We’re a week or two away from having all the cards in Brothers’ War previewed, and when that happens I can break down some exact percentages for the main set and Artifact Archive. There’s a lot of things going on with that set of cards and I am eager to pick some of them up, especially in double-rainbow-numbered-editions.
However, before we can get all those previews, there’s a few other buying opportunities here that are worth highlighting. Some are staples worth getting at a low price, some are speculative based on future happenings, and of course, there’s awesome things in an awesome frame.
I’ve highlighted the cheapest and most expensive versions for these cards, as there’s a lot of options to choose from. For each of these, I’ll be clear about the edition I think you should pick up, but you’re free to evaluate as you will. I’ve also put down the EDHREC inclusion rate, and that data comes with a caveat: It’s data that comes from the most online group, the most connected group. It doesn’t do a good job showing the desires of kitchen table players, and it has a bias towards cards that were in a preconstructed deck. It’s useful data, but we need to be aware of its limitations.
Teferi’s Protection ($20 for cheapest version, $53 for the most expensive, 141k EDHREC) – It’s an impressive card that gets around just about all the bad things that can happen in Commander, and it’s at its cheapest ever:
The Mystical Archive printing in 2021 hit the price hard, but the card recovered within a year. Double Masters 2022 is knocking it down again, and it’s possible that the cheapest versions trickle down another dollar or two. There’s a lot of 2×2 I’m waiting on, to see if we’re really at the bottom.
Given the choices available, I’m fond of the Japanese-language alternate art from the Archive, both because it looks cool and it’s quite rare. Foils are $50 or so, but that’s down from the $100 they started out at. I don’t know if I’d be able to pick from the many versions that are $18-$20 right now and say ‘This will be the one that grows fastest!’ Instead, I want to have a premium version and be patient. We’re definitely at max supply, and this is an incredibly popular card. Proceed accordingly.
Demonic Tutor ($35 to several grand for the Alpha, 250k on EDHREC) – The tutor that all tutors are measured against, this is another card that was ascending pretty high but got hit with a Mystical Archive printing.
It feels silly to list the EDHREC rank of this card, because if you have one, you’re playing it. At two mana, this gets you exactly the card you need and likely playing it that turn. Don’t be too proud to use it for the mana you need!
I would advocate you buy these cheap UMA copies now. The Mystical Archive copies are also worth considering, as they are unique, but this has never been terribly common, even though its first printing was uncommon and in UMA it was rare. Get what you need and move on. If a shiny version is your preference, the Box Topper foils for nearly $100 is your best intersection of value and style, but you do what works for you.
Goldspan Dragon ($20 to $45, 52k decks) – Standard rotation hit this surprisingly hard for a card that has such a good EDHREC number and is part of such a popular tribe.
While I am an avowed Dragon aficionado, I am mainly interested in this card for the Treasure shenanigans. We’re entering an artifact set, and Treasures are an evergreen mechanic now. Goldie probably won’t get a Standard reprint, though a Commander/Secret Lair reprint seems likely.
I would prefer to be in on the Foil Extended Art copies, as those are rarer and more resistant to movement when a new copy gets printed. Plus, it’s a Dragon and that tribe keeps getting all sorts of goodies.
Toski, Bearer of Secrets ($9 to $12, 66k decks) – There wasn’t a big period of time for Toski to be cheap, but the window was there for $5 for a long time. We’re now pushing $10 on the cheapest copies, but Showcase foils are not much more and that’s where I want to be. This card does almost everything you want in a green deck, either in the 99 or as the commander. Toski was never really a Standard card, but has been a great Commander card from day one. It’s going to keep being a good card, and a hard cut from any deck that uses creatures to attack. Remember that in a go-wide deck, you can draw several cards in one Toski attack.
Forsaken Monument ($5 to $12, 21k decks) – This is a card I bought a dozen of in FEA at $20, because I moved too soon, but I might buy more at $12 or so. It’s very good with artifact creatures, and with the new emphasis on Powerstone tokens, this will have a chance to do some extremely broken things. Mythics in FEA always have my attention, and this is no exception.
Retro Foil Fetchlands (Wide range, S-Tier staple in EDH) – Modern Horizons 2 was opened for a long time, and I think we’ve hit bottom on the retro frame in traditional foil. The etched foils are even cheaper, but the retro in traditional foil has the strongest nostalgia vibes for me. I think everyone should stock up on cheap fetchlands right now, but for spec purposes, I’m going to get a couple of the blue fetches in retro frame, traditional foil. Those have the best potential for growth, though they won’t hit the Expedition prices.
Oracle of Mul Daya ($7 to $76, 49k decks) – Not just a Commander staple but a Cube staple as well, this card’s numbers are low because there just weren’t enough copies out there for the longest time. Now we’ve got a reprint, and plenty of volume, and get while the getting is good, people. I love all the versions, frankly, except for the way overpriced original foils. Get yourself some Borderless foils for your decks, a couple extra for future you, and thank me later.
Cliff (@WordOfCommander) 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 official substitute teacher 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.