Magic: the Gathering multiplayer Cube this summer

There's not a lot of information right now, so this is more just a "heads up" for anyone who was thinking about spending a lot of money and time building something like this so that you can wait, if you've got patience:

Magic: the Gathering - CONSPIRACY

is going to be a multiplayer Cube boxed set, we believe, coming out in May or June. All we know really is two cards, which were revealed via a Wizards "secret" marketing campaign: one card has a very multiplayer-style (some are saying Jyhad-style) mechanic in which players vote on the effect of a card. The other card has an effect that only does something DURING the booster draft, which is a very first for Magic. Hence the belief that the set is a multiplayer Cube.

Cool stuff, especially for y'all boardgamer types who dislike the relentless release of expansions!

Sounds cool. Also kind of sounds like an idea I had a few months ago.

metalface13 wrote: Sounds cool. Also kind of sounds like an idea I had a few months ago.

A Wizards pre-built Cube? It's an idea that people have begged for for years, with the key difference/problem being that people usually were asking for Wizards to make something akin to "The Cube" as a box, i.e. a boxed set of all (or most) of the cards people usually build power-cubes with. That'd never happen because of how expensive it would have to be. This is different, in that it appears to be its own weird draft variant thing, including brand-new cards, instead of a "Best of" set. Also, by making it so unusual, they also may solve the "if I have a Cube, why pay for booster drafts?" problem, as booster drafts will still be where to get a "normal Magic" fix.

But I don't know, it's all very much speculation still. I posted this more as a "you may want to hear this before dropping lots of money on a Cube" warning.

If I don't do the Magic store events or really know much about the game at all: What does getting into something like this (the MP cube) provide play-wise that I wouldn't get out of Omen, Tooth & Nail Factions, or other similar games besides the drafting part?

wadenels wrote: If I don't do the Magic store events or really know much about the game at all: What does getting into something like this (the MP cube) provide play-wise that I wouldn't get out of Omen, Tooth & Nail Factions, or other similar games besides the drafting part?

We don't much of anything about this, but I'll let someone else who's more familiar with the Clowdus games cover the differences between those and Magic. In general, I'd say one of Magic's key strengths as a game is its combination of simplicity and variety/wildness: I feel pretty safe in claiming that its cards have the greatest range of effects of any card game in history, and yet at the same time it has one of the simplest sets of core rules of any CCG (though probably more complicated than the Clowdus games? Beats me). It shares that virtue of "wildness of effects + simplicity in the core rules" with Cosmic Encounter. My chief disappointment in Wiz-War was the lack of variety/wildness compared to Magic.

- Unlike Omen, which is 2-player only, this Cube will be geared towards more than 2 players, including cards that are voted on.

- Also, "besides the drafting part" is pretty key: drafting itself is compelling enough that a lame and completely neutered version of "the drafting part" of Magic is itself a popular game: 7 Wonders. This new Cube looks like it will throw brand new wrenches into the drafting completely unlike anything before.

I'm guessing a set of cards designed for multiplayer, but not a packaged cube.

Mad Dog wrote: I'm guessing a set of cards designed for multiplayer, but not a packaged cube.

Definitely, definitely could be, and I'd be pretty disappointed if that's true. But then cards like Cogwork Librarian are going to really piss people off for how much the card only has an interesting effect for about 10 minutes of its lifetime, and worthless to anyone who just buys a pack at Walmart:

Cogwork Librarian (4)
Artifact Creature - Construct
Draft Cogwork Librarian face up. As you draft a card you may draft an additional card from that booster pack. If you do, put Cogwork Librarian into that booster pack.
3/3

I haven't decided if I'm really into drafting as a mechanic. Seasons, 7 Wonders, and Lost Legends are all rather 'meh' in that department. Off the top of my head the only game that I think I really enjoy drafting is Fairy Tale.

I think multiplayer packs sounds more interesting to me, but the problem there is I already have good assymmetrical card games. I've eyed those 2-player Magic sets they sell by the checkouts at stores a few times, but still haven't bought into it.

This looks awesome, going to keep tabs on this thread.

The difference between M:tG (cube) and 2p games like Omen, T&N, and the ilk is variety and balance. I found Omen to be really unbalanced, whoever had the better draw, and especially whoever went first, could crush their opponent. The ability to draw 4 cards per turn on your draw step in that game is insane as they can be very powerful cards.

If that's what you're playing in place of Magic, Netrunner, Mage Wars etc. you should try them.

wadenels wrote: I haven't decided if I'm really into drafting as a mechanic. Seasons, 7 Wonders, and Lost Legends are all rather 'meh' in that department. Off the top of my head the only game that I think I really enjoy drafting is Fairy Tale.

I think multiplayer packs sounds more interesting to me, but the problem there is I already have good assymmetrical card games. I've eyed those 2-player Magic sets they sell by the checkouts at stores a few times, but still haven't bought into it.

I agree, seasons, 7w and LL are meh, but that's because the games are meh. Fairy Tale is MUCH better than them, but still doesn't provide the depth of drafting a cube.

I'm with you, Wadenels, about people being too eager to say "no, those two games aren't too similar, you need them both!" In fact, this is exactly why I never bought Omen or TONS of other 2-player games that people rave about: they were too much in the same space as Magic. Hence why everyone mocks me here for comparing everything to Magic, but the fact is that I have no need for *any* other 2-player special-power card games. The truth is: the reason to try Magic is because it might be *better* than the other games you have in a similar space; but the REAL truth is that if you're already happy with those, then maybe who gives a shit if something else is better?

As for why drafting in Magic is so much more engaging than in 7 Wonders (I haven't played the others): as a mechanic, it's not engaging on its own. I think that's the mistake that 7 Wonders made, thinking that "drafting" was inherently fun. What's fun about drafting in Magic is slowly constructing a strategy, and being forced to be CREATIVE: after taking some cards, now re-thinking what every card you see does from teh perspective of what you have, which can really surprise you. This is what is COMPLETELY missing from 7 Wonders: blue cards want a lot of blue cards, science wants 3-of-a-kinds, etc. It's all preset, there's NO creativity involved with drafting 7 Wonders. But then with Magic, the drafting is just exactly that: formulating your strategy. THEN you actually PLAY, and get to see that strategy in effect and deal with all the tactical problems your cards throw at you (and there is more long-term strategy as well, but on a different level).

You COULD compare it to an economic engine game. You know how everyone complains that those games end just as they're getting good, i.e. just as your engine finishes setting up? In Magic, the drafting is like building your economic engine, and then the games are where you get to cut your crazy engine loose against everyone else's crazy engine.

This was written with a 3-year-old yelling at me, so it might be incoherent or false.

Dstout is pretty much on the money with Magic vs. other two players games. I own both Omens and Hemlock and both are nice games. Omens has both wonderful artwork and great game play. Hemlock a great setting and the small, non-intrusive area control part that is fun.

However, both games just drive me straight back to Magic. Hell, even Net Runner dives me back to Magic. I've yet to find another 2+ player deck building game that is as versatile as Magic. With the same set of cards there are a dozen ways to play. Its enjoyable at both casual and competitive levels. And the game is managed by a team of folks that just keeps getting better and better at what they do.

dragonstout wrote: This was written with a 3-year-old yelling at me, so it might be incoherent or false.

No, I think what you wrote is absolutely right.

Mad Dog wrote: I'm guessing a set of cards designed for multiplayer, but not a packaged cube.

...and designed for a weird draft experience, but you're right: not a Cube How disappointing. If it's good, though, I might build a simu-draft Cube.

Info:
www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundam...athering?comment=281

If it's a hit these cards will be really cheap. Very interested in seeing the spoiler on this. Seems aimed squarely at the cube/edh casual crowd.