Magic, but Not Quite Disney
Bloomburrow is set at a crossroads between cuteness and functionality. While many of the cards have a broad range of appeal, mere weeks after its release, the set is fading into a memory. My attention towards the set has been largely limited to the initial pre-release preview season, some sealed play, and a bit of speculation. Beyond the initial release, I foresee many cards will have a staggered effect on decks in several formats. Part of this wrap-in format is due to the Standard rotation shaking up the meta at the start of this month. With sets leaving play for the first time since 2022, there is now ample opportunity for new decks to breed ingenuity into the game.
So far, analyzing the set has been pretty underwhelming financially. Most of the cards included have trended downward in price with only eight of 273 cards being $10+ on average. These are similar to the current numbers from Murders at Karlov Manor and The Lost Caverns of Ixalan. The only cards that retain value from the above sets are those with multi-format applications or those that excel at a specific function. Otherwise, even cards that have seen a brief amount of play fade into oblivion rather quickly and painfully. With that in mind, many cards in Bloomburrow may have their moment in the spotlight, but won't have enough impact to stay in it.
The List is Gone, Long Live the Special Guests
Before diving into the main set, we have to discuss the Special Guests cards included. Since The List is no longer present in the set releases, there has been some discussion about how the Special Guests appearances impact both sealed and finance. From a sealed perspective, I don't see much of an issue with these cards being included. Special Guests appear in roughly 1/67 play boosters, or a 1.5% chance per pack. This rarity makes them hard to encounter, driving up the premium on alternative arts, especially when considering foils.
Speaking of foils, two cards to watch out for are Sylvan Tutor and Sword of Fire and Ice. The first of which has seen a recent printing in the Lord of the Rings Holiday release. This has introduced a widely available foil version of the card, driving the original price from $70 down to $48. The previous high price of Sylvan Tutor was due to the limited availability of older printings, combined with Worldly Tutor being considered a strict upgrade. Now that Sylvan Tutor is slightly more accessible, players can expect a further downward trend in price before stabilizing and rising to align with the older printing.
The situation with the Sword of Fire and Ice is somewhat different, as recent printings and foils have been made available in Double Masters. On average, the Sword costs around $42 across its versions, including the Special Guests appearance. However, the alternative art from Double Masters is averaging around $66, reflecting the value of the Special Guests foil. Since the recent reprintings of Sword of Light and Shadow and Sword of Feast and Famine, and now this, the rest of the cycle will likely be gradually reprinted in future sets or premium products.
| Sylvan Tutor (Borderless) | | |
| Sword of Fire and Ice (Borderless) | | |
Three Tree and Kindred Subthemes
From the main set, let’s take a moment to review the Kindred cards included. Both Three Tree City and Patchwork Banner have stirred up some interest in terms of playability. These cards slot easily into various creature-type strategies and deliver significant results. Three Tree City is most reminiscent of Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, which is currently enjoying peak popularity. The price trend for Three Tree City reflects this perceived popularity, given its similarity to Nykthos. Currently trending at $25 with a positive trajectory, this regular art version’s ceiling is most likely closer to the $30-$35 range.
In contrast, Patchwork Banner is currently trending around $3.50, with a notably aggressive increase in both price and demand. Based on the trends seen with its predecessor, Heraldic Banner, we can anticipate a further soar in price over the coming years, potentially reaching a baseline of $5. Since neither of these uncommons are high-priority reprint targets, they could represent a worthwhile penny stock.
To round the main set off, I've been speculating on the potential surrounding Ygra, Eater of All, Maha, Its Feather Night, and Lumra, Bellow of the Woods. Each of these calamities is holding its price quite well post-release, driven by their perceived power level. However, none have broken out into formats beyond Commander. While there’s potential for any of them to see a jump in price towards $20+, it requires the right deck in the right format. So for now, I’ll be keeping an eye on them before committing to a purchase.
| Three Tree City | | |
| Three Tree City (Borderless) (0337) | | |
| Three Tree City (Borderless) (0338) | | |
| Three Tree City (Borderless) (0339) | | |
| Three Tree City (Borderless) (0340) | | |
| Patchwork Banner | | |
Frog Sentinel
From the Commander decks, two cards are currently making waves as potentially strong tech pieces. Pollywog Prodigy is starting to see more consistent cEDH play. The card advantage it offers against multiple opponents on a cheap creature has made cards like Esper Sentinel into staples. Although the connection between the two is visible, their strengths differ. As a result, Pollywog Prodigy is still financially volatile, but is expected to stabilize at an average of $20-25. Surprisingly, the price is much higher in Europe, averaging around €18, which translates to roughly $30-$35.
Bloodrot Apothecary is the next in line of cards that has the potential to either finish games or stall for time. Due to this, it has gathered significant attention from players ahead of release. Unfortunately, following a quick decline from an all-time high of $12 to $7 and below, the future of this card is quite shaky. A loose comparison in effect and impact would be Sardian Avenger, which similarly fell out of favor and spotlight. With that in mind, Bloodroot Apothecary's price will continue to drop towards $3 or lower.
| Pollywog Prodigy | | |
| Pollywog Prodigy (Extended Art) | | |
| Bloodrot Apothecary | | |
| Bloodrot Apothecary (Extended Art) | | |
Once Again, I’m Asking You for Financial Support
The last product associated with the set release is the Secret Lair Showcase: Bloomburrow, which features a reimagined version of several iconic planeswalkers in their animal forms. The two standouts from the selection are Sorin Markov and Tezzeret, Master of the Bridge. Currently, both cards are adjusting to the market value of their other available printings, with average prices on each nearing $20 and below. At this price point, I believe both cards could make for better investments further down the line. As their prices continue to decrease, there may be an opportunity to buy in before they rebound in 6-12 months post-release.
Both of these planeswalkers are fairly niche and see play in a limited amount of Commander decks. However, for players looking to foil out their decks or to collect alternative printings, these cards will be a long-awaited pickup. This style of alternative treatments for older cards is likely to become more prevalent going forward in Secret Lairs, as different reimaginings leave a multitude of creative opportunities for artists.
| Sorin Markov | | |
| Tezzeret, Master of the Bridge | | |
Heaped Harvest
Bloomburrow sticks out from the recent norm with its cuteness appeal and financial volatility, leaving considerable room for future price surges. While it's difficult to predict how much the Standard rotation will impact prices, there are plenty of cards that present safe bets for eternal play. While we await the next card to break out in the same manner as Innkeeper's Talent, consider picking up any cards you’re speculating on before the market shifts again. Otherwise, there's still much more to come out from Magic before the year ends, and we're just weeks away from the continuation of the preview season.
Join me again next time as we embrace evil in Duskmourn: House of Horror.
Further Reading:
Understanding Buyouts in Magic
