Hanjo’s Love Letters

<3

Just as I was writing my letter yesterday for Decimator Beetle, I thought of you. I was thinking about cards to help Obelisk Spider shine more in this Love Letter Cube (because he deserves it), and you are a perfect piece to complement him. You are not in one of my Cubes with him yet, and I think it’s about time.

You are in 4 of my Cubes. You have been in my Peasant Cube since day one. That is to no surprise, I think I played my most constructed during the days of Time Spiral block (where you were reprinted). I’ve played and see you shine in Mono Blue Pickles. I saw your potential, your awesomeness. In my Peasant Cube you are a really nice piece of interaction. In the second Cube I’ve put you in, my Hanjo Masters #1, I’ve explored your full potential: in that Cube I’ve combined you with Proliferate. Cards like Contagion Clasp, Thrumming Bird, Volt Charge super charge you and make you very, very, very unfair. I love it. 

I love engine building in Magic. I love Cube for giving it’s designers the space to design for engines that normally would never exist in Magic. Cards/engines that would be too weak for the quite high bar that Commander sets. Cards/engines that would otherwise never meet because they were printed years apart. I’ve been combining you with Contagion Clasp for forever, and it’s about time I also combine you with Obelisk Spider. 

With love, 

Hanjo

<3

Assumptions is the mother of all fuckups. A great and very true saying. When someone reads you they are filled with assumptions. Because there is a little something about you that is right there on the card. But no one reads that at first, because we make assumptions. You remove a -1/-1 counter from a creature you control and put a -1/-1 counter on another creature the opponent controls. But the removing is not a cost for the placing, they are separate effects. So even if you don’t have a -1/-1 counter to remove, you still get to place one. This isn’t trickery, it’s right there written on you. 

I first played you at the 2017 Dutch Nationals where I mended my broken heart. Together with your best bud Obelisk Spider. I already wrote a love letter for him on day 23, thanking him for mending that broken heart. Fellow Cube fanatic Thomas said that he thought that that love letter was one of my best, and I think I couldn’t agree more. I drafted both of you at the Dutch Nationals and put both of you together in my Hanjo Masters 4 to remember that day forever. 

This morning I was thinking that Obelisk Spider does need some help from friends to make him shine more in this Love Letter Cube I’m making. Because I’m going to be putting QR code stickers on the back of the cards linking to the love letters, I do want people to play the actual best letters-cards in the Love Letter Cube often. And I was thinking about a perfect card to help Obelisk Spider out, but why break a love bond that is already there. You both mended my broken heart and you both deserve a letter and be in this Love Letter Cube. 

With love, 

Hanjo

<3

You are played in only 0.22% of all Cubes on Cube Cobra at the time of writing this. That is very, very low. If you look at the list of Cubes you are played in, you see a trend: 

• Misery II
• Rocky Mountain Yeti Cube of Misfortune
• Bad Card Cube
• The Worst Cards Ever (But actually playable) Cube
• A Strictly Worse Cube
• The Horrible Cube
• Worst Cards Cube
• Garbage Masters
• Backdraft Cube / Coin Cube
• BAD CUBE
• unplayable cube
• The Unpopular Cube
• The Trash Cube
• Misery
• the worst cube youll ever play

All these names make me sad. Bad, garbage, unplayable, trash, misery, horrible, misfortune all used to describe you, An-Havva Township, while both my players and I absolutely love you. To us you are among some of the best lands ever. Our context for you is different though, because we play you in my cost reduction emblem cube, my Alles-2 Cube. In this Cube you are an untapped tri-color land, no restrictions, no fancy stuff, just a land that enters untapped and can tap for either Red, Green or White. 

You are part of a cycle of 5. My heart jumped when I found you guys for this Cube. There are strictly better lands than you guys, there are a ton of rainbow lands available for a -2 Emblem Cube like Shimmering Grotto. But those are not the power level I was after for this Cube, they are way too good. I needed lands that turned it down a notch and thus were perfectly in tune for the Legacy power level I was after. You guys are amazing in this Cube. You are high pick ups for this Cube, people love seeing you, it’s like you were made solely for this purpose. You always make me so happy to see you in that Cube. 

With love, 

Hanjo 

<3

I love combat tricks. The problem with combat tricks is, that the higher the power level of a Cube, the worse they get. My lower power level Masters Cubes are usually a perfect place for a couple of combat tricks. There is also a place for some stronger combat tricks in my Peasant Cube like Harm’s Way. But when you get to the Legacy Cube power level, combat tricks are non-existent. That makes me sad. 

My Alles-2 Cube, my cost reduction emblem Cube, took inspiration from the power level of Legacy Cubes. When asked, my players tell me this Cube feels more like a power level somewhere between Legacy and Vintage Cube, but I personally feel like it’s close to Legacy Cube. I was curious, could I find a combat trick that was so strong that it could work in this Cube, that it could be intune. At first I tried Choose your Weapon because of the modality, but in practice it just wasn’t good enough. Rally the Monastery was a combat trick who, because of the modality, was easily good enough (my friend Brian absolutely destroyed me with the +2+2 modus last weekend). But to be fair, that is 95% of the time not a combat trick, it’s just an added bonus. I wanted a full on combat trick, preferably in green. I tried Briarpack Alpha, but again, it was just a tad to weak, not cutting it, not intune with the power level. 

After some deep dives I found 2 options in green. Briahorn and you, Overprotect. Both of you are perfect, are strong and intune with the Cube. But where Briahorn is also used as a defensive spell (flashing in 6 power on blocks is crazy strong), you are really there for the aggressor. And let me tell you, Giant Growth has never been this good. People should try it out to see what I see: you are amazing at only one mana. 

With love, 

Hanjo

<3

Yesterday I was in a church in Gent, attending my friend Mark his LGS’s 20th birthday. A really beautiful place to play some Magic. I brought my Alles-2 Cube, my cost reduction emblem Cube, for this event. I drafted this really cool green and black midrange deck. I was playing my friend Brian in the second round. He just freshly cast you, Avenging Huntbonder. 

I was still at a healthy 20 life. Well not that healthy actually, because Brian did have an Angelic Armaments in play, threatening at least 10 damage next turn. I thought my road to victory was to get my Genesis that was in play, in the graveyard, and be able to win the long game. But another big problem was a Stonecloacker in my opponent’s hand, disrupting all my graveyard shenanigans. I had a Dark Hatchling in my graveyard that looked very potent against this WhiteWeenie splashing blue deck. I had a Final Parting in hand and I could find anything I like. I was really focused on that Stonecloacker, also because spot removal wasn’t an option because there was a Momentary Blink in my opponent’s graveyard. So I fetched up a Night Terrors to get that Stonecloaker out of my opponent’s hand, seeing another protection spell and a Clone. And that Clone was a problem. Because I had a Briahorn in play, that healthy 20 life really wasn’t healthy anymore. I took the Stonecloacker to secure my late game if we would get into a staring contest and attacked to pressure Brian his life total and have potential lethal damage next turn. 

Then Brian drew a 6th land, could equip the Angelic Armaments, play the Clone on Briahorn, flashback the Momentary Blink to make you, Avenging Huntbonder, a 11/11 flying double strike. I was very much dead. That was such an awesome way to die. Thank you for that, I loved it. 

With love, 

Hanjo

<3

The kids these days are spoiled. They have so many, very strong, utility lands at their disposal. Just look at cards like Abandoned Air Temple, Boseiju, Who Endures (whole cycle to be fair), Witch Enchanter (also the whole cycle). I like that Magic has more utility lands. I am experiencing this in my Alles-2 Cube, where a lot of my ‘fetchlands’ like Furnace Host Charger are actually modal cards. Utility lands take away some variance that the lands resource system gives Magic and I think that is a good thing. 

I remember those good old days. When Time Spiral was printed Karakas finally became really strong in combination with Mangara of Corondor in Legacy. Academy Ruins gave all the blue control decks of Block and Standard inevitability together with Triskelavus. And you, Riptide Laboratory, suddenly became the utility land in Extended together with Venser, Shaper Savant. I always have fond memories off the blue control decks running 3 copies of you because you were their late game plan. 

I do sometimes miss those old days. Where fixing was not a given, but a blessing. Where not every deck had utility lands to enable mana floods, but that you actually had to design for it (and they usually were colorless lands, and fixing was bad so it was taxing). When it was still a magical thing that your mana base would help you win the game. These days the utility lands are basically modal spells that don’t even care about the late game anymore, they are just spells in the midgame. They help you to make sure you don’t even get into the late game. I miss those late game land grinds you used to offer, I enjoyed playing them. But maybe that is just a blue control player talking, enjoying the nostalgia when playing an old Cube.

With love, 

Hanjo

<3

The kids these days are spoiled. I started playing Magic in 2003. If I wanted an untapped dual land for turn 1 there were only 3 options: An actual dual land (Underground Sea), a pain land (Underground River) or a fetchland for that dual land (Polluted Delta). If you look at Julien Nuijten his Worlds winning Astral Slide decklist, he played only 4 fix lands: 4 Windswept Heath. The way they were meant to be played. The days of standard constructed after that with Mirrodin block and Kamikawa block, we didn’t even have an actual turn 1 untapped dual land at our disposal. They decided to not print the painlands in 8th Edition (they did in 7th and 9th). We managed just fine. 

Ofcourse we are also spoiled by Frank Karsten. The way he breaks Magic down mathematicly, especially mana bases, and provided us all with the tools we need so that anyone can build a perfect mana base is a true blessing. I do have to admit it might be better I didn’t have his mana base tools back then, because I don’t know if I could have been bothered to even try to play 2 colour decks without any fixing. And I did enjoy a lot of Green Black Death Cloud in Standard back then. A lot. 

I really like your cycle, Chocked Estuary. I think you 10 are so elegant. It is the cycle I choose when wanting rare fixing lands in my Peasant Cube. Because you do enter untapped on turn 1 as a fixing land. Because you really support 2 colour (aggressive) decks the best, while being worse when playing 3+ colours . I think these days the kids are spoiled with so many turn-one-untapped fixing lands that they can just play any soup deck they want and get away with it. I personally like some restraint every once in a while. Restriction breeds creativity. Cube can still teach those youngsters something.

With love, 

Hanjo

<3

You are part of a long line of really awesome creatures in Magic. The most classic of you bunch is of course Triskellion. The first Titan of our game (a six mana creature that would win games on its own). Triskelion is still a banger in the Old School and PreModern formats. You on the other hand, Triskelavus, are a relic of a forgotten past. 

Guillaume Wafo-Tapa , one of the best control players Magic has ever seen, won Pro Tour Yokohama with you in his Blue Black Teachings Control deck. He showcased your power to the world. You were the perfect inevitability that deck needed. Time Spiral provided so many great pieces that made that control deck click and two of those pieces were both you, Triskelavus, and your partner in crime Academy Ruins. Because just having both of you in your deck, you just knew eventually, you would be able to win the game. I personally also played you in both Block Constructed and Standard in that time a lot, I could not get enough of the Blue-Black Teachings decks. 

Because that is what you used to do: win games. But like I said, you are a relic of the past. Forgotten, unimportant. There is no place for you to shine. Even in Cube you have an abismal low playrate: 942 Cubes total (0.24%). But I see you, I play you. I run you in one of my Cubes: my Alles-2 Cube (my emblem reduction Cube). Because that is what you’ve needed to shine again. You needed some extra sauce to compete again, and that sauce is being 5 mana and having you activated ability be free (thanks to the emblem). And let me tell you, in this new context: you are so amazing again. No longer a relic of the past, but a banger of the future. 

With love, 

Hanjo

<3

When you were first printed people talked about you being a Flicker effect. Because the classic Blink effect is the card Flicker, and they also printed Flickerform, Flickering Spirit and later Flickerwisp and Ghostly Flicker as omens to the original. But what actually happened because of you is that Flicker strategies weren’t called Flicker strategies anymore. No, because of you they became known as Blink strategies. 

You were both so much fun to play and such a strong card. You were the perfect mix of being actually very competitive and making Spike his heart jump but also a very potent part of an engine and making Johnny his heart jump. I played you to death together with Mulldrifter and Reveillark, qualifying for the Dutch Nationals in 2008. Such a fun deck to play, so many good memories. 

You have been a Cube staple since day one, being featured in the Vintage Cube played at the 2007 Magic Invitational. You used to be in my very first Cube: my Peasant Cube I have since 2009. But you didn’t stand the test of time there very well, Ephemeral caught up with you. You are still in 5 of my other Cubes, mostly my lower power level Masters Cubes. One other Cube of mine you are in which just happens to be my currently favourite Cube is: my Alles-2 Cube where each player starts the game with a cost reduction emblem. 

In that Cube flashback cards are really cool because their context change is twice as big. Because not only does your regular cost change (to one mana), also your flashback cost changes (to two mana). Now I have to make a choice how I want to add you to my Love Letter Cube, that I am building after these 365 love letters. But to be honest it is not really a choice. Back in 2008 I fell completely in love with you playing you in UW Blink. 2 years ago I fell completely in love with you all over again when I added you to my Alles-2 Cube. Because that is the best thing about that Cube, it lets you relive falling in love with Magic, and Magic Cards that didn’t stand the test of time very well, all over again. You are going to be added as your new alter ego to the Love Letter Cube, cost reduction and all. 

With love, 

Hanjo

<3

Your peak days were among the best days in Magic. You were released into the world in October of 2000. Just to set the stage on how powerful you were back then: you were banned in Legacy and restricted in Vintage in December of 2001. You won Worlds in 2002, you also won 3 Pro Tours. That is an impressive track record. 

Your best bud was Psychatog. You guys were a match made in heaven. You could at a minimum always draw 3 cards, while also adding a bunch of cards to the graveyard. A lot of snacks for Mr. Teeth. But the sheer card advantage you offer in combination with the selection made you so strong. I’ve been in the seat of having to take that pile of one card, just because that one card would actually win you the game. But I’ve also been in that seat taking those 4 cards, because I already had that one card in my hand. I’ve even been in the seat of taking 5 cards, yes that is correct, 5 cards, thanks to Mindslaver in UW Tron in Extended. 

You’ve been a Cube banger since day one. You used to be part of the MTGO Vintage Cube, but those days are gone. But you are still a banger in a lot of Cubes, you are in 13.80% of all Cubes on CubeCobra (54011). You have been in my Peasant Cube since day one and will never leave that Cube. I love you way too much for that. Because of nostalgia, but mostly because of you play patterns. You are so uncomfortable to play against. The sheer amount of choices you offer are insane and in my opinion make you impossible to play against correctly. You are the ultimate Magic puzzle and I feel like I have yet to solve you. So just for that, you will never leave my Peasant Cube. 

With love, 

Hanjo