Welcome back to the Daily Financial Value Of Theros! There were quite a few tasty cards spoiled over the past couple of days. This set is looking to be high-value overall—there are very few busts at the rare slot or mythic slot so far. This set should open well and sell even better, so at the least prices on rares will be held in check by the sheer volume of packs that are opened by players!
Here’s a guide to how I review these crazy 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 Theros.
Future Price—Medium Term: The price I believe this card will be at by the time the next set (Born of the Gods) comes out.
Future Price—Long Term: The price I believe this card will be at a year from now when the next fall set is released (name unknown).
Starting Price: $8 Current Price: $8 Future Price (Short Term): $6 Future Price (Medium Term): $5 Future Price (Long Term): $5 |
Angel of Despair with a double upgrade for one extra mana! Ashen Rider exiles permanents and hits a second permanent if it dies. Eight mana is a lot to ask for, so Ashen Rider is most likely going to be a target for reanimation. I think long-long term (two-plus years out) Ashen Rider will hit the $10 range. I just think that because Ashen Rider is slightly too expensive to see Standard play that the price will be kept in check while Theros is still in print.
Starting Price: $2 Current Price: $2 Future Price (Short Term): $4 Future Price (Medium Term): $3 Future Price (Long Term): $2 |
Three for a 4/2 flash creature is pretty high on the curve for green. Throw in the bestow ability and I believe Boon Satyr is a sleeper hit for this set. I think that since most of the bestow creatures have been unimpressive so far (bestow cost is too high, and you wouldn’t play the creature as a creature) people are undervaluing Boon Satyr. I think that we’ll see Boon Satyr enchanting creatures just as often as it’s played as a 4/2 three-mana beater. Pick these up now—I believe they will go up in the short term!
Starting Price: $3 Current Price: $3 Future Price (Short Term): $4 Future Price (Medium Term): $3 Future Price (Long Term): $4 |
This card was "unofficially" spoiled a couple of weeks ago but was confirmed overnight. This is the most robust of the spoiled weapons—all four modes are useful situationally, and the permanent deathtouch given to attacking creatures is relevant to Standard. I see this seeing a lot of play as a one- or two-of in Standard, and it may be good enough to see Modern play. Should be very popular for Commander play as well.
Starting Price: $4 Current Price: $4 Future Price (Short Term): $8 Future Price (Medium Term): $5 Future Price (Long Term): $4 |
I look at the price trajectory of Dreadbore—costs one less but is a sorcery rather than an Instant. Dreadbore started at $6, went all the way up to $8, and finally settled in the $4 range. I see Hero’s Downfall following the same pattern. It’s probably better than Dreadbore since it’s monocolored and at instant speed, so I give it a tick up in long-term value over Dreadbore.
Starting Price: $5 Current Price: $5 Future Price (Short Term): $3 Future Price (Medium Term): $3 Future Price (Long Term): $3 |
Will be slightly above bulk mythic rare value because of casual play, but should be basically a bulk mythic rare.
Starting Price: $10 Current Price: $10 Future Price (Short Term): $8 Future Price (Medium Term): $5 Future Price (Long Term): $5 |
This one is either going to be a format-defining creature or a swing-and-a-miss—I don’t think there’s a middle ground on an ability this powerful. I’m betting on the latter, but Medomai is one of those cards that I would be willing to invest in when it drops in price. If Medomai had five toughness (to survive Mizzium Mortars), I’d be a lot more bullish on its power level.
Starting Price: $1 Current Price: $1 Future Price (Short Term): $0.50 Future Price (Medium Term): $0.50 Future Price (Long Term): $0.50 |
Psychic Intrusion gets bonus points for being able to hit graveyards because most previous versions of this card were a whiff if you hit an empty (or land-only) hand. Unfortunately, you’re paying five mana to hit one card, and then you still need to pay mana to play the card you got with Psychic Intrusion. Yes, you get to spend mana of any color—but we’re still talking six-plus mana to cast one spell of your opponent’s, and the spell might not even be that good to begin with. Could see sideboard play in control mirrors, but I’ve seen people get burned so many times on cards like this (Lobotomy esque effects) that I can’t see this being a good long-term buy.
Starting Price: $3 Current Price: $3 Future Price (Short Term): $4 Future Price (Medium Term): $3 Future Price (Long Term): $3 |
Fits right into the ramp for B/G Midrange with Lotleth Troll and Varolz, the Scar-Striped. Even on its own, 4/5 for four mana is a larger-than-average green body. Throw in three very relevant abilities and you have a creature that will see a whole bunch of Standard play. It won’t be ubiquitous (since it’s two colors), but it shouldn’t have a complete drop-off in value that many rares have in Theros due to quantity available.
Starting Price: $3 Current Price: $3 Future Price (Short Term): $2 Future Price (Medium Term): $2 Future Price (Long Term): $2 |
Glorious Anthem with an upside. Glorious Anthem is usually a $2-$3 card in Standard whenever it rotates into the format. I expect Spear to be in the $2 range because of the amount of Theros available, but it’ll be a solid $2 with a potential upside if White Weenie becomes dominant in Standard.
Price Changes Since The Last Article
Forge[/author]“]Purphoros, God of the [author name="Forge"]Forge[/author]: From $25 to $30 – Selling extremely well, and many pros think Purphoros will make an impact on Standard.
Sylvan Caryatid: From $4 to $5 – Despite an extra supply from being the Buy a Box promo, many are banking on Sylvan Caryatid being a staple in Standard to replace Farseek.
Temple of Abandon / Temple of Deceit / Temple of Mystery / Temple of Silence / Temple of Triumph: From $5 to $6 – I expect some of these will end up in the $8 range by shortly after set release depending on which decks emerge as Standard contenders.
- Ben Bleiweiss
- General Manager, StarCityGames.com
Previous Daily Financial Value Of Theros Articles
September 4, Wednesday: Stormbreath Dragon; Xenagos, the Reveler