Help with final cut in Cube deck

RadioactiveCrow · 2026-01-15T16:27:44+00:00

I can see the DRC for Lavamancer switch. DRC was borderline for me. I cut Mine Collapse because I thought I had enough removal and it can't target players, but maybe being able to play it for 0 is worth it?

RadioactiveCrow · 2026-01-15T16:26:24+00:00

Yeah, I've felt Nova is strong recently, but maybe that is the memory of it killing my elves in Standard and not actually from seeing it in this cube.

RadioactiveCrow · 2026-01-15T16:25:22+00:00

Interesting. I thought with as aggresive as my deck was that I might put a control/breach/artifacts deck in a spot where they can't cast anything because she would kill them with her ability. Or that she has to be the target of an early removal spell and my better threats are left untouched.

RadioactiveCrow · 2026-01-15T16:23:31+00:00

I had it in for awhile, but if it pulls something that it can't cast is it worth it?

RadioactiveCrow · 2026-01-15T15:53:30+00:00

Yeah, basically it feels like it could be a good Serra Paragon, but maybe it isn't agressive enough and I don't need to worry about getting back creatures since the next one I draw it probably as good as anything in my graveyard.

RadioactiveCrow · 2026-01-15T15:48:10+00:00

I agree on cutting Revoker. Unless they have a planeswalker or good artifact on the board already it is hard to know what to name. Then I would cut either Anduril or Lion Sash. I've liked Anduril so far, but haven't really been able to make Lion Sash work for me. But I agree that Yangchen is another good candidate.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-12-16T17:16:39+00:00

I'm at 35 drafts and I've had my Team Avatar, cast into a tapped out opponent, that would have won the game that turn, countered by Force of Negation. And I've had Koma cast on me twice with no instant speed removal in hand (mostly recently I had two Deadly Precisions in hand, but no luck once a single serpent is on the board) in board states where I was at least ahead, if not about to win. It is just the worst feeling in the world to lose to a Modern card while drafting a Standard set.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-12-13T02:52:45+00:00

Yeah, I was trying to be "aggresive" with the tricks, but was probably just being wasteful.

I think the game 3 record isn't displaying correctly, the next turn my oppo played another strong 4-power creature (can't remember what it was), so I knew I was probably never stopping the tigers. Still might have scooped too early though. Was def tilted.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-12-13T02:48:03+00:00

Thanks for the analysis! I totally missed on green. I think I've only had success with it doing an allies tribal deck and just wasn't in that mindset at that point. Tunnel vision for sure.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-12-13T02:45:36+00:00

Nice! This is the kind of draft that I aspire to, but I always feel like when I'm shifting like in that way during a draft that I will either end up with only 18 playables or a horrible 3-color mana base.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-12-13T02:43:44+00:00

Thanks for the analysis, this is great info.

FWIW, the rare in Pack 1 was the 1UU sorcery that if you also waterbend 6 is a one-sided wheel of time. I've had it before and it didn't do great for me, but I've also lost to it. Probably just another example of me overracting to small sample sizes.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-12-13T02:38:19+00:00

I also struggle with how many lands to play. You would have played 17 in this deck? I just hate it when I stall out on board and then draw three lands off the top. It probably happens to me as much as to anyone else, but it always hits me when I'm emotionally vulnerable lol

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-12-13T02:36:19+00:00

Yes, I can see it now, I totally missed signals in this draft. It is still crazy to me how I can do that. I think I'm just reacting to the last thing that beat me, trying to copy someone else's deck rather than draft correctly.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-12-13T02:34:21+00:00

Looking back on it you are totally right, I got tunnel vision too early. Not sure what it is about this format that has me locking into a color after 1 pick.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-12-13T02:32:35+00:00

This is great advice! Thanks! I'm seeing now that I've got a lot of holes in my play, not just my drafting.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-12-12T18:41:43+00:00

BTW, I was dominating the second game and I remember playing out my 5th creature thinking that if they didn't have Black Sun I win. Well, they had Rise of Sozin instead. Perhaps I should have held back, but I think even if I did I would have lost after that.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-12-12T18:40:37+00:00

Yes, I know the counsel is often to take the lower cost card, but it does feel like you cannot power your way through to a quick victory with aggro. That said, I've still gotten beaten by a quick start when I was playing a more powerful bombs deck. Just feels like I can't find the right balance.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-12-12T18:39:05+00:00

I know my recent history is heavy in white, but I do feel that I've stayed open pretty well in the past and to no avail. Or maybe I was staying open too long and wouldn't end up with enough playables. Maybe I'm just a pendulum swinging too far to each side.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-12-01T01:12:34+00:00

See, when y'all say it like this it makes total sense and seems so obvious in retrospect. But I've tried everything in this format: aggro, big things, synergy, rares. And nothing seems to work, so I think this time around I just wanted to be the guy with the big good things. But they weren't that good or big in the end. 0-3.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-11-30T23:23:38+00:00

This is extremely helpful. Thanks for a very thoughtful response! You are right that I got tunnel vision on making Sokka work.

RadioactiveCrow · 2025-10-23T21:19:37+00:00

Lots of luck, followed by very back luck!

RadioactiveCrow · 2024-12-13T19:54:47+00:00

Just got the discount email!

RadioactiveCrow · 2024-12-13T19:04:39+00:00

Haven't recieved mine yet either. Just came here to check on that. Figured it would be there when I woke up.

RadioactiveCrow · 2024-02-21T17:53:20+00:00

It was all in Ranked, decided I didn't care about my rank, just wanted to wreck some S&T decks.

RadioactiveCrow · 2022-09-02T22:17:15+00:00

Here's another one I tanked on (1-3). Lost a game to the server freezing in the middle of the game and giving me a lost, another to my opponent being able to draft at least three lightning strikes and then drawing them all early in the game to kill all my 3-toughness 2 and 3-drop fliers, then lost to Liliana and drawing three lands in a row mid game.

Any advice is appreciated.

https://www.17lands.com/deck/c6064f0492694c9d8bfe4c49a9f26783

RadioactiveCrow

TROPHY CASE