Dungeons and Dragons in a Cube - The Player's Cube

Adventures in the Forgotten Realms has been my favorite Magic set in 2021. Possibly has made my Top 5 sets of all time. It finally brought Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: the Gathering together and did so with some amazing, unforgettable cards. Add in truly unique mechanics that were also fun, and you've got an excited enough Zuby to finally bring my Player's Cube to fruition.

Previously, I introduced the concept of Dungeons and Dragons in a Cube. This really consisted of two cubes; one for Players and the other for Monsters. The Player's cube attempts to represent the thirteen playable classes in Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition and explore the power of those classes as represented by Magic cards.

As you can see from the word cloud below, some classes have more representation than others.

Warlocks are a relatively new creature type for MtG. Bards were introduced in AFR, so there simply are not that many. Where the class did not exist in Magic, I chose the nearest approximation that seemed valid. Sorcerers became Shamans, Paladins became Knights, and Fighters became Warriors.

I don't mind making this kind of concession. That's the great thing about Cube – it’s yours. It’s your personal selection of cards you want to put in a Limited environment for you to play with friends. It’s similar to Commander where you can really put a part of yourself into your design and establish your own goals.

These cubes are not perfectly balanced and may not have the tightest archetypes, but what's more important is I succeeded in representing Dungeons and Dragons in a fun and accessible way. I achieved my goal. They're also incredibly fun to play, and that's the whole point of Magic anyway, right?

As mentioned above, both cubes try to capture what’s fun about Dungeons and Dragons and bring it to Magic: the Gathering. You can play the cube using these formats, or any other you dream up yourself:

1v1
2 Headed Giant
Archenemy
4 person free for all

I wanted the cube to stay flexible to play no matter how many people were playing, or however they felt like playing. This is big part of why I avoided tight and defined archetypes in the Player's cube instead focusing on each of the 13 classes and other flavorful elements like magic items you might find. Enchantments or spells that might be cast. Deity interventions that can occur and so much more.

Let's look at how I represented the classes!

Artificer

Artificers are masters of invention and ingenuity. They use magic to unlock extraordinary capabilities in objects. In this cube they are most often seen as ones to help build up your board presence through tokens or helping pump up your other creatures. While Artificers are typically toiling away in their workshops, they can be quite deadly on the battlefield with whatever concoction they have devised.

Barbarian

The fury of the Barbarians is unlike anything most have witnessed. They are a fierce tribe of warriors and once they enter that battle rage it’s next to impossible to stop them. If you’re interested in decimating your opponent quickly, be on the lookout for any Berserker or Barbarian creature types in this cube.

Bards

Bartds are known for their musical prowess and ability to inspire others. Their power echoes the music of creation. Though they may appear weak, just a whisper from a Bard is enough to drive one mad. The Bard creature type is very new, having been made official in AFR, and so there are very few Bard creature types out there. In the coming years I am hoping to add more Bards. For now, Bards offer very little in this cube except for some stat boosts or helping with finding cards.

Cleric

A Cleric is someone who wields divine magic in service of a higher power. While typically looked at as the healers of the party, Clerics can also pack a punch and hold their own. In this cube, they help protect your creatures, summon divine creatures and can occasionally invoke some dark magic.

Druids

Druids are the wield the power of nature and can adopt animal forms. Fierce protectors of the wild, they will do anything to preserve nature's balance. In this cube the Druid cards care about land and creature synergies.

Fighters

Fighters are masters of martial combat with proficiency for a variety of weapons and armor. Few can match the martial prowess of a trained Fighter. In this Cube, whether it’s helping with the equipment you control or rallying other Fighters to your cause, these warriors can be quite devastating to your opponent.

Monks

Monks are the masters of martial arts and harnessing the spiritual energy that surrounds us. The Monk's prowess in this cube can be very beneficial for you and devastating against your opponents. Monks are known for being fast and can morph into something unexpected.

Paladin

A paladin swears to uphold justice and righteousness, to against the encroaching darkness, and to hunt the forces of evil wherever they lurk. Paladins can help venture through dungeons and pump up your party in this cube.

Rangers

Rangers are the warriors of the wilderness, unsurpassed in the wild. Masters of the bow and beast, Rangers in this cube can help you take care of creatures out of range as well as help recruit beasts to your cause.

Rogue

Scoundrels who use stealth and trickery to overcome obstacles and their enemies, Rogues are best known for being unseen and making their opponents forget. In this cube not only do rogues suddenly flash in but can also drain opponents' minds of their spells. Utilizing their poisons, even the smallest touch from a rogue spells certain death.

Sorcerer

Beings who draw magic upon their inherent bloodline or from a gift. Shamans as Sorcerers in this cube are known for calling upon the elements and their wild magic which can sometimes have unintended effects.

Warlock

Warlocks draw their power upon striking a bargain with a powerful patron. Sometimes giving up something great for power. Warlocks in this cube summon demons to aid you in your battle or bring back creatures from the dead.

Wizard

Wizards are powerful magic users capable of manipulating the structures of reality itself. Wizards in this cube are plentiful and can return spells you’ve already cast or counter your opponent in their tracks.

There you have it, the 13 classes of Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition represented in this cube. While not all classes could be perfectly represented, it’s still very fun to play. Especially against the Monster cube, which you will see discussed in a future article.

So if you enjoyed this, please be sure to check out the cube here: https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/zubydndcubeplayers

Give it a draft and let me know what you think! Once events start back up, I’m hoping to bring both of these cubes with me to draft and play with more friends. Thanks again for taking the time to read.