New Horizons - Commander Masters
The next addition to Magic: the Gathering’s compilation sets is
While I am disenchanted and shocked by the total number of cards present, inclusive of variations at #1067, there are some small redeeming factors to the set.
Broadly speaking, one of these factors is the decrease in singles prices that the reprints will provide.
Additionally, this release feels largely like an EDH Core set, which could provide a good entry point for budding players looking to pick up some singles or add a bit of flair to their decks.
From my perspective, this is one of those products that will fade into memory quite quickly and will be avoided by the majority of the players. Having marked a few cards from the $20-30 range in my alerts, I’ll be waiting until the imminent price drop due to mass openings.
Profiles and Breakthroughs
A positive addition is the set's inclusion of both the “profile” legends, as well as the borderless and border-breaking cards. While these cards serve as your typical lottery ticket inclusions, there is a benefit to having them around. For each minuscule chance of somebody opening
Reviewing the list of reprinted cards in the set, there are some good pickups scattered around that are more deserving than others.
Outside of chase cards, there is also the other side of the coin, which is the presence of predominantly bulk cards. The likes of
Tour de France of Cycles
Cycles have been a part of Magic since
Ranging from spell to creature cycles, they provide a captivating design space for cards relating to each other in function or flavor. In this set, there are three cycles that have caught my attention.
Firstly, we have the planeswalkers that can be your commanders, harkening back to a time when Commander decks were released once a year. This well-priced inclusion doesn't serve to reduce the value of any cards but creates a more engrossing limited experience.
What interests me more is the Medallion cycle. From
Lastly, there are the ‘free as long as you control your commander’ spells.
For some time,
All That is Pauper
Usually, going over downshifts in rarity is not high on the personal to-do list when a set releases. However, enough is going on in Commander Masters that a shakeup in the Pauper metagame may be in order. While unquestionably not the most expensive or explosive format, there is still room for some conjecture. So without further delay, let's talk about some cards.
Starting with
Next on the list, we have
Conclusion
Commander Masters is a shallow return to a more underpowered and overvalued product release. Following the price hikes from Lord of the Rings and the abundance of bulk, this set will quickly fade as we collectively move on to the next release. While the hope of a true and unique Commander product is slowly fading, there are still some cards included here that can spark a bit of excitement upon opening.
The long-lasting effects on prices will remain to be observed in the upcoming months as more packs inevitably get opened. Additionally, the Pauper metagame will adjust to accommodate the new downshifts. Personally, I plan to remain firm on price alerts and will avoid speculation on the rest of the set.
Next time on New Horizons we’ll be reviewing new cards from the accompanying Commander desks.
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Matt Grzechnik
Matt Grzechnik started playing Magic with the release of Dragon's Maze. Since then he has tried and experimented with all of the formats before discovering his love for EDH and Pauper. Piloting the same Jund deck for the last 10 years, he now tries to both understand and break Sealed as a format.