Recross the Paths

"Creature spells? Where we're going, we don't need Creature spells!" - Ollie, probably

On this episode, Ollie guides us through The Creatureless Cube and - spoiler alert - there may be some creatures along the way. We discuss building with packages, cube as shared game design, serving your players, and more.

The Creatureless Cube on CubeCobra

Ollie on CubeCobra

Ollie on BlueSky

Ollie is @beeksy on Discord

Boston Cube Party official website

Boston Cube Party on BlueSky

Email the show at [email protected]

Join us in the Junderdome! In this episode, Tyler - the tyrant of The Jund Cube - guides us through this accessibly harsh tri-color environment. We discuss curating for an ethos, pitfalls and opportunities of color-restricted environments, ease-of-brain, and more.

The Jund Cube on CubeCobra

Tyler on CubeCobra

Tyler on BlueSky

Tyler is tylerpug on Discord

Email the show at [email protected]

Me: Can we draft Ikoria?

Mike: We have Ikoria at Home.

This week, Mike guides us through the 'big three' pillars of the Ikoria at Home cube - the iconic cycling archetype, kindred humans, and mutating monsters - and many of the design decisions that impact its ongoing curation. We discuss finding and building cohesion, balancing humility and intentionality, and more.

Mike (BigTears) on CubeCobra

Ikoria at Home on CubeCobra

Email the show at [email protected]

This week, Haiyue unpacks the art of casting for coverage and casting ultimatums! We discuss following an emotional cadence, building for greed, holding onto the reins of your own projects, and more.

Oops! All Pips on CubeCobra

Haiyue on Bluesky

Haiyue on Twitter

Email the show at [email protected]

"The modernity of yesterday is the tradition of today, and the modernity of today will be tradition tomorrow." - Jose Andres

In this thoroughly Modern conversation, Jabs takes us through The Modern Darlings Cube, a nostalgic museum of pre-Magic Origins constructed Modern with some thoughtful twists. We discuss digging deep to support archetypes, testing special seeded packs, not being afraid to seek out feedback, and more.

Jabs on CubeCobra

The Modern Darlings Cube on CubeCobra

Email the show at [email protected]

This week, Anthony of Lucky Paper talks through several of the cube design tools he's helped craft as well as the joy of curating cubes and play groups. We explore building thoughtful processes, chains of eroding frustrations, and doing the best you currently can.

All of the tools referenced are hosted on luckypaper.co

Anthony on CubeCobra

Anthony on Blusky

Anthony's Shuffling Article is complete!

Email the show at [email protected]

Blink and you'll miss it! This week, Ian shows off the value and fun of the Bant Cube. We also talk about his ongoing interview project, Cuberviews. We explore building from cards you own, designing in ways you enjoy, learning from varied perspectives, and more.

Find Cuberviews anywhere fine podcasts are hosted!

Ian on CubeCobra

The Bant Cube on CubeCobra

Ian is ianbraverman on Discord and Reddit

Email the show at [email protected]

When in Loam... This week, Gwen guides us through the intricacies of Loam Cube and talks about his role as the founder and admin of CubeCobra. We unpack considering archetypes in a color-imbalanced environment, convincing players to try new cubes, the joys and challenges of passion projects, and more.

Gwen is dekkaru on Discord

Loam Cube on CubeCobra

CubeCobra on Bluesky

Opportunities to support Gwen's work on CubeCobra including the CubeCobra Patreon

Email the show at [email protected]

This conversation is a landing place for curious designers and players about the particulars of building and interpreting land-restricted draft environments - Desert Cubes! Bones brings his tremendous expertise on the format to help highlight numbers, design ideas, and high-level ideas to help guide you toward your own positive Desert experience.

The Desert Cube (Corince) by Loxodon_Meyerarch

Amonkar Desert by Bones

Devoid Cube by Isticle

Dragons of Winter's Night by ChillMTG

The Monopoly by UberBear

Midwinter by Deinonychus

Giver Cube by The Oinkinator

Loam Cube by dekkerglen

Desert Rose by strogie

Post-Apocalyptic Cube by dinrovahorror

The Labyrinth by Bones

The Fire Swamp by aibretty

Pulp Nouveau by Parker (landofmordor)

Pulp Nouveau - A Tribute to Drafting Basic Lands by Parker LaMascus

Want more primers along with ongoing interviews? Let me know by emailing the show at [email protected]

This week, Arlo, the famous (or infamous) gaytransmulldrifter, guides us through a wild ride of projects and philosophy. We discuss how boring Jace, the Mind Sculptor is, building things your friends enjoy, whether you can actually be good at cube design, and more.

⁠Arlo's Podcast⁠ on Soundcloud

Arlo on CubeCobra

Pushstart on CubeCobra

The $5 Fair 'Nuff Cube on CubeCobra

Email the show at [email protected]

This week, Rojja shows off the bespoke and eclectic Rusty Box o' Goblins (also called the Cash Box). We discuss moonshine-flavored cards, jam sessions, the dangerous idea that other people were right all along, and more.

Rusty Box o' Goblins on CubeCobra

Photos of the Box!

Email the show at [email protected]

I took things slow for the holidays this week, so enjoy a totally self-indulgent custom design retrospective with my friends Bones and Kyle. Bones and I have worked on several custom projects over the years and we burn some windshield time reminiscing on the good, the bad, and everything in between. Regular interviews will resume next week!

Email the show at [email protected]

Color pie? Where we're going, we don't need the color pie! Dan guides us through the Devoid Cube and the Colorshifted Cube, two projects that challenge notions of color in cube construction. We discuss color balance (or lack thereof), using cube size as a tool, embracing dangerously refreshing confusion, and more.

Dan on CubeCobra

Devoid Cube on CubeCobra

Colorshifted Cube on CubeCobra

Dan on Bluesky

Cube 'Starter Pack' on Bluesky

Dan is isticle on Discord

Email the show at [email protected]

As iron sharpens iron, so one drafter sharpens another! Matt coordinates weekly drafts for designers and players in preparation for CubeCon. We discuss the process of hosting a digital draft for play on Magic Online, evaluating novel environments, the value of consistent scheduling, and more. Matt is mattbelcher on Discord

Join the CubeCon Discord at the following link and be sure to request the Digital Drafter role: https://discord.gg/pMgPQHCMQj

Email the show at [email protected]

This week, Joe guides us through the Alternate Timeline, a curated world without the peculiarities of modern Magic. We discuss intentional exclusions, Lunchables, balancing feedback with goals, and more.

Joe on CubeCobra (Check out more 5 Alive projects here)

Alternate Timeline on CubeCobra

Joe is JoeDonkey on Discord

Email the show at [email protected]

Dive into the gold mine of Daniel's Reading Rainbow cube this week, an all-multicolor experience! We discuss building projects you care about, balancing an opportunity-rich environment, making your cube fun, and more.

Daniel on CubeCobra

Reading Rainbow on CubeCobra

Email the show at [email protected]

All aboard! Join TrainmasterGT as he leads us through the Highball 4K. We discuss capturing a nostalgic feeling, using (and not using) format barometers, trains, and more.

Highball 4K on the RiptideLab forums

Highball 4K on CubeCobra

TrainmasterGT on CubeCobra

Email the show at [email protected]

Attention campers! Neal guides us through the intricacies of his Micro Cube and the joy of bringing people together. We discuss the weight of decisions in small environments, embracing being a learner, drawing inspiration from the Duelist Kingdom arc of YuGiOh, and more.

Neal (baconeal) on CubeCobra

Neal's Micro Cube on CubeCobra

Neal is baconeal on Discord

Email the show at [email protected]

Catastrophe equals opportunity! Morgan explores the design and decisions behind Disaster Movie Cube. We talk card and spreadsheet aesthetics, balancing mechanics, playing what you love, and more.

Morgan (darthpinkhippo) on CubeCobra

Disaster Move Cube (CubeCon Edition) on CubeCobra

Morgan is DarthPinkHippo on Twitter

Connect with Morgan for more info about LGBTCube

Email the show at [email protected]

Here there be Dragons! Chill walks us through the frozen reaches of his beautiful Vorthos Desert cube. We unpack building a thematic world, managing overt complexity, being part of a welcoming community, and more.

Chill on CubeCobra

Dragons of Winter's Night on CubeCobra

Chill MTG on YouTube

Chill is ChillMTG on Discord

Email the show at [email protected]