9

I'm an occasional social Magic player (not crazy about the game). I like playing drafts more than constructed to avoid the arms race, but they're not cheap, and one of my friends had a real problem with buying cards for a while, so I was thinking about putting together a Cube so that when we draft every now and again, no one would have to buy anything. It also seems like it would lend itself well to inexpensive cards, since having a consistent power level would allow competitive games even if that level is low.

However, I don't want to spend much time or money doing so (I'd rather just suggest 7 Wonders or something like that). Is there any resource that has Cube lists, maybe specifically for "budget"/Pauper-type selections that provide a fun experience? I did a cursory Internet search, but all the lists I came across seemed peppered with at least a few cards I know are pricey.

Improve this question
3
  • 2
    Thanks for asking a question about Cube, I hadn't known this format until now. Sounds like a lot of fun!
    – Hackworth
    Jan 30, 2012 at 22:20
  • Do you by any chance know where to find lists of non-cheap Cubes? If you do, I'd be quite interested myself in going down the proxy route with them...
    – thesunneversets
    Jan 31, 2012 at 12:20
  • The link in @Hackworth's answer has quite a few lists. I just web searched "magic cube list" and got a bunch of stuff from forums on places like MTGsalvation and Wizards.
    – VolcanoLotus
    Jan 31, 2012 at 16:19

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
6

If you are on a budget, you probably don't want to buy any cards - by definition, for a Cube you need the best cards of all times. The power 9 alone would run you into the thousands of dollars.

You do have 2 inexpensive options:

Cube works with any set of cards, just take the best cards you have. No money involved, only time to decide on the cards. You don't have to use any list, just use whatever you have. Advantage: You learn a lot about your the cards in your collection and you have to make a conscious effort grading their relative power, which can only benefit you as a player.

Second, if you don't mind using proxies, simply take a cube list you like and print proxies of everything you are missing. There are many resources where you can get card scans, or use the Gatherer text for the latest errata. This will take some time to prepare the printing run, and depending on your circumstances, could cost you a few dollars for paper and/or ink. Advantage: You get to play the best cards of all times for crazy powerful decks, should be loads of fun, you (probably) get to know many new cards.

Improve this answer
4
  • +1 because this is a good answer in general. In my case specifically, I only have 120 cards (traded most for board games when my friend was trying to quit), so I'd have to buy regardless if I was going to use official cards. (Perhaps a large lot of cheap commons would do the trick.) As for proxies, I don't mind, but half the people I play with do. They honestly might not even go for a really low powered cube, but I thought it'd be worth a shot.
    – VolcanoLotus
    Jan 31, 2012 at 2:49
  • 7
    Vehemently disagree with the statement that 'by definition, for a Cube you need the best cards of all time'. There are any number of fantastic pauper cubes out there, and many other cubes that don't need a suite of moxen, duals, etc. A cube can be expensive, but even an excellent cube doesn't have to be.
    – Steven Stadnicki
    Mar 18, 2012 at 2:16
  • 2
    @StevenStadnicki That's the original definition for the Cube though. Even your usage of "pauper cube" implies this: a "pauper Cube" is a "Cube" (expensive) for "paupers" (not expensive).
    – Hackworth
    Mar 19, 2012 at 10:39
  • @Hackworth Pauper is a constructed format, specifically an eternal format of "anything that's had a printing at common rarity". A pauper cube is thus a cube consisting only of commons.
    – Caleth
    May 9, 2022 at 16:14

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .