Now that we’ve gone over the decks that made the elimination round, it’s time to discuss the implications for MTGO. Worldwake has just been released online, which means that prices are going to be in flux. It is often the case that prices trend slightly higher during the pre-release weekend, as so many people are competing for so few cards. As the set becomes more available, prices on all but the elite cards will start to fall. Taking a look at the noteworthy cards from above, there are a few obvious contenders for price spikes.
1) Knight of the Reliquary: BDM wasn’t kidding when he asserted that sunny San Diego was the time for Knight to shine. In a format with so many fetch lands, so many good mana accelerants, and so many utility lands, a 3-drop with so much versatility should be getting a lot more love. He’s $6 online, $12 on paper, and this gap should start to close quickly.
2) Siege-Gang Commander: He’s cheap at $2, but he’s not especially elite or hard to find. He’s been printed in 3 sets and the Elves vs Goblins duel deck, which increases availability dramatically. Still, he’s now an official part of a tournament-quality Jund list, so he should see a bump.
3) Noble Hierarch: The mana accelerator hasn’t got much room to move, but since it’s from a year-old set that probably didn’t get opened all that much, it could see a 20-30% increase. It’s sitting at $8 right now and almost twice that on paper. There are a lot of decks using Hierarch right now, and the card’s power is undeniable.
4) Filigree Angel: Which does not belong? If an 8-mana 4/4 doesn’t tickle your fancy, you’re not alone! The mana cost of Filigree Angel is rarely relevant, as its often Blightning‘ed or Sphinx of Lost Truth‘ed away in anticipation of a game-ending Open the Vaults. Some decks in the past have chosen to use Sphinx of the Steel Wind as the win condition, but multiple Filigree Angels in the graveyard can put a game well out of reach when Patriarchs Bidding 2.0 resolves. These were Crap Rares on MTGO before this weekend, and bots are almost all sold out, but if you can find some hiding in the corner of the Internet, snap them up. They won’t go big, but turning .5 tix into 2 is plenty good.
5) Stirring Wildwood and Raging Ravine: Both of these lands saw an incredible amount of play over the weekend, and I must admit that I was wrong about both in my initial evaluation of the set. Stirring Wildwood is particularly amazing, as it’s a clear successor to Treetop Village in G/W Stompy type decks. Trading trample and a lower mana cost for an extra point of toughness and the ability to fix your colors is most likely a fair trade, and in a format where Lightning Bolt is a staple, the super-sized butt makes all the difference. Raging Ravine is more vulnerable and requires more care to activate, but it also forces very difficult blocks. Opponents lacking in removal will have a difficult time trading with Raging Ravine beyond its first activation, often leading to favorable combat situations for the land’s owner. These are going to be staples of the format for a long time, so get yours early and often. They should be a lot more expensive than they are.
6) Stoneforge Mystic: Largely propelled by the company it keeps, the new Tutor gives Standard beatdown decks a board presence with some “oomph”. Fetching Basilisk Collar when mana’s tight and Behemoth Sledge when it’s abundant usually ends a game before the opponent can ask “why don’t I maindeck Naturalize?” Mystic was also spotted fetching Sigil of Distinction over the weekend. She started out as a low-end rare when Worldwake was released on paper, but should debut around $5 on MTGO.
7) Ranger of Eos: $12 on paper, $4 on MTGO. This should change. If not, be glad that a playset of Ruel won’t cost you $50, and if it does, be glad that you bought them at $4. There’s not much more to say – the card’s just ridiculous.
8) Open the Vaults: Here’s one of my famous high upside/high risk plays. They’re a quarter on MTGO and four copies just cracked the Top 8. Think they’ll go up? You bet! Even if the deck stinks to high heaven, you can bet many will be drawn to its explosive power and the romantic notion of Opening the Vaults into a horde of 4/4 fliers. At $0.25 each, it’s hard to screw up here. Just don’t buy 20,000 copies and try to retire.
Overall, the Pro Tour came and went without a single deck exploding out of nowhere and dominating. This is good news for those who’ve practiced hours and hours with Jund, but bad news for those who were hoping to catch some bottled lightning over the weekend. Hopefully the most observant speculators bought Man-Lands, Mystics and such early in the weekend, because some prices have already begun to reflect the new elite of Standard. We’ve got a Legacy Grand Prix coming up this weekend, which will give speculators a whole new set of cards to salivate over. I am hoping that Horn of Greed and Lim-Duls Vault make an appearance, since those cards have truly immense power in the format. Unfortunately, both cards are far more scarce on paper than they are online. Nevertheless, if you’re a patron of both cardboard and digital Magic, keep an eye fixated on GP Madrid’s coverage this weekend.