Hello everyone! It’s been a few weeks since Grand Prix Vegas took place and it’s time to look forward to many more amazing events. First though, I would like to conclude my article showing off the amazing and unique items I saw at the Grand Prix Vegas. If you missed part 1, here is a link to it!

https://blog.mtgprice.com/2017/06/21/eye-candy-from-grand-prix-vegas-part-1/

So without further delay, here are some more amazing things I witnessed, and even something I picked up there.

Honey, I’m home! VintageMagic.com’s booth certainly had the lion’s share of Drop of Honey at the Grand Prix that weekend. It was quite the mover due to its showing in the 4th and 9th place Legacy decklists piloted by Jody Kieth and Jarvis Yu. This powerful reserved list spell is a new innovation for sideboards in the Lands deck. To start the weekend, you could still snag these off tcgplayer.com for under $100, but now you are looking to pay close to $300 apiece on them.

Well who’s that? That’s me! Of course, being the Lands player I am, I had to take an opportunity to snag up a few copies myself. Being in the know about a card this rare spiking is surely helpful. I had to drop some really honey to buy these, but not as much as I would if I were to buy them today.

There were many awesome sights down artist alley. Dozens of artists were featured at this historic event and many brought with them prints, playmats, and original artworks. On display above is a painted print by Dan Scott of his Ponder artwork. Up close and in a frame, it really  resembled an original artwork to the point where it even fooled me. I had been under the impression the artwork was done digitally (which it was) meaning a true original did not exist. The added brushstokes for texture really brought this piece to life. Who wouldn’t love to have this beauty hanging up on their wall?

If you have a keen eye, you may have noticed this sweet alter from my Drop of Honey picture above. Also at the VintageMagic.com booth, was an Alpha Forest signed and altered by none other than the legendary Christopher Rush himself. A piece like this is truly special as Mr. Rush is no longer with us, but his artwork and love of Magic will always live on. Illustrating his iconic Black Lotus on this Forest, which could very well have been pulled from the same pack as one, is the icing on the cake.

No one man should have all that power. That sure is a lot of old school Magic goodness. Literal rows worth of Power 9 cards, including black bordered versions? That’s enough to make my jaw drop. I just wanted to grab into this case and build a 93/94 deck right then and there.

Okay Snapcaster Mage and Jace, you guys aren’t old school but it’s cool you can chill. Mahamoti will allow it. We coo.

Do U Sea what I see? I see a down payment on a house worth of sweet cardboard crack right about there. I would killll to play with some of these beautiful cards in all their black bordered glory. Imagine the powerful spells cast by these iconic dual lands. Serra Angel and The Hive most likely, but hey, casting a Jace, the Mind Sculptor off these in today’s era would make this girl swoon.

Do you like your cards nice and minty? Well who doesn’t? These are some pristine cardboard rarities here. BGS and PSA 8’s and 9’s seriously skyrocket that price point, and for good reason. How can you one-up the next person’s Alpha Power and dual lands? Have yours graded and show off that pack-fresh godliness. Graded cards aren’t really for me. I have to take it out of the box and play with it!

It might have been long before I started playing Magic the Gathering, but many old school players surely have played against their fair share of Shivan Dragons. Gem Mint PSA 10 Beta Shivan is truly a spectacle and I would happily be scorched and engulfed in flames by this mystical and expensive piece of cardboard. Take my money!!

Well look what we have here! Stacks of cash? Meh. Richard Garfield exclusive cards? Shrug. One of each Summer dual land. JACKPOT. I have never seen one of each Summer dual land in one place, and you likely never will either. The prices on these I couldn’t even begin to figure, I will just let you know it’s a lot. Better yet, I saw them out of the case and being negotiated on by a potential buyer. I can’t even imagine the amount of money that changed hands during Grand Prix Vegas, but I am sure it puts that wad of cash there to shame. Also, yeah, that’s a blue Hurricane just chilling there.

Ohhh gurl, there she is! I was speechless seeing this beautiful card. Easily the most expensive card in the room at Grand Prix Las Vegas, a BGS 10 Beta Black Lotus is easily worth upwards of $80,000!! Don’t let my nails fool you, I couldn’t afford this bad boy even if I sold my entire Magic collection and my car. I was just happy to bathe in its light. What a truly inspiring and unique piece of MTG history.

On the topic of inspiring and unique, there was far more to take in at the Grand Prix than just Magic cards. Here was a cosplayer posing as Nissa, Steward of Elements from Amonkhet. And right beside her, the original artwork for that very Nissa. Illustrated by Howard Lyon!

It doesn’t get any more unique and spectacular than that! Owning an original Magic the Gathering artwork is an amazing feat, and one that is both rewarding and exciting. Be warned, once you have one, you won’t want to stop. I do not own this beauty, but I was lucky enough to pick up an original artwork at the Grand Prix of my own…

Makeshift Mannequin from Lorwyn! I was so excited to finally see the artwork for the first time in person. A very kind person from the Facebook Mtg Art Exchange page, Luke, sold me this amazing piece and I couldn’t be happier. I absolutely love the colors and details on this piece as well as the lighting. I love all things faerie and MTG, so when I saw the piece I knew I had to own it. Picking this up was one of the highlights from my trip to Las Vegas and I won’t soon forget it.

And so there you have it. My Grand Prix Las Vegas adventure. I was one of the last people to leave the event hall before closing time on Sunday, spending my last hours cube drafting the night away. I had a wonderful and magical time at Grand Prix Vegas and I would absolutely do it again next year! From all the artists and vendors to the friends and events, I couldn’t even express how much fun I had. I hope you also had fun living vicariously through me a little through these photo essays. I surely had a blast taking the pics and spreading the word.

Thanks so much for reading! What were your favorite sights from the Grand Prix? Did you pick up anything cool? Let me know it the comments!

Rachel Agnes is a VSL Competitor, Phyrexian Princess, Collector of all things shiny and a Cube, Vintage, Legacy, and EDH enthusiast. 
Catch on Twitch and Twitter via Baetog_.

 

What is the most rewarding part of playing Magic the Gathering for you? For some it is the gameplay and for others competition. For many it is just something to play casually with friends. For others, their favorite aspect of paying Magic the Gathering is customizing their cards. Finding unique and fun ways for everyone to enjoy Magic is something the game itself strives to do. Creating a welcoming environment where players are free to express themselves explains the need for so many different formats and variations of cards. Having your card stand out from the pack is something many players desire when playing Magic.

Some players find foils a great way to do this, and will go out of their way to find premium versions to spice up their decks. For some people, misprints are their preferred method of standing out. Misprints occur where something happened in the actual physical manufacturing of the card itself causing an abnormality to occur. For others, alters are the way they choose to cultivate their creativity. Today, I will be discussing some of my favorite MTG alterists at the moment and some of their alters that have really caught my eye.

It may come as a surprise to some, but there is actually a massive online card altering market. Ebay, Etsy, and Facebook have provided successful social media outlets to display your artwork and players have been devouring it. The desire to have your cards customized by not just top notch alterists but even small, lesser known alterists, is ever-growing. I do not purchase many alters myself because all my allotted MTG money is spent on foils and artwork, but I do absolutely have some favorites.

5. Eric Klug

https://www.facebook.com/klugalters/

Eric has been in the altering business for almost a decade and he is at the top of his class when it comes to producing high quality alters. I figure most people reading this have heard of him before and even purchased an alter from him. Here are a few of my favorites of his.

I love Klug’s alter on the most powerful spell ever printed, Black Lotus. His ability to replicate Terese Nielsen’s gorgeous Guru land style is superb. This full-art alter that covers the entirety of the border, yet somehow doesn’t take away from the allure of the lotus itself.

This MC Escher inspired Maze of Ith is one of Klug’s most famous alters. The line-work is amazing and I can’t even imagine how beautiful it looks on the battlefield.

This is one of Klug’s most recent masterpieces. I absolutely love Damnation and Gustave Dore so this alter hits me in all the right ways.

4. Brossard Alters

https://www.facebook.com/brossardalters/photos/?tab=album&album_id=432419673635182

I absolutely love this alterist’s way of blending real world items into their pieces.

I absolutely LOVE alters that take a spin on what the card does.  Casting Maelstrom Wanderer in Commander is always a spin of the wheel and the images on the roulette wheel certainly represent some sweet hits. Can you name them all?

Ok, admit it. We ALL thought that that promo Snapcaster Mage looked like a soccer player. This is a brilliant execution of that concept and I love how the lines on the field and the number 25 on the shirt look like the foiling process itself.

You know an alter is top notch when you confuse it with a photograph. I cannot get over how realistic the casino chips look on this Mox Emerald. Masterful shadowing and scale.

3. Blacklion Alters

https://www.facebook.com/pg/blacklionalters/photos/?ref=page_internal

This alterist makes the list for their masterful border extensions and full-art re imaginings. I absolutely love these Unglued basics because the colors really pop and you can’t tell where the original artist’s work ends and where the alter begins.

Ooo I love me some cherry blossoms and I absolutely love how this alter uses the Japanese influence to compliment the top. It doesn’t overdo it, which is an important thing to consider.

Ok someone is gonna have a sickkk looking Modern deck here. Hard to pick which my favorite here is because of how the picture is taken, but I love how they all work together. The colors are great and the cards are easily recognizable.

2. Sandreline Mousse

https://www.facebook.com/sandreline.altered/photos_albums

Sandreline has many different styles and each of them is masterfully done. I can never tell right off the bat when a piece is done by her but if it catches my eye and is beautifully done, I am never surprised it was painted by her.

Those lions look super realistic and majestic. It’s easy to forget that these are on Magic cards, they are so well done. I absolutely love the black and white aspect here too.

These art nouveau inspired duals and very popular alters by both Sandreline and Eric Klug. I think they are unique and interesting, even if I do prefer clean Fbb’s myself.

Stained glass Lightning Bolt?! Be still my fiery heart! I absolutely love all her stained glass alters but this one takes the cake for me. Talk about a sweet idea for a future Masterpiece series.

1. MIB Alters

https://www.facebook.com/pg/MIB-MTG-Alter-1431618703795097/photos/?ref=page_internal

I’m not gonna lie, I absolutely had MIB alters as my number 1 pick for favorite MTG alterist by a landslide. I absolutely adore their style to no end and cannot get enough of seeing each of these amazing alters. I would KILL to own one someday.

I absolutely love this art style and it is so unique to MIB alters. I can instantly tell who illustrated it and its uniqueness even among alters really strikes me. I love this Daretti because of his facial expression. I just screams curious mischief to me.

The colors here are absolutely breathtaking and the facial expression is both natural and cartoony at the same time. I don’t know how that’s even possible.

All hail Phyrexia! Praise to Atraxa our overlord and long may her reign be! Okay, this artwork captures an adorable Atraxa, which isn’t easy to do while still keeping some of her menacing features. An absolute home run, and alters like this are what keep me coming back to MIB for inspiration.

I hope you enjoyed checking out some sweet alters with me. There are so many amazing alterists and alters that I didn’t get to mention here. I truly respect all forms of this art and do recommend purchasing at least one alter in your life, even if you just use the card casually. Who are your favorite alterists? Do you have a favorite alter that you own? Let me know in the comments and thank you for reading!

Alter by BlackWingStudio

Rachel Agnes is a VSL Competitor, Phyrexian Princess, Collector of all things shiny and a Cube, Vintage, Legacy, and EDH enthusiast.
Catch on Twitch and Twitter via Baetog_.

Soooo… Iconic Masters! I am sure many of you have heard about this recent announcement that has been blowing up the MTG social media sphere. We know very little about the set so far other than the details are going to be relatively secretive. With the prominence of the Internet, spoilers run rampant and everyone knows the set’s contents a week or two in advance. Wizards has stated that there will be no spoiler season for this set and that the goods will be revealed the day of release when players first open the packs. They stated their desire to emulate the old feeling of cracking your first packs from a new set.

Additionally, there is one other BIG thing we know about this November 2017 Iconic Masters set (IMA) so far… There will be ZERO Reserved List cards printed in it.

When players hear the word “Iconic” in regards to Magic the Gathering many things come to mind. Lightning Bolt, Swords to Plowshare, Shivan Dragon, Serra Angel, Force of Will, Jace, the Mind Sculptor, Tarmogoyf, Wasteland, and even Storm Crow. Those seem like viable options for reprints right? Well what about cards like Black Lotus, Juzam Djinn, Wheel of Fortune, Time Walk, Ancestral Recall, Time Vault, Library of Alexandria, Mishra’s Workshop, Tolarain Academy, and Bazaar of Baghdad? Surely those cards also evoke a feeling of or nostalgic and reverence. They are also absolutely iconic. I know they do for me and I’ve only been playing since Innistrad!

Since their initial announcement, Wizards has publicly stated that they will not be printing any Reserved List cards in the set and that there are plenty of iconic cards besides them to be included. I could go on for hours about the Reserved List, its merits and its downsides, but that is for another article.

For this article today I would like to discuss my top 10 wishlist for Iconic Masters. This isn’t a list of cards I think will be in the set, just cards that I would love to see. To preface this list, I would like to mention I would be over the moon if they brought back the old border for all the cards in the set. I know it is probably asking for the impossible but, it is technically allowable. Since it would look horribly mismatched if they did half and half, I would suggest that the whole set be printed in old, pre-8^th Edition border, but that is surely a pipe dream. A girl can dream right? Let’s dig in!

10. Shivan Dragon

I would LOVE to see Shivan Dragon in this set. There is no argument against the original Melissa Benson artwork as  it is a memorable callback to days long gone. Wizards may have stated that there would be many new card artworks in the set, but you can’t beat this classic.

IMA booster packs will have an MSRP of $9.99 per pack. NOBODY wants to open a Shivan Dragon from a pack that cost them $10, so the solution? Make it an uncommon! We have already seen cards like Volcanic Dragon and Pardic Dragon at uncommon in other sets, so Shivan Dragon should be no different. Many players once coveted the mighty Shivan Dragon and seeing them at uncommon would be win-win for everyone.

9. Grim Tutor

Grim Tutor is a very expensive piece of cardboard. Rolling in at over $200 each, Grim Tutor is in desperate need of a reprint. Tutors are an iconic part of Magic’s history. Grim Tutor has always been eclipsed by its peers, most of which are more powerful.

That being said, most of the other tutors have seen several reprints. This would be a great opportunity to finally reprint Grim Tutor with new artwork to boot. Maybe keep that amazing flavor text, though.

8. Necropotence

Combo decks have had a huge impact on Magic’s history. Some of these decks were so powerful that they even instilled fear in the hearts of opponents. Necropotence, while not being the first combo card of all time, surely does a great job displaying the more broken aspects of Magic. I understand the need for this to be printed at rare/mythic, but I am hoping for the former. When Necropotence was a mythic in Eternal Masters it was a complete dud to open. It would hit the sweet spot at rare, even with the $10 MSRP.

The Mark Tedin artwork is a must and I would absolutely cry if I saw the FTV/Eternal Masters artwork again in IMA. To make this card even more viable for Limited I would also include Dark Ritual as a common/uncommon. Without the Storm mechanic, I think it would be safe to have a turn 1 Necropotence here and there in Limited. That’s never something I thought I would write, but here we are folks. There was a time where that was absolutely iconic and everyone should be able to try it at least once… or ten times.

7. Ancestral Vision

Ancestral Recall is one of the most iconic spells of all time. No ifs, ands or buts about it.  Being a piece of the prestigious Power 9 and arguably the most powerful spell ever certainly makes its mark. But that card cannot be reprinted. SO, how about a card that calls back upon this powerful spell and is in desperate need of a reprint?

Ancestral Vision is illustrated by the talented Mark Poole, the same artist as Ancestral Recall itself. The card was created in Time Spiral as a throwback to the early Magic draw spell and has since been adopted in Modern. Despite being printed three total times, this card still commands a ~$50 price tag. Not to mention, the foil version hovers around $200. Combine these factors and you have the perfect candidate for a reprint. This spell and would be a great addition to IMA’s value.

6. Crucible of Worlds

Crucible of Worlds was actually part of program WotC had called “You Make the Card.” This was where, through a series of public polls, Wizards actually built a card from scratch and used various player-submitted cards as inspiration. They have made several cards this way, but Crucible of Worlds is by far the most iconic and powerful.

Crucible of Worlds may not be an all-star in Limited, but it certainly sees play across every format it is legal in. Despite its various printings you are paying close to $60 for the cheapest copies. Combined with the fact that this card has absolutely stunning artwork by Ron Spencer makes it a welcome addition for value as well as its iconic place in Commander and Vintage.

5. Jace, the Mind Sculptor

Okay Jace the freakin Mind Sculptor is absolutely iconic. In the modern era of MTG, Planeswalkers are by far the most iconic cards. Jace the Mind Sculptor sticks out as a giant among Planeswalkers. This Jace is, without a doubt, the most powerful Planeswalker printed to date, and despite it having 3 printings, still pushes ~$60.

Jace deserves a place in IMA because it is recognizable to all and his power is ubiquitous with the color blue itself. I feel this card is extremely likely to be included in this set, and because of this, any small hope I may have held for an all-old bordered set is shattered. Old frame planeswalkers just isn’t going to happen. And for that I will remain forever sad.

4. Lightning Bolt

Christopher Rush, old border, no flavor text. Done. Article is over thanks for reading!

Okay just kidding. Black Lotus may wear the crown for the most iconic card in all of Magic the Gathering, but Lightning Bolt is certainly top 5. Seeing a brand new black bordered version of the Christopher Rush classic artwork Lightning Bolt coming out of a booster pack would overwhelm so many players, old and new, with incredible emotion.

I know Lightning Bolt isn’t the most expensive card and it would only be a common or uncommon at best. But, a sub ~$200 version of Christopher’s artwork in foil would be amazing for us all. Formats with Lightning Bolt are a blast to play and this spell is always deserving of a place in masters sets. I do uphold the condition that if IMA does not contain the Christopher Rush artwork for Lightning Bolt, I would absolutely remove this card from my list and replace it with something like Birds of Paradise.

3. Lord of Atlantis

Let’s face it, Merfolk are awesome. You either love them or you’re wrong. Merfolk are such a classic tribe in Magic and one of the few that see play in competitive formats almost 25 years later. When Lord of Atlantis was printed in Alpha, Merfolk of the Pearl Trident was the only creature in the game that it could actually pump. Did that stop people from running the little blue men in their deck? Nope.

Lord of Atlantis has a storied history throughout Magic and saw play in every constructed format there is. Because of their popularity, many creature of this tribe are actually quite costly. Cursecatcher, Silvergill Adept, and Merrow Reejery all contribute to the inflated price tag of this tribal deck. When they made the Modern pre-constructed decks, I believed that Merfolk would eventually be one of the products. But the plug was promptly pulled on that product forcing us to look elsewhere for needed reprints. This would be a great time to reprint not just Lord of Atlantis (please Melissa Benson art) but quite a few fishy friends for an amazing limited archetype. Move over Master of the Pearl Trident, bring us back the classic.

2. Rishadan Port

Perhaps the most requested reprint we didn’t get from Eternal Masters was Rishadan Port. Sporting play as a 4-of in both Legacy Lands and Death and Taxes, the Port commands a price tag over $100. When it comes to this iconic land, it isn’t a matter of if, but when it will be reprinted. I figured Wizards would wait for Eternal Masters 2 to reprint this iconic land as a flagship addition to the set, along with the classics like Force of Will and Mana Crypt. But now, Iconic Masters would be an even better spot for the much desired reprint.

Rishadan Port has one of the most amazing artworks in the game and the original painting recently changed hands for around a whopping $80,000!! So yeah, I would absolutely call this card as iconic as it gets. Since they commissioned a new artwork for the Judge Promo Port relatively recently, I would not be surprised if they went with that artwork. But hey, this is about my hopes and dreams here. Just spoil me please!

1. Storm Crow

The moment you have all been waiting for. The card the masses have clamored for and reason for the season. Wizards has heard your cries of desperation and your songs of hope.

**Ahem** Moving on.

1. Demonic Tutor

And the winner is… Demonic Tutor! THE card I would most love to see reprinted in IMA, Demonic Tutor, is an Alpha classic. At one point it even graced the Reserved List. Most people who have ever picked up the game of Magic have seen or played with a Demonic Tutor. The original artwork, while iconic, would probably have issues being released in a 2017 world. This would be the perfect time for an amazing new artwork commission!

Demonic Tutor is the most powerful and most played tutor in all of Magic the Gathering. The effect is coveted and the power level is undeniable. This would make a perfect upshift to rare in Iconic Masters. It sees play in almost half of all black EDH decks posted online and obviously that number should easily be 100%. Never a bad draw, Demonic Tutor comes in clutch at all points of the game and the power of the deck itself is the only limit for the card. Because of this, even ugly white bordered versions of this spell command around $20 and the Divine vs. Demonic version is pushing above $30. With the only foil of this card soaring above $225 a pop this would absolutely be an excellent time to reprint this perfect little piece of MTG history.

That wraps up my thoughts on Magic’s November 2017 set Iconic Masters. This set will blow minds, I can guarantee that. You can’t just call a set iconic and have it disappoint. Magic has 25 years of rich history and amazing cards, so you can bet that there will be a little something for everyone here. What cards do you want to see reprinted? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! I do read them all. Thanks so much!

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Rachel Agnes is a VSL Competitor, Phyrexian Princess, Collector of all things shiny and a Cube, Vintage, Legacy, and EDH enthusiast.
Catch on Twitch and Twitter via Baetog_.