menu

Insider: Speculation Binder Update

Are you a Quiet Speculation member?

If not, now is a perfect time to join up! Our powerful tools, breaking-news analysis, and exclusive Discord channel will make sure you stay up to date and ahead of the curve.

Welcome back speculators!

Today we'll be revisiting my speculation binder to see what updates have occurred since the last post.

Ancestral Vision (-8)

I've unloaded 8 copies of my 12 Ancestral Visions. I got rid of them a few months ago when the BUG cascade decks were the big thing in Legacy. These decks caused the price of Ancestral Vision to go from $3.5 to $8.50. I felt that a 240% profit was a solid gain and enough to reduce my holdings.

Garruk Relentless // Garruk, the Veil-Cursed (+7)

Garruk is still seeing minor Legacy play and I believe he has a lot of potential in Modern. He can protect himself (by killing small creatures), make tokens, search for creatures, and his ultimate can end games with a decent board state (and creatures in the yard). His current price is low enough that I have no issue picking more up at reasonable prices.

Lotus Cobra (+6)

I still really like Lotus Cobra as a mana accelerator for Modern. The plethora of fetchlands means that he still allows for some explosive starts, however the rise of Deathrite Shaman has taken some of the wind from his sails as the mana accelerator of choice for the format.

Lotleth Troll (+2)

While I still like the troll I feel that he would have broken out by now if he was ever going to. He does provide one of the better discard outlets in Modern in the absence of Putrid Imp and Wild Mongrel. I do feel like this card's greatest potential would be if dredge cards were unbanned in Modern. The increase in my holdings is strictly due to getting them as throw-ins during normal trades.

Crypt Ghast (-1)

The reduction in my holdings is solely due to having to pull one out to fill out a trade. I still like Crypt Ghast as a long-term spec and will continue trying to pick them up over time.

Detention Sphere (-6)

The demand for Detention Sphere has jumped up thanks to the Esper Control decks becoming tier one in Standard. I was able to trade off all six at $4-4.50 a piece (a 100% profit) in trades.

Blood Baron of Vizkopa (-7)

I have sold out all the Blood Barons I originally speculated on. The new Standard format caused this card to jump from $7 to $20. I was able to buylist a playset getting $21 in credit (with the bonus) and traded off the other three at $20 each. I still think it's a strong card, but the format is still pushing towards mono-colored devotion decks so I see him dropping a bit more.

Deathrite Shaman (+1)

I am always looking to boost my holdings of Deathrite Shaman but they are difficult to pick up in trade as many players are in the same mindset. I do have a concern that they (or Abrupt Decay) will show up in the Jace vs. Vraska deck coming out next year.

Abrupt Decay (+7)

This is still one of the best removal spells in Legacy. The ability to destroy any nonland permanent for GB is still a great deal, let alone the fact that it's uncounterable. As mentioned above, I do have some concerns about a reprint in the Jace vs Vraska deck, but the current prices shouldn't drop as much simply due to a reprint--RTR was a hugely opened set, so plenty of Abrupt Decay's are already in circulation and demand has set the price to around $7.

Fetchlands & Shocklands

My holdings on these haven't changed much. I did use a few fetches towards larger trades and swapped shocklands with my local store to help keep their stocks full (as well as trade excess shocks of one type for another I had fewer of.)

Terminus (+9)

I love the current price on Terminus. The fact that it has the miracle mechanic means that a reprint is unlikely to occur and it's still a wrath effect for one white mana. I think that the price is only this low currently because Modern is lacking a solid control deck. Should Jace, the Mind Sculptor or Ancestral Vision get unbanned I expect Terminus to double in value overnight as the only thing holding it back is the inability to put cards in your hand back on top of your deck (à la Brainstorm).

Restoration Angel (+9)

I'm a big fan of Restoration Angels currently. It sees play in several Modern decks (U/W/R Control and Kiki-Pod) and it pairs well with every creature with an ETB effect. I feel like it could easily find it's way back to the $10-$12 range come Modern season. My holdings include both the promo and regular versions.

Legion's Initiative (+1)

Another Standard mythic that started out high and plummeted when it saw no play. I still feel like the crusade effect coupled with the ability to protect your nontoken creatures from mass removal (and trigger ETB abilites) makes for a card with potential. The increase in holdings was another throw-in trade.

Snapcaster Mage (+5)

Snapcaster Mages are highly liquid and easy to trade and sell. The price is well established and he gets better as more instants and sorceries are printed. It's surprising how little play he's seeing in the eternal formats currently, but his ability is incredibly powerful and his creature subtypes are relevant.

Enter the Infinite (+2)

This card is incredibly powerful and comes from a less-opened set. It's a key component in the Omni-Show deck (along with Omniscience). I happily pull these out when picking up bulk and keep them for the binder. I don't foresee it jumping up considerably, but $5 seems like a perfectly reasonable price point to hit.

Counterflux (-8)

I had hoped this card would jump up in value after rotation, but the control decks shifted to Esper colors rather than R/U. I still get these in my bulk trades so I don't feel a strong need to separate them as such.

Disciple of Griselbrand (+8)

Griselbrand is the card I am speculating the most on right now. He plays a major role in several Legacy decks (Reanimator, Sneak and Show, and Griselstorm). If he wasn't banned in EDH he'd likely be a $30-$40 card. I feel that he's likely to follow Emrakul, the Aeons Torn's price point as they are played in many of the same decks. The fact that he comes from a third set is only gravy.

Huntmaster of the Fells // Ravager of the Fells (+7)

With the banning of Bloodbraid Elf in Modern the four-drop slot for Jund decks is open. I think there's a strong chance that Huntmaster might fill that void, but I will say he's fighting for the open slots with Garruk Relentless, Kitchen Finks, and Scavenging Ooze.

Scavenging Oooze (+11)

I love Scavenging Ooze as a Modern spec. He was not legal during the last season and the fact that he nullifies the Melira Pod combo deck may reduce that deck's playability. He will help keep Tarmogoyf in check and will often be found alongside Goyf in many Modern decks.

2 thoughts on “Insider: Speculation Binder Update

  1. I’m a big fan of Griselbrand as well. At just over $10, and seeing tons of play in Legacy, it’s a steal. Banning something like Show and Tell would hurt, but it would still get some play in reanimator, and there’s always the chance that it finds a home in Modern.

    1. Yep. That’s my feeling as well. I picked up another 7 at the GP. I love this card for a long term spec target and if it were to break out in modern…it would easily match Emrakul price wise.

Join the conversation

Want Prices?

Browse thousands of prices with the first and most comprehensive MTG Finance tool around.


Trader Tools lists both buylist and retail prices for every MTG card, going back a decade.

Quiet Speculation