This week boys and girls, let us talk about the direction that Magic: the Gathering has gone over the past few years. I would like to offer up a stroll down memory lane...




- Jeepers, that card with the gold symbol that you smashed me with is pretty good. What is it called again?
- Garruk Wildspeaker and he is a planeswalker. This is a rare from the Lorwyn expansion. It is worth about $20.00.
- Wow, that sure is a whole lot for one card! Is it worth it?
- Tricky question there. Do you like it enough to pay $20.00 for one?
- I suppose I do.
- There you have it then. The card is worth $20.00.

It seems cut and dry, and for the most part it is. If you think Merfolk of the Pearl Trident is worth $49.99, then somebody is willing to get $100.00 from you for one. This hold true for everything in the free market. Goods are worth what people will pay for them. It is not an extremely complicated concept to grasp, and as I have stated in the past, the community by in large is intelligent. We shall move for with the presumption that this is understood.

Now, let us continue with are saunter down the path...

- Jeepers, that card with the orange symbol that you smashed me with is pretty good. What is it called again? - Jace, the Mindsculptor, and he is a planeswalker. This is a mythic rare from the Worldwake expansion. It is worth about $100.00.
- HOLY SHIT?!
- Yeah, holy shit.

Welcome to the world of mythic rares youngin'. You might want to look into picking up an extra shift or two at McDonald's so that you can play competitively at Friday Night Magic. Please do not misunderstand; budget decks are an option, but they are rarely competitive. Sure, they may score a win, or a string of wins from time to time, but I promise, Batterskull is better than Trusty Machete.

It is important to remember the previous concept though. If the community by in large is willing to shell out the big bucks, then why should the people selling the goods not maximize their profits. I embrace the idea, and I have certainly used it to my advantage before. Of course, I have been on the other side and overpaid mightily for a card that I wanted at the time (Baneslayer Angel comes racing to mind). That is the trick to mastering the evolving universe that is Magic card value. Star City Games has not won on all of their speculations. I can guarantee that they have won on most of them though. Granted, they have a lot more capital to invest than most average people, and can leverage a speculation into a profit easier than most. Anyone who argues that base capital does not matter is delusional. If I can buy fifty copies of Obzedat, Ghost Council at $10.00 each and flip them for $15.00 each, it will make a much bigger difference than buying two.

This is not really heady information though. Most people realize that $250.00 is a lot more than $10.00, and in order to make buying and selling cards lucrative, it has to be done consistently. I am notorious for holding my high value cards until after they plummet in value, and then unloading them for a fraction of what I could have got of of them (the major exception being shocklands - thanks again for that payday). The big factor here though, is I am not looking to buy and sell my cards to generate massive amounts of profit. I like to make a dime or three when I can, but I am happy holding on to my cards as well. It is a good place for me, and I suspect that many others are content here as well. However, there are some, that are trying to squeeze every penny from their collection that they can. I say, "Kudos to them!" I do not have the desire to put that much effort into generating extra income. Call it laziness.

So, that gives, basically, two options when dealing with card prices. Accept it and move on, or rebel and try to cobble together a deck out of great deals and hot new tech. I imagine that most people are in the former category. I know I will pay for a card if I think it is worth it. If I can get those Prime Speaker Zeganas for less than market value, I am hopping on that train, and I will kick off any other stowaways. This is my train now.

Since it has been established what our options are when it comes to getting cards and staying competitive, then the next obvious question is; What do I do? I suggest rolling with the punches. Occasionally, shelling out market value or slightly more than market value is going to happen. Try not to think of it as being had. If a great deal comes along, by all means, capitalize on good fortune. I just want to stress that it is important to remember that the Magic market is indiscriminate. Everyone will pay at some point, just try to minimize the number of times the outgoing overlaps the incoming.

With all the tidbits of financial knowledge out of the way, I would like to take a look at some of the cards I anticipate will be crushing wallets (and tournaments) from the newest set, Gatecrash. Let us take a ride down Speculation Avenue:

Frontline Medic

This card is incredibly solid. The Battalion keyword is probably not stellar in constructed Magic, but when it does happen, feel free to dance a jig, because life is incredible at that moment. It does seem to have some random hate tacked on, but that does nothing but improve how good it can be overall. White does not often get 3/3's for three mana, so this is a good pick up. It is hard to get burned on cards with this much upside. 

Aurelia, the Warleader

Okay, so we have all been burned by Relentless Assault. Well, not all of us, but those of us that have played this game for a long time can remember how much Relentless Assault was worth when Visions was first released. It did not pan out as hoped, and every incarnation of Relentless Assault since has been lackluster (Finest Hour being the brief exception). However, I believe Aurelia is poised to repair the image of the second attack step. Normally, I would gloss over a six mana 3/4, but the laundry list of abilities would make anyone do a double-take. There are few times that flying, vigilance, and haste are bad together, and if you tack on the potential blowout of a second attack step, Aurelia looks like the real deal. For Standard, having the creature type Angel is incredibly relevant in a Cavern of Souls world as well. The format is reaching a critical mass of playable angel cards. I can see Aurelia, the Warleader as a curve topper in Boros or Naya aggro in much the same way as the Rakdos aggro decks have adopted Thundermaw Hellkite (who coincidentally plays quite well with Aurelia) at their top end. Keeping on the Standard paradigm, Aurelia being mutli-colored with a four toughness is as boon as well, as she is not the easiest to remove.

Aurelia's Fury

This one is a Swiss Army knife. A spell for all occasions, Aurelia just can not wait to bust out her fury for the world to see. If you have not read the card yet, please take a moment to realize how far "X" spells have come. Between this, Sphinx's Revelation, and Bonfire of the Damned, the landscape of Magic has been changed dramatically. The late game power of this card is obvious to most, but just being able to pseudo Orim's Chant an opponent early on can be game winning. As big spells go, Aurelia's Fury is as impressive as any finisher.

Clan Defiance

In the vein of angelic fury, it would seem that the Gruul have utility on their bloodrushed brains. While slightly more narrow than the Boros counterpart, Clan Defiance is still quite the beating. Options are good, and this spell gives lots of them. Clan Defiance, like Gruul is, effective at getting to the point. The point of a spear. This card will be helping get people from twenty to dead with great efficiency.

Deathpact Angel

This one is probably the card I am most up in the air (Ha! She flies!) about. The potential to re-buy an airborne assault is tempting. Make no mistake, the homage paying cleric left by Deathpact Angel's exodus is not impressive. However, as long as the little zealot that could is on the battlefield, there is death from above looming. I really enjoy the flavor on this card as well. Perhaps this is just my heart winning over my mind, but I see potential here.

Domri Rade

It is a three mana planeswalker in green, and that alone should generate notice. Domri's first ability is variable. There will be times when it destroys your opponent with an avalanche of card advantage, and other times it will swing and miss an inordinate amount. The second ability is where it starts to get interesting, as a cheap planeswalker, Domri can come down and start influencing early enough to really dictate the flow of the game. Being able to fight big green meanies against little bitty weenies with the opportunity to create card advantage is a big game. If Mr. Rade's ultimate ever triggers, think of it like Tamiyo's ultimate. The loss has not happened yet, but it is pretty much imminent. I was apprehensive of this card at first, but after revaluating, Domri Rade seems like the real deal.

Duskmantle Seer

I am putting this one in Deathpact Angel camp, and not just because it flies. The Dark Confidant ability is certainly one of the most powerful effects available in Magic, and building a deck to take advantage of the excess cards for life is a tried and true strategy. That said, giving your opponent cards is a dangerous proposition. I imagine that this card will win a lot of games by itself, and lose a lot of games by itself. I like it most in a good aggressive strategy, perhaps a Zombie shell, as Geralf's Messenger into this madness seems to create some incredibly difficult clocking scenarios. Adding in the fact that it is an above the curve flying body, and a real menace begs to be unleashed. The jury is still out on this one, but I think it is more Goblin Guide than Indentured Djinn.

Master Biomancer

There is something to be said for making every creature you play enormous. I think of Master Biomancer as an attacking Gavony Township. If you throw a Rancor into the equation, then Arbor Elf just went full blown Wolverine, since it is a mutant now. Yes, this card requires a commitment to the board in order to be really impressive, but with all the value creatures available, one does not need to pour out too much in order to take over a board. For instance, following up Biomancer with Huntmaster of the Fells, Wolfir Silverheart, or even just Garruk, Primal Hunter creates a must answer board immediately. This card is powerful and should be taken seriously.

Obzedat, Ghost Council

I want to go on the record and state that I like the original incarnation of this card much more. Orzhov flavor is all about the grind, and I felt like Ghost Council of Orzhova captured that incredibly well. Obzedat can play that game, but that is not what they are about. Obzedat is built to race, and they do it quite well. Being a ground pounder minimizes the damage it can do, but the blink and bleed ability will add up when you factor in a 5/5 haste creature as well. Obzedat is a potent card that changes the math of a game dramatically. Not being able to go over the top of most other five drops hurts them, but being difficult to remove evens out. In the end, the card is much better against board control strategies and small aggro decks. Obzedat is not going to break open the midrange matchup.

Prime Speaker Zegana

So Zegana is a six drop that can draw a bajillion cards, huh? I believe I will cast this one... a lot. While not a format changer in the eternal arena, Prime Speaker Zegana is the real deal in Standard. Games often go long enough to where a six mana card can influence the outcome, and I am here to state, on the record, that drawing cards has a direct effect on the outcome of the game. Zegana after a Thragtusk or with a Restoration Angel feels like one of the most unfair strategies available. Add to it that she is an adequate attacker and blocker with another creature in play, and the upside far exceeds the negatives. Sure, there will be times that Zegana only nets one card, and that will feel awful, but when she draws six cards, it will feel like the rapture has come to the table and removed the opponent from existence.

Spark Trooper

Ball Lifening is in the house. While I do not think this card is overpowered, it is a decent card for racing. There is a big difference in the game of yesteryear, and the game of today. Ball Lightning would not dominate the tournament scene now. Red decks do not have the abundance of efficient burn at their mountain tops as they did back when Ball Lightning was terrorizing tables. Also, there is a big difference between three and four mana. However, Spark Trooper does pack quite a wallop, and with enough aggression low enough on the curve, Boros aggro can be a real threat. Overall, this card is solid, but it is no format breaker.

Gatecrash Dual Land Cycle

Here are the real movers and shakers. Whenever another player approaches me about getting serious competitively, I always suggest investing in lands. Dual and utility lands are almost always an excellent acquisition. The shocklands are no exception to that particular rule. They are easy to sell and trade away, and available for mostly fair prices. As a Magic player, having dual lands is a net positive. Really, there is not too much I can say about these cards that is not known. They are worth it, so go get them.

As always, thank you for enduring my aimless rambling. From the top down, I believe Gatecrash to be a moderately powered set. There is not a large "Wow" factor with the set, but following Return to Ravnica is tough for any act. I will say that as a midrange guy, I am enjoying all of the board interaction created by these four mana or greater spells.

Thanks again,

Jeremy Skelton
@peeps_champ

P.S. - Even with all of this talk of finding the best deal, and increasing overhead, please remember to support your local game store. I live in an area with a wonderful brick and mortar store that bends over backwards for the clientele. The tournament organizers and judges in the area are top notch, and the community is thriving as a result I understand that is not always the case, but we, as players, can create an ideal scenario. The community is a symbiotic organism that functions best when all the parts are pitching in. Please be sure to do your part.