Congrats go to Lucas Esper Berthoud from Brazil for taking down Pro Tour Aether Revolt! The Standard top 8 wasn't diverse, but then again the Pro Tour has its own meta. Cards have been moving all over the place in the wake of another Pro Tour event, so let's see what happened this week in Magic.
Are you ready to hear more about Cheeri0s? Good, me neither. Sigil of Distinction, yet another 0 drop featured in the deck, has gone from a $0.25 rare to actual real money! I saw a few copies of it last weekend for SCG regionals, but it didn't seem to put up any real results nationwide. I think people threw the deck together quickly without really testing it, as I saw many mistakes being made. That being said, I still think they deck is very dangerous and we should keep our eye on it.
There were 31 copies of Scrapheap Scrounger in the top 8 for Pro Tour Aether Revolt. It's no wonder then why it went up. A solid beater for 2, it has risen to the top as one of the most played cards for ALL Standard decks. I think it even has Modern level power. Even though it has spiked, you can still get a playset for under $20, so I think the value is still solid.
One of my favorite blue cards, True-Name Nemesis has gone up finally. It came out of the gates swinging, but thanks to Commander 2013 being printed so much, it dropped. It sees a ton of Legacy play in a number of decks, and I was always surprised why it was so cheap. They are over the $20 mark now, but still a long way from its previous $40 mark.
Heart of Kiran proved that it would be the replacement to Smuggler's Copter. Probably a more balanced version of the 2 drop flying vehicle, Heart of Kiran saw substantial play in last weekend's Pro Tour and is prevalent in white based Standard decks. I don't expect them to creep much higher than $20-$25 range though.
Chalice of the Void saw an uptick, and I would like to think that it's NOT because it demolishes Cheeri0s. That being said, Chalice is played in many, many Modern decks both in the main and in the side, so a substantial spike like this one could be attributed to the uptick in Eldrazi Tron decks more than likely, but also because Chalice is just plain good!
Cheap pickups of the Week!
All the medallions (Emerald Medallion, Jet Medallion, Pearl Medallion, Ruby Medallion and Sapphire Medallion) are dirt cheap right now. You can have your choice of Commander 2014 or Tempest for pennies on the dollar. They play very well in 2 color or less Commander decks. Another awesome Commander card that doesn't see a lot of play is Vedalken Orrery. It fits in any deck, but its better in decks without blue, as they have access to Leyline of Anticipation. Finally, I think Gonti's Machinations is a fabulous enchantment, and when paired with fetch lands, it's an amazingly efficient card! They are basically free right now, so I would hold on to any that you come in contact with.
MTGStocks chart of the Week!
In a brand new segment that I definitely stole from my buddy Dan over at Power Nine (Visit his Facebook Page here!) I will post a snip of a card's price graph, and you have to guess which card it is. I will post the answer next week. Good luck!
Conversation of the Week!
With Wizard's latest announcement, some feel that Modern will be getting even less time in the spotlight. Well, to be fair, it will be getting less time in the spotlight. I can't argue that Standard is what makes Wizard's money, while Modern and eternal formats are the older, but much cooler brother. I think Wizard's is trying to feel their way through this season, and profits don't lie. I just fear a day when Modern players are like Legacy players; few and far between.
The best Commander card you're not playing!
I present to you the angry baby maker, Dragon Broodmother. The one creature that WILL win you the game if left unchecked. You can either pump out 1/1's every turn, or cash them in for a bigger dragon. In one turn cycle, things can go from manageable to out of control!
