Shows
Lucky Paper Radio“Take Five” — Designing a Minimal Deckbuilding Desert CubeView all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony talk about Andy’s latest Cube design concept. Inspired by The Ball Pit among other projects, Andy’s goal is to design a desert cube where players play all but 5 cards from their pool. In other words, after the draft, player simply “Take Five” cards out of their pool and get shuffling. Andy’s goal is to push players even harder to make something out of the cards they draft even if they don’t obviously stand well on their own. Our hosts talk about the design process, challen...
2025-12-011h 04Lucky Paper RadioThe Top 10 Myths About CubeView all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony talk about and dispel what they see as the most prevalent myths about Cube drafting and design. While the format has seen a ton of growth in the last few years, it’s still not uncommon for people to think of Cube as primarily defined by the MTGO Cube. Other myths like Cube being only for the most enfranchised players or requiring exactly 8 people are still pervasive.Discussed in this episode:The Chive GuyDouble-slit ExperimentThe Top 5 Casual Formats Of Magic: The Gathering (not commander) from the Tola...
2025-11-241h 00Lucky Paper RadioIn the Kitchen Making Stone SoupView all cards mentioned in this episodeIn preparation for this year’s CubeCon, Andy and Anthony dive through some of Andy’s collection to put together a Stone Soup card pool for Andy to bring to the event. In this format, each player brings 45 cards of their choice. All the cards are combined and shuffled up and drafted like a collaboratively built cube. They talk about considerations for the kinds of cards to include while exploring stacks of cards, and ultimately picking out the 45 to bring.Discussed in this episode:Episode 265: Stone Soup, A Magic...
2025-10-2759 minLucky Paper RadioOur Favorite Cards EverView all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony talk about each of their top 5 favorite cards from the history of the game. They talk about where they first encountered them whether it was an exciting level up moment in a draft or as a key card that inspired a deck.Discussed in this episode:CubeConLucky Paper Cube FellowshipThe Eternal Glory PodcastAnthony’s First Ever 3-0 Deck Featuring Archfiend of IfnirEric Klug’s Peasant CubeRecross the PathsLords of LimitedIf you’d like to show your support for the show, please consider backing...
2025-10-131h 06Lucky Paper RadioTuning Control in 100 Ornithopters (Again)View all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony talk about control decks in Andy’s 100 Ornithopters Cube. Control decks flush with disenchants often perform better than Andy expects them to, getting a surprising density of what seems like should be premium cards for all players. They talk about why that might be the case, the kinds of decks they think should be able to combat these decks, and Andy’s plans to change the Cube to make the gameplay better fit the expectations he sets for players.Discussed in this episode:100 OrnithoptersBun Magic Cu...
2025-08-111h 04Lucky Paper RadioInland Northwest Cube Fest Tournament ReportView all cards mentioned in this episodeBack from a Cube adventure to the west coast, Andy and Anthony recap their drafts at the first Inland Northwest CubeFest. The event included four drafts with over 50 players and a chance for our hosts to draft some very different cubes from their local scene. They also started the weekend with a “Stone Soup” draft with each player contributing 45 cards of their choosing that they’ll talk about in more detail in a future episode.Discussed in this episode:Inland Northwest CubeFestAlternate Timeline CubeThe CitadelThe Ball PitAquaone Vintage...
2025-08-041h 05Lucky Paper Radio8 Players, 8 Cubes, 1 Weekend, 1 CabinView all cards mentioned in this episodeAfter spending a long weekend in a cabin in the woods with 8 friends playing 8 Cubes, Andy and Anthony recap their drafts. Each player brought a cube to share which they drafted back to back over course of the weekend.Discussed in this episode:Regular CubeSacred Geometry Cube100 OrnithoptersDocumentalThe DrownyardVertex Cube EventsThe Oldest SchoolJoe’s Anarchy CubeBodleian Cube100 OrnithoptersRhystic Studies 100 Ornithopters videoDoubleton SynergyThe Bolt CubeIf you’d like to show your support for the show, please consider backing Lucky Paper on Patreon or leaving us a review on iTunes ...
2025-07-281h 02Lucky Paper RadioCubing in Unsanctioned Spaces and The Ten-Year-Old Child TestView all cards mentioned in this episodeAfter five full years of Lucky Paper Radio, Andy and Anthony reflect on how their local playgroup, the podcast, and the broader cube community have evolved. They talk about their recent experience of keeping a weekly Cube night going without a local game store and how you can make it work. They also talk about the supportive, casual vibe of their local community and how a young player having a great time cubing is something of a litmus test for a strong community.Our hosts also introduce a...
2025-07-071h 02Lucky Paper RadioA Eulogy for the Degenerate Micro CubeView all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony send off Andy’s Degenerate Micro Cube. After many years, Andy has decided to take apart the Cube, reclaiming its cards, sleeves, and mental space. The Cube attempted to capture something about the most high powered vintage games with a twist on the typical draft format and a tiny deck size. They talk about why Andy’s decided to take it apart, it’s highs, and lows, and lessons learned from playing with it over the years.Discussed in this episode:Final Fantasy and Commander...
2025-06-161h 05Lucky Paper RadioA Tale of Two Cubes with Parker LaMascusView all cards mentioned in this episodeThis episode was recorded a few weeks ago, so forgive the untimely references to the Rhystic Studies video on 100 Ornithopters. At our weekly cube night, Andy and Parker swapped drafts of eachother’s simple cubes: Andy playing Parker’s cube Atavus and Parker playing Andy’s cube Sacred Geometry. On this episode we dive into the goals for each of these cubes, both of which focus on simple cards and strive to be an approachable cube to new drafters, and hear a draft report from both Andy and Parker. Finally, Anthony, a...
2025-06-091h 21Lucky Paper RadioThe Cube Design ParadoxView all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony talk about a paradox they occasionally face in Cube design. Sometimes a particular card to strategy over performs and as curators we want to add cards that offer counter play. Often those cards end up being just as potent played alongside the problematic cards as they are against them, only making the problem worse. Our hosts talk about specific times they’ve faced this paradox in their own cubes, and different strategies to break out of the paradox.But first, they go on a long di...
2025-05-051h 13Lucky Paper RadioBoston Cube Party Two and Sacred Geometry First ImpressionsView all cards mentioned in this episodeAs they continue to attend more and more local, grassroots Cube events, Andy and Anthony find themselves asking: do people like these ‘tournament report’ episodes? They try to talk through their drafts at Boston Cube Party Two more quickly, but it still takes almost an hour to get through them. The episode concludes with a brief look at the decklists from Andy’s new cube, Sacred Geometry, which was only drafted three times prior to the event. The cube is still very much in its infancy, and Andy and Anthony’s discussio...
2025-04-211h 18Lucky Paper RadioThe ↑↑↓↓←→←→ABCs of ComboView all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony talk all things “combo”. After talking about both aggro and control on the show, they finally get around to this sometimes divisive part of the Magic landscape. They try to come up with a working definition of combo strategies, talk about their own history with it as players and cube designers.Discussed in this episode:Tarkir: Dragonstorm Cube SurveyTarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Cube Survey“The Daigo Parry”Episode 6: ABCs of AggroEpisode 165: ABCs of ControlImpostor SyndromeThe Turbo CubeWhen Trivia Beats Strategy by Parker LaMascusBun Magic CubeDegenerate Micro Cube100...
2025-04-071h 06Lucky Paper RadioThe Salt Box Tournament ReportView all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy, Anthony, and Patrick report on their experience at Baltimore’s first mid-sized Cube event: The Salt Box. Following the pattern of other regional events, the tournament featured multiple drafts of Cubes from the local area, organized by ranked choice selection. The three of them talk through the decks they drafted, highlights of their matches, and their experience beyond of the event, catching up with and hosting the regional cube-heads, at last in their home town.Discussed in this episode:The DoughboysEkibenThe Salt BoxCube for a CauseNeoclassical Cub...
2025-03-241h 37Lucky Paper RadioMindbreak Trap Forgives All Sins with Julien HenryView all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony are joined by Julien from their local playgroup, fresh off the pro-tour, to offer his expert advice on an important topic: updating the Turbo Cube. In Anthony’s novelty cube, the rules are modified so all spells and activated abilities cost Discussed in this episode:The Turbo CubeCube Events on Lucky PaperCheck us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:Andy’s “Bun Magic” CubeAnthony’s “Regular” CubeYou can find both you...
2025-03-031h 31Lucky Paper RadioOur Favorite Cards from 2024View all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony talk about their favorite cards from the last year. They each go through their top favorite unique cards or cycles discussing their impact on their own cubes, cubes they’ve been playing, or their future potential for the format.Discussed in this episode:Aetherdrift and Aetherdrift Commander Cube surveysThe Salt BoxCheck us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:Andy’s “Bun Magic” CubeAnthony’s “Regular” CubeYou can find both your...
2025-02-241h 00Lucky Paper RadioDebriefing Vertex Philadelphia & 100 Ornithopters UniteView all cards mentioned in this episode
Andy and Anthony recap Magic events they participated in this week. First, Anthony talks through his experience at Vertex Philadelphia, a ~100 person Cube tournament. Anthony had another solid run in his drafts, and the event was the first time his new Broadcast Shuffling method was tried at scale to reasonable success. Andy shares his experience helping organize and play in a charity stream for the Tabletop Workers United strike hardship fund. He ended up played in the event as an alternate and shares his complex experience drafting on stream.
Di...
2025-02-031h 16Lucky Paper RadioThe Barash Files 003 — Reflections on Cube Drafts PastView all cards mentioned in this episode
On the third installment of The Barash Files, Zach shares stories from his drafts of some of Andy and Anthony’s cubes over the last few years. He shares insights into how he approaches them as a player, and how effectively they deliver on their stated goals.
Discussed in this episode:
Drafting the Bun Magic Cube with Zach Barash
Zach’s Roto Deck
Anthony’s Roto Deck
Zach’s First Article for Hipsters of the Coast “Level Up Moments”
The Turbo Cube
Reading Rainbow
100 Ornithopters
Episode 229: Fixing is Cringe wit...
2025-01-271h 21Lucky Paper RadioBoromir Sucks and Oko is a Joke-O: Sweeping Updates to the Turbo CubeAndy and Anthony talk about a big batch of updates to Anthony’s Turbo Cube. In this Cube, all spells and activated abilities cost {2} less. They talk about their general philosophy of updating Cubes, what types of strategies Anthony is hoping to bolster with these updates, and talk through the changes card by card.
View all cards mentioned in this episode
Discussed in this episode:
The Turbo Cube
Frank Karsten’s Mana Math
Good Morning Magic: Unfinished Land Cycles in Commander Decks
BoshNRoll: Miraculous Revival!
Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
0:51 - Draft...
2024-09-301h 18Lucky Paper RadioUsing Little Pieces of Paper as a Supermassive Random Number GeneratorAndy and Anthony talk about randomness in Magic, and specifically just how much randomness there is in a Cube draft. They talk about where randomness comes from and how different mechanics use the library or other sets of cards as a random source to make them work. They also go into their own preferences and how they thing about randomness in their Cube designs.
View all cards mentioned in this episode
Discussed in this episode:
Bloomburrow and Bloomburrow Commander Surveys
“Names of Large Numbers” on Wikipedia
Episode 210: Raggadragga’s Lucky Paper Debut
Crystalline Giant keyword tr...
2024-09-021h 02Lucky Paper RadioGrassroots Cube Event PotpurriAndy and Anthony talk about some of the past and pending Cube events they are attending. This year has seen a proliferation of new small Cube events. Anthony reviews his experience at the Capitol Cube Champs and they talk about what they’re excited about in the upcoming Cube 4 Charity hosted by Upkeep New York.
View all cards mentioned in this episode
Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction
2:42 - Capitol Cube Champs Tournament Report
22:04 - Mailbag
25:01 - Anthony’s Irregular Cube Preparation for Cube 4 Charity
39:17 - Andy’s 100 Ornithop...
2024-08-261h 13Lucky Paper RadioA Cube is Like a BuildingAndy and Anthony talk about the history of architecture and the design of the physical spaces we inhabit. They draw parallels to design more broadly, the design of games as mental spaces, and specifically Cube design.
Discussed in this episode:
The Beauty of Games
Buckminster Fuller
Tech Won’t Save Us, Episode 221: Tech’s Plan to ‘Ethnically Cleanse’ San Francisco
Cod, by Mark Kurlansky
GeoGuessr
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Nine Men’s Morris
No One Knows How to Make a Computer Mouse TED Talk — Andy’s note: as it turns out, this talk absolutely sucks, lol. It’s almost...
2024-06-031h 00Lucky Paper RadioCommitment to the Bit — On Context Shift CubesAndy and Anthony talk about novelty Cubes. Many Cubes are built around a novelty concept or design restriction. Novelty designs can be fun and light, but gimmicks can also pigeonhole cubes, making them feel unworthy of serious attention. Our hosts discuss their experience with novelty design, from its benefits to its challenging implications.
View all cards mentioned in the episode →
Discussed in this episode:
Anthony’s Turbo Cube
Andy’s 100 Ornithopters Cube
Andy’s Degenerate Micro Cube
The Bolt Cube
The Descent Into Avernus
Anthony’s Defunct Monoblack Cube
Gimmicks
Novelties
Dan Dan — Rhystic Studies Video
...
2024-05-2055 minLucky Paper RadioWe Can Cut This if You WantAndy and Anthony celebrate their 200th episode!! They look back at where they were and how they approached Magic when they started the podcast vs now. Andy reverse engineer’s his Cube list from the time and talks about how his tastes in Magic have changed. Anthony goes a little off the rails as they talk about how to still get the most enjoyment out of the game at a less involved level.
View all cards mentioned in the episode →
Discussed in this episode:
Infinite Jest
On Food and Cooking
Nose Dive, by Harold McGee
...
2024-05-131h 10Lucky Paper RadioTutors in Cube Design: Creating Variety by Reducing VarietyAndy and Anthony talk about “tutors” in Cube and how cards that give you access to any card in your library impact the game. Historically, both of our hosts have tended to avoid them in most of their Cube designs, but the serve a unique function that could make them worth considering.
View all cards mentioned in the episode →
Discussed in this episode:
Intro
100 Ornithopters
Neoclassical Cube
Irregular Cube
All Tutors on Scryfall
The Cube Map
Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction
2:12 - Andy’s Salty Bad Beats
8:20 - What is a tutor?
2024-05-061h 00Lucky Paper RadioMagic on the Holodeck: Outlaws of Thunder Junction First Impressions and Personal Cube AdditionsOur Cube Prospective Surveys for Outlaws of Thunder Junction is now open! Let us know what you are testing in your cube from the latest set.
Andy and Anthony talk about their first impressions of Outlaws of Thunder Junction and the cards their interested in for their own Cube lists. Anthony is not too impressed by the aesthetics of the set, but they manage to power through, talk about the mechanics and how they might be relevant to different Cube designers, and even a few individual cards that stand out.
View all cards mentioned in the...
2024-04-081h 16Lucky Paper Radio100 Ornithopters in a TrenchcoatAndy and Anthony talk about Andy’s newest Cube experiment: a cube who’s only creatures are Ornithopters. Andy couldn’t help but entertain the idea of an all-ornithopter Cube in a humorous tweet, and a recent draft of it in the Cube Con discord inspired him to flesh out the idea even further.
Our first playmat is currently available for pre-order! Illustrated by Andy and featuring gold, foiled details it expresses our love of the most punk rock Magic format.
Pre-order a playmat here
The show now has a dedicated PO box. Want to send us a le...
2024-03-251h 00Lucky Paper RadioSecond Order Interaction in Cube DesignAndy and Anthony talk about layers of interaction in Cube design. Some cards interact with particular effects. Other cards are, in turn, resistant to those responses. Inevitably other cards get around those resistances. Our hosts talk about how they approach these orders of interaction.
View all cards mentioned in the episode →
Discussed in this episode:
GeoGuessr
Wingspan
Splendor
Episode 31 on Density of “Bread and Butter” Effects
Episode 101 on Density of Disruption
Episode 111 on The Texture of Removal
Episode 127 on Density of Threats
Who’s the Beatdown
The Dollop
Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction
1:57 - W...
2024-02-2656 minLucky Paper RadioMurders at Karlov Manor and Ravnica: Clue Edition Personal Cube AdditionsWell folks, it happened. I lost the bet on air last week about whether or not Wizards would include a physical, punch-out reminder for “suspected” creatures in the pre-release kit for Murders at Karlov Manor, so here I am writing the notes. I still think it’s weird that they literally include a counter for a mechanic that they explicitly designed to NOT include a physical counter, but I forgot the precedence set by Exert in Amonket, so that’s on me.
This week is part two of our marathon, pre-Andy’s-vacation, recording session. We’re discussing additions fro...
2024-02-121h 11Lucky Paper RadioLive from Maro’s Lap: the Cubesmas Wishlist SpectacularAndy, Anthony, and Parker climb up on Maro’s Lap and share their Christmas Cube wishes for the coming year: what cards do they want to see printed for their Cubes, what cycles do they want to see completed, and how much of a Grinch can Anthony be.
View all cards mentioned in the episode →
Timestamps
0:00 - A very long and involved series of intros
7:37 - Overview of episode structure
9:03 - Parker’s Cubesmas List
35:08 - Andy’s Cubesmas List
48:55 - Anthony’s Cubesmas Grinch Corner
...
2023-12-251h 01Lucky Paper RadioThe Nature of Combo in CubeAndy and Anthony talk about combos. What is a combo? Is it a spectrum? Almost certainly. How are they related to the aggro-midrange-control metagame? How do they affect the draft and gameplay of a given Cube? Does Anthony hate combos? Does Andy hate combos? Only one way to find out.
View all cards mentioned in the episode →
Discussed in this episode:
Lucky Paper Radio — The ABCs of Aggro
Lucky Paper Radio — The ABCs of Control
Bosh n Roll on YouTube
Lucky Paper Radio — Guest Episode with Ryan Saxe
Anthony’s Personal Journey through Cube Design Article...
2023-12-041h 09Lucky Paper RadioWishes, Lesson/Learn, and Companions: The Dynamics of Outside the Game MechanicsAndy and Anthony talk about Wishes! Wishes are a special class of cards that let you access cards from outside your game. In competitive play and drafts, this means any card from your sideboard. In casual play anything at all from your collection. Andy talks about why it’s interesting to him and the challenges he’s faced trying to design a Cube focused around the wish cards.
Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from Deinonychus’s The Bodleian Cube. Thanks, Deinonychus!
View all cards mentioned in the episode →
Discussed in this episode...
2023-07-2459 minLucky Paper RadioDeeper than Winrate: Measuring Growth as a Player in Casual MagicAfter tracking his wins and losses across all of his Cube drafts for six months, Andy is reviewing the results with Anthony and discussing why he is abandoning this practice. But, if he’s not tracking the results of his Cube matches, how does he know if he is growing as a player? What actually matters, and how do you measure it? Plus, our hosts ask an important question: is playing Magic fun?
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Discussed in this episode:
The Quantified Self
Feltron
Datum
The Doughboys
The Guardian Project Episode...
2023-06-261h 04Lucky Paper RadioGoing Against Your Intuition: A Different Approach to Tuning the Neoclassical CubeAndy and Anthony talk about the current state of Andy’s Neoclassical Cube. They look at how drafts have played out, potential areas for change, and some specific directions Andy’s considering taking the cube.
View all cards mentioned in the episode →
Discussed in this episode:
Andy’s Neoclassical Cube
Regular Cube Update Episode with James
The Degenerate Micro-Cube
MTGCubeCon on Twitter
March of the Machine: Aftermath Survey
Timestamps:
00:00 Mind Twist Corner
02:39 Early Impressions of the Neoclassical Cube
15:24 How to deal with the burn deck
29:27 Can we make color hate cool?
38:32 Addressing the Pump Knigh...
2023-05-221h 00Lucky Paper RadioAll About RampAndy and Anthony talk broadly about [ramp](Rampant Growth). They talk about what the mechanic or strategy is all about, it’s important role as part of Green’s identity, how it’s different in limited and constructed, and how it fits into their own Cubes.
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Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from soskwatch’s Graveyard Cube.
Discussed in this episode:
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Mark Rosewater’s Drive to Work
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:52 Ramp overall and in retai...
2023-05-1551 minLucky Paper RadioBig and Small Games RevisitedView the game size breakdowns for the Bun Magic Cube and Regular Cube. You can also copy this template and fill it out to calculate your own cube’s game size!
Andy and Anthony follow up on their recent discussion with Sam Black on ‘big’ and ‘small’ games of Magic. Sam coined these term in an article he wrote describing a nuanced understanding of card advantage including how effects create, or benefit from, high and low resource games. Our hosts expand on the topic and respond to feedback from the community on the subject. Andy breaks down his Bun Magic Cube ...
2023-04-241h 07Lucky Paper RadioHow to Play Your Own, Custom Cube on ArenaAndy and Anthony are joined by Chris and Tim from the Jank Diver Gaming Community to talk about how to play your own, custom-designed cube on Arena. In an exciting, two-part episode, the boys first walk through the process of playing Cube through Arena, then participate in one of Jank Diver Gaming’s weekly drafts and discuss their experience. Will Andy, who has effectively never played Arena before, punt away all his games by not knowing how to use the interface? Will Anthony hate-draft from our guests, leaving a path of burned bridges behind him? Is Theo still too powe...
2023-04-1059 min
Lucky Paper RadioIntroducing Your Cube, With Myagic!Andy and Anthony and special guest May talk about introducing your cube! The overview you write (or present) to your players is the first thing players often lean about your cube, so providing useful concise context is critical. They talk about the different audiences you may want to consider when writing about your cube, including players who want to get ready to draft and other designers looking to give feedback on the list.
They end the show with a pack 1, pick 1 from May’s very own Fae Cube, a flavorful, fairytale inspired list.
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2023-03-201h 07Lucky Paper RadioCube and the Soul of Limited With Ryan SaxeAndy and Anthony are joined by Ryan Saxe for a deep conversation on Cube design. They talk about the design of “low power” Cubes, lessons we can take from limited sets and apply to Cubes, and the important impacts of power level disparities on gameplay.
View all cards mentioned in the episode →
Discussed in this episode:
The Iron Giant
Limited Resources
R House in Baltimore
Who’s on First?
The Degenerate Micro Cube
Ryan’s Buildaround Cube
Internet’s Pauper Cube
Using the Other Half of Your Cube
Zach Barash on Twitter
Anthony’s Irregular Cube...
2023-03-131h 32Lucky Paper RadioA Weeklong Game of Chicken with Justin ParnellAndy and Anthony are joined by Justin Parnell to talk about their recent rotisserie draft. 10 players drafted Anthony’s Regular Cube in the weeks leading up to Magic Con Philadelphia. Over the course of the weekend players competed in a nail-biting round robin style tournament. The boys talk about their decks, their strategies going into the draft, and how rotisserie drafting compares to typical booster drafting.
Over the weekend our hosts along with Justin, Parker, and Gwen Dekker hed a panel on Cube, it’s history and future. Watch a recording of the panel .
View all...
2023-03-061h 53Lucky Paper RadioPhyrexia: All Will Be One Cube AdditionsAndy and Anthony talk about the cards they’re interested in giving a try in each of their own Cube environments. They talk about how they looked at the new set for the different contexts of their Cubes. Anthony cheats and also talks through some cards he’s interested in for a new Cube inspired by themes and mechanics in recent sets that haven’t fit well into his existing environments.
View all cards mentioned in the episode →
Cubes Discussed:
Anthony’s “Regular” Cube
Anthony’s Turbo Cube
Andy’s Degenerate Micro Cube
Andy’s “Bun Magic” Cube
...
2023-02-131h 11Lucky Paper RadioThe Neoclassical Cube: The Spirit of Old-School Magic, With a TwistAndy and Anthony talk about Andy’s latest cube creation, The Neoclassical Cube! The cube is intended to capture the spirit of old-school Magic, including iconic cards and themes, bolstered by a few new cards that feel in the spirit of old-school design. Andy plans to play it un-sleeved celebrating cards that show their history in their wear.
View all cards mentioned in the episode →
They finish the episode with a pack 1, pick 1 from the cube.
Discussed in this episode:
Shuffle Up and Play with Patrick and Cedric
Boonta Vista
The Neoclassical Cube...
2023-01-301h 11Lucky Paper RadioLive Cube Update: Making Removal Better in the Bun Magic CubeOn the heels of last week’s episode, wherein Andy realized that his 3 drop slot is perhaps inappropriately high-value in the face of removal, and in response to some grumbling from his local playgroup about reactive strategies not being viable because of there being too many recursive threats, the boys are talking through 18 different three drop creatures Andy is considering adding. All of these creatures are more ”Baneslayer” than ”Mulldrifter” with the goal of making removal a bit better in the environment.
To inform his decisions Andy polled his local playgroup, the MTG Cube Talk Discord, and Twitter ab...
2022-12-191h 01Lucky Paper RadioThe Brothers’ War Cube AdditionsOur survey for The Brothers’ War is up now! Share what cards you’re interested in for your Cube!
Andy and Anthony talk about the new cards from The Brothers’ War they’re interested in giving a chance in their own cubes.They talk about slam dunks for environments from Anthony’s limited-emulating Regular Cube, to Andy’s novel, vintage Degenerate Micro Cube and some cards they’re more speculatively giving a try.
View all cards mentioned in the episode →
Discussed in this episode:
Uncanny Valley
Part One of our Brothers’ War Cube Set Review
...
2022-11-211h 13Lucky Paper RadioLessons From the Death of an Experimental CubeAfter one last draft, Andy and Anthony look back on the now disassembled Mono Black Cube. They talk about highlights and lessons learned from the particular design. Unique constraints pushed Anthony to explore new space that will inform future projects. More broadly, they discuss the life-cycle of cubes: why it makes sense to start from scratch and iterate rather than circling around a local maximum to improve one’s Cube design skills.
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Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from listener donald_k_magic’s Changeling Cube.
...
2022-11-0756 minLucky Paper RadioHow to Use Scryfall: Improving Your Decks, Improving Your Cubes, Improving Your LifeView all cards mentioned in the episode →
Andy and Anthony talk about a fundamental component of playing Magic, exploring and finding new cards. They talk about their goals and process for finding new cards and talk about leveraging Scryfall’s powerful search features to make this critical component a breeze. They even touch on some of the advanced features that can save you from missing potential pieces. Check out Anthony’s articles on using Scryfall’s search syntax and advanced searches with Regular Expressions for the details on the topics they cover.
Our listener submitted pack 1...
2022-10-171h 05Lucky Paper RadioDominaria United Cube AdditionsOur Cube Prospective Surveys for Dominaria United and accompanying commander sets are closing soon!
Andy and Anthony discuss the new cards from Dominaria United they’re interested in for their own Cube environments. They talk about some powerful new options for Andy’s eternal cube, off-color kicker cards and clean variations on classic cards for Anthony’s unrestricted cube, and a few cards that fit more novel environments.
View all cards mentioned in the episode →
Discussed in this episode:
Dominaria United, Mechanics and Themes Episode
Dominaria United Cube Survey
Episode 111: Texture of Removal
...
2022-09-121h 16Lucky Paper RadioThe Texture of RemovalHaving discussed the impact of different densities of removal ad nauseam, Andy and Anthony turn their attention to the different types of removal spells and how they play differently. They examine the costs of playing too much unconditional removal, wax poetic on their love of "small" removal spells like Portable Hole and Disfigure, and discuss how given two removal spells with equal costs, sometimes the one that hits fewer targets is actually better. They recorded this episode before Cut Down was spoiled from Dominaria United otherwise you bet they'd be talking about it.
View all cards mentioned...
2022-08-221h 14Lucky Paper RadioTarmogoyfs & Elvish VisionariesAndy and Anthony are back at it again, returning to the font of endless Magic discussion: Baneslayers and Mulldrifters. After years of not consciously thinking about this dichotomy, Andy has discovered that his primary cube has skewed heavily towards “Baneslayers”. The boys get into why this descriptor is so often used derogatorily, some reasons why “Mulldrifter” maybe should be used derogatorily, and how people’s perceptions of the difference between these two iconic cards changes when you choose different examples lower on the curve.
Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week is a grid draft pick from 123jhd’s Crim...
2022-08-1553 minLucky Paper RadioCards That Are CoolAndy and Anthony compare their main cubes, Andy’s unpowered Vintage Cube that emulates the gameplay of Legacy and Anthony’s comparatively low powered Regular Cube which is more akin to a masters set draft. They compare the cards shared between the two and how they function in these very different environments.
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Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from michaeldkarp’s Box of Cards.
Timestamps:
3:59 — Listener Submitted Pack 1, Pick 1
8:40 — Main topic
9:25 — Green
13:47 — Black
18:30 — Blue
25:34 — White
35:32 — Red
41:55 — Lands, Colorless, and Gold Cards
50:00 — Overall impressions of the overlap between the...
2022-08-0156 minLucky Paper RadioHow Many Lands Should You Include in Your Cube?View all cards mentioned in the episode →
Read Andy's article informing this episode! Andy and Anthony talk about how many lands to run in a Cube. While Cube design is subjective and largely a matter of taste, our hosts discuss things we can objectively measure about the proportion of lands included in a Cube, and precedent from other Magic formats. Andy breaks down data from Cube Cobra from his new article on the same subject about how Cubes are generally constructed.
Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from The Strictly Worse Cube
...
2022-07-251h 00Lucky Paper RadioCommander Deck Building Inspiration, Self-Imposed Restrictions, and GuidelinesView all cards mentioned in the episode →
Andy and Anthony discuss Commander and their personal approaches to deck building. They talk about some of their favorite decks, what they look for in the format, and what motivates them to brew.
Discussed in this episode:
MythBusters
Lucky Paper Commander Map
Guardian Project Podcast
Command Zone’s New Commander Deck Template
Catcher in the Rye
EDHREC
Deck: Zedruu Voltron: Little Auras, Great Beats
Deck: Nazahn, Revered Bladesmith Spy Kit
Deck: Andy’s Goblins
Andy’s Gameplay Video with The Guardian Project
Cultic Cube
CubeCon Ticket Sales
Timest...
2022-07-181h 08
Lucky Paper RadioRegular Cube Draft AlongAndy and Anthony collaboratively draft a deck from Anthony’s Regular Cube, discussing how they approach the environment and the roles individual cards play. From the individual cards, they jump into bigger conversations about the environment and what they think successful draft strategies look like.
Follow along with each pick of the draft to see the full set of cards in each pack. Draft the same seat on Cube Cobra to compare how your own approach.
Discussed in this episode:
Anthony’s Regular Cube
Episode 80: Open Drafting the Bun Magic Cube
Episode 97: Lands that Do T...
2022-06-201h 11Lucky Paper RadioA Deep Dive on Disruption Density in CubeAfter teasing it on their Centennial Retrospective, Andy and Anthony are revisiting the topic of one of their notable past episodes, number 31: Bread and Butter Breakdown. With some small revisions to his categorization system, Andy tallies up the density of disruptive cards in the current iteration of his Bun Magic Cube and compares them to the numbers from January of last year, with some surprising results. What starts as a nuts-and-bolts discussion of how the density and quality of disruption affects an environment turns into a reflection on how much Andy’s cube has changed in just 17 months and ho...
2022-06-131h 00Lucky Paper RadioAre Synergy and a High Density of Interaction Incompatible?After watching Caleb draft his Powered Synergy Cube on Magic Online for hours, Andy is dying to support some more sweet, synergistic decks in his Bun Magic Cube. After some reflection, he’s not sure if that would even work, so he’s bringing his hopes and dreams to Anthony to discuss whether it’s even possible to support Bazaar of Baghdad, Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle, or Molten Vortex in a cube that is over one-third interaction.
Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from Donald K. Magic’s “Balanced Budget” Cube. Special thanks to Donald for being the fi...
2022-05-2357 minLucky Paper RadioThe Powered Synergy Cube with Caleb GannonOur Streets of New Capenna survey is open! Please take a few minutes to let us know what you’re testing in your cube from the new set.
Caleb Gannon joins Andy and Anthony to talk about his Powered Synergy Cube which is about to be featured on Magic Online! Caleb goes into detail about the environment, which takes what’s loved about the MTGO Vintage Cube and dials up the synergistic aspects while tuning down other themes and cards that win the game on their own. The Cube is full of complex, overlapping themes and multi-card comb...
2022-05-021h 08Lucky Paper RadioStreets of New Capenna Mechanics & First ImpressionsAndy and Anthony talk about the headline mechanics of Magic’s latest premier set, Streets of New Capenna, a set featuring five, three-color factions, the families, each with their own named mechanic. They discuss each abstractly, breaking down the possible design space, how they fit into existing contexts, and what kinds of individual card designs they’re hoping to see.
27 weeks to CubeCon!
Timestamps:
5:33 — The mechanics of Streets of New Capenna
7:52 — The Brokers (Bant): Shield Counters
13:23 — The Obscura (Esper): Connive
19:34 — The Maestros (Grixis): Casualty
28:43 — The Riveteers (Jund): Blitz
34:31 — The Cabaretti (Naya): Alliance
43:28 — Overall mechanical impressions, Hidea...
2022-04-1158 minLucky Paper RadioRock Beats Paper, Paper Beats Scissors, Scissors Beats RockAfter alluding to it in passing multiple times, Andy and Anthony are finally going deep on Andy’s contentious assertion that there are no intrinsically favored matchups between aggro, midrange, and control as the common heuristic suggests. In this episode, they define the macro-archetypes, talk about where they come from, and cover appropriate and innappropriate applications of these kinds of thought technologies. Then, they discuss how each matchup is won and lost for all the permutations of aggro, midrange, and control.
Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from Arcade’s Commander Cube, the “Brawlbox”.
Timest...
2022-03-281h 05Lucky Paper RadioMy Deck Is a 7 With Mike Coyle & Andy FlouryAndy 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 spirits in trying to get the most out of Magic.
View timestamps an...
2022-02-281h 04Lucky Paper RadioKamigawa: Neon Dynasty Mechanics & First ImpressionsOur 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 see broad play? Which kinds of cubes will benefit most fr...
2022-02-0753 minLucky Paper RadioJust Slap It Down and Start PlayingAndy 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 visual spoiler of all the cards mentioned throughout the podcast, in chronological order.
Ti...
2022-01-241h 04Lucky Paper RadioOpen Drafting the Bun Magic CubeAndy 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!
Timestamps:
4:08 — Introduction: How we drafted
7:07 — Pack 1 from...
2022-01-101h 02Lucky Paper RadioLooking Backwards; Moving ForwardsIn 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.
Timestamps:
7:33 — Anthony’s Cube Hit of the Year: Diversity and Community Cubes on MTGO
8:58 — Andy’s C...
2021-12-271h 10Lucky Paper RadioInaugural Draft of the Irregular CubeAndy 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.
Follow along with all the mentioned cards.
Discussed in this episode:
The Irre...
2021-12-201h 06Lucky Paper RadioInnistrad: Crimson Vow Cube Community Set ReviewAndy 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 review
13:26 — Honorable Mention Voldaren Epicure
19:36 — 24. By Invitation Only
21:24 — 23. Cemetery Protector
24:11 — 22. Cemetery Illuminator
27:17 — 21. Fleeting Spirit
31:58 — 20. Voldaren Bloodca...
2021-11-291h 34Lucky Paper RadioEvolving Cubes and the Power of NoveltyAndy 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 — Dissonant feedback from different playgroups
27:49 — The continuing saga of Cling to Dust
31:49 — Follow up on Field of the Dead
41:40 — The power of novelty
50:2...
2021-10-2554 minLucky Paper RadioA Normal Conversation About Magic CardsWe’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 evolved, and gameplay highlights. Follow along with t...
2021-10-1845 minLucky Paper RadioInnistrad: Midnight Hunt Cube Set ReviewAndy 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 Mechanics and First Impressions
Andy’s MID Updates
Anthony’s MID Updates
Check us out on T...
2021-10-041h 28Lucky Paper RadioBrags & Bad BeatsLast call for our Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Cube survey! This is your only chance to let us know what you’re testing in your cube from the new set.
Andy and Anthony talk about updates to Andy’s “Bun Magic” Cube, including cards on their way in an Innistrad: Midnight Hunt update. They share some bad beats and successes from the a draft of Anthony’s Regular Cube.
Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from Eric’s Ideal Cube.
Discussed in this episode:
Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov
Inception (2010)
Fight Club (1999)
...
2021-09-271h 17Lucky Paper RadioCube Feelbads: Breaking Zero-Sum Fun in MagicOur 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 experiences create...
2021-09-201h 08Lucky Paper RadioSingle Card DiscussionAndy 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 reasons turned out to be problematic. Lastly they weigh the pros and cons of Cling to...
2021-09-061h 04Lucky Paper RadioLive from Cube Weekend '21This 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
James’ Breya Cube
Anthony’s Black Cu...
2021-08-231h 06Lucky Paper RadioBattlebox: No Setup, No Bad Mana, All MagicAndy 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’ Danger Room
Ben Stark’s Battle Box
Anthony’s Original List and much tidie...
2021-08-0957 minLucky Paper RadioIn Defense of Unpopular CardsOur Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Cube survey is open! Please take a few minutes to let us know what you’re testing in your cube from the new set.
Make sure to check out a special video made by Jason Waddell to accompany this week’s intro.
Using Cube Cobra’s new feature to sort a cube by popularity of cards, Andy and Anthony explore Andy’s Bun Magic Cube. They discuss some of the factors that may influence card’s popularity among cube owners and talk through some notable unpopular cards.
Our listen...
2021-07-121h 03Lucky Paper RadioMagic: the Gathering is a Difficult GameIn an effort to expand on past discussion about what makes a particular cube “hard” or “easy” to play, Andy and Anthony are dedicating an entire episode to unpacking what exactly makes Magic a difficult game. After being pressed by Andy to define seemingly simple terms, Anthony expounds upon his concepts of a “competency floor”, “mastery ceiling”, and overall “exertion”, and how each of these factors makes the game difficult in a different way.
Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from listener Cameron’s 1 Drop Cube. Thanks, Cameron!
Discussed in this episode:
Calca
Git
Scryfall
...
2021-06-281h 14Lucky Paper RadioModern Horizons 2 Cube Set ReviewDo some light stretches and grab some popcorn, because this is Lucky Paper Radio’s most in depth set review ever. Andy, Anthony, and Jett dive into Modern Horizons 2, a set with an unprecedented number of cards for cubes of all kinds. They explore support for classic mechanics, designs that can enable new themes, and the many powerful cards pushing the limits.
Conversation is guided by the results of our MH2 community survey revealing what in the new set is capturing the cube community’s interest, the most controversial cards, and appealing new options for the many face...
2021-06-213h 46Lucky Paper RadioHope Tender & Devoted Druid & Ragavan & LaeliaOn this episode, Andy and Anthony are discussing a recent draft of Anthony’s “Regular” Cube, in which Anthony made a stupid amount of mana with Hope Tender, making Andy question all of the decisions he made in his life that led to that moment. This dovetails into a conversation about the nuanced differences in what Anthony and Andy value about Magic and how they capture that in their respective cubes. What is the difference between having conditional cards as enablers vs having conditional cards as payoffs? What is the difference between having a power outlier 1 mana value card vs a p...
2021-05-311h 00Lucky Paper RadioPlaying to Win: Evaluating New CubesAndy and Anthony talk about how they approach drafting a cube they’ve never played before. What do they look for in the list to optimize their chances of success, and have a good time doing it. After discussing power outliers and big picture structure of an environment, they agree one of the most important aspects to focus on is the speed of the format, which shapes the tempo-value balance and the effectiveness of different strategies. It’s challenging to evaluate an environment just by looking at the list, and they share some heuristics they use to get a head...
2021-05-241h 05Lucky Paper RadioIrregular Cube: Rarity in Custom Draft FormatsAndy and Anthony discuss Anthony’s newest cube project, Irregular Cube. Like his primary cube it’s a lower power environment with a variety of overlapping archetypes, but it also has a novel structure: a main set and a second list of ‘rare’ cards, largely composed of higher powered cards with a healthy helping of build-arounds. They talk about the many opportunities rarity offers, challenges it imposes, and what they’ve learned from initial playtesting.
To kick off the conversation, our pack 1, pick 1 comes from the cube in question.
Discussed in this episode:
Irregular Cube + Rar...
2021-05-171h 06Lucky Paper RadioStrixhaven and Commander 2021 Cube Set ReviewOur Strixhaven: School of Mages and Commander 2021 prospectives are out! Thank you to everyone who participated.
Andy and Anthony are joined by Lucky Paper contributor Jett for a deep dive on what they believe to be the noteworthy cards from Strixhaven and Commander 2021. In their discussion, they reference their Strixhaven mechanics episode and their episode on Card Evaluation and the Playtesting Paradox.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
8:28 Elite Spellbinder
14:43 Leonin Lightscribe (and white Magecraft in general)
22:35 Clever Lumimancer
28:19 Professor of Symbology
33:20 Thunderous Orator
37:58 Mavinda, Students’ Advocate
40:32 Pillardrop Rescuer
42:15 Detention Vortex
44:33 Secret Rendezvous
45:32 Multiple Choice
51:58 Frost Trickster
55:23 Curate
59:25 Re...
2021-05-102h 47Lucky Paper RadioSmells Like SynergyOur Strixhaven set review episode is coming to you next week. We weren’t able to do the episode in a timely fashion due to life circumstances, but we’re going to make sure we bring the quality. Thanks for your patience!
On this week’s episode, Andy and Anthony talk about Cube and synergy. Synergy means many things to many different cube players and designers and is used to talk about both environments and decks. We tease out a few ways to define synergy, and how we use it to frame our goals as cube designers and ho...
2021-05-031h 04Lucky Paper RadioCube Is Not a MonolithThis week, Andy and Anthony take aim at the dominating rhetoric about Cube which takes for granted it is a format showcasing the most powerful cards in Magic. They tackle the big effects that small patterns in language can have, excluding huge areas of creative cube design. Our hosts reflect on just how effective the Cube Map is at visualizing the existing diversity in the format, and hinting at the vast empty spaces yet to be explored.
Our pack 1, pick 1 comes from the Nega Cube, currently taking the spotlight on MTGO, which features only cards not included...
2021-04-051h 03Lucky Paper RadioMore Mana, Faster ManaThis week, Andy and Anthony discuss changes to Andy’s Bun Magic Cube, updated to include a dramatic increase in the number of mana fixing lands and filling out a suite of fast mana. Our hosts discuss how this level of mana fixing changes a draft, and what questions they’re asking themselves to try to recalibrate expectations when drafting the shifted environment. Andy argues increasing the amount of ‘broken’ fast mana decreases variance, creating a more fun draft environment. And Anthony, uncharacteristically, defends a six drop that isn’t Colossal Dreadmaw.
We take a pack 1, pick 1 from liste...
2021-03-2956 minLucky Paper RadioA Flat Power LevelAnyone who has spent any time in Cube design circles has heard the supposed virtues of an environment with a “flat” power level, where the worst card is no less appealing or less playable than the best. On this week’s Lucky Paper Radio, Andy and Anthony are unpacking this truism and discussing the impacts of individual card power delta on a given cube more broadly. They two also touch on Magic as a spectator sport, PVDDR’s Youtube channel and subsequent article on Star City Games, Andy’s biggest weakness as a player (or at least one of them), whe...
2021-03-221h 15Lucky Paper RadioSpring CleaningDo you like your podcast episodes to be carefully planned and tightly edited, with the hosts staying laser focused on the topic at hand? If so, then this episode of Lucky Paper Radio is probably not for you! This week, Andy and Anthony are jumping around between a couple of topics, some only dubiously related to Magic, so let the timestamps be your guide if you think musings on world geography are a waste of your time.
Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from Pablo’s cube “Fundies”. Thanks, Pablo!
Discussed in this episod...
2021-03-081h 00Lucky Paper RadioRestrictions & InspirationOn this week’s Lucky Paper Radio, Andy and Anthony are answering a question from listener Nate about how to decide which cards to “ban” from his Peasant Cube. To date, Nate has used the Legacy banned list for his cube, but the recent addition of Arcum's Astrolabe has him wondering if he should drop this restriction. Then, they discuss the video “Should Cubes be Singleton?”, recounting their own experiences designing for both singleton and non-singleton environments. The confluence of these topics leads to a lengthy and detailed discussion about the role that restrictions play in cube design.
Our list...
2021-03-011h 06Lucky Paper RadioSpreadsheet: the GatheringView the Rotisserie Draft Discussed in this Episode
Use the Template in Your Own Rotisserie Drafts
On this week’s Lucky Paper Radio, Andy and Anthony are returning to one of their favorite ways to play Cube in the time of covid: online, asynchronous rotisserie drafting. Our heroes are in the midst of the matches following a recent rotisserie draft of Anthony’s “Regular” Cube and they’re discussing everything Anthony has learned from the experience. In their chat they touch on what rotisserie draft is, Puppet Conjurer, what you can learn from doing one with your...
2021-02-221h 17Lucky Paper RadioPersonal Cube Level UpsThis is our last chance to complete our Kaldheim Cube Survey! Please take a few minutes to let us know what you’re testing in your cube from the new set.
Every once in a while, something in your head clicks and the way you think about your cube changes forever. On this episode, Andy and Anthony take some time to reflect on each of their personal biggest Cube design level-up moments.
Anthony’s level ups are:
Including many more fixing lands
The value of hybrid cards as a counterbalance to a deep gold sect...
2021-02-011h 18Lucky Paper RadioBread and Butter BreakdownOur Kaldheim Cube Survey is open! Please take a few minutes to let us know what you’re testing in your cube from the new set.
As Andy tinkers with two lower powered and novel cubes, he finds himself presented with a question he hasn’t actually confronted in depth before: what percentage of a cube should be removal? Or countermagic? Or cantrips and card draw? With higher-powered cubes you’re often constrained by the available card pool, and end up playing as much of these effects as you can without sacrificing individual card quality, but at lower...
2021-01-251h 00Lucky Paper RadioMan vs. MachineOn this episode of Lucky Paper Radio Andy and Anthony are looking at the suggestions from Cube Cobra’s recommender for adds and cuts to their respective primary cubes. This is a jumping off point for discussion about which cards they think are under- or overrated, the philosophies at the foundations of their cubes, how single cards can open up entirely new decks in a draft, the merits of various two-mana green ramp spells, how to balance support for an archetype without it becoming too dominant, various things about Magic that Andy doesn’t like, homogeneity within the Cube comm...
2020-11-021h 16Lucky Paper RadioContext is KingThis episode of Lucky Paper Radio covers a range of topics all surrounding the importance of context in cube design and card evaluation. To start, Andy and Anthony do a very spooky pack 1, pick 1 from listener Stephen’s seasonally appropriate Innistrad Cube. They go on to discuss a theoretical Christmasland plane and answer a question from listener Adam about including cards of varying power levels in a cube list. Throughout this conversation, they go in depth about the kinds of cards that scale with the power level of an environment and the kinds that do not, the interplay between sy...
2020-10-261h 05Lucky Paper RadioComplexity in Cube DesignOn this week’s episode, Andy and Anthony discuss the new, extensive description and draft guide Anthony wrote about his “Regular” Cube and then consider Mark Rosewater’s definitions for the three types of complexity in Magic and how they might be applied to cube design. They talk about what Cube designers might learn from constructed formats, Anthony’s goal of making his cube resemble retail limited, exactly how many copies of Seven Dwarves you can run in a deck, whether all retail limited is actually just flavors of midrange, all about combat tricks, ASFAN (Anthony’s favorite R&D lingo), th...
2020-10-121h 18Lucky Paper RadioTurbo EggsThis is your last chance to submit a response for the Zenikar Rising Cube Survey. Please take a few minutes to let us know what you’re testing in your cube from the new set so your voice can be part of our upcoming prospective article.
Andy and Anthony are dedicating an entire episode to discussing a brand new cube Anthony designed around a little tweak to Magic’s core rules. They kick things off with a pack 1, pick 1 from this very special cube and then review the results of their playtesting together. Topics of discussion include why...
2020-09-211h 01Lucky Paper RadioLay of the LandsThis episode is a deep dive on evaluating the new modal double-face card mechanic from Zendikar Rising by comparing it to a variety of existing mechanics from Magic’s past. Andy and Anthony kick things off by weighing in on what Feed the Swarm means for the color pie, then do a pack 1, pick 1 from listener Nomad’s Budget Cube. Then, they discuss signets, breaking cycles in your cube, the joy of running big, splashy spells at minimal cost, why Andy is going to test Lonely Sandbar, building decks that literally can’t get flooded or mana screwed, what a card...
2020-09-071h 17Lucky Paper RadioAnalysis ParalysisThis is an episode about how difficult it is to design a cube. First, Andy and Anthony do a pack 1, pick 1 from Anthony’s “Regular” Cube, which leads into a conversation about their most recent draft of the environment and the kind of feedback Anthony has received about it. They talk about how designing cubes at lower power levels is more difficult for a variety of reasons, not least of which is that players have a bias towards more powerful spells.
Then, they’re joined by John Terrill of the Cultic Cube YouTube channel and Chateau Cube podcast...
2020-08-311h 45Lucky Paper RadioRotisserie RundownOn this episode, Andy and Anthony bring you the long awaited conclusion of their rotisserie draft of Andy’s cube. They also do a pack 1, pick 1 from, and discuss Anthony’s draft of, Riku’s Jund Cube, which leads into a conversation about black aggro, how profoundly player perceptions shape a draft and our resulting understanding of our environments, just how broken Oko is, a theoretical cube whose only stipulation is that it cannot contain any cards in your main cube, Anthony’s new beginner-focused cube, the difference between trying to draft a good deck and trying to draft a 3-0 de...
2020-08-241h 32Lucky Paper RadioMatchup MatrixOn this episode, Andy and Anthony discuss how Andy evaluates cards for his cube based on how they perform against opposing decks rather than on their interactions with other cards in the same deck. They do a pack 1, pick 1 from Allison’s Peasant cube, which they have had the pleasure of playing in paper in the before-times. While doing a deep dive on the matchup matrix Andy made for the mono-white aggro deck he rotisserie drafted, they get into details of specific matchups, why equipment and vehicles are kind of like Baneslayers, the joys of making spreadsheets about your cu...
2020-08-171h 34Lucky Paper RadioThe ABCs of AggroOn this episode, Andy and Anthony are talking all things aggro. They do a pack 1, pick 1 from catofcraft’s “Fast Cube”, a low-to-the-ground, efficient environment with no shuffle effects. Anthony dozes off for awhile as Andy talks for ten straight minutes about his personal history with aggro, which leads to a discussion about the definition of aggro and an exploration of how it often manifests itself in typical cube lists and how it might be approached differently. How many aggro decks does your Cube need? Why is consistency so important? Why do people like Avalanche Riders so much? What is a d...
2020-08-031h 24Lucky Paper RadioDrafting Your Own Cube PoorlyOn this episode, Andy and Anthony discuss a pack 1, pick 1 from listener Chris's "Dichotomy Cube", which consists of 180 white cards, 180 black cards, and exactly one copy of Jace, the Mindsculptor. Then, Anthony takes Andy to task for putting up a crap record in a modified team draft of his own cube, causing Andy to expound on the profound shame of regularly drafting his own cube poorly. Andy explains his favorite 4-person draft format, a modified version of Ryan Spain's Double-Decker Draft. Finally, Andy gets Anthony's perspective on a handful of controversial cube cards.
If you want us...
2020-07-201h 23Lucky Paper RadioTeaserLucky Paper Radio is a podcast about Magic: the Gathering hosted by lifelong friends Andy Mangold and Anthony Mattox. Focused primarily on sandbox formats like Cube, which are free of banlists, rotation, and net decking, the show is about the best parts of Magic and how to get the most out of the game.
2020-06-3003 min