MDFCs and Ruby Storm Rising in Modern
While my last article gave a deep dive on some market movers straight out of Boros Energy, this week focuses on some movements driven by a deck that acts as a foil to Boros Energy in Modern: Ruby Storm.
Picking up speed in the meta, so too are some of its key game pieces. While looking at a couple of this archetype’s staples, I discovered a related market pattern that I’ll also dig into a bit while I’m at it.
Wrenn's Resolve
The first card worthy of discussion today is one of the cantrip spells from the Ruby Storm shell: Wrenn's Resolve. A goofy little common from
Wrenn's has the benefit of impulse drawing cards that can be cast over two turn cycles. So you can always cast Wrenn's for one red mana if either
With only one real printing, this common has risen to beyond-the-bulk status and sits at around $1.25 a piece.
Commons like these are always really underappreciated; they provide a fair bit of value, easily slot into defined archetypes well (in this case, storm). Is it worth paying significant attention to, marketwise? Maybe. A big theme of today is the idea that many of these cards’ prices are tied directly to the prevalence of Ruby Storm, but Wrenn’s really highlights some hidden value nested in some of these commons we take for granted because they are simply overshadowed by more impactful, elusive singles.
Note that Wrenn’s only has one printing (aside from The List), so it’s not like the well is infinitely deep, but it’s deep enough where I don’t think this card will ever rise beyond a couple bucks. All the same, its price tends upward and I think something like that in a simple common is notable enough to highlight.
| Wrenn's Resolve | ||
| Wrenn's Resolve |
Valakut Awakening
This card falls into the category of original MDFC cards that just haven’t gotten much of a reprint run (if at all) and are simultaneously picking up traction in the meta. Valakut Awakening in particular is front and center in Ruby Storm, a deck rising quickly back up to the top of the meta game as a counter to Boros Energy.
This MDFC acts as a red mana producting land that enters tapped on the backside, but has a front side that allows the caster to selectively “wheel” away cards from their hand for one plus however many cards were wheeled away. In storm shells,
Outside of one reprint in a Secret Lair Commander deck, Valakut Awakening has been stuck in a state of a relatively stagnant supply. Couple this with a sharp increase in demand as Ruby Storm resurges in the meta, and you have yourself a nearly $15 single, which is almost double what it was sitting at around a year ago.
Now, the natural question you might have is: Will this stick? Depends on the shape of the meta. So long as Boros Energy remains the most represented deck in the format, it’s very likely that Ruby Storm will see a continual uptick in play to counteract the density of Boros Energy shells in tournament play. If, however, Boros Energy dies down, then the average matchups Ruby Storm sees get a little less favorable, and perhaps starts to see a downtick in popularity, which would likely cause Valakut’s price to fall.
Keep an eye on the meta, and we’ll see what happens! I do think it’ll be hard for this card to fall in price, however, given its supply constraints. So, short of a reprint, if its price does fall as the deck maybe dips in popularity, I don’t think it completely retraces back to where it was a year ago.
| Valakut Awakening | ||
| Valakut Awakening // Valakut Stoneforge (Borderless) | ||
| Valakut Awakening |
Sea Gate Restoration
Here’s another MDFC from
For what it’s worth, this particular card only sees play in Charbelcher decks, which is predominantly composed of MDFC cards that act as its land base. While a lot of MDFC cards don’t have super relevant game text, Sea Gate can net the user a considerable amount of value, but at the steep price of seven mana.
Sea Gate also sees significant play outside of Modern in Commander, particularly in Azorius shells in cEDH.
Oddly enough, Sea Gate is commanding more on the market than Valakut despite seeing considerably less play. The fact that Sea Gate is a mythic rare (relatively scarcer in nature) rather than a standard rare is likely a leading factor here on top of the aged nature of the set itself.
I don’t expect Sea Gate to go down in value, but its upward potential is significantly less than Valakut Awakening. If anything, Sea Gate is a symptom of a greater financial opportunity nestled in the MDFC cycle from Zendikar Rising.
| Sea Gate Restoration | ||
| Sea Gate Restoration // Sea Gate, Reborn (Extended Art) |
Ruby Medallion
It would be an injustice to not discuss one of the key components, and the namesake, of Ruby Storm: Ruby Medallion. Alongside Ral, Monsoon Mage, Ruby Medallion acts as a form of mana acceleration (more specifically cost reduction) for the critical storm spells and cantrips the deck relies on for not only getting its storm count higher, but for digging continuously until it can cast (oftentimes) the lone
Despite being reprinted numerous times, Ruby Medallion’s demand in and outside of Modern have continued to put upward pressure on its market price, which again is a reflection of Ruby Storm’s growing prominence in the meta at large, especially given its matchup favorability against both Boros Energy and Amulet Titan.
Not much else to say. In recent months, Ruby has made it into the double-digit market price category, sitting around $12 and looking to keep rising. If you’re planning on bringing Ruby Storm to a Modern event any time soon, it might be worth snagging a playset sooner than later!
| Ruby Medallion | ||
| Ruby Medallion | ||
| Ruby Medallion (Borderless) | ||
| Ruby Medallion (Foil Etched) |
Beyond the Storm
Overall, Ruby Storm and its support pieces act as a nice complement to our article a couple weeks back on Boros Energy and the market movers in that archetype. Unlike Boros Energy, however, Ruby Storm’s financial potential lies in these currently out-of-print idiosyncratic pieces that have significant upward potential as the archetype continues to pick up more traction. Follow this shell closely!
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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.