Card Evaluation and the Playtesting Paradox

As a follow up to last week’s Kaldheim Set Review episode, Andy and Anthony are going back to first principles and asking, what is card evaluation? How do we look at a piece of paper with a bunch of text on it and make predictions about what that piece of paper will do to other pieces of paper, and ultimately our win percentage, in the future? Is card evaluation important for Cube design? Why or why not? Why did they reference Limited Resources so much in this episode? How many Relentless Rats is too many Relentless Rats?

Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week is from Mikko’s Mirrodin Extended Cube. That has a nice ring to it. Thanks, Mikko!

Timestamps:

• Intro/Pasta Parley 0:00
• Listener Submitted p1p1 7:12
• Relentless Rats Talk 14:53
• What is Card Evaluation? 17:43
• The Playtesting Paradox 36:45
• Local Maximums (again!?) 55:20
• Outro Part 1 1:12:30
• Outro For Real 1:15:48

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

• Andy’s “Bun Magic” Cube
• Anthony’s “Regular” Cube
• Jett’s Cube

If you have a question for the show, or want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube, email us at [email protected]. Please include how you’d like to be credited on air, your pronouns, and if you’re submitting a cube for the pack 1, pick 1, a link to said cube.

Musical production by DJ James Nasty.