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Never pass a Kabuto Moth. It was a saying from old Kamikawa limited, because you were by far the best common in that format. It was impossible to lose in combat when you were active. Personally I didn’t play a single draft or sealed deck in the old Kamikawa block. I only started playing limited when I discovered cube, and there I needed a little bit of help before I fell in love with you.
When building my first Masters cube back in 2013, a cube designed to copy the feel of the old Modern Masters draft experience, I was looking for white common Spirits. Because I wanted to include a Tallowisp strategy in that cube. In this cube, there is 1 copy of each rare, 2 copies of each uncommon and 3 copies of each common. So it was easier to support a fringe card like Tallowisp because the setup of the cube supported multiple copies. In my first version of this list I opted for Voiceless Spirit. In the first drafts of this cube it was loved by the players for the unique experience it brought to the table, it did really feel like the Modern Masters experience. The impact forgotten commons had on the games was beautiful to see. But it had some rough edges, and Voiceless Spirit was one of those edges. It was bad.
When I discussed this cube with my dear friend Danny he gave me the best feedback I ever got as a cube designer. The players playing my cubes were all spikes, PTQ grinders, competitive players. Cards like Voiceless Spirit offered little interesting gameplay, it was way too vanilla. Danny told me I should design for board states so complicated that even the most skilled players would miss on board tricks due to the complexity of all the pieces. He did play with you, Kabuto Moth, in Kamikawa limited and used you as THE example of what this cube was missing. Not even realising that you are a Spirit, the perfect company for Tallowisp. But he teached me as a cube designer what made Magic so beautiful: complexity. And you are the pinnacle of complexity, Kabuto Moth.
After the first time playing with you I fell madly in love with you. My friend Rinke got so frustrated with you that he had to kill you with a Gruul Ragebeast because he couldn’t attack, because of you. Needing a 7 mana 6/6 rare to pick off a 3 mana 1/2 common. At that moment I knew Danny was right, and I fell madly in love with you.
At the time of writing this I own 19 unique cubes. And my friends always tease me with my love for you, because they have the feeling you are in each and everyone of those cubes. To be fair, you are in 7 unique cubes, and in 4 of my 6 Masters cubes. Because you still are the best at offering what I am looking for: complexity. And I love you for that.
With love,
Hanjo
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