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Insider: My Top 10 Post-Rotation Standard Buys

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With the Magic Origins release soon here, most players will cease drafting Dragons of Tarkir-Fate Reforged and begin drafting the new set. Supply of cards from these sets will begin to dry up, and we will see prices increase as new players enter the ever-growing Standard format.

Savvy investors have noticed that the price of Khans of Tarkir cards has already begun to rise, and will continue to do so until the fall. Typically we see prices of many Standard cards peak in the weeks after rotation, so today I am sharing my top 10 Standard buys with an aim towards moving immediately after rotation.

These cards are a bargain now, but they will increase in price over the summer with a crescendo this fall after rotation. Many of these cards also have long-term potential.

10. Monastery Swiftspear


Monastery Swiftspear is currently a key part of Atarka Red and Monored Aggro decks, and has great synergy with Dragon Fodder and Hordeling Outburst. Both of these spells will be in Standard after rotation, so I see no reason why Monastery Swiftspear won't see heavy play in the format.

Bolstered by Eternal demand, it's currently over $2, and I would not be surprised to see it hit $4-5 during its Standard lifetime, with potential upwards of $8 in the long-term.

9. Sorin, Solemn Visitor


Sorin, Solemn Visitor is the most expensive mythic in KTK, but it's a bargain at under $9. With fetchlands dominating the attention, it's easy to forget that Sorin, the Solemn Visitor is a very solid Standard card that's going to be a staple for the rest of its life in the format.

While not a format-defining staple that will see a $20 price tag, like Elspeth, Sun's Champion, it's likely to see a modest rise in price, perhaps to around $15, and has some potential to go even higher.

8. Outpost Siege


With Chandra, Pyromaster rotating out of the format, Outpost Siege will fully bear the role of red card drawing engine in Standard. It has been proven in various archetypes since it was printed, and it's sure to have some impact on the Standard season.

It has potential in all varieties of decks, from aggressive burn strategies to controlling midrange strategies, and it's highly splashable. With a price currently sitting around $1, it has nothing but upside during its Standard lifetime.

7. Siege Rhino


With scrylands and painlands leaving Standard, it's not certain that Standard will be able to support wedge decks, but it's very likely, especially with the gainlands picking up some of the slack, and if any wedge card sees play, it will be Siege Rhino. Any speculation on Siege Rhino is also buoyed by Modern and long-term casual appeal, so it's not entirely based on Standard play.

Currently under $5, Siege Rhino will likely creep up towards $8 during its Standard lifetime, and I would not be surprised to see it break $10 or more in the long-term.

6. Soulfire Grand Master


Soulfire Grand Master iniatially made a big splash in Standard in R/W Aggro, and sees play in the rare Jeskai deck, but it has been relatively quiet beyond its inclusion as a staple in Mardu Dragons. The card is quite powerful in RWx and UWx shells, and this versatility makes it a surefire Standard player at some point in its future. This mythic has the potential to be a true star and could double its $9 price tag.

5. Dig Through Time


Dig Through Time defines blue control decks in Standard, and it's going to play that role as long as it's in the format. While the mix of spells supporting it is sure to change, there are sure to be spells supporting it. With a pricetag under $6, there is a lot to like about the card, which I expect will break $10 sometime next season.

Most of the great black removal spells in the format are rotating out, so look for cheap, efficient removal spells in Magic Origins and beyond for more clues as to where control is headed. It's also an eternal and casual staple that will be in demand for years to come.

4. Zurgo Bellstriker


Aggressive red strategies always have a place in Standard, and Zurgo Bellstriker will be a key part of red Standard decks as long as it's in the format. Historically, red aggro is especially successful and popular right after a formate rotates, so Zurgo Bellstriker could have a high price tag this fall, and should at the minimum nearly double its current price of $2.5. It has excellent long-term casual and eternal appeal.

3. Wingmate Roc

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Wingmate Roc is an absurd bargain at just $3. It once sat over $10, and it could easily hit that price or more if it becomes popular after rotation. Wingmate Roc is very powerful, and not only do I expect it to make a comeback this season, I can't imagine it not being played next season.

2. Tasigur, the Golden Fang


Tasigur, the Golden Fang is not only great in a variety of potential Standard decks, it's also an eternal staple. Remember when Snapcaster Mage was in the draft format? Tasigur, the Golden Fang has nearly the same level of eternal playability, and should be treated as such. Its price trajectory in Standard is uncertain, but in the long-term the price is going to explode upwards.

1. Rattleclaw Mystic


With Sylvan Caryatid, Voyaging Satyr, and even Elvish Mystic leaving the format, Rattleclaw Mystic is slated to take on the role of premier mana-acceleration creature in Standard. Synergy with Deathmist Raptor makes Rattleclaw Mystic even better, and a surefire Standard staple come October and beyond.

Currently had for under $2, and even under $1 in some places, I would stock up now in anticipation of the price hitting $5 or more. Sylvan Caryatid reached a price over $15, so the sky may be the limit for Rattleclaw Mystic.

Keep your eyes peeled towards Magic Origins, which could include other mana acceleration. Something like Rampant Growth or Farseek could knock Rattleclaw Mystic down a notch, but regardless it's going to see plenty of play.

12 thoughts on “Insider: My Top 10 Post-Rotation Standard Buys

  1. I think Tasigur is great, but I think comparing him to snappy is pretty excessive. The huge difference I see is that they can ostensibly print better cards than tasigur, or print cards that fit better in multiple shells, whereas Snaps can never be made irrelevant by a newer card, unless it were somehow a cheaper way to get the same effect

    1. Another big difference is that Snapcaster is played as a 4-of in some decks, but Tasigur is much less likely to see play in multiples due to the “Legendary” text. Furthermore, Tasigur is a two-color card, and while GBx and Grixis are popular at the moment, it’s still not as versatile as a card like Snapcaster that goes into ANY deck that plays islands.

      1. I think he is spot on. I fail to see how you can say they will de facto print better cards then tasigur. In eternal formats he is basically a 4/5 for 1 that provides card advantage. He also is extremely spashable with only one black mana being required to cast him. In eternal formats with perfect mana, his colored mana requirements are easily satisfied.

        Snapcaster was not seeing near the level of play in modern he does now, till they banned Deathrite Shaman. This makes the idea that he cannot be made irrelevant from a newer card printing is more a fantasy then a reality. In the last Legacy open the grixis decks opted to not even play him. They ran 4 Deathrite Shamans though.

        This is not to say snapcaster is bad, far from it. He is just not so plainly superior as you allude to. Tasigur is a comparible card, though more in a apples to oranges type of way.

  2. Rattleclaw is a solid target, but I don’t think Sylvan Caryatid’s peak price is a valid comparison. Much of Caryatid’s peak was driven by the hype of Green-based midrange decks going into KTK. And while Abzan and other decks wanted Caryatid, it’s price plummeted down to a more reasonable $10 before the end of 2014.

    1. Roc is outclassed in a straight up fight but it contributes a different sort of value to the decks that play it (only abzan aggro, currently). Most/all of its creatures offer some form of resilience & value. Roc’s contribution there is being a two-for-one to get rid of it.

  3. Also, how do you feel about Warden of the First Tree? He is very high on my list of cards to get better and see play post rotation. He should fill the role of Fleecemane Lion and can fit in GW or GB builds.

  4. Bought 4x sorin and grandmaster. Already have 15-25 rattleclaw. Also picked up 20x wingmate 🙂 OH and 12 zurgo bellstriker. THanks for The tips.

    1. End of the day, if Rattleclaw is the only mana dork around that provides more than just green mana and there are decks that desire that, he’ll get played. It’s dependent on what gets printed in Origins.

  5. Great info:) Would you say the same specs also apply for MTGO?

    I don’t have access to buying large quantities of paper, so most of my buys are done digitally.

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