The Zero-to-Vibe Coding Jumpstart Cube Catastrophication
August 04, 2025 in personal , magic , python
I hadn’t played Magic: The Gathering in 20 years, but the idea of building a Pauper Jumpstart Cube was too enticing to ignore. It all started when I came across this Reddit post that described how trading card games like Magic could be treated as curated board game experiences. That led me to discover thepaupercube.com, and I was captivated.
At first, I tried buying them — until I saw the price. About £250 for the cards and an eye-watering £500 for shipping. Absolutely not.
Eventually I figured out how to print proxies using MakePlayingCards.com and sourcing the images and data from mpcfill.com. This workaround gave me control, affordability, and the ability to experiment freely.
That’s when I came across Hasted’s Cube on CubeCobra — a Jumpstart cube built from a Pauper cube. It was basically perfect. Everything I wanted! The archetypes were there, the card synergy was elegant, the deck themes were fully formed. Instant salvation!
