MTG Cube Size Guide: 360 vs 450 vs 540 vs 720
Table of Contents
This post helps cube drafters pick the right MTG cube size by showing the real tradeoffs, the draft math, and what you gain and lose each time you scale up.
TLDR
- 360 is the “tight list” size: maximum consistency, strongest signals, easiest to balance.
- 450 is the “breathing room” size: adds variety without making archetypes feel slippery.
- 540 is the classic “big night” size: more replayability, but you start paying a real consistency tax.
- 720 is the “story generator” size: huge variety, but you give up archetype density, balance simplicity, and draft clarity.
- The anchor math: 8 players × 3 packs × 15 cards = 360 cards drafted.
The 8-player cube math (and why 360 is the baseline)
Most “normal” cube nights mimic a booster draft: 3 packs of 15 per player. That means each player drafts 45 cards.
So the total cards drafted is:
Players × Packs × Cards per pack = Total drafted
For the classic full table:
8 × 3 × 15 = 360 cards drafted
That’s why 360 is the baseline size. It’s the minimum where an 8-player draft can use the whole pool exactly once, no leftovers.
How much of your cube gets used?
Here’s the part people feel in their bones after a few weeks: bigger cubes mean each draft sees a smaller slice of your environment.
| Cube size | Cards drafted (8p, 3×15) | % of cube seen |
|---|---|---|
| 360 | 360 | 100% |
| 450 | 360 | 80% |
| 540 | 360 | 67% |
| 720 | 360 | 50% |
And if your “normal” night is 4 or 6 players, the slice gets smaller fast:
| Players | Cards drafted (3×15) | % of 360 | % of 450 | % of 540 | % of 720 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 180 | 50% | 40% | 33% | 25% |
| 6 | 270 | 75% | 60% | 50% | 38% |
| 8 | 360 | 100% | 80% | 67% | 50% |
This is the core size decision in disguise: how much of your “intended environment” do you want to show up each session?
Variety vs consistency tradeoff table
You can think of cube size as a single dial. Turn it toward consistency for tighter drafts and cleaner archetypes. Turn it toward variety for more novelty and more “I’ve never seen that line before” moments.
| If you optimize for… | You get… | You give up… |
|---|---|---|
| Consistency | Clear signals, synergy hits more often, archetypes feel “real,” easier balance and updates | Fewer surprise cards, less novelty from week to week, less room for pet cards |
| Variety | More replayability, more “draft stories,” more room for niche packages and spicy one-offs | Lower archetype density, more drafts where pieces don’t show, more balance work, noisier signals |
No size is “correct.” But each size makes a promise, and each size makes you pay.
360 vs 450 vs 540 vs 720 at a glance
| Size | Best for | Draft feel | Archetype reliability | Curation workload | The big tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 360 | New curators, synergy-forward environments, high power, tight themes | Clean, focused | High | Low | Less novelty |
| 450 | “Mostly 6–8 players,” want more room without chaos | Still clean, slightly looser | High-medium | Medium | Slightly weaker signals |
| 540 | Variety lovers, larger groups sometimes, “classic big cube” | More varied, more swingy | Medium | Medium-high | Synergy whiffs happen more |
| 720 | Long-term replayability, big card pool vibes, lots of pet cards | Wild, story-driven | Low-medium (unless you add redundancy) | High | Drafts get less predictable |
Pick your size in 60 seconds
- Choose 360 if you want archetypes to show up every time, signals to be crisp, and your cube to feel like a curated draft format.
- Choose 450 if you want 360’s reliability but you also want to add “side quests” (extra build-arounds, extra fixing, extra gold cards) without diluting the core.
- Choose 540 if you want noticeably more variety and you’re okay with drafts where an archetype exists “in theory” but doesn’t fully assemble.
- Choose 720 if you want maximum replayability and you enjoy tuning a big ecosystem, even if some nights feel like you drafted a different cube than last week.
If you’re stuck: start 360, play 5 drafts, then only grow if you can name the exact thing you want to add.
What you gain (and give up) at each size
360 cards: the tight list
What it feels like: The cube has a point of view. Drafts are readable. Decks come together more often.
You gain
- Maximum consistency: you see the whole environment in an 8-player draft.
- Stronger signals: fewer “random” cards muddying lanes.
- Easier balance: every add and cut matters, which is secretly a blessing.
- Synergy actually fires: build-arounds and themes show up more reliably.
You give up
- Variety: repeat drafters will start recognizing patterns faster.
- Pet-card space: narrow favorites have a harder time earning their slot.
Best for
- High-synergy cubes, higher power bands, tight themes, and anyone who wants the cube to feel like a designed limited format.
450 cards: breathing room without losing the plot
450 is basically 360 plus 90. In pack terms, that’s six extra 15-card packs worth of cards living in the “not every draft” zone.
You gain
- More replayability without blowing up archetype density.
- Room for extra fixing, extra interaction, or extra role-players that smooth drafts.
- Space for optional packages (a second spells-matter lane, a graveyard subtheme, a couple more artifacts) that show up often enough to matter, but not every single time.
You give up
- A bit of draft clarity: the “same seat” can draft a little differently week to week.
- Slightly more maintenance: changes ripple less predictably.
Best for
- Groups that draft often, want more variety than 360, but still care a lot about archetypes being dependable.
540 cards: the classic “big cube” experience
In an 8-player draft you see about two-thirds of a 540. That’s the point where you start feeling the tradeoff: more novelty, less certainty.
You gain
- A meaningful bump in variety and replayability.
- More room for overlap design, where cards support multiple decks and drafts feel less on-rails.
- Flexibility for different group sizes, and the ability to keep more “cool stuff” without cutting as aggressively.
You give up
- Archetype density unless you consciously add redundancy.
- More drafts where a deck is “missing one piece,” especially for narrow build-arounds.
- Balancing complexity: it’s easier for a section to drift.
Best for
- Medium-power to high-power environments where you’re okay with some variance, and you enjoy curating a bigger ecosystem.
720 cards: the story generator
At 720, an 8-player draft sees half the cube. This is where you should assume: “Not everything is going to show up, and that’s the point.”
You gain
- Huge replayability: drafts stay fresh for a long time.
- Space for pet cards, deep cuts, and multiple versions of an archetype.
- More “draft stories,” more weird decks, more table moments.
You give up
- Consistency unless you add a lot of redundancy or loosen archetype definitions.
- Signal clarity: lanes can be harder to read when key signposts don’t appear.
- Time and effort: more shuffling, more sorting, more tuning, more updates to keep the whole thing healthy.
Best for
- Groups that draft constantly, love exploration, and enjoy the curator role as an ongoing hobby.
“What you give up each time” in one snapshot
- 360 → 450: You give up a bit of “every archetype is always online” in exchange for breathing room and more novelty.
- 450 → 540: You give up reliability for synergy decks unless you increase redundancy, but you gain real replayability.
- 540 → 720: You give up draft clarity and archetype density unless you design around it, but you gain maximum variety and long-term freshness.
FAQs
Is 450 a “real” cube size or a weird in-between?
It’s real, and it’s useful. 450 is the sweet spot when you want more variety than 360, but you still want your cube to draft like a designed format instead of a grab bag.
Should I start at 360 and grow, or build 540 from day one?
If you’re new to curating, start at 360. You’ll learn faster because every slot matters, and your playtests give clearer feedback. Grow only when you can say, “I need room for this specific thing.”
How many players can each size support?
Using the simple 45 cards per player assumption:
- 360 supports 8 players.
- 450 supports 10 players.
- 540 supports 12 players.
- 720 supports 16 players.
(You can also support smaller groups at any size, you’ll just see a smaller slice of the cube each session.)
I mostly have 4 players. Should I avoid big cubes?
Not automatically, but be honest about the math. With 4 players drafting 3×15, you’re only seeing 180 cards. In a 720, that’s 25% per session. Big cubes can still work great for small groups, but they reward alternative draft formats or intentional design for variance.
Does printing change which size I should pick?
Only indirectly. Bigger cubes mean bigger initial prints and more work when you update the list (because you’re touching more cards). If you love frequent tuning, smaller sizes make iteration feel snappy. If you want to print once and draft for a long time, larger sizes shine.