No idea how to build a cube
Limited forum
Posted on May 9, 2015, 11:53 p.m. by randomguy123
So I've been wanting to build a cube for a while now, but I've never gotten around to doing it because I don't really know where to start. I've looked all over the internet, but all I can find are how many cards of each color to put in a cube. My question is: How do I build a good cube that will be fun to draft? (Archtypes, Buildaround cards, etc.)
(Note: The cube I'm planning on making will most likely be a mid to high power cube, I won't be putting in ridiculous creatures like wurmcoil engine)
randomguy123 says... #3
I'm just using it as an example to define what I mean by mid to high power level.
May 9, 2015 11:57 p.m.
Wurmcoil engine is about the power level of cards you want in a good cube. Find the legacy cube list on WOTCs site. Not a powered cube so no sol ring or power 9 or anything but its still high enough power level that its a lot of fun to draft.
May 9, 2015 11:59 p.m.
insertcleverid says... #5
You don't have to have cards like wurmcoil if you don't want to. Tossing in every good rare is not only expensive, but also a bit easy. I made a cube that was designed to be like a slightly stronger set. Each pack had 2 rares, 5 uncommons and 7 commons and a non-basic land. The thing that makes cubes so much fun is every card in them is awesome, and that's why so many people default to making almost every card rare. But any card can be great, if you put it in the right context, just like wizards does with each set they release.
So the thing to do is to build a cube in which each card feels like it has the home, and they way you do that is to balance the power level of each possible deck. Each player has a very hard time cutting their deck down to just 23 cards. To do this, there's no other solution than hard work. You will need to tinker with your cube until each color combination has a relative power level. You won't get it right at first. You will need to build it, draft it, and play it. Find the cards no one wants and trade up for better ones.
But there are basic guidelines that can make getting started much easier. Each color needs to have its own curve, just like a deck. Each color should do what you would expect that color would do. White has lifelink, blue has counters, black messes with the graveyard, red has burn, and green should have the biggest dudes as well as some ramp to get you there. Remember that even if you don't enjoy an archetype doesn't mean that the people you play with won't, so try to build it with your playgroup in mind.
Rule #1 is that you should have more creatures than spells. maybe blue has more spells than green but creatures are and will always be the majority of every limited deck.
May 10, 2015 12:52 a.m.
randomguy123 says... #6
Thanks for the advice insertcleverid. I'm looking at your cube and I can see what you mean; most of the cards are mediocre but the overall lowered power level makes it ok.
Another question: About how many of each type of card should I have in a cube (Removal, Bomb, Aggressive Drop, etc). One of the things I personally am most worried about is that I'll end up with too much removal and not enough creatures or visa versa.
May 10, 2015 1:06 a.m.
Look at themes. Look at archetypes. Look at cost.
For control you need boardwipes, removal, counterspells and a threat you can ride to victory. Gifts, Entreat the Angels, etc.
For aggro you want 2/1s and 2/2s for 1, anthems, burn and hastey creatures.
For combo you need to decide what combos you are having. Splinter/Kiki combos are easy includes due to the cards being OK on their own. If you want storm you need rituals, draw and deck manipulation. Dark Depths can be an intresting one.
May 10, 2015 1:31 a.m.
TheGodofNight says... #8
I feel your pain. I spent quite a bit of time trying to watch videos on building a cube or learning about cube, but the problem is that almost every friggin' video was someone showing off their cube, but not really explaining the concept of building a cube.
The first thing you need is an idea. What type of cards do you like, or what set was your favorite? For me, I loved Ravnica. So I built a 12 person cube (540 cards) and the flavor was old and new Ravnica. That gave me a huge pool of cards to work with, and a lot of options.
The next thing you need to decide on is what kind of curve you want you cube to have. This is difficult because if you use nothing but small, efficient creatures only, your cube will be super fast (which some people like), but it sucks to spend 20 minutes drafting and like 20 seconds playing. I set my curve at 3 - 5 CMC. Yes, there are lower and higher cost card in my cube, but on average, you start picking up steam at turn 3, 4, or 5. So the games aren't too slow, and they aren't too fast.
Third, sticking with flavor or theme, make sure that all your spells and creatures fit you particular flavor. In my cube, since I was using old and new Ravnica, I selected 35 cards per guild, and it could only be considered a guild card if it had the guild watermark on it. I then select guild neutral cards to fill in the difference, cards with no guild symbols. I also made sure that all the mechanics I would be using would mesh well, for example, the old Ravnica's mechanics alongside the new Ravnica's mechanics. Like "Graft" and "Evolve", both of the simic mechanics. It was important that the mechanics worked well together, and didn't make one guild too overpowered.
Fourth, I started to work on the land base, obviously the 10 shock lands, guildgates, the guild bounce lands, etc, etc. As I round out the lands, I ended up over 540, so I went through each guild, and revisited each card and cut a card or two to help fit all the lands.
Finally, I edit the list and drop in some artifacts and my cube was balanced. I got a case of dragon shields in banana yellow (to help identify my cube) and I sleeved it all up (that part sucked), I did have some money cards in there, shocks, dark confidant, etc, etc. Once it was sleeved up, I put it in a holiday box for transport/storage purposes. I sleeved up 100 of each basic land and put them in a fat pack box so drafting is a breeze.
Lastly, I went to my local bank branch and got a ton of cash straps, and after a crazy hectic mass shuffle, I strapped 15 card boosters for easy drafting.
So the short of my long story is this: pick a flavor/set that you think you would like to draft (Goblins vs Humans, Innistrad block, etc, etc). Make sure you have enough cards to make it happen. Pick the number of people you want to draft with (8,12,16), so you know how big to make your cube. Consider your mana curve. Don't be afraid to ask for feedback or opinions on your card choices. After you get your cube assembled, test draft, edit, and test draft, edit; until you have a cube that you are happy with. Sleeve it up and have fun.
When I have some time, I will post my cube list and give you a link to it. I hope this info helps. Good luck with your build.
May 10, 2015 1:36 a.m.
I'm actually building my first cube as well. If you're interested in some basic background, Tolarian Community College on Youtube just posted a video on cube construction.
Personally, I'm just throwing a bunch of commons and uncommons together to make my first cube with very little thought. The reason? I want to see it fail.
No, really. I recently spent a few months making a homebrew tabletop RPG, and the experience taught me two things:- The first thing of anything you make will suck.- You actually learn a lot more from failure than you do from success.
Basically, I could simply order someone else's pauper cube online, but I can only say I know how to make my own cube if I understand what makes them fail. I kinda have to see a marginally functional cube to know how to make a fully functional one.
xlaleclx says... #2
Definitely wouldn't consider wurmcoil to be a ridiculous creature in cube. It's good but mostly just because it goes in a ton of decks.
May 9, 2015 11:56 p.m.