Weekly Winners (6-2016)

This week was one of the most eventful weeks in some months. Wizards announced Eternal Masters, causing a lot of movement on Reserved List cards in the market. All the while Modern Eldrazi cards kept gaining value, but so did cards that might be a counter strategy against those same Eldrazi. So, once again, I present you the cards that will be the talk of the town tonight.

 

#1 Magus of the Tabernacle +253.5% ($4.49)

How to deal with Eldrazi in Modern? Nobody knows. The percentage of decks in the metagame is high. But maybe Magus of the Tabernacle can make a difference. It seems like players and traders are looking out for tech to deal with Eldrazi, even when it is just a tiny speck of hope. A recent Prison Deck featured a playset of Magus of the Tabernacle. The combination between mana denial and ways to remove creatures will give this deck an edge against Eldrazi decks in modern.

Will it stick? It all depends on the dominance of Eldrazi in Modern. We will have to see how long the Eldrazi hype will continue, and if the decks will stay as dominant as it is now. If that happens, counter strategy cards will start to pop up in our interests more often. 

 

#2 Big Game Hunter +267.4% ($3.49)

Another Planar Chaos card in the Weekly Winners! That alone can be considered unique. Big Game Hunter is on the rise because it is another cheap way to deal with the Eldrazi threat. On the other hand, there are many, many other ways to deal with big creatures and Big Game Hunter is not even the best choice.

But when you consider that Shadows over Innistrad will see a comeback of the madness mechanic, things become more understandable. When a set has that mechanic, there will also be reasons why you would discard a card. We can expect cards that force you to discard in SOI, and that's when this card gets really interesting. Because getting a 1/1 and destroying a big creature for just B could be very good.

Even considering that the spike of Big Game Hunter is still a tad sketchy. We've had this card for a long time, and if it was really that good, it should have spiked earlier. We will have to just wait this one out and see if speculators are right and Big Game Hunter proves to be worth the investment.

 

#3 Legacy Staples

When Eternal Masters was announced, we also learned that the set would not include any cards from the reserved list. And when a set like EMA is printed, one might expect that the cards that get reprints will drop in price, and therefore make Legacy more accessible for new players. But when his happens, more people will need to have dual lands. And those lands are on the reserved list. This means: if your pockets are deep enough, investing in dual lands is a very, very safe choice. As are investments in all/ any other Legacy staples that are on the reserved list.

We have seen many cards spike, and I will give you the highlights right here.

Aluren +153.9% ($16.50)

Mox Diamond +117.5% ($80.00)

Lion's Eye Diamond +46.7% ($113.50)

Underground Sea +33.4% ($347.77)

Volcanic Island +32.3% ($343.89)

City of Traitors +43.8% ($83.96)

Tropical Island +32.5% ($233.99)

Grim Monolith +39.4% ($45.99)

Seeing all these cards spike honestly saddens me. I am a huge fan of Legacy, it is the single most interesting and thrilling format in my opinion. And I do own some very expensive cards, and I did spend a fairly big amount of money on my cards, but seeing these spikes means that newer players will now think even longer about getting into Legacy

Some people say that Legacy is dead. And they have been saying this for the past 5 years. Truth is: the format is actually alive and kicking in many areas. Prices are high because there is demand for cards, and when the cards are in demand, this means that people want to play. I do fear that the already restrictively priced mana base will continue to get more expensive, scaring off even more people.

Altough Legacy has cost me money, it gave me a lot of fun in return. The cards I have collected over the years (I started playing in 1997) have gained value. If I would sell them now I would make a lot of profit. But the point is: I am never going to sell those cards. I am not a speculator, I am a collector. I'm keeping my Force of Wills, and Wastelands and Lotus Petals. Maybe when I'm close to bankrubtcy I might consider selling them, but under any other circumstances I'm keeping them. And I know I'm not the only one reasoning like this.

I would be totally okay when Wizards reprints the duals into oblivion. Yeah, my cards won't be worth anything in dollars, but they won't lose their sentimental value. And when this happens. All those new players getting into the format will more than make up for any financial loss I might have to take. I collect cards so I can play the game. I'd rather see many, many more people playing the game all over the world, in stores, restaurants, coffee houses, schools and so on, than owning an expensive collection.

Usually I refrain talking about my personal opnions or about myself too much. I'm proud to present you with articles that don't revolve around the writer once in a while. This time I make an exception. Just to let you know that not every Legacy player is a moneygrubber. And that Magic is more than just economy and card prices. This might sound strange coming from me, on this website, but in the end it is true. Magic should be about playing and having a good time. Winning and seeing your cards gain value gives a kick. But nothing is better than headshakingly conceding the game to your opponent, when you are both still trying to get your head around the awesomeness and thrill of the game you just finished.