Magic: The Gathering – A Cubed Love Affair

When it comes to Magic, there is nothing quite like cracking open some new packs and building a fresh deck to go toe to toe with your friends (or foes). A format in which you construct your deck there and then from “new” cards is referred to as a ‘limited’ format. This can be from drafting freshly opened packs, or cracking a set number of boosters and constructing a playable deck from what you find. The benefit of formats like this are numerous; it can often lead to much more varied games than constructed formats do, it removes the need to buy expensive tournament staples from the equation and it begins to test skill long before the first match has even began. However, there are disadvantages to limited formats; some regard the opening of packs to add an even higher level of random chance to the game, while deck construction on the fly can provide a whole new challenge and possible hurdle to newer players.

One of my personal issues with most limited environments is that they very rarely involve the level of power seen in other competitive and constructed formats. I love to sling big ridiculous spells in EDH, or play hyper-efficient burn or tempo strategies in Modern and Standard. But in most limited environments you have to cobble together an archetype from what is available, and that will often involve curve filler spells and cards that criminally under perform for you at the worst possible opportunity.

But not all Limited formats are born equal – for there is one to rule them all. And no, I am not talking about Modern Masters. I am referring to the big daddy, the king, the Cube. Cube is a custom limited format, designed, built and owned by one player with the intention of sharing it with others. It is usually designed to provide a tight, fun and exciting limited format.

Cubes can take all sorts of shapes and sizes. Some are horror themed, some have no non-creature spells. Others are ‘powered’, containing one copy of each piece of the power 9. Others aren’t powered-up at all. The beauty of Cube as a format is that it can vary so wildly. Some cubes are designed to be underpowered and weaker to emulate the usual limited environment found in the latest sealed products, while others will run ‘Channel’, ‘Fireball’ and ‘Emrakul’ knowing full well that people will be killed on turn one.

A traditional Cube is designed to hold all of the best cards in Magic. Of course, a term like ‘best’ is a subjective one. I personally love ‘Niv-Mizzet, The Firemind’ but he isn’t going to be featuring in any top tier tournament lists any time soon. The cards in a traditional cube are usually the best at what they do; the most efficient board wipes, agro creatures and spot removal. The biggest difference between a Cube environment and your typical limited format is that simply picking “the best cards” or opening a couple of ludicrous bombs will not carry you to that all important 3-0 finish. A well designed Cube will demand you to draft an archetype well, assessing mana-curve, card choice and signals during drafting.

Of course, the fact that a cube is often a project of passion and love that a group of players indulge in as a pass time without prize support or entry costs usually means that Cube isn’t always as competitive as I make it sound. Sometimes its a lot of fun to force that awkward reanimator deck just because you picked ‘Recurring Nightmares’ pack one pick one. After all, if you aren’t having fun with it, then you probably shouldn’t be playing it.

Essentially what makes Cube such a great format is that combination of deck creation on the fly with the most efficient and iconic cards in Magic history. It is the excitement of opening new packs, scrambling to see what toys you have to play with today and being met with Eldrazi, Titans, Commands and Swords.

I love Cube so much that I have taken to trying to play with it even when there isn’t an entire pod of 8 available to draft. Joined by fellow Voletic writer Thomas, I have been experimenting (using Thomas’ Cube, as mine was taken apart a year ago) with 1v1 formats. The fruits of our labours can be found below, with more gameplay footage to follow in the coming weeks.