Embrace the Cube.
We all know that Commander is the format of choice for most people, but have you considered the good word of Cube? There are so many different ways to play Magic: The Gathering, and, funnily enough, most of those are pretty darn fun, but Cube sits atop all of them for a lot of people for a lot of reasons. Today, dear readers, we’re going to go ahead and convert you.
What is Cube in Magic: The Gathering?
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Cube is basically a collection of cards you put together that you can then bring people together to draft. It can be whatever you want, which is why it’s so much fun, and that means the themes are infinite. There are Peasant Cubes, Mono-Red Cubes, Plane-Specific Cubes, All-Legendary Cubes, and more.
Once your Cube is put together, you get some friends together and you play it. This basically lets you draft it, and it comes at no further cost once it’s built. Sure, you can keep adding to it if you want to, but it’s fair to say that Cube is a lot closer to being a board game than any other version of Magic there is. That makes it easier to get into for some people, but it also means you get a more consistent experience, and it’s something you can get out for an hour or so as and when you need. If you’re a regular Commander group that wants to try different things, you can also Cube with the new Pick-Two Draft format introduced by Wizards of the Coast, making the experience more streamlined than ever before.
Why is Cube So Good?
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Cube is an amazing way to celebrate the things you love about Magic: The Gathering. Putting one together often feels quite similar to putting together a Commander deck — instead of worrying about competing with others, you’re only making it so that it can be a fun play experience. You could also just make a Commander Cube if you wanted to, with all of the leftover commander cards you’d love to build but don’t have time or money for. It’s a great way to use up all of those random cards we all end up with and rarely use.
Unlike most draft formats, this one is unique to you and can be tailored to what you love. Maybe that means you’re putting together a Mono-White Cube just to finally get your friends to actually be aggressive on the battlefield for once. Cube allows you to fine-tune whatever the experience you’re looking for is, and it doesn’t require anyone else to bring anything to get involved, making it a way easier to play Magic for a lot of people, especially if you just find yourself with mates over and a desperate need to play some games. Cube mixes and matches so many aspects of Magic’s best formats into one that stands above them all, but in a friendly non-condescending way.
It’s a lot more affordable as well, because you can just throw whatever you want in and still end up with an incredible experience. Plus, with how many cards there are these days, it’s a great way to actually use a lot of the cards that most Magic players would simply donate to their local games store, put in a box never to be seen again, or turn into a suit or something. You’ve not lived until you’ve tried out Cubes like this amazing Peasant Cube (which you can read about here), the Bar Cube (which doesn’t use tokens, dice, sleeves, or any other game pieces than the cards themselves), or the mighty Vintage MenguCube (which you can see in action later if you keep on reading).
If you don’t have space at home then guess what, you don’t need it. You can even play Cube digitally thanks to Magic Online (MTGO), with the platform adding in new Cubes to mess about with. This allows you to gain a little bit of inspiration for your own Cube, with hopefully the push you need to hop in and start jamming yourself.
Come and Watch Team TCGplayer Play Cube!
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If this all sounds enticing to you but you’re looking to get a little taste of what the deal is, then we’ve got great news for you! Team TCGplayer will be streaming the excellent Vintage MenguCube that’s going to be on MTGO (a warm thanks to Daybreak Games for the opportunity), which is an excellent way to see not only what all the hype is about, but also watch some of your favorite Magic players trying to salt each other in a friendly way.
The stream event will begin on November 20th at 12 pm EST, and you’ll be able to watch the antics unfold on YouTube and Twitch with Reid Duke, Luis Scott-Vargas, Martin Jůza, Gabriel Nassif, and Arne Huschenbeth. Be sure to follow the #CubeForTheHolidays hashtag on X (formerly Twitter) to keep up with all of the Cube action!