Usman The Rad

@usmantherad.com

1149 Followers 1952 Following

usmantherad.com I've been writing and podcasting about cube since 2010. I'm also one of the people involved with developing the MTGO cubes and thepaupercube.com. linktr.ee/usmantherad

Big Mac the cat looking like a himbo with his big cheeks and "stink face."
screen grab from a coolstuffinc article that has SEO as one of their article tags. People won't be searching articles for SEO.
Deck 2 Icetill Explorer (EOE) 192 3 Emeritus of Abundance (SOS) 145 2 Aang, Swift Savior (TLA) 204 3 Requiting Hex (ECL) 116 2 Shoot the Sheriff (OTJ) 106 2 Rakshasa's Bargain (TDM) 214 2 Three Steps Ahead (OTJ) 75 4 Consult the Star Charts (EOE) 51 1 Pest Control (BIG) 22 1 Spell Pierce (NEO) 80 1 Duress (STA) 29 2 Witherbloom Charm (SOS) 244 1 Restless Cottage (WOE) 258 4 Fabled Passage (ELD) 244 1 Temple Garden (GRN) 258 1 Plains (BLB) 265 3 Dreamroot Cascade (VOW) 262 2 Watery Grave (GRN) 259 2 Swamp (SOS) 269 4 Starting Town (FIN) 289 2 Concealed Courtyard (OTJ) 268 2 Island (FIN) 299 1 Forest (TMT) 257 1 Restless Reef (LCI) 282 1 Professor Dellian Fel (SOS) 214 1 Get Lost (LCI) 14 1 Deadly Cover-Up (MKM) 83 2 Strategic Betrayal (TDM) 94 1 Stock Up (SOA) 24 1 Glorious Decay (SOS) 150 1 Willowrush Verge (DFT) 270 1 Ba Sing Se (TLA) 266 1 Ancient Cornucopia (BIG) 16 1 Thundertrap Trainer (BLB) 78 Sideboard 2 Duress (STA) 29 2 Ghost Vacuum (DSK) 248 1 Disdainful Stroke (SOA) 17 1 Annul (KHM) 42 1 Heritage Reclamation (TDM) 145 1 Urgent Necropsy (MKM) 240 1 Essence Scatter (DMU) 49 1 Deadly Cover-Up (MKM) 83 1 Strategic Betrayal (TDM) 94 1 Negate (MOM) 68 1 Aang, Swift Savior (TLA) 204 1 Day of Black Sun (TLA) 94 1 Spell Pierce (NEO) 80
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Deck 7 Island (MIR) 336 6 Plains (MIR) 331 3 Get Lost (LCI) 14 3 Tishana's Tidebinder (LCI) 81 2 Restless Anchorage (LCI) 280 4 No More Lies (MKM) 221 2 Meticulous Archive (MKM) 264 2 Aven Interrupter (OTJ) 4 2 Enduring Innocence (DSK) 6 3 Enduring Curiosity (DSK) 51 4 Floodpits Drowner (DSK) 59 2 Floodfarm Verge (DSK) 259 2 Soulstone Sanctuary (FDN) 133 2 Voice of Victory (TDM) 33 2 Starting Town (FIN) 289 2 Avatar's Wrath (TLA) 12 3 Aang, Swift Savior (TLA) 204 1 Multiversal Passage (OM1) 181 1 Aang's Iceberg (TLA) 5 1 Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel (LCI) 63 2 Wan Shi Tong, Librarian (TLA) 78 3 Novice Inspector (MKM) 29 1 Consult the Star Charts (EOE) 51 Sideboard 2 Flashfreeze (FDN) 590 1 Avatar's Wrath (TLA) 12 1 Tishana's Tidebinder (LCI) 81 3 Horned Loch-Whale (WOE) 53 4 Seam Rip (EOE) 34 1 Ghost Vacuum (DSK) 248 2 Essence Scatter (IKO) 49 1 Consult the Star Charts (EOE) 51
You’ll notice that I didn’t post any deck pictures - I only took pics of the pauper cube draft, not including deck pictures is an intentional decision, to highlight the fact that - while it sounds so cliche, it really was much more about the gathering than the game; the best part of CubeCon 2024 and 2025 was hanging out with people, showing pictures of my cats and talking about the format that we love. My wife said that when I came back from CubeCon 2024, I was so energized, jazzed and excited from how it went and how appreciated I felt. I was with my people.
"Cube design is a cathartic project. I highly recommend it. Like tending a garden for those who aren't about gardening."
Originally, this article was started in 2016 with the whirlwind of great sets in that year. Little did I know just how much more powerful later sets would be and how often sets in a year in more recent years! But it’s something I’d wanted to write about in cube for much longer than that. Often, designers approach cube changes as merely cutting cards that are bad and putting in new cards or only comparing cards at the same/similar mana cost. One of the few remnants of the original article from 2016 said “As cube designers interested in crafting environments, we can do better.” Nearly a decade of age and recent thoughts about cube have tempered my tone - it isn’t so much that we can “do better” or “you’re doing it wrong if you’re approaching cube design in this way” but as cube designers, that isn’t the only lens we should be looking at making cube changes from.
Cori-Steel Cutter Usman: Power: 4.5, Vibes: 4.5 Mabel’s equipment gets its own card, sans vigilance. This gets there on rate, which the flurry cards tend to do better than the old guard which was mostly lacking if you couldn’t reliably double-spell. I can see this making a token on the opponent’s step, which is pretty nifty for representing burst damage or an emergency blocker if need be. The question I always ask myself with this is if it’s worth playing this over a generic burn spell in a red aggro deck. Given the efficiency rate on this, I’d say the answer is usually yes. TrainmasterGT: Power: 4, Vibes: 4 I love that “Monk Tokens” are a theme in this set. So happy to see them!