Last week we delved into the first half of my rotation pickups, where I focused on the rotating cards from Return to Ravnica block to pick up as they leave Standard. I’m pretty happy with that article and the targets identified. That said, I know it’s always the “less fun” half of the conversation, since the gains take longer to materialize.

So today let’s get into the meat of it: things from Theros block to pick up with a chance of growth in the next few months. I’m just going to dive right in, and while I’ll note a few cards I want to talk about, this is mostly only about those targets with high upside.

Theros

Xenagos, the Reveler

I wrote about this one a few weeks back when it was $6-7, and since then it’s gone nuts, up to $17.

There’s no reason to buy in at this point. If anything, I would consider selling, though it could possibly reach $20-25 for a few weeks immediately following rotation.

Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver

Starting to see movement, and currently at $8. Worth buying in? Certainly not in cash, but I think the price is fine for trades to have a playset or two. In a slow format with a bunch of taplands Ashiok can be a monster, and we could see movement up to $15.

That said, while I don’t hate having a few I’m not sure this is the best spec. She didn’t see a ton of Block or even Standard play in the last six months.

Nylea, God of the Hunt

Of all the gods, I think this could be the best target. Mono-Blue will not be as strong after rotation, so Thassa at $8 isn’t super-exciting, nor is Master of Waves.

Mono-Green, though, certainly has some tools. Making full use of Nissa, Worldwaker is one part of it, but the mono-green stompy decks have also floated around. I don’t really see this going below $5 in the next nine months.

Sylvan Caryatid

As we’ve noted before, the time to get in on this was several months ago when it was $5. At $8 now the upside feels pretty low. Sure, it’s super powerful and will be all over the place, but everyone already knows that. It’s a rare from a first set with a promo printing. It’s going to go past $10, but it would really have to go crazy to make buying in now worth it.

Temples

All of them feel fine to me. I feel like the ceiling on Theros ones is likely around $5-6, but the others could easily reach $10.

Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx

It’s at an all-time low of around $4. It’s hard to imagine mono-color being insane post-rotation given the wedges we’re getting, but this is a unique land with a powerful effect, and it can’t go much lower than $4.

Prophet of Kruphix

I like that the new printing pushed the price of this down. We all know how insane it is in Commander, but honestly I wouldn’t be surprised to see it make a push in Constructed. On the one hand it competes with Prognostic Sphinx at the five-drop slot, but on the other hand you can just play Prophet and then flash in your Sphinx, so there’s that.

This thing is available for a buck. No way it isn’t correct to have plenty on hand.

Soldier of the Pantheon

This won’t be under $2 for long. It’s a card that could conceivably be extremely powerful in a multicolor world, and $5-6 is attainable.

Anger of the Gods

Available around a dollar. If we get no four-mana wrath in Khans (as it looks like we won’t), then this is probably the best sweeper control decks will have. Given its already ubiquitous use in Modern, getting in at these for a buck seems solid if unexciting.

Ashen Rider

I would love this card at a dollar even if there weren’t some reanimation decks floating around in Block. It’s a really easy call here to hoard this mythi, because even if it doesn’t break through in the short term, it will be a solid performer over a longer time period.

Penny Stocks

• Nighthowler
• Fabled Hero
• Firedrinker Satyr
• Prognostic Sphinx
• Agent of the Fates

These are exactly what they sound like. All of these have seen some play in either Standard or Block, and are readily available under a buck. If you have any faith in a particular one (Sphinx comes to mind), the payoff could be huge. I think Agent of the Fates, which is surprisingly really important in the mono-black aggressive decks, could be the biggest surprise.

Born of the Gods

Gods

I’ll go ahead and touch on the 10 from the latter two sets here. They all seem to be bottoming out, and I expect rises from here. Keranos, God of Storms, in particular, has a lot of upside at $7, given its applications outside of Standard.

Courser of Kruphix

This card still dominates the Block format, and in a world where people don’t have wrath, it survives Anger.

I know it’s a steep buy-in at $10 after the reprint dropped the price, but I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see it pass $15 again. This was all over the place at the Pro Tour. Do I think you buy in at $10? Again, not for cash. But I think you trade for some and hold any you have.

Phenax, God of Deception

Not a competitive card, but it has bottomed out around $3, and I doubt it will be cheaper. Not only is this a legitimately scary Commander card, it’s got all the casual appeal possible.

Herald of Torment

People will play mono-black aggro, I promise. It’s going to be one of the cheaper decks given the lack of fancy lands, it’s easier to get into and it’s actually powerful. In a field of taplands and Mana Confluence, the deck will be real.

Herald at a dollar seems criminally underpriced. See also: Pain Seer.

Eidolon of Countless Battles

This is holding at $1.50 for a reason. It’s extremely powerful but also a card with some non-Standard appeal. Mono-White Heroic was played a bit at the Pro Tour, and this has some pretty high upside at dollar-rare status in trades.

Penny Stocks

• Hero of Iroas
• Gild
• Chromanticore

Journey into Nyx

Mana Confluence

Off its lows and back up to $12. I think $20 isn’t completely unreasonable. That said, $12 is a steep buy-in, so trading/holding seems like the play. People are going to need to fix their mana in the new three-color format.

Banishing Light

Very glad I called this at the dollar pre-sale price, and it continues to climb. It’s a shoo-in to be reprinted somewhere along the line, but until that happens it’ll continue to climb, especially since Detention Sphere rotates out and leaves Light as the only O-Ring effect in the format.

Ceiling? Probably $5, similar to Inquisition of Kozilek when it was in Standard.

Silence the Believers

Still love this thing. If new Standard looks anything like the Block format, you’re going to see a lot of this. How high can it go? As a card that’s usually a two- or maybe three-of, I don’t think it can go much higher than $5. But even a triple-up from $1 to $3 sounds reasonable and profitable.

Dictate of Erebos

There’s not a better long-term spec in the block than this thing, which is available at 50 cents. The blue and green Dictates are also good, but this is by far the best of the bunch.

Foils are maybe the better play, but at $8 and eight times above the regular copy, I think both are good but maybe the non-foil copy is a better bet for those of you just trading into these for the long-term hoard.

Penny Stocks

• Setessan Tactics
• Nyx-Fleece Ram
• Worst Fears
• Doomwake Giant

Time for Khans of Tarkir

Previews start next week, and I’m excited for the set. I’ve also been fortunate enough to be asked to work text coverage at Pro Tour Khans of Tarkir in Honolulu, so if any of you are attending I’ll see you there!

As for Theros, I certainly listed a lot of the cards that I think can rise substantially. While I think acquiring an index of these is a good idea, remember this is just my impression, and you may have your own thoughts as to what the best specs are.

I think it’s better to aggressively acquire a few you feel strongly about, and passively trade for the rest. It’s better to hit 50 copies of one penny stock than spread yourself too thin and only have a playset when the spike happens. Different approaches work for different people, so find what works best for you, and enjoy the ride!

Thanks for reading,

Corbin Hosler

@Chosler88 on Twitter