Checking in With Foundations
Today on Modern Times, I want to take a stroll down memory lane and visit the oft-overlooked
This set came and went quietly, yet despite the quiet return of Core Sets (functionally), there are some specific hits from this set that are retaining a shocking amount of value. “Why” you might ask? The presence of some mechanically unique singles that shine in their simplicity and lack any reprints.
Let’s dig in!
Twinflame Tyrant
A common theme across many of the cards we’ll discuss today is the absence of said cards from constructed format decks or archetypes. The appeal of Twinflame Tyrant, you might ask? Well, it’s a Dragon – one of Magic’s most popular creature types – and has gotten a brief bump in popularity in the aftermath of the release of
So what is the appeal of Twinflame Tyrant? It actually has a fairly solid ability, wherein any source that you have deals double the damage it would otherwise do to an opponent or their permanents.
If it wasn’t obvious, this is clearly a card more or less geared towards Commander, particularly in Dragon-typal shells. It’s mechanically unique, lacks a reprint outside of its original release in Foundations, and occupies a design space similar to
| Twinflame Tyrant | ||
| Twinflame Tyrant (Extended Art) | ||
| Twinflame Tyrant (Borderless) | ||
| Twinflame Tyrant (Showcase) |
Sire of Seven Deaths
Eldrazi making a cameo appearance in Foundations was a shock at the time, but in the wake of
So how evergreen is the financial position of Sire? Around $20 or so. Unlike Twinflame Tyrant, Sire does see some constructed play, specifically in Tron-style decks in the Modern format, which – to be clear – aren’t top tier in the format currently, rather the
Much like Twinflame Tyrant, Sire is also finding itself slotted into many Commander decks, specifically in Eldrazi-typal builds. The big boost Sire has going for it over Tyrant is that there are a plethora of colorless mana-producing lands, like
Sire has the most financial potential of these oddities from Foundations that could see some appreciation depending on the direction of future Eldrazi support (which is likely at some point).
| Sire of Seven Deaths | ||
| Sire of Seven Deaths (Borderless) |
Bloodthirsty Conqueror
This particular single holds the title of “most expensive” single from the Foundations set, sitting at a hefty $30 a pop. The appeal of this creature? Firstly it’s a Vampire, so it’s automatically slotted into every single Vampire-typal Commander deck (and to be clear, this is a Commander card and has no use in any other format), and it’s
Given that Sanguine Bond combos with
Realistically, flavor, form, and function, and the simplicity of the design space all make Conqueror an appealing trinket from Foundations. Do I think it’s the best of the cards we’re discussing today? No. But sometimes value and financial prospect isn’t about being the “best” by competitive standards, it’s about relative scarcity, flavor, and broader appeal to more casual settings – all of which Bloodthirsty has going for it.
| Bloodthirsty Conqueror | ||
| Bloodthirsty Conqueror (Extended Art) | ||
| Bloodthirsty Conqueror (Borderless) | ||
| Bloodthirsty Conqueror (Showcase) |
Niv-Mizzet, Visionary
The final long-run standout from Foundations is the newest in a long line of Niv-Mizzets: Niv-Mizzet, Visionary. Like his predecessors, Niv is a six-mana Izzet legend that generates card advantage through damage dealt by sources you control. Effectively, this Niv is a carbon copy of
While Niv isn’t seeing play in Standard, where Vivi is thriving, Niv is becoming a regular inclusion in Vivi cEDH decks as a redundant Curiosity-like effect alongside
Unlike most cards discussed today, Niv is the only one with a positive price trend nearing around $10 or so.
As far as the future of this Dragon goes, it’s tough to imagine it will see constructed play, but its flavor, utility, and viability in Commander might be enough to keep its price trending upward. Although its price ceiling is certainly lower by comparison to some of the other aforementioned singles in Foundations.
| Niv-Mizzet, Visionary | ||
| Niv-Mizzet, Visionary (Extended Art) | ||
| Niv-Mizzet, Visionary (Borderless) |
Closing Things Out
Foundations was a return to form as far as the concept of Core Sets go: accessible, familiar, and good cards that all players can appreciate regardless of whether they’re enfranchised or just starting out the game. Evergreen mechanics, abilities, and some notable reprints help to make the set an anchor for Standard, but it never really rose to the occasion of providing much for the Modern format… In reality, it didn’t provide a ton to many of the Constructed formats its cards were legal in.
Ironically, the mechanically unique nature of some of the rarer singles have really done well for carrying the financial value of the set. The risk of any or all of the cards discussed today getting reprinted at a future point does pose some issues for the financial viability of this set in the long-run, but that risk aside, the outlook for some of these choice singles from Foundations is promising!
Read More:
Looking at the Planets in Edge of Eternities
Corey Williams
Corey Williams is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. He considers himself a macroeconometrician with his research body reflecting work in applied macroeconomics and econometrics. Corey is an L1 Judge who started playing Magic around Eighth Edition. He enjoys Modern, Commander, cEDH, and cube drafting. Outside of Magic, he loves running, teaching, and the occasional cult movie.