal UR Steam Vents UR Volcanic Island UR Expressive Iteration UR Fire // Ice UR Izzet Charm UR Talisman of Creativity UR Dack Fayden UR Prismari Command UR Saheeli, Sublime Artificer UR Bayou BG Blooming Marsh BG Llanowar Wastes BG Nurturing Peatland BG Overgrown Tomb BG Verdant Catacombs BG Deathrite Shaman BG Assassin’s Trophy BG Grim Flayer BG Talisman of Resilience BG Grist, the Hunger Tide BG Vraska, Golgari Queen BG Arid Mesa RW Battlefield Forge RW Inspiring Vantage RW Plateau RW Sacred Foundry RW Sunbaked Canyon RW Figure of Destiny RW Rip Apart RW Talisman of Conviction RW Zirda, the Dawnwaker RW Nahiri, the Harbinger RW Winota, Joiner of Forces RW Botanical Sanctum UG Breeding Pool UG Misty Rainforest UG Tropical Island UG Waterlogged Grove UG Yavimaya Coast UG Hydroid Krasis UG Talisman of Curiosity UG Oko, Thief of Crowns UG Uro, Titan of Nature’s Wrath UG Irrigation Ditch WUG Ancient Spring WUB Sphinx of the Steel Wind WUB Sulfur Vent UBR Geothermal Crevice BRG Tinder Farm WRG Savai Triome WBR Ketria Triome URG Indatha Triome WBG Raugrin Triome WUR Zagoth Triome UBG Leovold, Emissary of Trest UBG Golos, Tireless Pilgrim WUBRG Hangarback Walker Colorless Lesser Masticore Colorless Metallic Mimic Colorless Phyrexian Revoker Colorless Porcelain Legionnaire Colorless Stonecoil Serpent Colorless Metalworker Colorless Phyrexian Metamorph Colorless Solemn Simulacrum Colorless Walking Ballista Colorless Wurmcoil Engine Colorless Myr Battlesphere Colorless Ancient Stone Idol Colorless Blightsteel Colossus Colorless Emrakul, the Aeons Torn Colorless Emrakul, the Promised End Colorless Sundering Titan Colorless Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger Colorless Karn, Scion of Urza Colorless Ugin, the Spirit Dragon Colorless Dismember B Gitaxian Probe U Chrome Mox Artifact Engineered Explosives Artifact Lotus Petal Artifact Mishra’s Bauble Artifact Mox Diamond Artifact Bonesplitter Artifact Chromatic Sphere Artifact Chromatic Star Artifact Retrofitter Foundry Artifact Sensei’s Divining Top Artifact Skullclamp Artifact Altar of Dementia Artifact Everflowing Chalice Artifact Grim Monolith Artifact Jinxed Idol Artifact Lightning Greaves Artifact Liquimetal Torque Artifact Mind Stone Artifact Pentad Prism Artifact Smuggler’s Copter Artifact Umezawa’s Jitte Artifact Winter Orb Artifact Basalt Monolith Artifact Blasting Station Artifact Coalition Relic Artifact Crucible of Worlds Artifact Grafted Wargear Artifact Heirloom Blade Artifact Sword of Body and Mind Artifact Sword of Fire and Ice Artifact Worn Powerstone Artifact Thran Dynamo Artifact Batterskull Artifact Memory Jar Artifact Mindslaver Artifact Ancient Tomb Land Ash Barrens Land City of Brass Land City of Traitors Land Crystal Vein Land Fabled Passage Land Gemstone Mine Land Grand Coliseum Land Mana Confluence Land Maze of Ith Land Mishra’s Factory Land Mutavault Land Prismatic Vista Land Reflecting Pool Land Rishadan Port Land Strip Mine Land Undiscovered Paradise Land Urza’s Saga Land Wasteland Land
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