Hello everyone, and welcome back to my daily series of Financial Articles about the newest set. This time around, we’re going to discuss the third set of the immensely popular Return to Ravnica block – Dragon’s Maze! Since the formatting for this article is slightly different than past Financial Value articles, you’re going to have to look at this guide to my article every… single… day! We skipped yesterday since there was only one rare spoiled, but today brings many more cards!
Starting Price: The first price we assign to this card as a preorder
Current Price: The current price of the card, by the time this article goes live
Future Price—Short Term: The price I believe this card will be at before Magic Online redemptions go live for Dragon’s Maze
Future Price—Medium Term: The price I believe this card will be at by the time the next set (M14) comes out
Future Price—Long Term: The price I believe this card will be at a year from now, when the next Spring set is released (Journey to Nyx)
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Aetherling |
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Starting Price: $4 Current Price: $4 Future Price—Short Term: $6 Future Price—Medium Term: $5 Future Price—Long Term: $4 |
Back in the day, Morphling was in contention for title of “best creature ever printed.” Due to the changes in damage-on-the-stack, and just general power creep on 4+ mana creatures, this is no longer the case. Aetherling is the latest iteration of Morphling. Comparisons nowadays are to Titans – at six mana, is this a reasonable finisher that can dominate the board? I believe the answer is “more yes than no” for Aetherling – it is very hard to kill (either through damage or removal), can fight creatures larger/smaller, and has absolute evasion. The only issue is that Aetherling is very mana intensive to get going. I think Aetherling will see play in Standard, and will hold value over time, but will go down a year from now as rotation looms near.
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Dragonshift |
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Starting Price: $1 Current Price: $1 Future Price—Short Term: $1 Future Price—Medium Term: $1 Future Price—Long Term: $1 |
Bulk Rare. Reminds me of Cytoshape – this is a great combat trick/finisher for Limited, but I just don’t see it in constructed. Day of the Dragons seems better for casual play if you want all your guys to be dragons.
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Pyrewild Shaman |
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Starting Price: $2 Current Price: $2 Future Price—Short Term: $3 Future Price—Medium Term: $1 Future Price—Long Term: $1 |
The market for these on eBay is more at the $2.50-$3 range than where we are, but I’ve seen this effect before. The one that immediately comes to mind is Thunderblade Charge. Thunderblade Charge had a lot of hype when it was first revealed, and turned out to be a big nothing. It’s difficult to manage the trigger (only returning based on combat damage) against keeping mana open versus, say, spending two mana to pitch Pyrewild Shaman or casting haste creatures/removal spells. I think that the activation of Pyrewild Shaman (to return it) is unwieldy and Pyrewild Shaman will fall by the wayside.
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Ready // Willing |
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Starting Price: $2 Current Price: $2 Future Price—Short Term: $2 Future Price—Medium Term: $2 Future Price—Long Term: $3 |
1
Ready: Creatures you control are indestructible this turn. Untap each creature you control.
1
Willing: Creatures you control gain deathtouch and lifelink until end of turn.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Instant, Rare
Ready // Willing is one of those marginally playable Standard cards – it’ll be great in a certain metagame, but not so great if everything is midrange. You need lots of creatures to take advantage of either half. What I really like about Ready // Willing is that both sides are effects that are deeply popular with casual players (see Basilisk Collar). I believe that this will go up a year from now, when Dragon’s Maze is not as widely distributed and supply starts drying up.
See you all on Monday, when Wizards should have spoiled the whole set on Gatherer and I’ll be talking about the remaining Rares/Mythics and UC/C of note!
- Ben
Previous Daily Financial Value Articles
April 17, Wednesday: Catch // Release, Emmara Tandris, Notion Thief, Warleader’s Helix
April 16, Tuesday: Blood Baron of Vizkopa, Deadbridge Chant, Legion’s Initiative
April 11, Thursday: Blood Scrivener; Lavinia of the Tenth; Mirko Vosk, Mind Drinker; Sire of Insanity; Varolz, the Scar-Striped; Zhur-Taa Ancient
April 10, Wednesday: Exava, Rakdos Blood Witch; Renounce the Guilds; Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts
April 9, Tuesday: Advent of the Wurm; Master of Cruelties; Vorel of the Hull Clade