Introduction
Welcome to the Conspiracy Cube Update! There aren't a ton of cards to talk about this go round for a number of reasons. Firstly, a large percentage of the set consists of reprinted cards that I won't be discussing at all for obvious reasons. Secondly, since this set is designed around multiplayer there are a number of cards and mechanics that really shine in multiplayer but have severely reduced value in heads up play. Since my cube is overwhelmingly played heads up I am not going to add cards unless they excel in that format. I will discuss some of the cards that fall into this category for those curious about why some cards that seem good might not be included. I will also cover all of the Conspiracy cards at once since I will not be including any of them. I am including three of the cards that affect drafting but will discuss all of them as they are all unique and interesting enough to talk about. Let's get going!
White
In Out
Council's Judgment is the first of the Will of the Council cards that are in this set. These are interesting in multi-player formats since they are so political. That said, my cube is primarily single player matches and these are all about the vote being tied. For example, this card actually reads "exile target non-land permanent unless your opponent wants to also exile a second one...that they also control". For three mana this is pretty insane and I don't see how it's anything but an auto include. Sure it's a sorcery but that matters almost not at all on this card.
I have said before that I like where removal is in white percentage wise so I don't want to be adding removal without removing removal. Council's Judgment is a pretty clear upgrade over Unexpectedly Absent as they target the same things (non-land permanents) but with the upside of exiling over delaying. The downgrade to Sorcery from Instant isn't something I am that worried about.
Didn't Make the Cut
Rousing the Souls is the first of the Parley cards and I don't think any of them are particularly good in cube. Their power is almost entirely contained in the amount of people playing as it increases the number of reveals that could lead to beneficial effects. As it is I have to assume that these will trigger once on average. The card drawing ability is a wash since you both draw and getting one spirit for three mana is pretty awful. No thanks.
Custodi Soulbinders is a cycle of cards involving creatures that enter play with a number of counters equal to...something. I don't think any of the others are particularly any good and I only am discussing this one because it has the most powerful effect. Counting both players makes this probably a 3/3 or 4/4 or greater on average which is nice but it's still a vanilla creature with a really really slow ability. Too slow and inconsistent.
Blue
In Out
Fatespinner is an awesomely cool card that I had neglected for a long time. Now, on a recommendation from fellow cube enthusiast Phil it is making an appearance in my cube! I really think that this unique effect holds a lot of value and gives your opponent a really interesting and difficult decision each turn. None of the three phases are void of importance (attacking, playing spells, drawing cards) and it will never be irrelevant. Sure it's a horrible body but I really want to see if this one has legs.
Phantasmal Bear is super boring and not the evasive threat that blue tempo decks want or need. Exciting changes are exciting!
Didn't Make the Cut
I was originally really excited about this card because I figured you would always draw three cards for four mana which isn't bad. I mean, let's be honest, you are never going to take extra turns with this...ever. Then I realized there are other cards that already draw at this rate...and they aren't even in the cube. Sure it's splashable...my excitement is already wavering.
Red
Didn't Make the Cut
This card is actually really close to being sweet. If it is able to trigger Dethrone once you are looking at a 2/2 first strike. That said, Dethrone is going to be wildly inconsistent in its ability to trigger. This is especially true in red where you should always have more life than your opponent making this almost never trigger unless it's the first thing that attacks on turn...three...what is your deck doing?!
Colorless
In Out
Cogwork Librarian was the first card spoiled for Conspiracy and I think that it was perfectly chosen. It is fun to draft with and very exciting to be involved with. Very easy inclusion.
Spined Thopter isn't exciting or necessary for any particular strategy. It's a pretty easy cut as the weakest link in the section.
In Out
Deal Broker allows you to do the one thing I think about at the end of every draft. "I wonder if anyone wants this card I have." It makes everyone have more fun and lets more cards get played with instead of sitting in sideboards. That gives me more data to evaluate cards on too! I am all in.
I have never been anything but happy when someone has cast Platinum Angel against me. It doesn't do anything. Sure it sometimes randomly screws over a green ramp deck but most of the time you wait for a removal spell and then blow your opponent out since they continue letting damage through because they "can't lose". It's cool but not very good.
In Out
Lore Seeker is sooooooooo cool. I lost my mind when I saw this with how cool this is. In cube you don't have to worry about buying a pack you just go make another one. In love with this card. Not actually irrelevant in aggressive decks if you are stretching for playables either.
Perilous Myr isn't really that good in control or aggro decks but it's not really that bad either. To be honest I didn't even know it was still in the cube. It's certainly not something anyone is ever excited about playing though.
Didn't Make the Cut
Cogwork Grinder is a big vanilla card that takes cards you don't want away from the draft. Cube can do SO much better.
Cogwork Tracker is really interesting but also really weird. It has no actual value in single player other than being a 4/4 for 4 that has to attack....no thanks.
Didn't Make the Cut
Cogwork Spy is a giggle inducing card that doesn't actually add much value.
AEther Searcher is very interesting. Its ability is tough to ignore but is VERY swingy. You could get lucky and get a
Grave Titan or you could get unlucky and get a
Rampant Growth. Depends entirely on what your deck does. It's not bad but it's not really super exciting either. I'm not big on lottery cards so this is out for me. I can understand why others might add it though. It has the potential to be cool.
Didn't Make the Cut
Lurking Automaton is cool as it is very unique but way too swingy for my tastes.
Canal Dredger doesn't actually do anything outside of a normal booster draft which we only do about half the time.
Didn't Make the Cut
Agent of Acquisitions is a very interesting card as the ability to snag an entire pack is cool but takes a lot of fun out of drafting (since you forgo the actual drating!) and doesn't actually work in alternate drafting methods which is mostly what we do.
Whispergear Sneak is again giggle inducing and that's about it.
Didn't Make the Cut
I will not be adding any of the Conspiracy cards. The reason for this is that I feel it changes gameplay a little too much for my liking. You are always going to play these if you draft them as since they don't count in your 40 cards they are essentially free. It is that aspect that I am not a huge fan of. It feels like you are almost playing a different variant of the game at that point...like Vanguard, Planechase or Commander. I think that some of these do some cool things and I love the design space they are utilizing but it's just not in like with my design philosophy for my cube.
Azorius
Didn't Make the Cut
Brago is a really cool card that supports the blink archetype I support in my cube. It also gives your creature pseudo-vigilance and allows you to reuse some of your tap effects (under represented in cube) and CITP/leave play effects (all over the place). Azorius is just so deep though. I don't think its better than the existing options.
Izzet
Didn't Make the Cut
Limiting planeswalkers to three per color and one per color pair is a hard rule I will not break. That means I have to choose between Dack Fayden and
Ral Zarek. Ral gets an extra starting loyalty for an extra mana. I am going to completely ignore the ultimates (Ral's is better by about a million kitchen finks). This leaves the +1 and -2 abilities as both have the same costs. Dack's +1 is way better but his -2 is way worse. I really think this just goes out to preference and I really believe that all Dack is going to end up doing is looting forever while your opponent gets all butt hurt about not being able to cast their Sword. Ral doesn't provide card advantage but it does protect itself while furthering your own plan of attack. I am going to lean on Ral...extra mana and all.
Land
In Out
Both of these cards are pretty good at fixing you for several colors of mana. The big differences here are that Paliano enters play untapped while Terramorphic Expanse gets any color of mana. That said, three mana colors is close enough to five that I like being able to use it right away so much more. Also, you can tap for any of the three meaning you can change it each turn which is explosively flexible. It also makes the draft more interesting which I really like as well.
Conclusion
All in all, not that many cards included from the new set but we knew that going in. The Cogwork additions are really cool additions that I am excited to get to use in practice. This is a really cool set that is going to be a draft to play with as it is constructed and it gives lots of different cubes lots of different toys depending on their design philosophies. Great precedent setting set. I look forward to future sets like this. Next time will be for the next core set...Magic 2015? They all kind of blend together now but I think that's right.
Enjoy!
