Dungeons and Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms has rattled the Cube community. Adventures in the Forgotten Realms is the first Magic set outside of the world of the Magic: The Gathering IP. The general unease about the setting has been compounded by strange new mechanics like Flavor Words and D20 rolling as well as a significantly lower power level than the sets that proceeded it: Modern Horizons 2 and Strixhaven: School of Mages. Despite the troubles, Adventures in the Forgotten Realms has a number of great options for Cubers who wish to spice up their environments with cool, powerful, and flavorful cards. However, it can be difficult to tell a Bugbear from an Adult Gold Dragon when it comes to Cube design. I want to make this task easier by highlighting some of the coolest new things in Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, discuss why they're exciting, and whether or not they might be good. Please understand that this article is not a "best cards" list or a review. Instead, it is a discussion of things that I am excited to test and an explanation as to why.
Card 1: Ebondeath, Dracolich
Ebondeath, Dracolich is a potent, albeit hard to master, creature. This Zombie Dragon has applications in generic Aggro, Midrange, and Control decks and graveyard-oriented strategies such as Aristocrats, Discard, and Dredge. The fact that it is a massive flier that can be cast from the graveyard is insanely strong. Aggro can use Ebondeath as a source of card advantage, especially after pesky board wipes. Control can use Ebondeath as an instant-speed finisher, letting them hold up mana for counterspells until the end of the turn. Various flavors of Midrange can also make use of Ebondeath as a means to grind out the opponent in a mirror match. There is a lot of play to this card.
However, there are some caveats involved. First, Ebondeath's body is terrible if its ability to come back from the dead cannot be leveraged. Most decks will not be in the market for a four mana 5/2 flash flying that enters the battlefield tapped on its own merits. Dying to Shock aside, most finishers need to do more than just eat a removal spell then die. Cubes that are too fast might not ever allow players to re-cast Ebondeath before they lose the game. The recursion ability has to matter for this card to be good in most environments. Second, if Ebondeath can come back too often, it can warp the game. If the game goes long, having a massive flier that refuses to stay dead can cause massive swings in game balance. While this isn't an issue for faster environments, it can cause problems in Cubes where the majority of the game is spent past turn 4 or 5.
While the two problems I outlined above may seem like conflicting statements, they are very real issues that designers have to contend with if they wish to use Ebondeath. Luckily, there are plenty of Cubes where the game length is just right for something like Ebondeath to shine. This card looks perfect in traditional MTGO style Cubes; especially when compared to the other black 4 drops those Cubes still tend to run. Ebondeath also looks decent in unpowered fair environments that are near the top of the speed ranking but are maybe a turn or two slower than what a speed optimized list might look like at that point in the power band.
Ebondeath, Dracolich will be an absolute powerhouse at a very specific speed and power level. The key to making this card shine is to make sure it's in a slow enough Cube where players can spend time developing this card and re-casting it when needed, but a fast enough Cube where this card doesn't warp the game around itself for both players. Any designer who is able to balance those two factors effectively is in for a real treat!
Card 2: Den of the BugbearDen of the Bugbear is an untapped land that can also serve as a late-game mana sink and damage source for proactive decks. Proactive decks, especially aggro decks, want to be using as much of their mana as efficiently as possible. This means two things: they want untapped lands and want things to do with extra mana if the game goes long. Den of the Bugbear is great because it can become a pseudo Goblin Rabblemaster in the late game. It can deal massive damage if left unchecked for too long, all while coming stapled to a land! There is very little cost to adding Den of the Bugbear to a proactive deck as it enters the battlefield untapped in the early game. The biggest strike against Den of the Bugbear is its high activation cost: 5 mana if it attacks. Luckily, as a land, it shouldn't be attacking unless its controller has run out of things to do with their mana. While the activation cost is steep, it doesn't take a spell slot. As such, Den of the Bugbear is a great value utility land for designers wishing to give their proactive decks a little extra nudge. Card 3: Check for Traps
Two mana Thoughtseize effects get a bad reputation in some Cube circles because they are slower than their one mana counterparts. The fact is, these cards tend to still be extremely playable in most decks. As we saw with Agonizing Remorse, it's still usually correct to play a two mana Thoughtseize variant. For anyone who still has reservations about this class of card, Check for Traps is a great introduction point. This card can really punish a controlling opponent by ripping a potentially game-warping spell like Cryptic Command or Mystic Confluence from their hand, causing them to lose life in the process. Against a normal opponent, Check for Traps still functions as a garden variety Thoughtseize. This card is very good, and should be considered by anyone who likes hand disruption effects for their black decks. Card 4: Ranger Class
Adventures in the Forgotten Realms introduced three new mechanics to the game, yet none of them seem balanced particularly well for Cube inclusion. While a few venture cards could easily make their way into several lists, the Dice Rolling cards and the Classes are almost all unplayable. That is, except for Ranger Class. This card seems very strong, yet people seem to be sleeping on it for inclusion.
Ranger Class is essentially a level-up creature that doesn't die to removal. The initial level of a 2/2 for two mana isn't great, but it's not an unreasonable base given how much value the card can provide later. Level 2 elevates Ranger Class to a cross between Curse of Predation and Luminarch Aspirant. Anyone who has played with those two cards can attest to how quickly they can run out of control in the right strategy. Finally, Level 3 turns Ranger Class into a Vizier of the Menagerie enchantment, creating huge amounts of potential card advantage.
While each of the three levels might be slightly below the ideal rate in their own right, they're all stapled to a single card. If a player wanted to, they could level up Ranger Class every single turn during the early game. It provides a great mana sink and a way to get ahead on cards if the game goes long. Don't miss Ranger Class: it might look slow, but it is bursting with potential!
Card 5: Cave of the Frost DragonCave of the Frost Dragon is a card that many people have severely underrated in their set evaluations. This is largely because it compares negatively to Celestial Colonnade in many people's view. The truth is that comparing these two cards it's like comparing apples to oranges: they're both fruit, but that's about all they have in common. As previously mentioned in the discussion of Den of the Bugbear, the creature lands of Adventures in the Forgotten Realms all enter the battlefield untapped provided their controller has two or fewer other lands in play. This means that proactive strategies can easily play Cave of the Frost Dragon. The same cannot be said for Celestial Colonnade, which always enters the battlefield tapped. Celestial Colonnade also requires both blue and white mana to be usable. It can help with fixing, but unless both colors are readily available in the deck, it's just a mediocre tap land. Cave of the Frost Dragon doesn't have such weakness: any white deck can play it and use it reasonably well. Everything from Death and Taxes to Green-White Ramp to Abzan Midrange to Esper Control can play this card. Losing 1 power and vigilance is unfortunate, but that is a reasonable price to pay to shave a color from the activation requirement and allow the land to come into play untapped.
Cave of the Frost Dragon is the strongest Creature land in Adventures in the Forgotten Realms. It's versatile, powerful, and frankly awesome. Any designer who wishes to give white a little boost in the land section should consider this card for Cube inclusion.
Card 6: Iymrith, Desert DoomIymrith, Desert Doom has been referred to as "Dragonlord Ojutai at home" by some, referring to the fact that the card can be viewed as a slightly worse version of the Dragonlord. While there are several similarities between Iymrith, Desert Doom and Dragonlord Ojutai, the two cards each have their own merits, despite filling a similar role. Iymrith's ward
ability is slightly worse than having flat hexproof when untapped. 4 mana isn't that much to overcome in a format with 1 and 2 mana removal spells, but it is enough to be a roadblock while still allowing Iymrith to be removed through interaction. The card draw ability on Iymrith is potentially much stronger than that of Dragonlord Ojutai, letting an empty-handed player draw three cards. The extra point of toughness is also nice. The best part of Iymrith, Desert Doom is that it is a mono-blue card. As with the Cave of the Frost Dragon/Celestial Colonnade comparison, a mono-colored card can go in way more decks than a multicolored cousin. Grixis control and Sultai midrange would absolutely play Iymrith as a sticky finisher.
Iymrith, Desert Doom is a great option for players looking to bolster Blue with a self-protecting top end threat. People who are happy with Dragonlord Ojutai should consider Iymrith, Desert Doom as a card for their Cube. I plan to include Iymrith alongside Ojutai to bolster an Esper Dragons archetype similar to the deck popular during Dragons of Tarkir Standard. This draconic duo should do a pretty good job of closing games.
Card 7: Power Word KillPower Word Kill is the most Baneslayer-friendly Doom Blade variant to be printed, yet it is also the closest we've come to the fabled "Murder Blade." Doom Blade variants are great because they help several different archetypes effectively dispatch threats at a relatively inexpensive mana cost. Power Word Kill is unique among Doom Blades in that its restriction is based on creature type as opposed to card color or some other property. This means that Power Word Kill can be used in two very distinct and interesting ways, one for quick Cubes and one for slower Cubes. Fast environments tend to be very light on Angels, Demons, Dragons, and Devils, which are often a little bit further up the mana curve than those Cubes want to be. In those environments, it is not uncommon for Power Word Kill to functionally be a 2-mana Murder.
There is also a very interesting, albeit somewhat niche case for Power Word Kill. Some designers want to make larger than average threats playable while still maintaining the high power level often associated with faster Cubes. The fact is: swinging in with giant Dragons and Angels is something a lot of players enjoy! However, that play pattern is usually invalidated by the quality removal required to make high power environments work. Power Word Kill is a great way to help make cards like Baneslayer Angel and Thundermaw Hellkite viable again in fast, high-power Cubes that need good interaction. My friend Safra has curated a Cube matching these parameters for many years. Power Word Kill is great for her. As she puts it: "My biggest top end fatties are often dragons, angels, and so on! These are exactly the creatures Power Word Kill doesn't hit."
Power Word Kill is a uniquely flexible removal spell that can allow far more fine-tuning for designers than almost any other card in its class. It will allow for new design space to open in places where it might not have previously existed.
Card 8: Werewolf Pack LeaderRecently, some designers have been testing a new take on Cube aggro: Zoo. Cube Zoo decks are designed so that cards like Wild Nacatl, Territorial Kavu, Scion of Draco, and the classic Kird Ape can function at their full capacity by turn two. These decks primarily exist in formats with top-tier fixing, featuring mana bases consisting of some combination of Fetchlands, Dual Lands, Shocklands, and Triomes.
Werewolf Pack Leader fits into this puzzle by being a large damage source that can also draw cards. The Packleader's inherently large body and pack tactics ability mean that it can be a powerful asset for Zoo players. A curve consisting of a turn one Wild Nacatl followed by a turn two Werewolf Pack Leader can mean getting to attack for 6 damage and drawing a card on turn three. The Packleader can also function as a late-game mana sink, pumping itself to 5 power. Because the Zoo archetype usually has great mana fixing, covering the 
cost of this creature isn't normally difficult for that deck.
Werewolf Pack Leader is a unique and awesome attacker and card draw engine. Any player looking to give Zoo a boost in their Cube should consider this card.
Card 9: The Ninja EnablersI'm combining my discussion of Yuan-Ti Malison and Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar together for a single reason: they both enable the Ninjas Archetype! Cube designers have been trying to create a Ninjas/Saboteurs archetype in mid-to-low power environments for years. However, these decks tend to have issues fitting in with broader environmental trends because the payoffs require hyper-specific enablers. Cards like Faerie Seer and Slither Blade can help to make the ninjutsu ability work sometimes, but there are almost no decks other than Ninjas that can play them. Yuan-Ti Malison and Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar seem to be tailor-made as non-parasitic enablers for Ninjas, possibly as an archetype seed for a rumored Return to Kamigawa next year.
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar is neat because he allows hordes of small creatures to attack without fear of death. If they are blocked unfavorably, Grazilaxx gives their controller the option to bring them back to hand. The Illithid also allows players to draw cards if one of their creatures is able to connect with the opponent and deal damage. This ability is great with unblockable creatures. Speaking of unblockable creatures, Yuan-Ti Malison can't be blocked while attacking alone, making it an excellent card to be bounced back to hand with ninjutsu abilities. It is also a decent card for other U/x tempo decks, being an unblockable damage and value source that can be pumped with equipment and protected with counterspells. When it can't be ninjutsu'd back to hand, Yuan-Ti Malison also lets its owner venture into the Dungeon. Some consider the venture mechanic to be parasitic, but this is untrue for several reasons worthy of their own article. Just know that Yuan-Ti Malison is not using venture in a parasitic manner and that it is only a minor upside for the card.
Yuan-Ti Malison and Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar are great enablers for designers wishing to beef up their Ninja archetypes with cards that can go into other proactive blue decks.
Card 10: Minsc, Beloved RangerMinsc and Boo are well-known characters from the Forgotten Realms mythos, with their story being arguably better than their card. Minsc is a ranger with a pet hamster, Boo. According to Minsc, Boo is a Miniature Giant Space Hamster. Apparently, Giant Space Hamsters actually exist in the world of the Forgotten Realms. As someone who has never played D&D before and was entirely unfamiliar with the Forgotten Realms as a setting before writing this article, I thought the lore behind this dynamic duo was absolutely fascinating.
Don't worry, though; Minsc, Beloved Ranger holds his own as well as his story! As with Werewolf Pack Leader, Minsc, Beloved Ranger is a great addition to the Zoo archetype. Minsc immediately comes down for three mana and adds four power to the board, some of which has haste. Minsc also has a late-game mana sink, which can be used to pump up a creature into a literal Giant in the late game. Zoo decks can run out of gas sometimes, so having a mana sink that adds power to the board is really valuable. I suspect Minsc, Beloved Ranger is a much better Cube card than he may initially appear to be. I am certain that he will help many creatures reach the status of Giant Space Hamster in due time.
ConclusionSome have said that Adventures in the Forgotten Realms may be at risk of getting lost in the fold of Magic releases as its power level is so much lower than that of other recent sets. I don't think this is true. While there are fewer cards in Adventures in the Forgotten Realms that are truly Cube all-stars than its predecessors, there is still a lot worth celebrating. Unique lore, cool designs, and a couple riffs off of classic staple Magic effects will let Adventures in the Forgotten Realms go down in history as a good set once the dust of outrage settles.
AcknowledgmentsSpecial thanks to my friend @Onderzeeboot for proofreading this article. I would also like to thank @Safra for allowing me to use her Cube as an example during the discussion of Power Word Kill.