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Today, we're covering two of the remaining colors for cards to be watching for in the modern format. We've covered Blue, Black and Artifacts, and today we're continuing on with Green and White, with Red and multi-colored to wrap up next week.
First though, I wanted to address some things that have been spoken about on various sites, and about discussions I've been a part of. The community as a whole seems to be split as to the idea of Modern becoming a format in paper as well as MTGO. I'm still on the side of the camp firmly believing that we will see paper support for Modern coming along rather soon, and here's my two biggest reasons why:
- Extended in its current incarnation is lacking. The card pool doesn't have a ton of room for exploration, and seeing past results, it's going to be constricted down to being the same decks we saw just recently, except more caw-blade.
- Wizards realizes that it needs something between standard and legacy, and extended isn't cutting it. With the reserve list in place, it's very difficult to allow people to get over the price barrier that's currently in place to be able to play.
Alright, enough of that, let's see some cards.
Green
High: $1.28 @ Hobby Goblins
Low: $0.82 @ Cape Fear Games
Trade: $0.50
Zealot saw a fair amount of play when it was legal in standard and in extended, and I see no reason for that to change. Being an Elf is a bonus as well, though the heavy requirement for green means it's rough to splash. Still a card I would be watching for in trade folders, and most people value him as junk at this point.
High: $ 0.43 @ Comic Asylum
Low: $0.25 @ Alter Reality Games
Trade: $0.10-0.25
This card is gas for multi colored combo decks. It may never see it's full potential, but the possibility still remains, and because of that, I have bought a few, just to hold onto and see where they go.
High: $0.50 @ TJ Collectables
Low: $0.23 @ Gaming Etc
Trade: $0.10-0.20
Though decks rarely played more than one or two of them, it was still a nice side finisher. I don't believe it's worth having any more than two of these on hand though, since the market for them is rather small. If they see use, it should be fringe enough at first to still have reaction time to buy more if necessary.
High: $0.79 @ HotsauceGames
Low: $0.68 @ Magic Inferno
Trade: $0.50
A card I mentioned last week for Maga, Heartbeat combo was one of the better decks in that standard environment, and has the possibility to fuel another combo deck in Modern. I have a set that I'm holding, just in the event that someone needs them, but I won't invest in them more than a set at a time right now.
High: $0.38 @ Crossroad Games
Low: $0.28 @ Top Deck Hobbies
Trade: $0.10-0.20
A 5/5 trampler for 2GG is pretty decent, and made even better when very few legends are being played, thus his drawback is rarely an issue. This could top out the curve on a green beatdown style deck, and at 0.28 each, I've picked up three to have on hand.
High: $1.49 @ MTGEmporium
Low: $1.29 @ Premier Magic
Trade: $1.00
Chord of Calling has had a roller coaster of a price life. It lost almost all of it's previous value with the massive extended cut, and now sits at a decent price to load up on a few. I expect these to see some play, even if it's just as a 2-of in an elf deck. That alone should be enough to put this card back into the profitable range, if not by much.
High: $0.74 @ TheManaCrypt
Low: $0.48 @ Manawerx
Trade: $0.25-0.50
Vinelasher saw play as long as it was legal, and I don't expect now to be any different. At 1G it's easy enough to splash with a big enough effect to find a home in almost any strategy.
High: $0.25 @ Untapped Games
Low: $0.22 @ Manawerx
Trade: $0.15-0.25
Another possible piece to the combo deck puzzle, this one has already had a few mentions alongside the Locus lands and Isle of Vesuva. I had a few already, but paying $1 for a set isn't exactly going to hurt if it does nothing.
White:
High: $3.48 @ Crossroad Games
Low: $2.55 @ BattleZone Games
Trade: $2.00
With a price already over $1, it's very difficult to feel that this has a decent possibility of yielding profits later on, but something about this card just speaks out to me. I would get them when you see them in folders, but don't overpay.
High: $0.45 @ The MTG Place
Low: $0.34 @ Gaming Etc
Trade: $0.25
I enjoy lockout strategies, and I enjoyed playing this card in standard when it was in. Depending on the decks that are seeing play, it's very possible to see this be picked up as a counter to many combo strategies.
High: $0.69 @ Manawerx
Low: $0.25 @ Gaming Etc
Trade: $0.15-0.25
Promise was used both in B/W Husk and in the traditional WW deck of the day. It's still a powerful enchantment and shouldn't be ignored, since it's interaction in a B/W Tokens deck could be monstrous.
High: $0.77 @ White Lion Games
Low: $0.67 @ TJ Collectibles
Trade: $0.50
I feel the format is probably too fast for martyr-proc style decks to flourish, and a variant of soul sisters would most likely take it's place in that case, but it's worth remembering that this card exists.
High: $2.37
Low: $1.44
Trade: $1.50
Already a card that's getting some attention because of the Hive Mind deck in legacy, if the format is combo, this card could continue to gain in demand.
A good number of the cards I've listed, I've also bought a set of if I didn't have one, or specified otherwise. To date I've spent just under $25, and feel comfortable with the prospect of the format taking shape, and making double what I've spent back. In the event that the format doesn't come together in the paper sense, I won't have lost more than I can make up in a FNM's worth of trading. I'm willing to wager one evening of trading on speculation for the chance to make a much larger sum.
Thanks for reading, see you all next week!
Stephen Moss
