Space Marine Devastator
The Good: Pest Infestation has proven to be an extremely powerful cube card and this card isn't too far off. Whether a single 3/3 or a pair of 1/1 pests are better I'm not sure, but just like with Pest Infestation you get another target and bit of board presence for every 2 mana you want to invest into this. It should also be noted that you do also get the flicker option on the original creature that isn't there for Pest Infestation.
The Bad: The base case of being a 4-mana Reclamation Sage isn't generally where you want to be, even with the extra stats. While it's only an extra 1 mana over Pest Infestation, scaling from 3 to 5 to 7 just seems a lot more feasible than 4 to 6 to 8 with how low my curve has been getting.
The Verdict: This is close enough to an all star cube card that I'm going to at least test it in my cube, although I'm not sure if it will last. Overall, this is a great card to consider for cubes in general and I'd recommend giving it a shot, especially in more midrangey environments!
Triumph of Saint Katherine
The Good: Generally the problem with Miracle cards is that they're only good when you're Miracling them and when you draw them for turn you're not always in a position where you want to cast them, but a 2-mana 5/5 Lifelinker is such an extremely good rate and is so cheap that I can't imagine there being a turn where you draw this and don't want to cast it. It's such a commanding board presence for 2 mana. It also has some inevitability with its death trigger, your opponent really needs to find an exile effect or kill you before you draw this again (which gets really hard if you ever connect and gain 5 life with this card).
The Bad: This card is really really bad if it's in the first 9 cards of your deck (your opening hand and the 2 cards you'll draw without 2-mana open).
The Verdict: Honestly, I'm tempted to say putting this in your deck is worth the mulligans and few games you draw it on turn 1 or 2, having this as a draw somewhere down the line is just about always going to set you up for a powerful turn. I'm definitely going to find a cut for this and see for myself just how often it's a dead card compared to how often it just wins me the game.
Zephyrim
The Good: Spending 2 mana for a 3/3 flier, whether your miracling this or paying for its sqaud cost, is just a very efficient spending of your mana.
The Bad: So while the rate is insane, you really need to be late in the game to start getting that price if you plan on casting this straight up and unlike our last miracle card, this isn't such a crazy threat that you'll want to miracle it every time you topdeck it for turn (although I imagine you often will want to).
The Verdict: Maybe I would have tried it if Triumph of Saint Katherine wasn't printed in the same set, but I do think I'll be passing on this one for now. I am interested to see how it does in any cubes that do test it.
Sicarian Infiltrator
The Good: Shark Typhoon has been very good for me with only its cycling ability. This doesn't have flying nor does it scale in stats as well, but it does scale in drawing you more cards. The extra bodies don't hurt either.
The Bad: For the mana you're paying, 1/2 bodies seem pretty weak to me and that makes this more like an overcosted Divination. I'd much rather have actual Shark Typhoon which scales very fast into a threat. I think Mulldrifter is a better 3/5-mana split card and I'm unsure if this is better than Cloudkin Seer, even with the potential to scale.
The Verdict: I'm undecided if I want to test this one. I do run Cloudkin Seer and, even sans flash, the 2nd power and evasion make it a better turn 3 play and I may just be hoping to do better stuff on turn 5+ where Infiltrator's scaling becomes relevant. Seems like a really nice option for lower powered cubes!
Vanguard Suppressor
The Good: Well Thieving Magpie has certainly come a long way. A flying threat that can potentially replace itself several times over can be very strong. Having multiple of these flying bodies that draw you cards really pressures your opponent to have a boardwipe or just lose.
The Bad: I think it's just too expensive. I really want to be taking advantage of the cheap Squad cost, but when it starts at 6 mana it doesn't seem likely I'll be able to do so effectively.
The Verdict: If your cube is a little more midrangey and games often get to a point where you may be dumping 8+ mana into this, then I would definitely try this card out. For me however, this is most realistically a middling 4-drop and even as a 6-drop it compares poorly to All-Seeing Arbiter which I'm currently playing. My cube will be taking a pass.
Arco-Flagellant
The Good: Adanto Vanguard is just about the best aggressive 2-drop there is, you could do worse on turn 3 albeit you wish to do better. What you get for Arco-Flagellant's higher mana cost is the ability to cast it as a 5-drop that gets you 2 of the creatures in 1 card. Again, you could do worse than 2 Adanto Vanguards off the top when your aggro deck is going a little late.
The Bad: Like I said, as a 3-drop you wish to do better and that floor may just be a little too low.
The Verdict: If you've been an active reader of this blog you'll know I don't run black aggro, so I'll be passing on this one. However if you are running black aggro, I would give this card a test as I still think the archetype is missing a critical mass of decent threats and I think this one may be good enough.
Necron Deathmark
The Good: Ravenous Chupacabra is an all-timer cube card and you're getting quite a lot for the 1 extra mana you're paying for Necron Deathmark. Flash gives you some nice flexibility and the beefy body is an actual threat, even the ability to self-mill is relevant in most decks. The ceiling of surprise blocking with this card for a nice 3-for-1 is very exciting.
The Bad: As much as you're getting for 1 more mana, the important part is the kill on a stick and I'm unsure if it's worth delaying that a turn.
The Verdict: I want to run this one. Black 5-drop creatures don't really have much competition and this can certainly be powerful, I just worry it's a little too high in the curve. It also adds support to Goblin Welder which I like a lot!
Primaris Eliminator
The Good: Another 5-mana Chupacabra variant and you get quite a bit for the extra cost here as well. You get a better body and the modal option of a 1-sided Infest against your opponent.
The Bad: I think this one suffers from being an overcosted kill on a stick a lot more than Necron Deathmark. This is often my problem with modal spells, sure it's nice to have options, but when you're choosing between overcosted middling effects it just isn't worth it over a straight higher power level.
The Verdict: I think you really need to be in for the Infest mode if you want to run this one, I personally will be taking a pass. I know some value modality more than I however so don't be afraid to give this one a shot if you think it'll play!
Royal Warden
The Good: A mini Grave Titan with Unearth perhaps? I'm always saying what makes Grave Titan so good is that it leaves behind 4 power after your opponent is forced to remove it. Sure a 3/2 may not draw removal as urgently, but 7 power over 3 bodies for 5-mana is nothing to scoff at. The incidental Welder support is again always welcome!
The Bad: The problem I seem to have with black 5-drop creatures always seems to be that I feel like you just want to be doing something better with your mana. You're never running mono-black in my cube and the unfortunate truth is that you'd rather just cast the 5-drop in whatever other color you're in. The tokens coming in tapped really hurts as well.
The Verdict: I think I'm passing on this one, I want to test Necron Deathmark and I don't think I need 2 5-drops raising my current curve. I definitely think this could see play though.
Triarch Praetorian
The Good: Black aggro is in a place where it probably plays most Mistral Chargers with upside. A 5-mana Night's Whisper isn't the best card but it's not bad when you inevitably draw it for free, they can't sit back and take 2 in the air forever. There are also some more synergistic shenanigans a la Unearth and the like.
The Bad: I really really wish this worked with cards like Lurrus, I think this card would have been so much better if it triggered when cast from a graveyard as well.
The Verdict: If you're on black aggro, I think this is a decent consideration, pass for me though.
Knight Rampager
The Good: There it is, the old multiplayer wording that's way better when you happen to have 1 opponent. As with all red 5-drops, you must compare this to the golden standard of the 4/4 hasty dragon and honestly I think this does pretty well. Of course there are exile effects, but I imagine this guarantees 4 damage to your opponent about as much as 4 hasty power in the air. This is also just a huge trampler that is going to kill your opponent dead really fast. Another Welder win as well!
The Bad: I feel like red creatures of all mana costs are the most competitive slots in my cube and 5s are no exception. There's no way Fury, Kiki-Jiki, Thundermaw, or Zealous Conscripts are getting cut, so that leaves Glorybringer for my cube? I really don't think most people would want to have 6+ 5-drops either so I'm not sure where that leaves this card.
The Verdict: I think this card is certainly good enough but I personally don't have room for it in my cube.
Biophagus
The Good: I think this is one of the better 2-mana mana dorks. It's 5-color fixing, has pretty good stats, and has the very relevant upside of buffing any creature you cast off of it.
The Bad: So there are 2 categories of 2-drop dorks I really want to run, the ones with hexproof and the ones that are worth the risk of not having hexproof because they double ramp you (or more). This is unfortunately neither and in my cube the +1/+1 counter upside just isn't good enough.
The Verdict: Not for me, but if you're on stuff like Incubation Druid I think this is a great replacement/supplement.
Hormagaunt Horde
The Good: This is always on rate and has the ability to just keep coming back, even drawing you a card when you cast it later in the game.
The Bad: I'm always saying how great Stonecoil Serpent is, however it's important to note that I'm never saying this about Endless One. The Trample and Reach go a long way to make Endless One a playable card and I'm not sure replacing them with a slow recursion effect and a sometimes draw trigger does enough. This card really needed any way to push damage through.
The Verdict: I just don't think this card does enough to really make it in my cube. Pass.
Old One Eye
The Good: Holy moly, now that's a green 6-drop. 11 trampling power over 2 bodies, what's more to say? How about that you get to recur this bad boy! Not only does killing it leave behind a 5/5, but you better hope you find a more permanent solution because Old One Eye is coming right back in a turn or two. The mana cost is quite splashable too!
The Bad: Discarding 2 is a real cost, but I don't think they could have realistically made it cost one, I'm really grasping at straws here.
The Verdict: This is easily the slam dunk of the set, I really think this rivals Carnage Tyrant as the best green 6-drop for cube and no other card really comes close. I want to ramp into this, I want to Sneak Attack it, Flash it, Reanimate it, I just can't wait to play with this card!
Callidus Assassin
The Good: So this caught my eye as a card similar to the cube all-star Fractured Identity in that you destroy a threat while gaining it yourself. This is 6 mana instead of 5, but you get Flash for your troubles and the ability for blink/recurring nightmare shenanigans.
The Bad: 6 mana is a lot and most people already run very powerful UB cards. The fact that this can only hit creatures is a big downside if we continue to compare this to Fractured Identity.
The Verdict: I'm not looking for another UB card and this isn't better than any of my current ones so I'll be passing on it.
Chaos Defiler
The Good: One more for multiplayer wording that's much better in a 1v1. Now this is what I want out of an extra mana tacked onto Ravenous Chupacabra, even when it pushes it into another color. You upgrade from destroying a creature to destroying a nonland permanent, you get a 5/4 trampler that needs to be dealt with, and once your opponent does deal with it you get to destroy another nonland permanent for your troubles! Play this in a Welder or Recurring Nightmare deck and you have a disgusting combo. Oh and get this, you can kill a Carnage Tyrant or even a True-Name Nemesis with this. That's right, Hexproof and Protection stand no chance as this does not target.
The Bad: I really can't complain.
The Verdict: This is the other slam dunk of the set, it's very good. It's good on its own and gets really gross if you add in something like Goblin Welder.
Mawloc
The Good: I use to run Voracious Hydra in my cube to decent results and this card is much better. The extra stats are easily worth losing trample and no one doubled Hydra's counters anyway. Being able to kill your opponent's mana dork on turn 2 with this is huge. You can't really go wrong with a scalable 2-for-1 creature that is always on rate. If this can be a 4-mana 4/4 that destroys a relevant creature, that right there is a really good card.
The Bad: Fight spells tend to be one of the worse removal mechanics. There will be times where you can't kill something you want to and there will be times where you can kill something but your Mawloc will die too.
The Verdict: I think this is good enough to test, I only run 3 RG cards right now and can find a card to cut to run another.
Shadow in the Warp
The Good: Double ramp and a 1-sided Sulfuric Vortex is not bad for a 3-drop, although it won't consistently be that. I ran Cindervines in the past and I think this will deal more damage than that on average.
The Bad: I think there are much better and more consistent things to be doing. The ramp being only for creature spells is very relevant too.
The Verdict: I know a lot of people like this for cube, but I'm honestly not a fan. I feel like people may be too focused on the ceiling of turn 1 dork into turn 2 this into turn 3 6-drop, when in reality this is mostly a do nothing enchantment. Hard pass for me.
Tyranid Prime
The Good: Evolve is a pretty powerful effect to give all your creatures in a go-wide strategy. This card will also instantly grant a +1/+1 counter to every one of your creatures with toughness less than 4 when it enters the battlefield.
The Bad: I'm not sure I currently have a deck that wants this. While it certainly works well with the token makers, my UG decks probably just don't need this end the game.
The Verdict: I'm going to skip this for my cube, but I really hope to see this in another cube as I like the card and I'm curious how it will do.
Canoptek Scarab Swarm
The Good: I have won a lot of games casting Spectral Procession for 4 mana, it's not the best but 3 1/1 fliers can often make a difference. With that in mind I don't think it's too big of an ask to see this nab 2 creatures out of a graveyard and it may often grab more, especially in a deck where you're running wraths.
The Bad: This card has a very low floor and depending on your environment, it may be there more often than not. It also sucks that you can't really recur the ETB effect in any meaningful way.
The Verdict: I'm always looking for maindeckable graveyard hate which is why I brought this one up, I'm thinking it's probably too inconsistent though. I think I'd be more interested in it in a grindier, lower powered environment.
Thunderhawk Gunship
The Good: We've already talked about how getting two 2/2s on ETB is powerful and these 2/2s come with Vigilance! Of course you lose out on one of the 2/2s if you want to attack, but a 6/6 flier is not a threat to be discounted and it gives your other 2/2 (and your other attacking creatures) flying as well. One of the great things about Wurmcoil Engine is that it's a good threat that has no colored mana requirements, and honestly I think this is the next best colorless 6-drop creature.
The Bad: I mean it's expensive but I honestly don't have a lot to complain about.
The Verdict: This card almost slipped under my radar as it's kind of unassuming, but I kind of want to test it. The more I ponder on it the more I like it. (Another Welder win!)
And that's a wrap for the new 40K cards! I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to run Universes Beyond cards, but then spoiler season started and I forgot all about that in the excitement of all the cool new designs. Without really thinking about it I realized these WERE magic cards to me and it turned out to be one of my most anticipated products. I got so many cool cards to try out and I think there are even more that I didn't list for different kinds of environments. I think I'm most excited for all this support for Goblin Welder. Cards that are good enough on their own with good ETBs that just happen to be artifacts is exactly what I want.
Forgive me for delaying my DMU post for pauper cubes, but it's coming up next! Thanks for reading and happy cubing.
