Cube philosophy
Welcome to the cube!
This is a 360-card, two-colour guild-focused cube built primarily around the original Ravnica block, with supporting cards drawn from a handful of other sets where they reinforce guild identities, archetypes, or gameplay needs.
The cube is intended to feel like a return to the original city-plane of Ravnica, where each guild has a distinct mechanical identity and players are rewarded for finding powerful synergies rather than simply drafting the most individually powerful cards.
Welcome to the city of guilds. Choose your allegiances wisely.
Design goals
The goals of this cube are:
1. Guild Identity First
Each of the ten guilds has been given a clear mechanical identity inspired by the original Ravnica block.
Drafting a guild should feel different from drafting any other guild.
While there is overlap between archetypes, most colour pairs have their own game plan, key cards, and priorities.
2. Synergy Over Raw Power
The strongest deck is rarely the one containing the most individually powerful cards.
Instead, successful decks usually:
- Identify a guild's plan
- Prioritise synergy pieces
- Draft good mana
- Build around interactions rather than rate
A seemingly mediocre card can become a key piece when surrounded by the right support cards.
3. Combat Matters
Creature combat is an important part of the environment.
Removal exists, but it is intentionally less efficient than modern Magic design. This creates room for:
- Board development
- Combat tricks
- Evasion
- Incremental advantages
Many games will be decided through positioning and combat decisions rather than a single overwhelming card.
4. Draft Flexibility
Although the cube is organised around guilds, players are not locked into a strict two-colour strategy.
The cube contains:
- Guildgates
- Utility lands
- Tri-lands
- Mana fixing creatures
- Signets (via the cube's special rule)
Splashing a third colour is entirely reasonable if the draft presents the opportunity.
Guild Archetypes
Azorius (White/Blue)
Flyers & Tempo Control
Azorius aims to slow the game down, control combat, and win through evasive creatures.
Dimir (Blue/Black)
Control & Mill
Dimir focuses on card advantage, disruption, and alternate win conditions such as unblockable creatures and milling.
Rakdos (Black/Red)
Aggression & Sacrifice
Rakdos is the most aggressively slanted guild. Aggressive creatures and direct damage.
Gruul (Red/Green)
Big Creatures & Pressure
Gruul seeks to apply pressure early and finish games with oversized creature threats.
Selesnya (Green/White)
Tokens & Go-Wide
Selesnya builds wide boards and leverages creature synergies like token generation and convoke.
Orzhov (White/Black)
Attrition & Value
Orzhov excels at slowly grinding opponents out of resources using life drain, removal and resilient creatures.
Izzet (Blue/Red)
Spells Matter
Izzet rewards players for chaining spells and generating value from non-creature cards.
Golgari (Black/Green)
Graveyard Value
The graveyard is an extension of your hand with mechanics like Dredge and Sacrifice and a goal of long-game value.
Boros (Red/White)
Aggro & Combat Tricks
Boros is the most combat-focused guild. Fast attackers, Combat manipulation, Burn and Battalion-style pressure.
Simic (Green/Blue)
+1/+1 Counters & Growth
Simic creatures improve over time and reward board development with mechanics like Graft.
Power level
This is not a high-powered cube. The environment is deliberately closer to a "premium limited format" than a traditional cube full of fast mana, planeswalkers, and game-ending bombs. Games are expected to develop through combat, incremental value, and guild synergy.
Cube Rule: Free Signets
After drafting and before deck construction, each player may add one guild Signet to their deck for free.
The Signets are not part of the cards going around in the draft packs. They are picked at the end from a separate pile, much like how you would add lands to your deck.
Available options (max 1 per player):
- Azorius Signet
- Boros Signet
- Dimir Signet
- Golgari Signet
- Gruul Signet
- Izzet Signet
- Orzhov Signet
- Rakdos Signet
- Selesnya Signet
- Simic Signet
Why This Rule Exists
The cube is heavily focused on two-colour guild strategies.
The free Signet serves several purposes:
- Reduces non-games caused by mana screw
- Encourages players to commit to guild archetypes
- Makes splashing viable without excessive risk
- Allows drafters to spend picks on exciting cards rather than mandatory fixing
Think of it as part of the cube's infrastructure rather than a card advantage mechanic.
Every player receives the same benefit.