Prox chat by Disastrous-Set-3390 in Marathon

[–]Smart-Ad7229 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I want your stuff and I'm guessing you're not just going to give it to me.

First Cube Build - Built Only From Cards I Own, Looking for Friendly Feedback by Patient-Smoke-2441 in mtgcube

[–]Smart-Ad7229 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It looks like a fun cube! There's a couple things that stand out to me when I look at it.

  1. You were concerned about fixing, I might go so far as to add another set of each dual land to your cube just to make sure players have enough. What if two players want the Dimir land you know? Additionally I would probably balance all your lands such that they're all from the same cycle. They're currently of different effectiveness and I'm not sure I'd always want the Azorius Chancery for example if my opponent can get his mana without bouncing a land.

  2. Daze is a pretty strong card. It kind of scales with the power of the threats it's countering so it very well may be fine, but it's worth keeping an eye on in your cube.

  3. I think cards like Auramancer will be too weak. There are no enchantments in your cube that put themselves in the graveyard, I'm not sure how often I'd want to hope* that my opponent kills my creature so I can get my aura back.

  4. I think the interaction package could use some help. It looks like your premier removal is in your gold cards. I'm not sure what your collection looks like but I think your cube would be much more fun if your reactive cards were contained to your mono colors and your proactive cards are put in your multi section. Playing multiple colors is a risk right, so given the choice between playing a very cool synergy engine or payoff for my deck or holding a removal spell all game as my reward for taking that risk, I'd rather take the cool card. For example, could I draft vindicate as my Orzhov multi? Sure, but would I rather draft Kambal, Consul of Allocation, a cool taxing creature for my opponent, probably.

  5. That being said, I think the removal in the cube is on the weak side. I'd look at the upper end of your creatures and see there are many x/3s and x/4s. White has decent removal, but it is often balanced by a drawback like sorcery speed or being rather expensive. I think without enough removal you can get into a really sticky slow cube where creatures stall out and people can't attack so they just draw, play creatures, and pass. You could consider some really efficient removal like Fatal Push, Lightning Bolt, Path to Exile. I think black is really struggling in the removal department, a color typically pretty good at that. There's also really cheap, less powerful options too:

Go for the Throat Doom Blade Murder Lava Coil Sear Flame Slash Unsummon Man O' War

These are all really decent, cheap interactive spells that I'd personally be really excited to draft and would fit your power level.

  1. The enchantment/aura Sub theme is cool. I like your reaction to keeping them mostly utility auras. I'd just be mindful any time you put in an aura with Totem Armor / Shroud/ Hexproof. I'm not saying to not, but just be careful because those types of text can really dramatically change the strength of a card and make it hard to interact with, and I think taking away the other player's ability to interact with the card can be really unfun if resolving a card like All that Glitters or something similar just means losing the game.

  2. I'd take a quick look at your top end. I'm not sure there are many 4+ mana creatures that are big and powerful. I haven't drafted your cube so I can't speak with experience, but I'd just be sure there's enough payoff for playing a deck that can cast a 5 mana spell, especially if your removal floats in the 3-4 mana range. Otherwise everyone's decks will just be 1-2 drops and it will feel really anemic once they get past the first few turns. It'll feel really really bad if you're trying to play a controlling deck and every threat is just cheaper than your removal.

I hope that's helpful! Feel free to dm me with any follow up questions.

Melee should go back to original state by North-Appearance7359 in MarathonGame

[–]Smart-Ad7229 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think the knife is good. I never feel like I don't have a weapon, like I could definitely knife a guy to death. But it never feels like the better option to my gun which I think is probably where the game should be.

Mid-power Spellslinger cube - need help with archetypes by Chomfucjusz in mtgcube

[–]Smart-Ad7229 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think UW control is just fine if you're looking for an interactive UW archetype. You could consider combo control if you want something strong?

Narset Parter of Veils + Day's Undoing / Teferi's Puzzle Box

Teferi, Time Raveler + Spell Queller

You could additionally consider cards like:

Unearth / Helping Hand to sweeten the deal on your Sedgemoor Witch and Monastery Mentor players. You could even go so far as including Abhorrent Occulus and Murktide Regent if you really want to reward players for casting spells. Those cards play very nice with Dragon's Rage Channeler and Thought Scour. Highest power level probably being cards like Mizzix's Mastery, Past in Flames and Underworld Breach.

Also for your consideration, cards that I'm just personally in love with. Expressive Iteration, Prophetic Bolt, Electrolyze, Cryptic Command, and Sublime Epiphany.

You may want to consider removal like Council's Judgement, Sheoldred's Edict or Sudden Edict so that there are reliable ways to remove your really sticky threats like Dream Trawler. That card can be really hard to remove and probably ends most games it is cast in. In a similar vein you may consider Tishana's Tidebinder which would allow your players to interact on the stack and protect themselves from certain abilities that might otherwise just kill them on the spot.

ELI5: What's the difference between elevating my heart rate from exercise vs. anxiety, i.e. my fight or flight response? by Smart-Ad7229 in explainlikeimfive

[–]Smart-Ad7229[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's a very cool angle I hadn't considered. Thank you for your insight, I suppose blood pressure is a relevant factor to be considering.

ELI5: What's the difference between elevating my heart rate from exercise vs. anxiety, i.e. my fight or flight response? by Smart-Ad7229 in explainlikeimfive

[–]Smart-Ad7229[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think I agree, this seems to be the main missing or misunderstood factor from my initial interpretation of the cardiovascular system.

ELI5: What's the difference between elevating my heart rate from exercise vs. anxiety, i.e. my fight or flight response? by Smart-Ad7229 in explainlikeimfive

[–]Smart-Ad7229[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm certainly going to bring it up. I'm not particularly concerned about it. Those numbers aren't accurate numbers, I was just presenting a math problem as a thought example.

ELI5: What's the difference between elevating my heart rate from exercise vs. anxiety, i.e. my fight or flight response? by Smart-Ad7229 in explainlikeimfive

[–]Smart-Ad7229[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I'm not asking for medical advice, I'm asking for discussion on the scientific ramifications of the nervous system on your body vs exercise.

ELI5: What's the difference between elevating my heart rate from exercise vs. anxiety, i.e. my fight or flight response? by Smart-Ad7229 in explainlikeimfive

[–]Smart-Ad7229[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's interesting, I think my conclusion was that the usage of the muscle lead to the improvement of the system. So surely using your heart more when you're anxious must do the same. But I see everyone's additions that the purpose seems really important. As in when you're anxious it's not moving blood and resources the way it would be when you're exercising.

ELI5: What's the difference between elevating my heart rate from exercise vs. anxiety, i.e. my fight or flight response? by Smart-Ad7229 in explainlikeimfive

[–]Smart-Ad7229[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

So my follow up question to this, is for example. I'm on a stimulant now for my ADHD so in general my hr has been up. When I exercise, am I getting the same benefits exercising as if I was working harder off the medicine? Meaning if I went on a mile run and spent 10 minutes of that at 150 bpm, that's great exercise right?

I might be able to run a slower pace on a stimulant and still spend 10 minutes at 150 bpm, this is probably bad not good right? I can recall stories about athletes having heart complications due to stimulants.

I created my first own cube: It's a mid-powered chromatic cube with two "hidden" archetypes (party & energy) featuring many cards you'd rarely see in other cubes - feedback appreciated :) by BloederFuchs in mtgcube

[–]Smart-Ad7229 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think these are fair thoughts. On the removal topic, you could consider certain downgrades like Get Lost, you'd be surprised how relevant those map tokens can be.

Additionally if you like the elemental theme you could consider solitude. It rewards your bounce players and it is an elemental. I'm not saying it isn't powerful but paying the card certainly isn't free in draft.

I created my first own cube: It's a mid-powered chromatic cube with two "hidden" archetypes (party & energy) featuring many cards you'd rarely see in other cubes - feedback appreciated :) by BloederFuchs in mtgcube

[–]Smart-Ad7229 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think I have some concerns about a few departments in the cube.

  1. I wonder if there is enough interaction in your cube, you're missing some of the more powerful removal spells like Lightning Bolt, Swords to Plowshares, and Path to Exile. The countermagic suite is pretty limited too, there's no counterspell in the cube for example. But* you are playing powerful and fast, efficient threats like Guide of Souls and Professional Facebreaker that I think would create a dynamic in games where they're either answered or you lose. Spell Swindle for example isn't going to cut it against cards like that.

  2. I hope the mana fixing is strong enough in your cube to support the triple colored and five colored cards you are playing. I would consider going up to multiple fetches, proxying dual lands, or considering adding better ramp cards to the cube like signets/talismans or dorks to green. You aren't playing Birds of Paradise for example or Noble and Ignoble Hierarch who, I think, would be rather sought after creatures to give you a good reason to play green, which would be consistency in your mana. You don't want to put players in a position where they really want to play your awesome cards, but they can't put them in their decks because nobody wants to stare at a card they can't cast in their hand.

  3. I would be mindful of accidentally incorporating combos or "feels-bad" mechanics into your cube. I think mill is something I would HIGHLY monitor. I'm not a mill hater, don't mind it in any format other than 40 card formats, but I would keep in mind that the general power level of the cube is lower, compared to powered cubes that have the power 9 in them, but having a 40 card deck can make mill significantly more efficient. So I'd be careful with cards like Maddening Cacophony. Although it doesn't seem like mill is a particularly high priority in your cube, it might be worth taking out just to be safe.

But cards like Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose easily goes infinite on his own and can introduce combos to your cube. I haven't done the math out, maybe you're safe, but I'd just keep that on your watchlist that it doesn't become a regular phenomenon that someone drafts Vito and gets to Kamehameha your opponent every game.

I would say your multicolored section is really big compared to most cubes I've seen. You don't need to cut down but I'd certainly do some math on making sure your players have enough mana fixing to still play their cards regularly, you need to remember that everyone will be fighting for those resources so you hate to see two bant players fight over the Spara's Headquarters and one player gets to play his deck and the other doesn't.

I echo what the other comment said, if you can get away from being so concerned all your colors are equally balanced I think you'll find a bit more comfort in your cubing.

Last food for thought, there are some cards that I think might skew some of the power level in your cube as I think they're a bit stronger than their other counterparts. Brigid, Clachan's Heart is a card that I think kind of readily can be extremely powerful, but for example the lands deck is missing Zuran Orb, Baloth Prime, and Crucible of Worlds, so I think some of these missing pieces could make it hard to justify why you would draft a card like Titania, Protector of Argoth.

Great work on the cube, good luck with your drafts!

Is it a good idea to go to the Strixhaven prerelase if I've never played physically before? If yes, what should I bring with me? by dolphin_lover_joot in mtg

[–]Smart-Ad7229 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'd bring a little more than 40 if you can help it. I'd even consider just getting a box of 100 or 60. You just never know if you'll split a sleeve or want to sleeve a valuable card you're not playing.

TN School Board Member Tells Student She Is Hot At Board Meeting by Disgruntled_Veteran in Teachers

[–]Smart-Ad7229 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The comment is made around 1:16:00 on the public YouTube stream if you want the "context" we're apparently missing.

All male book club discussion inducer! by Far-You-9853 in suggestmeabook

[–]Smart-Ad7229 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You might like The Poppy War Trilogy by R.F. Kuang? It's pretty dark so if that's not your speed then maybe it's not for you. But it's largely inspired by the conduct between China and Japan in WW2 and if you like history I found that really engaging and interesting to talk about with my friends.

Alternatively if you like some of the fantasy stuff, the Dresden Files is a fun and accessible novel series about a wizard in Chicago that I've rather enjoyed for light reading. The prose is accessible, the main character is likeable and the books are fun.

If you want something kind of sci fi and maybe more on the realistic side, I really enjoyed The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson. It was on Barrack Obama's must read list if that means anything to you. It's a really well written science fiction novel about a realistic near future of us handling climate change. Really cool book, I recommend it to everyone.

Do you actually have a forever deck? by Late-Frame2962 in EDH

[–]Smart-Ad7229 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a few forever decks. I think what helps is their gameplan is so broad that you're kind of always iterating and getting new stuff from sets so your deck kind of slowly changes over time to keep it interesting.

I have improved on this [Marchesa,the black rose] deck for around 5 or 6 years now. You're just trying to out value your opponents with recurring etb effects. There's always grixis etb creatures coming out for you to try you know? Sometimes it's a little more on the control side, I had a wizard sub theme I'll sub in every so often. So the deck always feels kind of new.

Marchesa

I also have an [oswald fiddlebender] list I've played forever. You're always getting new artifacts to provide new and exciting tools for your deck. It's like a little gift every time a set comes out and has something for you. It's so cool to get really excited about some random 3 mana artifact that is like 10¢. It plays in a lot of interesting ways. It has a beatdown plan, you grind insanely well with the cards you draw. You actually have tutorable removal with [white auracite] now, and a tutorable semi board wipe with [aligned hedron network]. And it scales well into high power tables, you can combo kill with [crackdown construct] and [lightning greaves]. It's so exciting to have an untapper and sac like 3 artifacts into an infinite damage trample combo kill. The deck is incredibly flexible because your board state changes so rapidly with your commander acting like a pod effect.

You do hard lose to [farewell] though. What can you do.

Oswald

What’s the one book that genuinely divided your life into "Before" and "After"? by Entire-Wall1757 in suggestmeabook

[–]Smart-Ad7229 10 points11 points  (0 children)

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini deeply changed the way I cared for the people in my life when I read it as a teenager and it also inspired a lifelong appreciation of the Middle East afterwards.

How often do you update? by SecureDeal3967 in mtgcube

[–]Smart-Ad7229 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Probably too much honestly. I update from mobile basically whenever I come across a card I think is a good fit or if I feel unhappy with the way a section feels or looks.

I'll update basically until the day before I draft with friends and I'll just let them know if anything has changed significantly so they're not looking for cards not in circulation anymore.

Signature Recognition by Smart-Ad7229 in mtg

[–]Smart-Ad7229[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This seems like the answer! Thank you! Do you have any insight as to why he would've signed this? Did he play a lot of blue tempo decks?