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_.

By: Rachel Agnes
@baetog_

Hello everyone! I am back to talk about some juicy foils today! I am going to discuss a series of foils that have been produced for almost 20 years now. I am speaking of none other than the judge foils. As of April 2017, there are currently 109 different judge foil cards produced for Magic back from 1998. The popularity of the judge program foils has only grown over the years and you can expect this type of promotional foil to be around for many years to come.

So what are these foils? Judge foils are exclusive promo foil reprints of cards from Magic: the Gathering history that Wizards has deemed worthy of reprint or upgrade. Many have the judge logo printed at the bottom of the card (akin to the FNM promo logo).  A decade ago, the cards were selected based on popularity and rarity. Now, they are leaning more towards powerful, expensive EDH reprints as well as much needed Portal: Three Kingdoms overpriced cards. A mixture of rarity and desirability tend to be the deciding factor on which cards become Judge Foils. They are often legal or viable in various formats but not necessarily universally playable. There have been several methods of distributing these foils over the years from attending conferences to the more current Exemplar program. I will not delve into the method of distribution. Rather, I will be reviewing my top 10 favorite fudge promos and giving details on price and where to use them.

10. Balance
    Price: $21.00
    Released in 2004 as a Judge Rewards Mailed Gift

Balance is one hell of a Magic card. Since the days of 1993, this card has been touted as white’s most powerful spell. Only being legal as a 1-of in Vintage, Balance joins the ranks of only several cards that are too powerful for Legacy AND Commander. Balance’s name may be a misnomer regarding its functionality, but the amazing artwork here by Kev Walker shows a powerful scene. This is one of the cards that truly evokes the feel of a “Judge” foil to me because when I look at it I am reminded of the crucial role that judges play in balancing our game. Without judges, there would be no Magic events and this amazing artwork as well as the subtle foiling and colors leads to the stern, but fair feel you can get from officials.

I use Balance in my Cube and it performs as one of the most overpowered White spells. Aside from Cube, some players play it in control decks in Vintage. Not being legal in other formats makes this card relatively cheap for a somewhat rare promo, but if it was legal in say, EDH, I would wager this to be the best version to use. Of course Alpha/Beta versions are pricier and the artwork is more nostalgic and iconic, but this version is the only viable foil version. We won’t talk about the FTV abomination.

9. Sol Ring
   Price: $146
   Released in 2005 as a Judge Rewards Card given at Pro Tour London

You can’t play much Magic without hearing about Sol Ring. From the most cutthroat and powerful formats like Vintage to the more casual but vast format of Commander, Sol Ring has touched more players than most cards on this list. Sol Ring sees play in my Cube as one of the best cards and top picks, which is quite a title. Many Vintage decks also include it as an additional way to boost mana. This is also the MOST played Commander card by far showing up in over 60% of ALL EDH decks.

Sol Ring is a frequently sought after foil, and since the judge foil printing there have been 2 other foil versions. The judge foil Sol Ring uses the incredible Mark Tedin artwork from Alpha and it doesn’t get much better than that. The FTV foil displays the newer Commander artwork, and while nice, it doesn’t do justice to the original. There is also the Masterpieces version of Sol Ring done by the talented Volkan Baga. His artwork is stunning and the attention to detail he learned from his master Donato Gaincola is wonderfully displayed on the Masterpieces version. Currently, I replaced the Judge Sol Ring in my cube for the Masterpieces but it is still super close. The powerful alternative to this judge foil is why this card only Rings in at number nine.

8. Survival of the Fittest
   Price: $258
   Released in 2009 as a Judge Rewards Card

Survival of the Fittest is one of many judge foils on the Reserved List. In fact, an older stipulation of the Reserved List allowed for foil promotional versions of its cards to be printed as long as they were not mass produced. This seemed to go by fine with players and collectors alike until the mass production of the From the Vaults: Exiled (and the printing of other reserved list cards en mass) caused one final revision to the list to not allow reprints of any kind. Luckily for us, some cards previously unavailable in foil were made as judge foils, and sadly, these will be the last.

Survival of the Fittest is one of green’s most powerful spells ever printed. Released in Exodus, there were no official pack foils of this card available yet. Its status on the Reserved List indicates that the two options we currently have for this card are the only two we will ever get. While I do enjoy the artwork on the original Pete Venters version, the artwork on this foil is absolutely beautiful as well. There is a test print foil version with the original Exodus artwork but that is not reasonable to acquire for most.

Survival of the Fittest sees play in my Cube where its ability to tutor for utility creatures and combo with reanimation spells is paramount. This card also sees heavy play in Commander where it serves a similar function. As Survival is banned in Legacy and not powerful enough for Vintage, you will be restricted to these two formats for the most part to use this card. I love this judge foil but it’s inferior artwork is what prevents it from climbing the list higher than number eight.

7. Mana Drain
   Price: $161
   Released in 2016 as a Judge Rewards Card

Mana Drain is one of the strongest blue spells ever printed. It was an uncommon in Legends so it is safe from the clutches of the Reserved List. The biggest story of this particular promo is its price. When it was first spoiled it was also released to a select few individuals. The first copies of these Mana Drains sold for over $1000 each which was absolutely crazy for a judge foil. In early 2016 these were still selling for around $800 at the few dealers who had them. Upon its official release copies of Mana Drain started off at $350-400 before falling to $250. Now, Mana Drain judge foil currently sit around $150-175 where I believe they will remain for the coming years. It is still prone to additional reprints.

The Mana Drain judge foil comes with amazing artwork shown off originally in the Magic Online Holiday Cube. The original Legends artwork from Mark Tedin is a classic, however it sports no foil version. The colors on this foil are amazing and I recommend if you have to stick to one color for Judge Promos, go with the blue ones.

Mana Drain is the best counterspell in Commander by far. Although, like the previous cards on this list, it is banned in Legacy, Mana Drain is also played in Vintage. I currently have a judge foil Mana Drain in my Cube and I don’t suspect it will ever be removed.

6. Noble Hierarch
   Price: $129
   Released in 2012 as a Judge Reward Card

Noble Hierarch is one of six judge foil released in the older frame. All six cards previously only came with the new border introduced in Eigth Edition, and because they have the same artwork as their original printings, Wizards wanted a way for them to stand out. Of these old framed foils, Noble Hierarch is my favorite. The foiling process is a flawless replication of old green foils and the colors are perfect.

Noble Heirarch sees play as 4-of copies in Modern, Legacy, and even occasionally Vintage. It is nothing short of a staple and most likely the best mana dork ever printed (usurping the title from Birds of Paradise). Only Deathrite Shaman could give Noble a run for it’s money, but it is certainly close. Noble Hierarch is a cube staple as well and fits into any EDH deck that can slot Bant cards in.

There are currently no other options artwork-wise for Noble Hierach, but I am not complaining. This piece by Mark Zug is nothing short of a masterpiece and I am a sucker for the old borders. This certainly gives the edge to the judge foil over its Conflux and Modern Masters 2015 printings.

5. Fetchlands  
   Polluted Delta Price: $115
   Flooded Strand Price: $113
   Bloodstained Mire Price: $114
   Wooded Foothills Price: $98
   Windswept Heath Price: $93
   Released in 2009 as Judge Rewards Cards

Fetchlands are absolutely the best mana fixing cycle in all of Magic. Original dual lands be damned, fetchlands have changed the landscape of the game forever. There is no format that exists where fetchlands aren’t the most used mana fixing and because of this, they have been printed numerous times.

Unfortunately, for those of us who enjoy uniformity, there are only five judge foil fetchlands. They were printed for the allied color combinations right around the same time the enemy colored fetches from Zendikar were being released. Sporting the original artwork from Onslaught, these lands look amazing on the battlefield and the image itself glows extremely bright on the Delta and Strand.

Because of the Expeditions series released in Battle for Zendikar, there are now alternatives to these judge foils. Additionally, the original frame from Onslaught (the last block with this frame) is simply amazing and blows even this judge foil out of the water. These fetchlands, while outclassed, just look incredible when played and I hold them in high regards with a number five spot.

4. Lightning Bolt
   Price: $230
   Released in 1998 as a Judge Rewards Card

And here we have Lightning Bolt. If you asked a person who hasn’t played Magic in 20 years what Lightning Bolt does they would still remember. Lightning Bolt just simply is Magic. This is the most powerful Red spell ever printed and a staple removal spell in every format it is legal in. Needless to say, every Magic player will need to own a playset of this amazing common.

Lightning Bolt currently has over a dozen printings, so choosing the version for you can be tricky. Artwork-wise there are three different ways to foil your bolt. Christopher Moeller’s Core Set Bolt is a great piece, but the price is minuscule and it has been reprinted into oblivion. There is also the digitally illustrated Player Rewards Promo which is more affordable than the judge foil and extremely detailed. However, Christopher Rush’s artwork is iconic and combined with that juicy old 90’s frame THIS is how you deal 3 damage in style.

Bolt also gets bonus points for being the very first judge foil ever released all the way back in 1998. Number four is a prized spot on a list of such powerhouses but it might come as a surprise that Lightning Bolt isn’t even the highest ranked common on this list…

3. Basics
   Plains Price: $61,
   Island Price: $145,
   Swamp Price: $62,
   Mountain Price:  $50,
   Forest Price: $90
   Released in 2014 as Special Judge Rewards Cards

As far as foils go, these are the most expensive basic lands in the game. Illustrated by the extremely talented and oft-considered best artist in Magic, Terese Nielsen, these judge foil basic lands combine to create a beautiful panorama artwork. Needless to say, they look amazing side by side. The rarity of these basics in large numbers, along with the demand for basics (hey we all need them) make acquiring these basic lands a journey in and of itself.

Naturally, there are endless options when it comes to basic lands (an article for another time) and these are quite pricey. The foiling process on these is pristine and the nature of them being full-art also adds to their appeal. Wizards will have a very hard time ever topping these if they ever return to make more Judge Basics.

I absolutely LOVE Judge Basic lands and am always looking to acquire more. Basic lands tell us a lot about a player and these basic lands certainly indicate opulence and good taste. Number three is a great place for these beauties.

2. Gaea’s Cradle
   Price: $569
   Released in 1998 as a Judge Rewards Card

Here is it. The holy Grail of judge foils. Gaea’s Cradle commands the highest price tag of any judge foil and for good reason. Gaea’s Cradle is on the reserved list, so you can bet this is the only way you will ever be able to acquire a foil one. The artwork by Mark Zug would be impossible to best anyways as I consider it a top 25 MTG artwork of all time.

Gaea’s Cradle sees play in Legacy in Elves and is arguably the best land in Commander. I currently own one of these gorgeous Cradles in my Cube where it will live the rest of its long life. You are looking at spending close to $600 for one of these prestigious foils and I don’t expect that price to go down ever. This judge foil was released almost 20 years ago as one of the first of its kind and Urza’s Saga was the last expansion that didn’t include set foils. Wizards luckily managed to find a way to sneak Gaea’s Cradle in as a foil and we are all luckier for it. This beauty is worthy of its number 2 spot.

1. Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
   Price: $515
   Released in 2014 as a Judge Rewards Card

It may seem impossible to beat out Gaea’s Cradle but here we are. When making this list I could think of no other card for the number one slot. The judge foil Elesh Norn is truly a work of art from the amazing artwork by Igor Kieryluk to the Phyrexian text on the card. This process is unique solely to this Elesh Norn, and with its popularity, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this again in the future.

This Judge Promo is hard to find and super desired by casual players and avid collectors alike. For this reason it demands the second highest price tag of all judge foils, only behind Gaea’s Cradle. You will be paying around $500 a pop of these so it’s a good thing most players will only need one copy. Elesh Norn is used in Legacy Reanimator and Dredge decks as well as Modern Gifts and EDH decks aplenty. If I could own NO other judge foil ever, this is the one I would choose as there is simply no alternative to me. This Phyrexian Princess currently resides in my Cube, and despite having real Power Nine cards present in the Cube alongside it, I always have a hard time not just sleeving this up in a binder and never taking it out. Elesh Norn blows away the competition and I hope we see more Phyrexian cards in the future!

I hope you enjoyed my Top 10 judge foil rankings. I am eager to hear which foils are your favorites and which ones you think should have made my list. Thanks for reading!

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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_.

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Welcome to the first in our bi-weekly series aimed at cataloging the most important collectibles in Magic, The Collector – Editor.

Hello everyone!

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Rachel and I am a diehard collector of Magic: The Gathering cards. I play a variety of formats ranging from EDH and Cube all the way to Vintage and Modern. My immense passion and love for the game is multifaceted. I love playing competitively as well as enjoying the artwork and the financial side of cards. Here on Mtgprice.com I will delve into the world of beautiful Magic cards and focus on the many great looking and rare upgrades you can make on your cards. I will discuss everything from ideal choices to pimp out your decks as well as cheap ways and best times to purchase those cards. I hope you enjoy the ride. It’s gonna be a roller coaster.

Upgrading your decks to their most perfect form is more of a journey than a source of instant gratification. You could call it an expedition <ahem>. Most of us don’t possess an exorbitantly large amount of capital to simply purchase every judge foil or text-less promo we see or want. So while we may be eager to acquire nicer cards, we want to do so to maximize our dollar and acquire at opportune times.

I’m tackling the fetchlands today because they are in an interesting place right now. Enemy color fetchands were recently reprinted in Modern Masters 2017, so they are currently at center stage again and many of us are looking to get in on some foils while the getting is good. An important note on fetchlands is that Wizards has not been kind to collectors with them because of uneven cycles and mismatching borders. This can make picking the ideal upgrade difficult, especially if you have very particular tastes.

The manabase is often the first, and most expensive, thing people aim to upgrade along their journey to beautify their deck, and fetchlands are some of the most important and flexible lands in your collection. They are a high priority in Vintage, Legacy, Modern, Commander, and Cube and as such, are extremely coveted in their rarer forms.

Naturally, as with upgrading many things in life, it always comes down to personal preference. Some people enjoy foil cards and some prefer old border or foreign. And the specifics break down even further. Promo foils, old border foils, pack foils, judge foils, foreign foils, foils with better artwork, rarity, price, the list goes on and on. Which version of a card you want primarily comes down to what you as an individual prefers and finds pleasing to the eye.

That being said, I certainly have my favorite ways to upgrade my cards and will be providing a hot list (in order) to show you how it all breaks down.

6) Khans of Tarkir Foil (2014)

• Bloodstained Mire $32.00
• Flooded Strand $39.00
• Polluted Delta $48.00
• Windswept Heath $31.00
• Wooded Foothills $35.00

These are the lowest foils on the totem pole for allied colored fetchlands. Not only are they the cheapest foils you can get, I also dislike their extremely digital artwork. The dragon-tied theme doesn’t have a matching version for the other 5 and the watermark is unwelcome. One positive note on these is the fact that you can get them in Russian and Korean, where the price shoots through the roof. Onslaught does not have Korean or Russian options, so this is ideal for someone who wants a uniform foreign language. These prices are relatively low and without any other reprint they would see an increase over time. However, I believe that Wizards will continue to print fetchlands over and over and it’s only a matter of time before we see them as frequently as commander products. For this reason, I wouldn’t suspect much of an increase in price here over years.

Khans of Tarkir Foreign Foil (2014)

• Bloodstained Mire (Japanese) ~$60.00
• Flooded Strand (Japanese) ~$100.00
• Polluted Delta (Japanese) ~$110.00
• Windswept Heath (Japanese) ~$55.00
• Wooded Foothills (Japanese) ~$65.00
• Bloodstained Mire (Korean) ~$150.00
• Flooded Strand (Korean) ~$250.00
• Polluted Delta (Korean) ~$400.00
• Windswept Heath (Korean) ~$110.00
• Wooded Foothills (Korean) ~$140.00
• Bloodstained Mire (Russian) ~$180.00
• Flooded Strand (Russian) ~$250.00
• Polluted Delta (Russian) ~$720.00
• Windswept Heath (Russian) ~$220.00
• Wooded Foothills (Russian) ~$220.00

Prices for many foreign foils fluctuate and the above are very rough estimates but it gives a good idea into the price difference between English and the rest. The universally more expensive languages are Japanese, Korean, and Russian almost always commanding a higher price than their English counterparts. Because Zendikar fetchlands have these languages available as well, if these languages appeal to you, Khans of Tarkir may be the way to go.

5) Modern Masters 2017 Foils (2017)

• Arid Mesa $47.00
• Marsh Flats $37.00
• Misty Rainforest $54.00
• Scalding Tarn $74.00
• Verdant Catacombs $62.00

These are by far the cheapest foil versions available for the enemy colored fetchlands. I dislike the watermark here as well, and because they keep the same artwork as the Zendikar printing I prefer those over these. The frame is also different but at least this is uniform with the Khans cycle. They are new and cheap now, but again I believe we are going to see more reprints of the fetchlands over the years. Seeing as this is the second time this artwork has been printed and possibly not the last I do not suspect these prices to creep up very high over the years. These do not come in Russian or Korean and because of how recently released this set is, the Japanese foil prices aren’t stable enough yet to discuss.

4) Zendikar Foil (2009)

• Arid Mesa $77.00
• Marsh Flats $61.00
• Misty Rainforest $125.00
• Scalding Tarn $154.00
• Verdant Catacombs $132.00

This is the original printing for the enemy colored fetchlands. While the artwork looks very digital and, to me, inferior to the Onslaught artwork, they have grown on me. These do not have the ugly watermark the Modern Masters version has, but they are significantly more expensive. The Zendikar fetchlands are also noticeably less shiny than the KTK, Expedition, and Judge versions. They do not come in Korean but they do come in Japanese and Russian, with the latter commanding the most expensive price tag of all enemy fetchlands.

Zendikar Foreign Foil (2009)

• Arid Mesa (Japanese) ~$130.00
• Marsh Flats (Japanese) ~$120.00
• Misty Rainforest (Japanese) ~$250.00
• Scalding Tarn (Japanese) ~$300.00
• Verdant Catacombs (Japanese) ~$175.00
• Arid Mesa (Russian) ~$350.00
• Marsh Flats (Russian) ~$325.00
• Misty Rainforest (Russian) ~$1000.00
• Scalding Tarn (Russian) ~$1250.00
• Verdant Catacombs (Russian) ~$800.00

The prices are crazy for foreign Russian foils. Russian foil fetchlands don’t move hands in large amounts often so it can be hard to pinpoint exact prices. Just know that it is quite hard to track them down and you need a small fortune to even get a one-of set, let alone if you aim for a playset. If you sit down with some Russian Foil Zendikar fetchlands the only words to describe it are “opulence” and “beauty.”

As far as pricing goes, the English versions are significantly more expensive than the Modern Masters printing despite sharing the same artwork. Historically, sharing the same artwork and even similar frame has led the original version to depreciate over time and I feel the same thing will happen in this instance. I believe it is time to show patience with the Zendikar foil printing and wait until a price drop to pick them up.

3) Judge Foil (2009)

• Bloodstained Mire $114.00
• Flooded Strand $117.00
• Polluted Delta $115.00
• Windswept Heath $93.00
• Wooded Foothills $99.00

Judge foil lands are gorgeous. They are hard to find and certainly show dedication as you do have to search them out. They are the only fetchlands that cannot be opened in a booster pack, and because of this, they only come in English. I do love the way they look and they are super shiny and noticeable. My biggest issue with the Judge Promo fetchlands is that there are only 5 of them and without a way to perfectly match them, they can feel out of place. The large Judge logo as well as the strikingly different art style differentiate them enough from the five Zendikar fetches in my eye despite all being printed in the same year.

These prices on the Judge Foils have remained relatively stagnant over the last few years. A similar reprint could eventually come down the pipeline and I would not be shocked to see another Judge Fetchland promo (most likely starting with the enemy colored ones). Even as the Onslaught foils have continued to rise I feel like these will stay around this price for a while, as many prefer to have the old bordered foil to this new one.

2) Onslaught Foil (2002)

• Bloodstained Mire $131.00
• Flooded Strand $225.00
• Polluted Delta $325.00
• Windswept Heath $115.00
• Wooded Foothills $150.00

For those who enjoy original printings, this version is the way to go. Gorgeous artwork and amazing frame make the Onslaught foil rank quite high on the list. Notably, the Onslaught Foils are the only ones available in the old frame, and unfortunately for those who enjoy matching lands, there is no universal frame for this. Additionally, the artwork itself doesn’t shine at all so if that matters to you, you will want to pick differently. Personally, I enjoy adding these to my decks that contain many old bordered cards, such as my Vintage and Legacy decks. They are very sharp and what the artwork itself lacks in shine, the borders absolutely compensate for.

I have to mention one of my personal favorite aspects of the Onslaught foils, what I have lovingly named “the ding”. The swoosh is one of the best and a unique aspect of these cards (and all old border foils). These are the lands I would choose if there were matching versions for all 10 fetchlands. There is little to say except these cards are drool inducing.

Onslaught Foreign Foil (2002)

• Bloodstained Mire (Japanese) ~$600.00
• Flooded Strand (Japanese) ~$800.00
• Polluted Delta (Japanese) ~$1500.00
• Windswept Heath (Japanese) ~$550.00
• Wooded Foothills (Japanese) ~$600.00

Onslaught was not printed in Korean or Russian (God forbid) so there are no crazy Russian prices floating around here. Still, Japanese is quite hard to find and only getting harder so if you want to pick these up you will searching far and wide. Japanese Onslaught commands the highest premium of all allied color fetchlands by a mile. Prepare you wallets because once you have these, you will not want to sell them.

The Onslaught foil prices have been creeping up lately and I believe this will continue. Since we will not be seeing anymore old frame cards, these will remain unique to collectors throughout time. I believe the price on these will continue to increase over time with Polluted Delta reaching around $400 and even Windswept Heath climbing towards $150.

1) Battle for Zendikar Expedition Foil (2015)

• Arid Mesa $97.00
• Bloodstained Mire $91.00
• Flooded Strand $124.00
• Marsh Flats $82.00
• Misty Rainforest $149.00
• Polluted Delta $170.00
• Scalding Tarn $185.00
• Verdant Catacombs $140.00
• Windswept Heath $87.00
• Wooded Foothills $87.00

Ding! Ding! We have a winner. The Expedition printings are too stunning to ignore. The beautiful framing and full art of the Expedition series take the cake and are my pick for the best fetchland upgrade. The Expeditions display well on the board and my favorite way to stand out at the table is with shiny bling. Subtlety just doesn’t do it for me and these pop out from a distance. Expeditions also have the wonderful bonus of being the only perfectly uniform set of fetchlands. The artwork, while digital, all match in theme look great side by side. The borders and art really pop out which sets them apart from the rest in that category.

Expeditions aren’t without their downsides, though. They are only available in English so collectors who want to use foreign cards have no option here. Because the border is unique, they will not exactly match any other cards in your deck. For this reason, I go with Zendikar or Onslaught set foils for my older decks where the borders fit together better. I feel like Expeditions are amazing for cubes and Commander decks and really stand out from the rest, which is often the point of upgrading your cards.

At this time, you can find Expeditions notably cheaper than at the time of their release. The trend with most of these has been downward.  For instance, Misty Rainforest is currently selling for about $145. This is notably cheaper than the previous ~$225 at BFZ release, ~$200 in the months following, and ~$175 from about 3 months ago. Despite their beauty, you can probably find even sweeter deals on Expeditions in the coming months (I would aim at about $110-$120 for the Misty for example).

I believe the downward trend is mostly because of the many products Wizards continues to churn out. Players want to afford Eternal Masters, Modern Masters, Commander product, Duel decks, From the Vault, current Standard sets, and the list goes on. To do so, they need to sell the most liquid and valuable cards they own. For many new players, they may have cracked a few Expeditions recently from Battle for Zendikar and Oath of the Gatewatch, and as a result the market is flooded with them. Many people see falling prices of the fetchlands, which can also be attached to falling prices of the non-foil versions from KTK and MM3, and panic sell their Expeditions. While I don’t believe we will see such gorgeous artwork and borders on fetchlands for a long time, there is always the possibility for it, and that possibility keeps cards like this from skyrocketing.

Again, a reminder, this is my favorite version and you will have to make the best decision for yourself. Nobody knows you better than you.

Here is a piece of my personal collection for you to drool over:

In conclusion, upgrading your deck should be a mixture of two things: your budget and your tastes. Making your choice based on those criteria is the essence of improving the cards in your deck. Always remember that you don’t need foils or lavish cards to play your decks but Magic was made to be an expression of yourself and for some, like myself, it can even be addicting. I look forward to bringing you more content, now go out there and enjoy the journey!

Rachel Agnes is a VSL Competitor, Phyrexian Princess, Collector of all things shiny and a Cube, Vintage, Legacy, and EDH enthusiast.
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