Andy and Anthony are joined by guests Andy Floury and Mike Coyle of The Guardian Project Podcast to discuss their approach to Commander, which has a lot in common with Lucky Paper Radio’s approach to Cube. By figuring out how to use data to optimize for fun, recognizing that the most powerful cards do not always lead to interesting play patterns, and understanding that setting expectations is one of the most important factors in any game, Andy and Mike have established themselves as kindred spir...
Feb 28, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 87
Andy and Anthony are joined by Parker LaMascus to review the results from the Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Cube community set review. They talk about the set as a whole and the themes the community is most excited about. They go card by card through the top 16 cards the most respondents are trying in their cubes. Check out the complete results and our written analysis in our set review article . You can follow along with a visual spoiler of all the cards mentioned in the episode . Discussed in this ep...
Feb 21, 2022•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 86
Our Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty and Neon Dynasty Commander cube surveys are open! Please take a few minutes to let us know what you’re testing in your cube from the new set. Andy and Anthony review Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty from the perspective of their own, growing stable of Cubes, talking about the cards they’re interested in for specific environments ranging from high-powered eternal cubes, low powered cubes, and even a few contexts with special rules. Our website has comprehensive, linked timestamps...
Feb 14, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 85
Our Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty survey is open! Please take a few minutes to let us know what you’re testing in your cube from the new set. The first of our three part set review for Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty is here! Andy and Anthony are putting their designer hats on and talking about their first impressions of the triumphant return to Kamigawa. Neon Dynasty brings a handful of flexible mechanics along with a slew of new artifact and enchantment focused themes. Which mechanics are open-ended enough to...
Feb 07, 2022•53 min•Ep. 84
Andy and Anthony linger on the topic of Battle Box for a second week in a row, discussing a novel design: Andy’s Jeskai Control Battle Box , modeled after what some have called Magic’s most interesting mirror match. They start things off by drawing and comparing opening hands from the list and then go deep on the benefits of designing an environment for a more narrow range of play and what can be learned from playing it. Follow along with the visual spoiler of all cards mentioned in the episode ...
Jan 31, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Andy and Anthony discuss Anthony’s updated Battle Box which started as an update and turned into a complete refresh. They talk about how Anthony’s goals have changed and clarified and how that translates to logistical and card choices. They breakdown the gameplay experience, comparing it to their goals and the experience of the previous iteration . To start things off, they each draw a hand from the box and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses. Follow along with the cards mentioned page , a vis...
Jan 24, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 82
Andy and Anthony talk about the language we use to talk about Magic. Language is fundamental to social experiences, our favorite game included. Creating new language helps us communicate more effectively and helps us think about and compartmentalize concepts, shaping how we thing about things. But jargon has its drawbacks. View cards mentioned in the episode Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from Mozart’s Cube . Timestamps: 4:02 — Introduction to language and Magic 4:59 — Pac...
Jan 17, 2022•59 min•Ep. 81
Andy and Anthony each draft the same seat in Andy’s Bun Magic Cube and compare how they navigate the draft seat by seat. Draft the same seat yourself here on Cube Cobra and compare your own choices! Andy and Anthony’s draft logs are available on the cards mentioned page . Decklists are available on our website . Tune in Tuesday, the day after this episode airs, to The Guardian Project’s stream to see Andy battle his goblin commander deck against The Guardian Project’s hosts and Jason Alt! Timest...
Jan 10, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 80
See the full timestamps on our website or follow along with a visual spoiler of all the cards mentioned in this episode . In an attempt to record a canonical episode about the concept of power level and how it applies to cube, our heroes are chatting about the advantages and disadvantages playing with the most powerful cards and effects. How is power level actually defined? How is it related to the speed and removal density of a format? What deck from Anthony’s Irregular Cube could possibly beat...
Jan 03, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 79
In this 2021 retrospective episode, Andy and Anthony look back on the year and discuss the highs and lows for Cube and how their relationship with Magic continues to evolve. They follow the format of Lucky Paper’s 2021 Cube in Review article , giving their own answers to the questions posed to prominent community members therein, and end up going deep on how changes to competitive Magic and the content and community surrounding it has sharpened their commitment to Cube and other sandbox formats....
Dec 27, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 78
Andy and Anthony talk about recent drafts of the Irregular Cube , Anthony’s newest Cube which features ‘rare’ cards, and Andy’s Bun Magic Cube . They review their own drafts, what was working, what was problematic, and how the rare cards influenced the experience. They hypothesize reasons why the draft was not universally enjoyed and how the environment might be changed to improve the experience and better set expectations. They start things off with a pack 1, pick 1 from the Irregular Cube. Fol...
Dec 20, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 77
Andy and Anthony talk about all things un-. They discuss the history of silver-bordered and other non-tournament Magic cards, how they’re designed, and the categories they fall into so you can choose if and how to play them in your Cube. Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from Myagic’s Storytime Cube featuring fairytale themes and a sprinking of un-cards. Discussed in this episode: Drive to Work: Unglued Drive to Work: Making Un-Cards Munchkin The Misery Cube Unstable Foil Tab...
Dec 13, 2021•1 hr 13 min
Andy and Anthony spend a whole episode talking just about the iconic cantrip Brainstorm. They talk about how and why it works, how it behaves in different contexts and different cubes, how unique it is, and the many relevant interactions with other cards. Brainstorm can be a controversial topic among Cube players and designers. Some claim it’s over-rated as a carryover from formats it single handedly shapes. Andy argues a high power level rating is justified, and our hosts go deep on the many in...
Dec 06, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 75
Andy and Anthony are joined by Parker LaMascus to share the results of the Innistrad: Crimson View cube community survey. They look at the top cards that the most people are interested in for their cubes, what makes them appealing, and what contexts they fit best in. Follow along with every card mentioned in the card image gallery . Timestamps (includes spoilers!): 4:42 — A new theory for why cube designers are so interested in powerful cards 9:42 — Survey structure and introduction to community...
Nov 29, 2021•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 74
Our Innistrad: Crimson Vow survey is open! Please take a few minutes to let us know what you’re testing in your cube from the new set. Andy and Anthony talk about Innistrad: Crimson Vow through the lens of their many specific cubes, including the themes, mechanics, and individual cards that fit into particular contexts. They dig into many of the most powerful cards of the set relevant for Andy’s main cube , a few interesting twists on lower power cards for Anthony’s , and look at the set from a ...
Nov 22, 2021•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 73
Our Innistrad: Crimson Vow set survey is open! Please take a few minutes to let us know what you’re testing in your cube from the new set. Andy and Anthony take a first look at Innistrad: Crimson Vow, breaking down themes, mechanics, and cycles for Cube. They talk about opportunities the headline mechanics including Blood, cleave, and yet another influx of double faced cards could offer for all manner of cubes. They also explore the less obvious, unnamed mechanics of the set that reinforce exist...
Nov 15, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 72
Andy and Anthony talk about archetypes in Cube design. They discuss what archetypes are, why they’ve become a fundamental part of limited set design, and the uses and limitations of applying the same process to Cube design. Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from Cassie’s cube, The Facedown Slide , heavily featuring morph, cycling and related mechanics. Timestamps: 5:24: Listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 13:59: What is an archetype? 15:35: 10, 2-color archetypes in limited des...
Nov 08, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 71
For a transcript of this week's scripted opening, see our website . Music for this episode was adapted from Matt McInerney’s EP Mined . Thanks, Matt. We’ll be back next week with a regular episode. If you’d like to show your support for the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen....
Nov 01, 2021•24 min
Andy and Anthony talk about a few loosely related Cube topics. They kick things off with a pick from a spooky cube, reflect on some recent drafts and how different playgroups can evaluate environments drastically differently, some individual cards, and the power of novelty. Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from listener Anthony’s very spooky Horror Cube . Timestamps: 3:17 — Spooky listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 9:42 — Getting your fill of individual cards 15:32 — Dissonan...
Oct 25, 2021•54 min•Ep. 70
We’re compiling an audio memorial to CubeTutor , so please share your reflections on the site and the role its played in our community, or just your thanks to Ben, with us by sending a voice memo to andymangold@gmail.com . If I don’t confirm receipt of your message within 48 hours send me a message on Twitter or Discord (andymangold#5271). Andy and Anthony talk about a handful of individual cards from each of their Cubes: why they like them, how they’ve shaped the format or changed as the format...
Oct 18, 2021•46 min•Ep. 69
Andy and Anthony talk with Jason Waddell about Cube, game design, and the complications of Magic as a hobby. Jason share’s his experience with the ups and downs of his relationship with the game. Follow along with the card image gallery . View complete show notes and timestamps on our website . Discussed in this episode: Riptide Lab Who’s the beatdown UB Trippin (not actually by PVDDR, please excuse Andy’s mistake) Jason’s CFB Article Archive Bike Burnout on A Path Less Pedaled Three different r...
Oct 11, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 68
Andy and Anthony talk about the imminent shutdown of CubeTutor . Don’t forget to export your data! We’re compiling an audio memorial to CubeTutor , so please share your reflections on the site and the role its played in our community, or just your thanks to Ben, with us by sending a voice memo to andymangold@gmail.com . If I don’t confirm receipt of your message within 48 hours send me a message on Twitter or Discord (andymangold#5271). Discussed in this episode: Anthony’s Rotisserie Draft Sprea...
Oct 06, 2021•8 min
Andy and Anthony are Joined by Parker to dive into Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and all the cards and mechanics they’re interested in for cubes of all kinds. For detailed, linked timestamps view the episode on our website . You can also follow along with the brand new card image gallery , which includes images of every card mentioned in the episode, in chronological order. Discussed in this episode: Lucky Paper’s Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Cube Prospective Episode 64: Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Mechanic...
Oct 04, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 67
Our Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Cube survey is open! Please take a few minutes to let us know what you’re testing in your cube from the new set. Andy and Anthony talk about the ‘feelbad’ moments in Magic and the cards that are more likely to create them. This seemingly narrow topic turns out to be one of the most critical and easy to take for granted aspects of Cube design: how do we make it fun? They pick out some of the most likely cards they play that can lead to negative experiences, why those ...
Sep 20, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 65
Andy and Anthony take a first look at Innistrad: Midnight Hunt breaking down the mechanics from a design perspective for Cube and other casual formats. They discuss the many different variations of transform mechanics, the challenges and opportunities they create for Cube designers, and how the new mechanics relate to the old. Timestamps: 6:20 — Day and Night 16:09 — Disturb 20:55 — Flashback 21:22 — Other transform cards and a note on the variety of DFCs in MID 25:06 — Coven 30:23 — Decayed 37:...
Sep 13, 2021•52 min•Ep. 64
Andy and Anthony indulge themselves in talking about a few individual cards they find interesting in the context of Cube, using them as a jumping off point into an array of cube topics. Andy brings Field of the Dead to the table, leading to a discussion about card evaluation, single card archetypes, and fixing. Anthony shares why he thinks Feather, the Redeemed is a power outlier that creates positive gameplay experiences in his cube , contrasting it with Kess, Dissident Mage which for different...
Sep 06, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 63
Andy and Anthony talk about the role of one mana spells in Cube. The first play of the game can be fundamental to starting off the game with a plan. The atomic unit of the game’s resource shapes the decisions players have and the way plays can be sequenced. Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from nettlesomeReflexion’s Public Library Cube , emulating their first experience with Magic at their local public library: old school cards with a vanguard twist. Discussed in this episod...
Aug 30, 2021•55 min•Ep. 62
This is a special, ‘live’ episode of Lucky Paper Radio. The audio quality is not to our normal standards — if you’ve never heard the show before we do not recommend starting with this one! Andy and Anthony decompress with the draft crew in the middle of a long weekend of many, many cube drafts, sharing the greatest and saltiest moments in a rare, unfiltered episode of Lucky Paper Radio. Our cube weekend featured: Parker’s Midrange Cube Alex’s Peasant Cube Jay’s Vintage Cube Andy’s Bun Magic Cube...
Aug 23, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 61
Andy and Anthony talk about the logistics of Cube including everything from storage and sleeves, to basic basic lands and tokens. They cover everything you need to know when setting out to build a new cube that isn’t what cards to include. As with most things Cube, there’s no right answer to any of these questions for all players, but our hosts explore all the options, and how to find what works for you. Detailed timestamps available on our website ! Discussed in this episode: Boonta Vista Moby ...
Aug 16, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 60
Andy and Anthony discuss all things Battlebox, one of their favorite casual ways to play Magic. A Battlebox is a great thing to have for quick games between and around matches. Without the variance of land draws it's both very approachable and gives spikes an opportunity to test their skills in detailed aspects of gameplay. Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from Milkshake1988’s spell’s only cube , which really commits to the bit. Discussed in this episode: Brian Demars’ Dange...
Aug 09, 2021•58 min•Ep. 59
