To some extent we're going for different experiences here. I'm not looking for decks that stand up to constructed quality, just to support interesting decks within the framework the cards provide. Ideally, the cube is reasonably friendly to people who haven't obsessed over the format as much as us.
Yeah, the more parasitic archetypes likely will face a decision point where I decide if they're "fully supported" or "available". This particular format (RAV-FUT-10E) had a pretty big midrange slant, so I'm not too uncomfortable with midrange doing the best as long as living the dream is possible.
Mine (solemn.website) uses hugo, the Stack theme, and sourcehut pages, and it's been a good experience so far!
Here's ~2k words about the data I got back from the RAV-TSP Standard cube at Cubecon and what I think the next steps will be. Yes, 3 months is exactly how long I always thought it would take to get this up! solemn.website/post/cubecon...
It's frustrating how frequently stuff gets paved over. I've had some minor success finding stuff with the Wayback Machine for RAV-TSP but even then it's a bit of legwork for no guarantee anything was actually stored (Gleemox links my beloathed).
peak baseball is indistinguishable from the feeling of hitting your head against a cement wall
GW Enchantments deck from Old Border Foil cube
I rolled into the feature draft of cubecobra.com/cube/overvie.... Draft was a trainwreck - didn't assemble real fixing and red was in some weird cut/open superposition that sent me for a loop. GW with a sorta enchantment theme was promptly murdered on stream by Jarvis. Pretty cube though!
Alpha Reimagined GW Geddon Midrange deck
Went 2-1 with GW Geddon, losing to a sick RW prison deck after getting locked down Wall of Reverence for 3 games and otherwise living the big dude + geddon life. I wouldn't identify myself as a GW player but this weekend has me reconsidering. After not remotely enough sleep, it was time for top 64!
For Top 128 I drafted cubecobra.com/cube/overvie..., an inspired cube aiming to capture the simple resonance of Alpha while using modern design principles and cards. I'm not a core set limited fan in general, but combining the simple cards with gameshaping effects creates fun and satisfying games.
I got one Deathmist return! Maybe not enough value there to feel like a gameplan, but I wasn't mad about the baseline rate on the creature and with all the other mill/recursion it's not hard to set up situationally even while low on actual flip targets.
Scoring 2 agendas immediately puts this in the top quartile of wholesome Glenn Stationry, I can appreciate this!
UBg Tabletop Cube draft deck
Next up was cubecobra.com/cube/overvie..., which felt comfortable and nostalgic in a way I really appreciated. I ended up in an odd UBg control list that got rolled by 4c value pile round 1 but succesfully did the jackass control pile stuff to finish 2-1 and narrowly scrape into top 128.
UGr Counters Decklist from the Truly Maddening Tempo cube.
To start day 2 of the main, I wanted some low to the ground Magic to wash the value grind stink off and landed in cubecobra.com/cube/list/Tr.... Went very fixing and counters heavy and ended up with a rad deck that was unfortunately too low on game closing effects in the Lurrus + Deluge finals.
Cube is here: cubecobra.com/cube/overvie.... Really enjoyed this - the latter half of the card pool was my return to standard after college, so lots of fond memories to dredge up. Also dropping in #CubeCon2025 while I have chars to spare again.
Abzan deck from the Innistrad-Eldritch Moon Golden Age of Standard cube.
Wanted something a little more grounded for my second draft of the day, so went for the INN-EMN Golden Age Standard cube. Drafted a grindy self-mill Abzan that felt really good to play even if I only 1-2ed, with the highlight being the 1-1 Abzan Ben mirror match round 3 ft. Seasons Past for 5 cards.
Pool pic one from The Ball Pit.
Pool pic 2 from The Ball Pit.
My first official cube was cubecobra.com/cube/overview/ballpit. The shuffle up and play experience was great, and every game had something goofy and fun going on with very few nongames. I went 2-1 with reanimator and golem subthemes and Memnarch and Thopter Assembly feeling fun but not busted.
The box for the cube, decorated with dinosaur/jurassic park stickers including a "Laborer's Internstional Union - Isla Nublar" sticker.
At Bar Cube I played the Jurassic Park Observation Deck, a multiplayer Wizard's Tower. We probably should have split the 6 player pod, but I managed to die while I was still having fun which is my goal for all multiplayer magic.
My prequel draft was cubecobra.com/c/down, which was an incredible experience top to bottom. Love how it uses the desert framework to very different ends and the care taken with creating a cohesive aesthetic. Stole the 3-0 off of some misplays letting me sneak in lethal with this GW Warriors deck.
First draft was the 'Jank Synergy' cube (cubecobra.com/cube/list/f0ho) at Day 0. Drafted RW artifact pile with some aggro and some slow grind (value Salvagers loops!). Had no answers to the slow groundclogging drain of a Sultai deck, but finished 2-1. Not my normal type of cube but a great time!
Had an incredible #CubeCon2025! Drafted 8 cubes (and played a Jurassic Park themed Wizard's Tower), barely squeaked into top 128, barely squeaked into top 64, and then got to play my dogshit draft poorly on stream to exit. 😅 Gonna post lists and brief draft reports for posterity as I can!
CubeCon preference list of cubes: 1st: The Ball Pit 2nd: Dragons of Winter's Night / Vorthos Desert Cube 3rd: The CORESIR Cube 4th: Fifteen Card Highlander 5th: Temur Spellslinger 6th: Sci-Fi Cube 7th: Innistrad to Eldritch Moon Golden Age Standard Cube 8th: Tiny Axe Bar Cube 9th: Uber Bear's Horror Cube
My initial preference list for CubeCon! Kept it to 9 to not break my fingers every time I register, but so many cubes I'm excited about!
Brain dumping on the final set of changes to the RAV-TSP Standard cube before CubeCon! solemn.website/post/precube...
Now that the cube's been voted into CubeCon, I wrote some about my goals for the cube to try and focus my testing and changes on the right stuff.
solemn.website/post/cubecon...
Poll results of the "Back in My Day" CubeCon 2025 vote, with my Ravnica/Time Spiral Standard Cube as one of the three selected.
Got there! Thanks so much to everyone who voted for the RAV/TSP Standard Cube, and I'll hopefully see many of you at CubeCon!
acab includes dril
I also wrote a little more about the design process on my website if such a thing interests you, and would love any questions, comments, or feedback about the cube.
Picture of the "Ravnica/Time Spiral Standard Cube" designed by solemnstorm on the cubecon voting website, with Ravnica Dark Confidant as the thumbnail image.
My cube is up for CubeCon voting today in the "Back in My Day" category, and I'd really appreciate your vote! You'll need to make a cubecon account or log in with google/twitter. The cube aims to replicate the feeling of the RAV/TSP era of standard and its wide range of strategies.
cubecon.org/vote
Hello everyone! Here's a commission I recently finished of a #magicthegathering token set. The client wanted something to incorporate a logo of a maple leaf with a sword.
#mtg #tcg #art @magic.wizards.com
yep!
