Unleash the Draft: A Comprehensive Guide to Building and Playing Your Own Magic: The Gathering Cube

Magic: The Gathering is a game renowned for its boundless replayability, strategic depth, and the thrill of discovering new synergies. While constructed formats like Standard and Modern offer structured environments, and Commander provides social, multiplayer chaos, there exists a format that blends customization, surprise, and strategic drafting: Cube. A Cube is a curated collection of Magic cards designed to be drafted, offering a unique and highly customizable play experience. This guide will walk you through every step, from conceptualizing your Cube to hosting a successful draft night.

## What is a Magic: The Gathering Cube?

At its core, a Cube is a personalized draft set. Instead of cracking booster packs from a pre-defined set, players draft from a pool of cards selected and assembled by the Cube’s creator. This allows you to control the power level, archetypes, and overall play experience. You can create a Cube focused on aggressive strategies, control decks, combo engines, or any combination thereof. The possibilities are only limited by your card collection and imagination.

## Why Build a Cube?

There are several compelling reasons to dive into the world of Cube:

* **Customization:** You have complete control over the card pool, allowing you to craft a unique and balanced play environment tailored to your preferences.
* **Replayability:** Drafting from a Cube offers immense replayability. Each draft is different, leading to diverse deck archetypes and strategic challenges.
* **Cost-Effectiveness (Long Term):** While initially requiring a significant investment, a Cube can provide countless hours of entertainment for you and your friends without the need to constantly purchase new cards.
* **Showcase Your Collection:** A Cube is a fantastic way to breathe new life into older cards and highlight hidden gems in your collection that might not see play in other formats.
* **Skill Development:** Cube drafting hones your drafting skills, deckbuilding abilities, and in-game strategic thinking.
* **Social Experience:** Cube drafting is a highly social activity, providing a fun and engaging experience for groups of friends.

## Step 1: Defining Your Cube’s Identity

Before you even begin sifting through your card collection, you need to define your Cube’s identity. This involves answering key questions that will guide your card selection and ensure a cohesive play experience.

* **What is the desired power level?** Do you want a Cube that mimics a retail draft environment with a mix of commons, uncommons, and rares? Or do you prefer a high-powered Cube with powerful planeswalkers, efficient removal, and game-ending threats? A high-powered cube will rely on powerful and often older cards. A lower power cube can be more creative with commons and uncommons from various sets.
* **What archetypes do you want to support?** Archetypes are specific deck strategies that you want to enable within your Cube. Examples include:
* **Aggro:** Fast, aggressive decks that aim to win quickly with efficient creatures and burn spells.
* **Control:** Decks that focus on controlling the board with removal spells and countermagic, eventually winning with powerful finishers.
* **Midrange:** Balanced decks that can adapt to different situations, playing both aggressively and defensively.
* **Combo:** Decks that rely on specific card combinations to generate overwhelming advantage or achieve an instant win.
* **Reanimator:** Decks that focus on putting powerful creatures into the graveyard and then reanimating them.
* **Lands Matter:** Decks that care about the number or types of lands you control, often featuring cards that generate value from land synergies.
* **Spells Matter:** Decks that reward you for casting a lot of instants and sorceries.
* **What color pairs (or shards/wedges) will focus on specific archetypes?** Assigning archetypes to color pairs helps guide players during the draft and ensures a balanced distribution of strategies. For example:
* **White/Blue (WU):** Control or Flying Tempo.
* **Blue/Black (UB):** Control or Reanimator.
* **Black/Red (BR):** Aggro or Sacrifice.
* **Red/Green (RG):** Aggro or Lands Matter.
* **Green/White (GW):** Midrange or Tokens.
* **White/Black (WB):** Aristocrats (sacrifice and reanimation).
* **Blue/Red (UR):** Spells Matter or Tempo.
* **Black/Green (BG):** Graveyard strategies or Value.
* **Red/White (RW):** Aggro or Go-Wide.
* **Green/Blue (GU):** Ramp or Value.
* **What sets or blocks do you want to draw inspiration from?** Do you want a Cube that captures the flavor of a particular set, such as Ravnica or Innistrad? Or do you prefer a Cube that draws from the best cards across Magic’s entire history?
* **Who is your target audience?** Are you building a Cube for experienced players who appreciate complex strategies, or for newer players who need a more straightforward and forgiving environment?

Answering these questions will provide a clear vision for your Cube and make the card selection process much easier.

## Step 2: Determining Cube Size and Composition

The size of your Cube will determine the number of players you can accommodate and the overall variety of the draft experience. The standard Cube size for an 8-player draft is **360 cards**. This ensures that each player receives 45 cards during the draft, mimicking the experience of drafting from three 15-card booster packs.

Here’s a breakdown of the typical Cube composition:

* **360 Card Cube:** Ideal for 8 players, offers a good balance of variety and consistency.
* **450 Card Cube:** Can accommodate 10 players or provide even more variety for 8-player drafts. This will require more cards and will require more planning to ensure the cube is balanced.
* **540 Card Cube:** Designed for 12 players, providing a larger card pool and even more diverse draft experiences.

**Card Ratios:**

While the exact ratios will vary depending on your Cube’s identity, here’s a general guideline:

* **Creatures:** 40-50% (This is the most variable category, depending on how creature-centric you want the cube to be)
* **Spells (Instants, Sorceries, Artifacts, Enchantments):** 30-40%
* **Lands:** 10-20% (Including mana fixing and utility lands)

**Color Balance:**

Strive for a balanced representation of all five colors. A common approach is to include an equal number of cards for each color, but you can adjust this based on the archetypes you want to support. A good starting point is:

* **Approximately 50-60 cards per color:** This ensures that each color has a sufficient card pool to support its intended archetypes.
* **Gold Cards (Multicolor):** Roughly 30-50 cards. Gold cards play a crucial role in defining color pair archetypes. Include cards that reward players for drafting specific color combinations.
* **Colorless Cards (Artifacts & Lands):** Approximately 40-50 cards. Colorless cards provide support for all decks and can include mana fixing, utility artifacts, and powerful threats.

## Step 3: Card Selection: The Heart of the Cube

This is where the real fun begins! With your Cube’s identity and size defined, you can start selecting the cards that will populate your Cube.

**General Principles:**

* **Power Level:** Choose cards that align with your desired power level. Avoid including cards that are significantly stronger or weaker than the rest of the Cube, as this can lead to unbalanced drafts and unfun gameplay.
* **Synergy:** Prioritize cards that synergize well with other cards in the Cube. This encourages players to explore different archetypes and create powerful combinations.
* **Role Players:** Include cards that fill essential roles in different decks, such as removal spells, card draw, and mana ramp.
* **Mana Fixing:** Ensure that players have access to sufficient mana fixing to support multicolor decks. This can include dual lands, mana rocks, and creatures that produce multiple colors of mana.
* **Removal:** Include a variety of removal spells to keep creature-based strategies in check. Consider both efficient removal spells (e.g., Lightning Bolt, Swords to Plowshares) and more situational removal spells (e.g., Pacifism, Murder).
* **Flexibility:** Cards that can be used in multiple archetypes are highly valuable in Cube. These cards increase the overall flexibility of the draft and allow players to adapt to different situations.

**Specific Card Recommendations (Examples):**

These are just a few examples to get you started. The specific cards you choose will depend on your Cube’s identity.

* **White:** Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, Wrath of God, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Restoration Angel, Elspeth, Sun’s Champion.
* **Blue:** Counterspell, Brainstorm, Ponder, Preordain, Fact or Fiction, Snapcaster Mage, Jace, the Mind Sculptor, Teferi, Hero of Dominaria.
* **Black:** Lightning Bolt, Thoughtseize, Inquisition of Kozilek, Fatal Push, Hero’s Downfall, Murderous Rider, Liliana of the Veil, Grave Titan.
* **Red:** Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, Incinerate, Fireblast, Goblin Guide, Monastery Swiftspear, Chandra, Torch of Defiance, Glorybringer.
* **Green:** Rampant Growth, Explore, Cultivate, Kodama’s Reach, Llanowar Elves, Birds of Paradise, Eternal Witness, Primeval Titan.
* **Gold (Multicolor):** Lightning Helix (RW), Terminate (BR), Abrupt Decay (BG), Supreme Verdict (WU), Sultai Ascendancy (UBG).
* **Colorless:** Sol Ring, Mana Vault, Coalition Relic, Wurmcoil Engine, Solemn Simulacrum, Karn Liberated.
* **Lands:** Dual Lands (e.g., Shock Lands, Fetch Lands, Check Lands), Utility Lands (e.g., Mutavault, Wasteland, Maze of Ith).

**Tips for Card Selection:**

* **Start with the Staples:** Begin by including the most powerful and versatile cards in each color. These cards will form the foundation of your Cube.
* **Fill in the Gaps:** Once you have the staples in place, identify any gaps in your Cube’s archetypes or card roles and fill them with appropriate cards.
* **Consider Budget:** Building a Cube can be expensive, especially if you include rare and sought-after cards. Don’t be afraid to start with a budget-friendly Cube and gradually upgrade it over time.
* **Test and Iterate:** The most important part of building a Cube is testing it and making adjustments based on your playtesting experiences. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different cards and archetypes to find what works best for your group.
* **Use Online Resources:** There are numerous online resources available to help you with card selection, including Cube Cobra, MTG Cube Tutor, and various forums and communities dedicated to Cube drafting.

## Step 4: Mana Fixing: Enabling Multicolor Mayhem

Mana fixing is crucial for enabling players to draft and play multicolor decks. Without adequate mana fixing, players will be forced to stick to monocolored or two-colored decks, which can limit the diversity of the draft experience.

**Types of Mana Fixing:**

* **Dual Lands:** These lands produce two different colors of mana. Examples include Shock Lands (e.g., Watery Grave), Fetch Lands (e.g., Polluted Delta), Check Lands (e.g., Isolated Chapel), and Pain Lands (e.g., Underground Sea). The more dual lands in your cube, the easier it will be to enable 3-5 color decks, but the less important a dedicated color will become.
* **Mana Rocks:** These artifacts produce colored mana. Examples include Signets (e.g., Azorius Signet), Talismans (e.g., Talisman of Dominance), and Cluestones (e.g., Izzet Cluestone).
* **Creatures that Produce Mana:** These creatures can tap for colored mana. Examples include Birds of Paradise, Llanowar Elves, and Noble Hierarch.
* **Spells that Search for Lands:** These spells allow you to search your library for lands and put them into play. Examples include Rampant Growth, Cultivate, and Kodama’s Reach.
* **Lands that Produce Multiple Colors:** These lands produce mana of any color. Examples include City of Brass, Mana Confluence, and Command Tower.

**How Much Mana Fixing is Enough?**

The amount of mana fixing you need will depend on the power level of your Cube and the number of multicolor decks you want to support. As a general guideline, aim for:

* **At least one dual land per color pair:** This ensures that each color pair has access to at least one reliable source of mana fixing. More is often better.
* **A handful of mana rocks and creatures that produce mana:** These cards provide additional mana fixing options and can also be used to accelerate your mana development.
* **A few spells that search for lands:** These spells can help players find the lands they need to cast their spells and can also provide card advantage.

## Step 5: Balancing Archetypes: Creating a Diverse Play Environment

A well-balanced Cube supports a variety of different archetypes, allowing players to explore different strategies and create diverse decks. To balance archetypes, you need to ensure that each archetype has access to the cards it needs to succeed and that no single archetype is significantly stronger than the others.

**Tips for Balancing Archetypes:**

* **Identify the Core Cards:** Determine the core cards that are essential for each archetype. These cards should be readily available in the Cube.
* **Provide Redundancy:** Include multiple cards that can fill the same role within an archetype. This ensures that players can still draft the archetype even if they don’t get access to the best cards.
* **Watch for Overlap:** Be aware of cards that can be used in multiple archetypes. These cards can make it more difficult to balance the archetypes, as they may be overrepresented in certain decks.
* **Test and Iterate:** The best way to balance archetypes is to test the Cube and make adjustments based on your playtesting experiences. Pay attention to which archetypes are consistently winning and which archetypes are struggling. Adjust the card pool accordingly.

**Example: Balancing Aggro and Control**

To balance aggro and control, you need to ensure that both archetypes have access to the tools they need to succeed.

* **Aggro:** Provide efficient creatures, burn spells, and pump spells. Limit the number of powerful board wipes that control decks can use.
* **Control:** Provide efficient removal spells, countermagic, and card draw. Limit the number of uncounterable threats that aggro decks can use.

## Step 6: Assembling and Storing Your Cube

Once you’ve selected all the cards for your Cube, it’s time to assemble and store it. This involves physically organizing the cards and finding a suitable storage solution.

**Assembling Your Cube:**

* **Sleeve Your Cards:** Sleeving your cards is essential for protecting them from damage. Use high-quality sleeves that are designed for Magic: The Gathering cards.
* **Sort Your Cards:** Sort your cards by color and then by converted mana cost. This will make it easier to find specific cards during the draft.

**Storing Your Cube:**

* **Cube Box:** A dedicated Cube box is the best way to store your Cube. These boxes are designed to hold sleeved cards and often include dividers to help you organize your Cube.
* **Cardboard Box:** A cardboard box can also be used to store your Cube, but it’s important to choose a box that is sturdy and the correct size.

## Step 7: Drafting Your Cube: The Ritual

Now for the moment you’ve been waiting for: drafting your Cube! This is where your hard work pays off, and you get to experience the unique and exciting gameplay that your Cube has to offer.

**Drafting Rules:**

* **Number of Players:** The standard number of players for a Cube draft is eight.
* **Booster Packs:** Each player receives three “booster packs” of 15 cards each. (A 450 card cube can support 10 players without issue.)
* **Drafting Process:** Players take turns selecting one card from each booster pack and passing the remaining cards to the next player. This process continues until all the cards have been drafted.
* **Deckbuilding:** After the draft, players build a 40-card deck (including lands) from the cards they drafted. Players can add as many basic lands as they want.
* **Gameplay:** Players play matches against each other using their drafted decks. The format is typically best-of-three games.

**Drafting Tips:**

* **Read the Signals:** Pay attention to the cards that other players are drafting. This can help you identify open archetypes and avoid drafting cards that are likely to be taken by other players.
* **Stay Flexible:** Don’t be afraid to change your strategy mid-draft if you see an opportunity to draft a different archetype.
* **Prioritize Mana Fixing:** Mana fixing is crucial for playing multicolor decks. Don’t be afraid to spend an early pick on a good dual land or mana rock.
* **Draft Removal:** Removal spells are essential for controlling the board and dealing with your opponents’ threats. Draft a good mix of efficient and versatile removal spells.
* **Build a Balanced Deck:** Aim for a deck that has a good mix of creatures, spells, and lands. Ensure that you have enough mana to cast your spells and enough threats to win the game.

**Common Draft Formats:**

* **Regular Draft:** The most common format. Each player drafts three packs of 15 cards.
* **Rochester Draft:** All the cards of a pack are visible to all drafters. The order of picks goes around the table and is predetermined. This format takes much longer than a regular draft but offers a lot of information to the drafters.
* **Winchester Draft:** A two-player draft format using a single pile of cards.

## Step 8: Playtesting and Iteration: Refining Your Creation

The work doesn’t end once you’ve drafted your Cube! Playtesting and iteration are essential for refining your Cube and ensuring that it provides a fun and balanced play experience.

**Playtesting:**

* **Draft Your Cube Regularly:** The more you draft your Cube, the more you’ll learn about its strengths and weaknesses.
* **Gather Feedback:** Ask your friends for feedback on their drafting and gameplay experiences. What did they like? What did they dislike? What could be improved?
* **Record Data:** Keep track of which archetypes are consistently winning and which archetypes are struggling. This will help you identify areas that need to be rebalanced.

**Iteration:**

* **Make Adjustments:** Based on your playtesting and feedback, make adjustments to the card pool. This may involve adding new cards, removing underperforming cards, or tweaking the balance of archetypes.
* **Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment:** Don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment with different cards and archetypes. The goal is to create a Cube that is fun and engaging for you and your friends.
* **Stay Up-to-Date:** Magic: The Gathering is a constantly evolving game. As new sets are released, consider adding new cards to your Cube to keep it fresh and exciting.

## Advanced Cube Design Concepts

Once you’ve mastered the basics of Cube design, you can explore some more advanced concepts to further customize and refine your Cube.

* **Archetype Signposts:** Cards that clearly indicate a specific archetype. These cards help guide players during the draft and make it easier to identify open archetypes. For example, a card that says “Whenever you sacrifice a creature, draw a card” indicates an aristocrats style archetype.
* **Build-Around-Me Cards:** Unique and powerful cards that encourage players to build their entire deck around them. These cards can create exciting and memorable draft experiences.
* **Gold Card Balance:** Make sure the gold cards you include are powerful and fit the color pairing they are aligned with. Try to avoid gold cards that are parasitic to the cube and do not fit in any other archetype.
* **Hybrid Mana:** Hybrid mana symbols allow cards to be cast using either of two different colors of mana. These cards can be more flexible and can fit into multiple archetypes.
* **Themed Cubes:** Cubes can be built around specific themes, such as tribal themes, graveyard themes, or equipment themes.

## Example Cube Lists

* **The Mana Cube:** A cube built around big mana strategies that focus on getting lands into play.
* **The Peasant Cube:** A cube built using only commons and uncommons.
* **The Pauper Cube:** A cube built using only commons.
* **The Powered Cube:** A cube that contains all the power nine, and other expensive and powerful cards.

## Conclusion

Building and drafting your own Magic: The Gathering Cube is a rewarding and enjoyable experience. It allows you to create a customized play environment that is tailored to your preferences and provides countless hours of entertainment for you and your friends. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can create a Cube that is both fun and balanced, and that will provide a unique and memorable drafting experience for everyone who plays it. So gather your cards, unleash your creativity, and start building your own Cube today! The world of Cube awaits!