12 responses to “Commander Cube First Pick #2”

1. [card]Vedalken Orrery[/card] because it’s amazing in every deck thats less than 50% instants.

2. This pack strikes me as one that just about everybody is going to have a different take on. There’s some really powerful cards here, but most of them are more role players in certain archetypes rather than linchpins of a particular strategy. [card]Vedalken Orrery[/card] is a solid value card, letting you play around countermagic and wraths, but I think I would go with either the Colossus or the Oracle of Mul Daya, given my affinity for green and big mana decks. If I had Kaalia as a general I might go for the Balefire Dragon, though, and if Scion of the Ur-Dragon was an option I might take the Patriarch’s Bidding straight off.

3. I would be extremely tempted to take Capsize because its so damn useful in so many situations- but I would probably take the Colossus to have a sure thing finisher.

4. At first blush I actually went for the Reflecting Pool, but I know that Sam’s cube has plenty of good lands. Blightsteel seems like the best choice both as prevention (nobody else gets it) and aggression. Second would be the Orrery… it’s nice to have good colorless cards up front to not commit to any one color, unless like Coda you’re pretty sure there’s gonna be some green in your deck.

5. It’s between Orrery and Oracle. I think I would take Oracle. Maybe there is only a 70% chance of playing it, versus 99% for the Orrery, but I think it’s a stronger card.

6. Oracle of Mul-Daya. Splashable, useful early on, helps you tear through the deck to find the important cards later, doesn’t commit me to a draft strategy and keeps it out of the hands of the grubby bastard who’s going to try to force a ramp strategy.

   • The grubby bastard being moi.

7. Though I’m not sure about the tribal support, I’d probably pick Patriarch’s Bidding and run with it. Depending on the day, though, I might just take the Oracle or the Balefire Dragon.

8. It’s a toss-up between Balefire Dragon, Vesuvan Shapeshifter and Oracle of Mul Daya for me. The Shapeshifter is one of my favorite cards, but the Oracle is better utility. Balefire Dragon makes me just plain happy.

   If I’d picked a general like Animar, I think I probably would’ve picked either the Colossus or Balefire Dragon. If I’d picked Scion, Patriarch’s Bidding alllll the way.

9. […] General To Rule Them All, has another Commander Cube First Pick. WHAT WILL YOU TAKE (wrong pick means you get the scorpion […]

10. not knowing anything else about the cube it’s a toss up between oracle and vengance. knowing the cube has crusible of worlds in it leans be further towards oracle.

11. Really tough pick.

    The Vesuvan Shapeshifter is a favorite of mine, and one of the strongest “clones”. If I were already in blue, I’d definitely pick it.

    Vedalken Orrery is one of my all-time favorite cards. Almost all of my constructed EDH decks run a copy, it would be very hard to pass.

    Capsize is insane with a big pile of lands. One of the blue mage’s most powerful late game spells.

    Oracle of Mul Daya is pretty much always good. Occasionally fantastic, but I think it’s going to be relatively hard to take game-changing advantage of in most games. Sure, it can be sick under the right circumstances. But sculpting a deck to CONSISTENTLY find those circumstances in a draft is going to be challenging.

    Blightsteel Colossus only costs 12 and is a terrific EDH finisher. It’s really too bad I can’t animate him. But that still leaves Tinker / Reshape, or Treasure Mage and mana ramp.

    It’s too bad, because I love the Orrery. And I’d like to have Oracle in the same deck with the Colossus. But I think I’m taking Blightsteel Colossus Pack 1 Pick 1.

    I’ll look for artifact tutors, mana ramp, and particularly cards that fit both categories (Mana Vault, Grim Monolith, Gilded Lotus, etc.)