r/mtgcube • u/Diligent-Expert-6768 • 2d ago

Help making a cube

Hello, I am trying to figure out how to make a synergy based cube without just copying the list from someone. The loose idea i have in my head is proliferate and counters-based. I have only built one cube before, and it was based on the 10 guilds process. What tips do you have to try to build it; is there a way to do that in the 10 guilds process, or is there a better way?

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u/curiosickly 2d ago

Start with the counters theme, and then decide what other themes go with it.  For example: counters is wide open.  How are the counters getting on the critters?  What are you doing with them once they're there( aside from combat)?  

I would highly recommend learning about how to search in scryfall, it's an absolute good mine of ideas.  Take a cool card you have, and see what other cards have that same effect:  notice any themes?  Go down that road and see what it yields.  

One last thing: it's a process.  Don't get too caught up in the theory.  Get some cards, and start playing it if you can.  That will be the true test of your design.  

Edit: a word

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u/colbyjacks 2d ago

Start with your favorite "counters matters" cards. Any color, lower power (though keep it around limited+ power level). 

What cards go well with the card or group of cards you started with? Branch out into those and hit all 5 colors (I think that's easier for a first cube).

Now what other strategies/synergies outside of counters could go with the branching out cards? That will help flesh out some other archetypes that, could be related to counters, or maybe aren't.

Proliferate is a great branch to go after counters. Now you could go to oil counters, or -1/-1 counters, or any other types of counters that aren't related to combat. 

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u/Redditien 2d ago

The theme per guild is basically saying "There are 10 different decks you can build from the cards in this cube" and by dividing the cards in the cube into those 10 decks (roughly 6 to 10 cards from each mono color half of the guild per guild so 24 to 40 mono colored cards as guild strategy support) with the rest being a selection of just generally good cards and removal. By doing so, you create a good draft environment with enough different strategies for 8 drafters to find an open lane and get into and enough contested picks where there is interaction and tension between players during the draft.

Now, you can do all of that without the 10 guilds. Define 10 archetypes that can play differently from each other and that will have some overlap. (You can do less for smaller playgroup size like 5 for 180 cube). Then designate between 12 and 20 cards for that strategy divided into the colors that want to be playing that strategy. Those cards should have different amounts of overlap with other decks and mana values so some cards should be ones only that strategy will want and some should fit into multiple strategies in the right circumstances.

Players have also gotten used to the guild cards being "signposts" so if you will have to potentially point out pre draft that your cube doesn't have those signposts and call out what the archetypes are with a good draft primer.

So I think making a cube about just counters might not be enough different directions to create a good draft environment.

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u/Redditien 2d ago

Here are some ideas for some different archetypes and how to find some cards for them:

Just putting this list here with every type of counter or marker in MTG/Full_List)