Hello Magic community and welcome to my personal review of the latest expansion set Fate Reforged for powered cubes! Most of you know what a powered cube is. For those of you who don’t, a powered cube normally contains what is known as “The Power Nine” which are considered the nine most powerful cards known to Magic: the Gathering.

The Power Nine:

Here begins my review of the TOP TEN cards from Fate Reforged for powered cubes!

At first glance, Ugin has a massive mana cost but most of us know that powered cubes are capable of spitting out Karn Liberated on turn one. Does it happen often? Not particularly, but I’ve seen it happen more than once. Ugin isn’t what I was hoping for once the official spoiler released but the end product is still capable of wrecking havoc, and I love wrecking me some havoc.

Pros:

Ugin’s +2 is a Lightning Bolt on a stick.

His -X is an All is Dust that can be controlled by what you are willing to pay and willing to loose and it exiles the wasted permanents instead of sending them to the graveyard.

Ugin is colorless which doesn’t limit what he can splash into color-wise and allows his +2 to target creatures that have protection from various colors.

His ultimate is a couple of activations away and is an effective ultimate at that.

Khans: (Cons*) sorry, couldn’t miss out on a chance for a horrible pun 😛

Ugin is mana intensive.

Overall Ugin isn’t a bad addition to a powered cube. I believe that Karn Liberated is better than Ugin. However, in the right situation, Ugin can make a much bigger impact for board control. I think that Ugin is worth testing for sure.

Hello new variant of Figure of Destiny. Well that’s what I thought at first. Warden is an interesting creature much like Figure, but he is a bit lack luster once I point a few things out.

Pros:

A one drop that has potential to become a threat.

His three-cost investment grants trample and lifelink.

His last ability can be used over and over again.

Warden’s level system doesn’t require colored mana for the entire cost like Figure does.

Cons:

Unlike Figure of Destiny, Warden’s cost isn’t hybrid which would have added a lot of value for his viability in other decks.

Plus Warden can’t be ran effectively in a mono colored deck like Figure of Destiny which really hinders him.

The average cube doesn’t support green aggro, especially for low drops.

Warden doesn’t level as fast as Figure. Figure becomes a 4/4 at a five mana investment which isn’t the greatest, I’m well aware. Warden, however, is only a 3/3, trample, lifelink at a missive Seven Mana investment, which is very underwhelming. If Warden’s abilities had green in its hybrid mana costs, it would have made the card a bit more playable through mana ramp and, as I mentioned, in a mono colored deck.

As a whole, I’m not thrilled with Warden of the First Tree but I could see myself giving it a short test run.

#8-Monastery Siege

Wow, Monastery Siege has great potential in more than just cube in my opinion. Monastery Siege can serve a potent role in control decks of all sorts. It’s first ability is similar to Thassa, God of the Sea and it’s second grants an effect kind of like hexproof for you and your minions (Lands, Enchantments, Planeswalkers, Creatures, & Artifacts), kind of like Kira, Great Glass-Spinner except for all of your permanents. How cool is that?

Pros:

Either choice can serve an important role in game play, period.

It splashes well into any deck due to it only requiring one blue to cast it and it only costs three mana total.

The card can provide card advantage, looting, and an amazing shield for you and your permanents depending on your decision.

Cons:

Siege only protects you and your permanents from spells.

I will be giving Monastery Siege and run for sure. I hope other players give it a try as well. Card seems super fun.

#7-Shaman of the Great Hunt

Shaman of the Great Hunt is a decent haster with an interesting effect. When it comes to red, I love haste and I also love easy to cast creatures with one colored mana in their casting cost.

Pros:

Shaman provides a good body with haste for his casting cost.

Shaman has only one red mana in its casting cost unlike most red four drops in cube.

He has an ability that turns you creatures into Stromkirk Nobles

He has another ability to aid you in card advantage if you have excessive mana.

Cons:

Red has several four drops with haste that inflict or increase damage during the combat step instead of making your creatures bigger after damage has been dished out such as Hellrider and Hero of Oxid Ridge.

His activation ability is mana intensive and through my experience, the game should be over with a red deck before an ability such as that to even be helpful.

He has no evasion, at all. Firststrike would have pushed him further. I would have even taken trample with an extra +1 in defense.

Can’t say I am sold on Shaman of the Great Hunt. He isn’t bad but he has some serious competition in the four cost slot in red. Sadly, I can’t say I will even play test this fella.

#6-Dark Deal

I overlooked this card during the time it was spoiled. I had no clue it even existed until I pulled one at the midnight release last weekend and was I surprised to see this gem. This card is like a Wheel of Fortune for black. I’m sure minds are beaming with ideas as I write up this review.

Pros:

Just as easy to cast as Wheel of Fortune

Almost does the exact same thing as Wheel

Like Wheel, it aids in possible card advantage in the right moment, it loots, but what sets it a part is that, if your opponent doesn’t have more than one card in hand, they are left without cards which is unlike Wheel of Fortune which refills each players hand to seven.

It’s a Wheel for black!

Another piece for you combo players

Cons:

Dark Deal doesn’t function exactly like Wheel (as I mentioned above).

Deal seems to be a bit more conditional.

Just like Wheel, you have to be mindful when you cast it due to the fact that your opponent generally reaps the card advantage before you do simply because the card is a sorcery and you, after all, are the one casting it.

I think the card is an exciting piece to play with once or twice so I will be giving it a spot for the time being.

#5-Brutal Hordechief

Okay, this guy is nifty but sadly I wish he and Shaman of the Great Hunt were conjoined to make a better card. So, I give you Massacring Hordechief!

Granted this guy is outside of the color cycle for the Mardu mythic rare but you get the point. Massacring Hordechief is a bit bonkers, for sure, because he is much better than Hellrider, by a long shot. Plus the added ability serves as a Vault of the ArchAngel effect which could be used if you get the opportunity later for some added life gain and some scarier attackers. But, this is not the card I am reviewing so I will move on from my fictional card.

Back to Brutal Hordechief. Hordechief is an interesting card when it comes to board presence because he has an ability that turns your creatures into Wingmate Rocs and Pulse Trackers, which is an awesome combination.

Pros:

Easy to cast cost

interesting board presence which aids aggro decks by adding to life loss due to attackers

Offers life gain

Cons:

His body isn’t as desirable as I would like at his cost.

Hordechief’s life loss/gain ability is nifty but it seems a bit week for a four drop in black.

His last ability is a bit anti-climatic for its investment.

I don’t see myself running this guy with all the other options black has to offer, so i’m going to pass on this one. If black aggro is a thing for you, I suppose he could be worth a shot for a brief time if you really want to give him a try.

#4-Flamewake Phoenix

Here is Khan’s variant of Chandra’s Phoenix which deserves a look.

Pros:

Haste with evasion

It has a chance of recurring in a better fashion than Chandra’s Phoenix in creature based decks.

Cons:

This bird has a small body.

It’s recursion ability is only doable if you control a creature of power four or greater.

It doesn’t splash well into multicolored decks due to its double red requirement in its casting cost.

Flamewake must attack each turn if able.

Flamewake Phoenix has some merit worth testing in my opinion. Flamewake shines in the graveyard better than Chandra’s bird due to the fact that it comes into play, instead of your hand. With that being said, it’s harder to deal with than a bird that must be recast from your hand at its original hefty cost. Flamewake also doesn’t require mono-red activated triggers like its former version does. I plan on testing this tiny comet when I find room for it.

#3-Monastery Mentor

Finally, time for some Kung-Fu (Prowess), and then throw some Kung-Fuing tokens into the mix! This guy is a whole Dojo in one slim and easy to utilize package.

Pros:

Easy to cast and splashes easily into multicolored becks

Has Prowess which, as we know, is very potent

Creates 1/1 monks with Prowess with each non-creature spell you cast

Cons:

No evasion

Not as potent in a creature heavy deck

Mentor’s shortcomings aren’t a drawback in my eyes. I have included cards in my cube that belong in the “Spells Matter” category before and it’s a fun deck to draft. I will be running this guy alongside Young Pyromancer and Delver of Secrets for a short time to see if it becomes a valid deck to draft.

#2-Soulfire Grand Master

This little beauty is a breath of fresh air, at least for me. Granted she isn’t an auto include for every cube out there, but I would like to share why I think she has potential for some cubes.

Pros:

A 2/2 with lifelink for two mana is good on its own.

Gives your spells lifelink

She has an ability that could be used late game as a win condition on your last burn spell.

Cons:

She is a bit limited to Boros burn for full effectiveness.

Outside of a burn beck, she is just a 2/2 lifelinker.

Her last ability is, just like the other mythic rare cycle cards, is mana intensive.

The reason I plan on running her is simple. My cube has produced potent Boros burn decks that consistently do well. Some could argue that she would only slow the decks down and they have good reasons to say that. however, I plan on giving her a shot anyways because I plan on replacing Knight of Meadowgrain with her. Granted Soulfire doesn’t have firststrike, but she is much easier to cast than Knight of Meadowgrain.

#1-Mardu Woe-Reaper

No surprise, Mardu Woe-Reaper comes in as the top auto include for most cubes. Magic has been spitting out better one drops with their recent sets. At this point we may have to start replacing old weenies with the new ones or we could end up having nothing but one drop critters in our white creature section in the near future.

Pros:

Better than Savanna Lions and Elite Vanguard

Has graveyard removal built in for pesky creatures lurking in the muck

Offers a bit of life gain

Cons:

None

At a one drop, there is nothing to complain about. Granted, if it is played turn one, you generally wont reap any benefits besides a 2/1 for one mana. But, even then, he is just as good as a Savanna Lions or an Elite Vanguard. Later in the game you have a chance of removing a creature from the yard and gaining a life or you could flicker him via a flicker effect as an added bonus if you have nothing better to do. Also keep in mind that you get his ability whenever another warrior type creature comes into play. I plan on replacing Savanna Lion with him for starters.

Honorable Mentions- Mardu Strike Leader & Archfiend of Depravity

That concludes my Powered Cube Review for Fate Reforged! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog, I hope you enjoyed it. Leave a comment if you have any advise or topics for future posts. Please follow me if you are interested in any of my future posts on Magic: the Gathering.

–HanzelGravey