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Joe van den Berg

@hardcasting.bsky.social
583 followers 491 following 2.2K posts

Who even knows at this point? Loves cube, sports (Arsenal FC), architecture, and history. Professional Architectural Historian based in SF. MA in Historic Preservation and Museum Practice cubecobra.com/user/view/5ec3713c6c2…

PostsRepliesMedia
Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I think it's time to talk about removal rate and cube conceits. I think a lot of what Parker is talking about here is that where cubes where Disenchant is good, its context makes it more like 2-mana instant speed vindicate. If all the disenchants cost 60 mana instead of 2, scarcity wouldn't matter!
luckypaper.co
The Self-Defeating Irony of Cube Conceits — Lucky Paper
By trying to center their cube around a single mechanic, color, or gameplay style, designers often achieve the exact opposite effect. Here's why variety is the foundation of strategic replayability.
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Jakob J. Kamminga @rhythmicstudy.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I made a video about my new cube! Am I trying to get a reputation for degeneracy in #mtgcube? Perhaps... youtu.be/quNyDNnrPmM
youtu.be
About my creatureless Magic: the Gathering cube!
YouTube video by Rhythmic Study
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Mork @fourdeltavictor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Hello #mtgcube community I have an odd request. I want to acquire 8x of these reminder cards for my MH2+ cube. From what I understand they're on the back of tokens. If you happen to have MH2 tokens lying around and can help me figure out which ones they're on, that would be amazing.
A draft archetype card for MH2 booster draft. It has 10 archetypes with descriptions on a standard mtg sized card.
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Chris Mooney @chriskmooney.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Banning Bugs is actually an essential part of maintaining the traditional bsky ecosystem. If this site were ever to become too entertaining or too based, it would start to lose the very essence of mid-ness that serves as the foundation of its identity.
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The best thing about hosting my own cube event is that I don't have to read any of my own cube submissions. This joke has an audience of 5 people
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
UP THE GUNNERS #Arsenal
Arsenal stained glass piece!
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Boston Cube Party @bostoncubeparty.com · 23/09/2026
LOOKING FOR SPONSORS! Trying to do something much more ambitious next year but venues in Boston are prohibitively expensive. If you can help in any way or know someone who can, lmk! RTs appreciated ❤️
static.klipy.com
Cute Begging Puppy Eyes Emoji
ALT: Cute Begging Puppy Eyes Emoji
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Sometimes it's not about the quality of game actions, but the quantity
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
cubecobra.com/cube/about/S... Changes!! FRA updates!
cubecobra.com
Cube Cobra: A Brooding Saga
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
People who say that magic's decking system is backwards have it wrong. Insta losing the game if you run out of cards is not something to run from, it's a badge of honor. Hearthstone's fatigue system could never
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
If anyone has this, and is willing to part with their copy, please reach out!!
Playtest Unknown card The Battle of the Dragon Brothers!
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Please give this one a read. It's really good, and dare I say... moving?
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Just the freakiest of fellas
Ratica- I mean Chittering Rats
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Tonight I learned how long it would take me to hide and/or store all the loose cards in my bedroom and the results were not pretty
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Every time a polycule breaks up a cube group loses some core members. It is known. Healthy polycules lead to healthy #mtgcube pods
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Joe Anderson @joe-cube-anderson.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
If anyone else wants to join @goblingathering.bsky.social , @mattbelcher.bsky.social and I tomorrow, we will be drafting my Charity cube on mtgo on the cubecon server! I'm quite excited about it and we have 5 people signed up now, so I'm just trying to lock in 1 more cubecobra.com/cube/list/Ch...
cubecobra.com
Cube Cobra List: Charity
All cards given to me, intended to be a simpler cube to grow my group. Built on Valentine's Day 2026, I made a podcast about it also.
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
#mtgcube youtu.be/7hkiUt3wTs8
youtu.be
The myth of cube replayability
YouTube video by Degenerate Cuber
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Louisville Cube League @louisvillecube.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
It's been a couple of weeks, but it's finally time for our interview with the @cubecon.org 2026 Champion, LCL Veteran Evan Vetter, to be aired! Come hear Evan chat about some of his favorite Cubes and decks, go through his Top 8 Draft and cool moments, and more! Link in reply! #mtgcube
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
HELL YEAH WE ARE LFG
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Are we on scorigami watch today for Bears-Panthers??
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C4AC - a cube charity event @cubeforacause.upkeepnewyork.com · 11/09/2026
It’s time to formally announce how much #C4ACObscura raised for our friends @maketheroadny.bsky.social Drumroll please 🥁🥁🥁 From GFM to tickets to auctions (another resolving soon for $759 more) to our sponsor & legend @slickjagger.bsky.social we raised: $11,300 #MTGcube Thats community.
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
#mtgcube youtu.be/IuLulsJzyZA
youtu.be
How to evaluate cards for your cubes
YouTube video by Degenerate Cuber
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Inspired by recent events. See you at 1-3
But it might work for us meme, with Doomsday
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
I think my greatest strength as a cube drafter is drafting all the dogshit combo nonsense decks so the rest of the pod can go 3-0 and 2-1
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Sam Pratt @sampratt.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Last week was all about my weekend as a competitor at CubeCon. This week I'm recapping my experience as a designer, talking about player feedback, play data, and upcoming cube changes.
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Hmmmm what's more interesting: - Lifegain in cubes - Size: does it really matter (for your cube) - Additive distraction and false incentives - how to evaluate rate
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
I just want more cubes with Relic of Legends is that too much to ask
Relic of Legends!
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
youtu.be/3-27QlzepS8 #mtgcube
youtu.be
Lessons from a difficult cube conceit: The World Championship Museum
YouTube video by Degenerate Cuber
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
You ever get most of the way through making a piece of content and go "oh this sounded more interesting than it actually is"
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Me during every single #mtgcube draft I've ever done
IT'S SO OVER
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
@alixbranwyn.com it is complete!!
History of Benalia!
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PSX Bunlith 🪄🏳️‍⚧️ E2 OCT 16TH!!!! 🐰🌱 @b0tster.yeag.gay · 06/09/2026
🚨🚨🚨BLUESKY 38 IS AI SLOP🚨🚨🚨 PLEASE DO NOT PARTICIPATE sorry to ruin everyones fun 💔💔💔
screenshot of bsky3d, with the 'source on tangled' source code link circledscreenshot of the repo, with CLAUDE circled in multiple locations
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
youtu.be/RuVf7QWLTX0 #mtgcube
youtu.be
Analyzing Data: A Brooding Saga
YouTube video by Degenerate Cuber
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Why are the only printings of this card ones without reminder text :sob: How big a deal is this for you? How parseable is this card? I worry about it for an already wordy cube
Astelli Reclaimer
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
384-size cubes are goated for many reasons but the best reason is that it gets me 3 more cards closer to companioning Yorion
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
FAVORITE DECK SERIES: CUBECON 2026 #mtgcube Cube: A Brooding Saga FIRST UP, with a record of 3-0... we have... MARDU FIRES!! Using Fires of Invention, Mountain King's Return, and Pixie effects this deck managed to gain infinite value, and took down the pod! Extremely solid midrange deck! (thread)
Mardu Fires!!
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
FAVORITE DECK SERIES: CUBECON 2026 #mtgcube Cube: World Championship Museum Deck 1, with a record of 2-1 (only losing in the finals to @calebdmtg.bsky.social's UW control, from a former cubecon champion, we have, UR WILDFIRE!! This deck can be explosive and it can grind. Very cool deck!
UR Wildfire!!
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Is Phyrexian Colossus just the peak tinker target?? Move aside Portal to Phyrexian, we're time traveling backwards
Urza's Saga Phyrexian ColossusDom Harvey's Tinker-control trophy
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
You all don't know how badly I need to see the #mtgcube data for cubecon. It feels like my kid's report card. Did they fuck up? What grades did they get? Did I mess up as a parent??
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Brian "BoshNRoll" Coval @boshnroll.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Home from CubeCon! As a competitive constructed player, I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy that relaxed limited environment. After spending the full 5 days at the con, 11/10 MTG experience. I’ll go in the future every time I can. If you’ve ever wondered, just book it next year.
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CubeCon @cubecon.org · 31/08/2026
Can’t get enough cube and want more? Lucky Paper has an excellent resource of other upcoming grassroots cube events for the remainder of this year and into the next. There are cube events popping up all over the world! luckypaper.co/community/ #MTGCube @fireshoes.bsky.social
List of upcoming cube events from the lucky paper website
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Listen, I'm just saying.
Fires of InventionSavor the Moment
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Ratafia @ratafia.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Day 3 of #cubecon is in the books! Draft #3 was A Brooding Saga where I drafted UBwr in order to loop Replenish and Time Warp. This deck was fantastic to play, and used an awful lot of brain power. 2-1 losing only to aggro. Favorite play was Enlightened Tutor for Valgavoth's Lair.
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CalebDMTG @calebdmtg.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
My start to the world championship cube!!! This one was my former champ pick for the con so I'm glad I got to draft it 😁
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Had an idea that I would divide a cube up into 3 "sets" and then each pack would be a different set, and I could use it to show passage of time throughout the Phyrexian invasion of dominaria. Do you all think anyone's done that before?? Seems like a really novel idea!
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Being away from your cube while it is getting played at a cube event is agonizing. Is it firing? Are people having fun?? What's doing well, and what is not?
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Fuck a desert cube I need a dessert cube right now
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Joe van den Berg @hardcasting.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
For those at cubecon planning to draft A Brooding Saga, here are some tips: - Most decks, by design, are 3-4c slop-adjacent piles. Your goal is to take the best sagas and abuse them - Fixing is plentiful and still worth spending high picks on - Read up on the rules of how sagas work beforehand!!!
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