Wizards of the Coast released the full spoiler for Battle for Zendikar today! Here are the last two rares that hadn’t previously been spoiled:
I’m starting Emeria Shepherd at $1. At a glance, Emeria Shepherd looks a lot like Reya Dawnbringer or Emeria, the Sky Ruin – you get once a turn
reanimation. Unlike those other two cards, Emeria Shepherd triggers off landfall and not just during your upkeep.
This has some pretty big ramifications for reanimation. Think of it this way – any time you cast a reanimation spell, you can follow it up with another
reanimation spell by playing a Plains (or any dual land that counts as a Plains). Take a fetchland and you Raise Dead a non-land permanent, and then fetch
a Plains to Reanimate a second creature (or artifact or planeswalker, as the case may be).
I actually think Emeria Shepherd might have a place in Legacy or Modern combo decks. The ability to dump a ton of cards into your graveyard with dredge,
and then use your reanimation spell to get Emeria Shepherd means that for the rest of the game, you’re bringing back 1-2 cards a turn (one to your hand,
one directly into play) just by playing lands. I’d keep an eye on Emeria Shepherd, as it has potential to break out.
Total bulk. Can’t even cast it without three creatures on the battlefield. Hopefully they aren’t your own. Probably good for Limited play, but complete Constructed
chaff.
Pack Value
As stated in previous articles, the starting value of a Battle for Zendikar pack is $1. This is due to the basic land in every pack, plus the
breakdown of getting a Zendikar Expedition once every 216 packs (once per case).
Rares $3+:
Ally Encampment: $3
Brutal Expulsion: $3
Canopy Vista: $10
Cinder Glade: $10
Endless One: $4
From Beyond: $3
Lumbering Falls: $5
Prairie Stream: $10
Ruinous Path: $5
Shambling Vent: $5
Smoldering Marsh: $8
Sunken Hollow: $10
Rare Total: $86
Mythics $5+:
Drana, Liberator of Malakir: $12
Kiora, Master of the Depths: $20
Ob Nixilis Reignited: $20
Oblivion Sower: $5
Quarantine Field: $5
Sire of Stagnation: $12
Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger: $22.50
Undergrowth Champion: $10
Void Winnower: $5
Mythic Total: $155.50
2R ($172) + 1M ($155.50) = $327.50
$327.50 / 121 (total # of cards on Rare sheet) = $2.70
So without basic lands or Zendikar Expeditions taken into account, packs are worth $2.70 each right now, or $97.20 a box.
With basic lands and Expeditions added in, we’re looking at $3.70 a pack, or $133.20 a box.
Foil Card Pricing
We typically price foil cards at the following tiers:
Common: $0.25 minimum price
Uncommon: $0.49 minimum price
Rare: $1.99 minimum price
Mythic: $2.99 minimum price
Also as a rule of thumb, a foil version of a “good” card is worth 2x the normal version. In this section, I’m going to talk about commons and uncommons
where I think the foil version of the card will be at least 4x non-foil price. I’ll talk about rares/mythics where the foil version is at least 3x the
non-foil price.
Commons
Anticipate:
$3 – Was $5 for the Dragons of Tarkir version. Dropped Dragons to $3, dropped this one to match it.
Complete Disregard
: $1 – Solid removal for Eldrazi decks.
Dispel
: $3 – Previous versions are $4 and $5 in foil. This has a price history.
Evolving Wilds
: $1 – Same as all other versions of this card.
Fertile Thicket
: $1 – Solid land that will see play in Standard.
Kalastria Healer
: $1 – If Allies is a deck, some version that brings back a ton of creatures at once is going to be the winner. This is the lynchpin of a deck that
instantly combos your opponent to death with damage, as it enters the battlefield with multiple other Allies at the same time.
Lifespring Druid
: $1 – Birds of Paradise for casual/Commander players.
Mortuary Mire
: $1 – Playable Standard land.
Natural Connection:
$1 – Instant speed Untamed Wilds will at least be popular with casual players.
Scour from Existence
: $1 – Universal removal for Commander; may see Standard play.
Seek the Wilds:
$1 – The Green Anticipate.
Skyline Cascade:
$1 – Pseudo-removal for blue decks. Should see Standard play.
Uncommon
Bane of Bala Ged
: $2 – The only Eldrazi in this set with annihilator (even if they don’t call it that on the card).
Blighted Cataract
: $3 – Huge card for control decks in Standard. Will see a lot of Commander play.
Blighted Fen
: $2 – See Blighted Cataract. A land that can kill creatures in an absolute fashion is huge.
Blighted Gorge
: $2 – Shock on a land isn’t bad either!
Blighted Woodland
: $3 – Explosive Vegetation is a hugely popular Commander card, and this costs only one more mana (3G and tap, versus just 3G), but can’t be countered/is
playable in Standard. I think this one has the potential to really explode due to casual play.
Coastal Discovery:
$2 – Card drawing + win condition for control decks.
Expedition Envoy
: $2 – Savannah Lions redux.
Hedron Archive
: $2 – Good card for control decks and ramp decks.
Herald of Kozilek
: $4 – Great casual card, medallion for colorless decks.
Horribly Awry:
$3 – Playable two mana counter for Standard = $3+ foil price to start.
Retreat to Coralhelm
: $4 – Part of a combo deck that is going to emerge in Modern combined with Knight of the Reliquary.
Rolling Thunder
: $2 – First foil version of this card, very popular for casual play.
Ruination Guide
: $2 – Eldrazi lord.
Scythe Leopard
: $2 – The closest thing we’re getting to Steppe Lynx in this set.
Serene Steward
: $4 – Ajani’s Pridemate #5-#8. May herald the return of Soul Sisters as a tier-1 Modern deck thanks to new redundancy. Adding W to the activation cost is
steep, but the ability to put the +1/+1 counters on any creature is a huge upgrade.
Skyrider Elf
: $3 – Playable Standard creature.
Spawning Bed
: $2 – Playable land, along the lines of the Blighted lands.
Stasis Snare
: $5 – Solid removal spell for Standard, probably a staple in the format.
Sylvan Scrying:
$6 – The Mirrodin and 10th Edition foil versions were at $15 before this reprint. They are still at $10-$15. I’m starting this at $6, and I think it’ll end
up rising due to demand for Tron decks.
Titan’s Presence
: $4 – Removal spell for Standard, potentially Modern.
Trangress the Mind
: $6 – Poised to be the best discard spell in Standard post-Theros. Likely better than Duress in the new Standard.
Ulamog’s Nullifier
: $2 – Countermagic that comes attached to a 2/3 flyer. Solid but needs to be played with white most likely (due to white having the best exile effects).
Zulaport Cutthroat
: $4 – Blood Artist version 2.0. Doesn’t trigger on opposing creatures, but does work in Ally decks, plus has an extra power to boot.
Rares/Mythics
Aligned Hedron Network
: $4 – Commander play.
Emeria Shepherd
: $6 – If this has implications for Modern or Legacy, it’ll go even higher than this.
Fathom Feeder
: $6 – Playable Eldrazi.
March From the Tomb
: $4 – Commander play, potential combo play in Standard.
Planar Outburst
: $4 – Wrath effect at five mana.
Radiant Flames
: $4 – Solid burn/removal spell.
Basic Lands
Non-foil versions are starting at $0.50 each. Foil versions are between $6 and $10 each, depending on picture/popularity.
Thank you all for reading this series, and I’ll see you in a few months for Oath of the Gatewatch!