On Monday, we’re getting the Summer Superdrop for 2025, and it’s got six groups of cards. Three of those drops are Final Fantasy cards, and I covered all of those just a couple weeks ago.
We need to go over the other drops hitting on June 9, as well as an additional drop coming on June 16. This feels like a lot of Secret Lair because it is, and while I didn’t buy any of the Pencil Superdrop, I’m already planning on a big spend for Final Fantasy, and adding to that with some of these other drops too.
So let’s look at what’s in here, what it compares to, and why the additional drop is really worth watching.
For these drops, I want to look at the EDHREC data and the other premium offerings, to get a sense of what’s already there and how much demand is present. As ever, EDHREC is a useful dataset but it isn’t the only one. An enormous number of people don’t post their lists to the site, and so we can’t look at this data and think that’s the whole story. It’s helpful, but it’s not something all-knowing.
Artist Series: Phil Foglio
Card | Current EDHREC # | Other Premium Versions |
Goblin Bombardment | 185,000 decks | Monty Python SLD ($16 nonfoil, $17 foil) Enchanting Tales ($3/$5) |
Orcish Lumberjack | 24,000 | None, no foil ever. |
Constant Mists | 40,000 | None, no foil ever |
Song of the Dryads | 63,000 | Etched Foil $8 |
On the one hand, we’re really mining the reprint equity here. Aside from the Bombardment, these are four cards that have never gotten a premium treatment, and in two cases, barely any reprints at all. On the other, these are regular-frame cards from an iconic artist. I’ve ranted before about how much I want for artist series drops to be able to really showcase the art, and Foglio’s art isn’t given that chance to really shine.
What really stings is that this drop comes along in the same release as two other artists who can use the whole card frame, and this is also coming out at the same time as the Final Fantasy Through the Ages subset, which has no frame at all, just floating text. This happened recently with Jesper Ejsing too, and these artists deserve better. Break the frame!
As for the value, Lumberjack is not really a relevant card for almost all decks, Bombardment has multiple cooler versions, and Constant Mists is a card that will have a table itching for your blood. Song of the Dryads is a worthwhile way to shut down a commander, but really, this is a very middling lair and if you really want something from it, the singles should be your target in about two weeks.
Featuring: Imiri Sakabashira
Card | Current EDHREC # | Other Premium Versions |
Consecrated Sphinx | 142,000 (Game Changer) | Etched Foil $44 Invocation $200 Borderless Foil $45 SLD Rainbow Foil $42 |
Resculpt | 135,000 | None |
Mirage Mirror | 90,000 | None |
Scion of Draco | 30,000 | Borderless Foil $20 Retro Frame Foil $6 |
This is an awesomely abstract drop, with cards worth the interest. I had no idea Resculpt was so popular in decks, but cheap, flexible removal comes at a cost. Mirage Mirror surprised me too, and this is a fun way to add another premium Scion of Draco out there. (I’m getting close to taking it out of my Ur-Dragon deck, I must admit.)
And as much as I like this art, I have to say that the singles are likely your best bet here too. Consecrated Sphinx’s Brain Dead version is over $40 now, but when the drop first got into peoples’ hands, it was available under $15. I like these cards, and am likely to spec on them, but I don’t feel a burning need to buy this as a sealed set.
The Art of Frank Frazetta: The Second Exhibition
Card | Current EDHREC # | Other Premium Versions |
Deadly Dispute | 350,000 | WPN Retro Frame $1 FIC ?? |
Murderous Rider | 69,000 | Showcase Foil $1.50 |
Zulaport Cutthroat | 284,000 | TSR Retro Foil $47 2020 SLD Foil $27 |
Aggravated Assault | 111,000 | Confetti WOT $67 Invocation $45 40K SLD Foil $25 |
Desperate Ritual | 70,000 | None, pack foils $10-$15 |
First of all, my apologies to the artist, whose name I have repeatedly misstated as Franzetta instead of the proper Frazetta.
This is a fantastic drop on all counts. We know from the last Frazetta drop that the art is popular, and the borderless look with this art is just amazing. There’s also no duds in this set of cards, because while I don’t think that many people play Desperate Ritual in Commander, we’ve got plenty of folks who play four copies in Storm-style decks and that will soak up a lot of demand.
The Rider deserves lots of play, and Dispute/Cutthroat have earned their numbers. This drop is something I’ll be getting the max of foils for.
So on top of my plans for Final Fantasy purchases, I’ll be adding the max of the Frazetta foils to my purchases. The rest can wait for singles.
Once you’re done spending that money, you’ll get another chance a week later. Magic has teamed up with the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC) for a charity-driven drop that will be print-to-demand. You’ll have one month to make your purchases, from June 16 to July 13. Best of all, the price is $30 nonfoil/$40 foil, and this is unusual for the charity drops. Let’s talk about the cards:
Secret Lair Presents: Nuestra Magia
Card | Current EDHREC # | Other Premium Versions |
Tireless Provisioner | 311,000 | none |
Sylvan Library | 294,000 | DMR Retro Foil $30 DMR Borderless Foil $65 |
Ancient Greenwarden | 118,000 | Pack FEA $19 |
Expressive Iteration | 92,000 | SPG foil $20 SLD Showdown foil $10 |
Xenagos, God of Revels | 76,000 (plus 6k as commander) | SLD Constellation Foil $30 |
Lightning Greaves | 1,521,000 | MB2 foil $40 SLD Rainbow Foil $8 SPG Foil $22 SLD Galaxy Foil $40 PIP Surge foil $25 2XM Borderless Foil $21 |
Sol Ring | 5,123,000 (lol) | Too damn many to count |
The only fly in this ointment is that Iteration is banned in Pioneer and Legacy, otherwise, this is another banger of a drop. The least-included card here is Xenagos, a card that’s tough to get rid of and makes everyone at the table very hesitant to make a move, because you don’t know when something huge and hasty is going to show up and bash away.
The Sol Ring deserves mention here as something that will get expensive, the art is just too good and it doesn’t matter that there’s already two dozen great pieces of art for that card. (I didn’t count, there’s just too much.) Sylvan Library is full-scale cheating in Commander, letting you do everything you want for only two mana, and the prices on that alone make this drop have a floor of breaking even, in both foil and nonfoil. I also adore the chancla being removed, because if you know, you know.
I also really appreciate that this is available in your choice of languages for the text. As I’ve aged into being a Magic boomer, I want to be able to read my cards. This drop strikes a great balance between the cultures and the languages.
This is available for a month, so there’s no hurry. Your wallet has a chance to recover a little from Final Fantasy expenditures, and there’s a good chance you can buy the singles while the Lair is still on the site, too. I plan on buying several copies of this lair, in foil and non, plus some singles once supply maxes out.
Cliff (@WordOfCommander at Twitter and BlueSky) has been writing for MTGPrice since 2013, and is an eager Commander player, Draft enthusiast, and Cube fanatic. A high school science teacher by day, he’s also the co-host of the MTG Fast Finance podcast. If you’re ever at a GP and you see a giant flashing ‘CUBE DRAFT’ sign, go over, say hi, and be ready to draft.