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By: JXClaytor, Joshua Claytor
Jul 23 2021 12:00pm
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State of the Program for July 23rd, 2021
 
In the News

Bans:  There wasn't even anything banned properly this week.  Instead Brainstorm was added to the suspended list for the Historic format.  You can read the reasonings for it here.

Super Qualifiers: This ran last week, but is very relevant for this weekend. For an upcoming championship on Arena, MTGO has added three super qualifiers, one on July 24th, which is Modern Horizons 2 Sealed. The next, July 25th, is Modern and the final one, July 30th is Pioneer. 

Vintage Cube:  It is back on MTGO for a couple of weeks, and you can see the changes to the popular cube format here

Modern Horizons 2:  Draft and Sealed leagues are back and are scheduled to run until September 9th, when Innistrad: Midnight Hunt comes to MTGO.  Also the four limited premier events are switching from Forgotten Realms to Modern Horizons 2 based formats. 
 

The Timeline

This is a list of things we have been promised, or we just want to see coming back. Another good source for dates and times is the calendar and the weekly blog, while the best source for known bugs is the bug blog which appears sporadically on MTGO.com. Not listed, but important: Wizards offers either one or two online MCQs each weekend, with qualifiers for limited MCQs running the days immediately prior to the MCQ.
 
Upcoming Events
Dates
Scheduled Downtimes
September 8th, 2021
Constructed Leagues End
Ends July 7th, 2021
Sealed Leagues End
Ends July 8th, 2021
Kaldheim Redemption
Ends June 23, 2021
D&D Redemption
Begins August 11, 2021


2018 Magic Online Championship Series and other events
Complete details, including schedule, rules, and which online events qualify you for which online or paper events is here. In addition, Wizards will be offering these special formats:

July 21st:  Vintage Cube Featuring Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
August 4th:  New Spotlinght Cube
August 11th:  Returning Spotlight Cube
August 18th:  New Spotlight Cube
August 25th:  Legacy Cube Featuring Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
 
Magic Online Format Challenges
These are high stakes events that happen every weekend. They cost 30 Tix / 300 play points, and last a number of rounds based on participation (assume 5-8), plus a single elimination Top 8. Details, including prize payouts, are here. Start times are:

TIME (PT) SATURDAY SUNDAY
12:00 a.m.   Vintage Challenge
2:00 a.m. Pauper Challenge  
4:00 a.m. Legacy Challenge Modern Challenge
6:00 a.m. Standard Challenge Pioneer Challenge
8:00 a.m. Modern Challenge Legacy Challenge
10:00 a.m. Vintage Challenge Pauper Challenge
2:00 p.m. Pioneer Challenge Standard Challenge

 


Cutting Edge Tech

Standard: With the Starcity events starting again this weekend, I guess I have to pay a bit more attention to Standard.  I haven't really given the format any mind since shortly after Kaldheim was released. 


Historic: I have been playing a lot of Bard Class in Pioneer and it seemingly translates well to Historic. Take a look at this Legendary list!


Legacy: Acererak the Archlich has found it's way in to Aluren decks which makes sense because it seems like a perfect fit for the deck. You just need Aluren and the Archlich to win now, so you get to play more consistent things instead of stuff like Cavern Harpy. The mana base seems cleaner as well.


Modern:  Everyone is so used to the storm deck being Izzet Storm in Modern, but what if it were a Lotus Field based Twiddle deck that took advantage of the land and cheap untap effects in blue to go off?  Wish is a perfect addition to the deck in the Modern format.  Not gonna lie though, I want to build this because I have two artist signed Twiddles in my collection.  Just gotta find one more, or make a small change! 


Pauper:  I am not a brave person. I know what the top three decks in Pauper are right now, and playing against Chatterstorm, Affinity (which is weird because I adore the deck in Pauper) and Delver is not something I want to do at the moment.  However if I can find some courage, I am going to play this, because it looks like an incredible amount of fun. 


Pioneer: Jeskai Ascendancy combo sometimes shows up in Modern with some results, but it's starting to get a little bit more play in Pioneer. Expressive Iteration seems to have helped this deck out a ton!  I bet Wish would be a card to consider here as well.


Vintage Legacy Part 2: I have been struggling to find Vintage decks that I like to write about so instead I found another Legacy deck that looked cool! I love the idea of cracking a Lion's Eye Diamond and putting multiple creatures into Madness and then casting them.



 
Winner's Circle

The Winner's Circle is where I will recognize winners of the past events on MTGO. 

Challenge Winners

Saturday Legacy - Diem4x - Izzet Delver
Saturday Modern - Boucha - Temur Rhinos
Saturday Pauper - Mikhathara1994 - Chatterstorm
Saturday Pioneer - Kazuga - Reborn Control
Saturday Standard - AndyAWKWARD - Sultai Ultimatum
Saturday Vintage - Replaced by showcase

Sunday Legacy - Replaced by showcase
Sunday Modern - bobthedog - Jeskai Control
Sunday Pauper - Mogged - Affinity
Sunday Pioneer - SoulStrong - Rakdos Arcanist
Sunday Standard - nekonekoneko - Mono Green Aggro
Sunday Vintage - GGoggles

Other Event Winners

Legacy Showcase
- Theo_Jung - Jeskai Standstill
Vintage Showcase -
Kihara_Works


Card Prices
Note: all my prices come from the fine folks at MTGOTraders.com. These are retail prices, and generally the price of the lowest priced, actively traded version. (Prices for some rare promo versions are not updated when not in stock, so I skip those.) You can get these cards at MTGOTraders.com web store, or from their bots: MTGOTradersBot(#) (they have bots 1-10), CardCaddy and CardWareHouse, or sell cards to MTGOTradersBuyBot(#) (they have buybots 1-4). I have bought cards from MTGOTraders for a decade and a half now, and have never been overcharged or disappointed.
 
Standard Staples: We added a new card from Forgotten Realms to the list, as well as welcomed two old cards from Ikoria back to the list.  Elder Gargaroth is gone. 

Standard Cards Price Last Week Change % Change
Demilich $25.30 $21.52 $3.78 18%
The Book of Exalted Deeds $8.86 $9.93 ($1.07) -11%
Acererak the Archlich $8.72 $8.52 $0.20 2%
Tasha's Hideous Laughter $12.64 $8.42 $4.22 50%
Iymrith, Desert Doom $5.27 $5.28 ($0.01) 0%
Inferno of the Star Mounts $5.18


Brazen Borrower $27.07 $25.44 $1.63 6%
Bonecrusher Giant $8.17 $6.67 $1.50 22%
Korvold, Fae-Cursed King $5.62 $8.08 ($2.46) -30%
Lurrus of the Dream Den $12.01 $11.09 $0.92 8%
Shark Typhoon $6.69


Raugrin Triome:IKO) $5.18


Valki, God of Lies $53.75 $56.20 ($2.45) -4%
Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider $9.18 $10.22 ($1.04) -10%
Goldspan Dragon $10.94 $11.10 ($0.16) -1%
Alrund's Epiphany $6.94 $8.27 ($1.33) -16%
Koma, Cosmos Serpent $5.91 $6.36 ($0.45) -7%
Halvar, God of Battle $6.37 $6.37 $0.00 0%
Stormwing Entity $5.66 $6.01 ($0.35) -6%
Prismari Command $9.30 $8.31 $0.99 12%
Magma Opus $7.42 $6.90 $0.52 8%
Professor Onyx $8.18 $8.00 $0.18 2%
Velomachus Lorehold $12.24 $10.24 $2.00 20%
Beledros Witherbloom $6.35 $6.16 $0.19 3%
Extus, Oriq Overlord $7.20 $7.09 $0.11 2%
Galazeth Prismari $5.86 $5.76 $0.10 2%
Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger 6.63 7.69 ($1.06) -14%
Scourge of the Skyclaves $16.19 $16.83 ($0.64) -4%
Skyclave Apparition $19.97 $19.49 $0.48 2%
Modern Staples:  With Modern Horizons 2 coming back to MTGO, some of the lower end cards have started to fall off the chart. 

Modern Cards Price Last Week Change % Change
Auriok Champion $5.79 $6.48 ($0.69) -11%
Steelshaper's Gift $14.75 $16.03 ($1.28) -8%
Engineered Explosives $21.71 $21.19 $0.52 2%
Cavern of Souls $20.01 $16.79 $3.22 19%
Mishra's Bauble $26.02 $31.08 ($5.06) -16%
Aether Vial $14.03 $12.92 $1.11 9%
Horizon Canopy $7.68 $6.79 $0.89 13%
Liliana of the Veil $18.03 $14.01 $4.02 29%
Polluted Delta $13.48 $13.45 $0.03 0%
Wooded Foothills $10.20 $9.99 $0.21 2%
Flooded Strand $11.70 $11.02 $0.68 6%
Bloodstained Mire $9.33 $10.36 ($1.03) -10%
Windswept Heath $9.17 $7.64 $1.53 20%
Thoughtseize $8.53 $7.77 $0.76 10%
Elvish Reclaimer $9.51 $8.49 $1.02 12%
Inkmoth Nexus $4.50 $8.74 ($4.24) -49%
Force of Negation $90.75 $74.60 $16.15 22%
Wrenn and Six $58.24 $52.74 $5.50 10%
Prismatic Vista $11.28 $12.32 ($1.04) -8%
Sunbaked Canyon $15.97 $14.32 $1.65 12%
Seasoned Pyromancer $26.49 $19.80 $6.69 34%
Fiery Islet $15.65 $15.58 $0.07 0%
Urza, Lord High Artificer $8.70 $10.51 ($1.81) -17%
Plague Engineer $6.50 $7.07 ($0.57) -8%
Force of Vigor $44.03 $28.72 $15.31 53%
Giver of Runes $5.04 $4.81 $0.23 5%
Flusterstorm $10.00 $8.05 $1.95 24%
Archmage's Charm $19.10 $17.04 $2.06 12%
Hexdrinker $4.86 $5.77 ($0.91) -16%
Ice-Fang Coatl $5.21 $5.34 ($0.13) -2%
Silent Clearing $7.30 $7.31 ($0.01) 0%
Kaya's Guile $6.83 $8.90 ($2.07) -23%
On Thin Ice $6.79 $5.21 $1.58 30%
Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer $124.27 $130.23 ($5.96) -5%
Urza's Saga $55.22 $64.28 ($9.06) -14%
Solitude $19.02 $21.82 ($2.80) -13%
Endurance $57.69 $72.80 ($15.11) -21%
Grief $18.41 $18.88 ($0.47) -2%
Dauthi Voidwalker $8.65 $12.53 ($3.88) -31%
Murktide Regent $26.13 $42.14 ($16.01) -38%
Ignoble Hierarch $9.05 $7.68 $1.37 18%
Subtlety $9.02 $12.10 ($3.08) -25%
Sanctum Prelate $9.05 $8.75 $0.30 3%
Esper Sentinel $3.52 $7.51 ($3.99) -53%
Fury $12.44 $16.14 ($3.70) -23%
Chalice of the Void $30.47 $28.42 $2.05 7%
Surgical Extraction $13.52 $14.37 ($0.85) -6%
Dismember $5.18 $5.25 ($0.07) -1%
Emrakul,the Aeons Torn $14.96 $14.26 $0.70 5%
Kozilek, Butcher of Truth $9.47 $8.31 $1.16 14%
Ensnaring Bridge $7.44 $7.78 ($0.34) -4%
Teferi, Time Raveler $47.59 $35.45 $12.14 34%
Gemstone Mine $8.77 $8.77 $0.00 0%
Jace, the Mind Sculptor $9.49 $8.05 $1.44 18%
Stoneforge Mystic $3.46 $5.03 ($1.57) -31%
Scalding Tarn $11.63 $11.73 ($0.10) -1%
Verdant Catacombs $7.53 $7.84 ($0.31) -4%
Misty Rainforest $8.06 $8.28 ($0.22) -3%
Arid Mesa $5.71 $4.43 $1.28 29%
Marsh Flats $3.06 $3.89 ($0.83) -21%
Eternal Staples

Eternal Format Cards Price Last Week Change % Change
Hullbreacher $27.26 $23.73 $3.53 15%
Opposition Agent $21.49 $24.85 ($3.36) -14%
Jeweled Lotus $13.82 $13.85 ($0.03) 0%
City of Traitors $23.60 $22.81 $0.79 3%
Allosaurus Shepherd $29.07 $37.79 ($8.72) -23%
Muxus, Goblin Grandee $6.44 $5.26 $1.18 22%
Force of Will $45.51 $40.46 $5.05 12%
Karakas $11.58 $9.79 $1.79 18%
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale $20.18 $19.91 $0.27 1%
Demonic Tutor $15.04 $15.04 $0.00 0%
Food Chain $11.80 $10.94 $0.86 8%
Unmask $6.98 $7.61 ($0.63) -8%
Misdirection $13.43 $13.37 $0.06 0%
Rishadan Port $14.91 $14.59 $0.32 2%
Snuff Out $16.10 $15.74 $0.36 2%
Submerge $12.38 $10.88 $1.50 14%
Daze $9.64 $9.14 $0.50 5%
Entomb $6.01 $6.34 ($0.33) -5%
Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow $14.43 $17.76 ($3.33) -19%
Stifle $5.98 $5.92 $0.06 1%
Mox Diamond $28.18 $27.56 $0.62 2%
Wasteland $29.70 $32.50 ($2.80) -9%
Ancient Tomb $19.65 $21.35 ($1.70) -8%
Lotus Petal $25.75 $23.43 $2.32 10%
Grim Monolith $11.99 $11.99 $0.00 0%
Exploration $15.66 $16.35 ($0.69) -4%
Gaea's Cradle $46.73 $49.19 ($2.46) -5%
Carpet of Flowers $23.59 $34.11 ($10.52) -31%
Gilded Drake $8.45 $8.16 $0.29 4%
Black Lotus $10.28 $9.08 $1.20 13%
Tropical Island $7.73 $7.73 $0.00 0%
Volcanic Island $11.05 $10.20 $0.85 8%
Underground Sea $10.30 $9.60 $0.70 7%
Null Rod $14.14 $14.35 ($0.21) -1%
Doomsday $18.22 $18.80 ($0.58) -3%
Paradigm Shift $11.89 $12.33 ($0.44) -4%
Mindbreak Trap $6.98 $6.10 $0.88 14%
Pioneer Staples:  I just noticed that I called Arclight Phoenix Arcbound Phoenix for a while now.   That has been changed. I also added Youthful Valkyrie to the list as it seems to see more Pioneer play than Standard.

Pioneer Cards Price Last Time Change % Change
Collected Company $5.68 $6.30 ($0.62) -10%
Kolaghan's Command $4.79 $5.17 ($0.38) -7%
Arclight Phoenix $4.26 $5.29 ($1.03) -19%
Eidolon of the Great Revel $6.86 $6.23 $0.63 10%
Youthful Valkyrie $6.64


Spirebluff Canal $10.19 $11.14 ($0.95) -9%
Kaya, Orzhov Usurper $9.42 $8.19 $1.23 15%
Rest in Peace $4.67 $5.31 ($0.64) -12%
Karn, the Great Creator $29.30 $25.75 $3.55 14%
Blast Zone $7.78 $6.21 $1.57 25%
Finale of Devastation $9.22 $10.73 ($1.51) -14%
Omnath, Locus of Creation $18.99 $18.21 $0.78 4%
Standard Legal Sets: This table tracks the cost of a single copy of every card in each Standard legal set, plus Treasure Chests and the current booster pack. I’ll keep tracking these because they are interesting (at least to me).  This is being kept as a small tribute to Pete!

Complete Set Price Last Week Change % Change
Forgotten Realms $133.89 $117.55 $16.34 14%
Forgotten Realms Booster Pack $3.36 $3.40 ($0.04) -1%
Core Set 2021 $43.27 $39.56 $3.71 9%
Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths $42.73 $37.09 $5.64 15%
Kaldheim $178.76 $186.42 ($7.66) -4%
Strixhaven: School of Mages $119.01 $112.77 $6.24 6%
Theros Beyond Death $74.21 $81.40 ($7.19) -9%
Throne of Eldraine $116.06 $118.26 ($2.20) -2%
Treasure Chest $2.53 $2.63 ($0.10) -4%
Zendikar Rising $89.51 $85.52 $3.99 5%

The Good Stuff
The following is a list of all the non-foil, non-promo cards on MTGO that retail for more than $25 per card. These are the big ticket items in the world of MTGO.  The list is interesting, at the least. This is interesting to me because a lot of these cards have been reprinted more than once, and they are still commanding a high price. 

Black Lotus 1E Rare 170.62
Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer MH2 Mythic 125.47
Cavern of Souls UBT Mythic 102.05
Snapcaster Mage UBT Mythic 101.17
Karakas UBT Mythic 96.37
Liliana of the Veil UBT Mythic 91.59
Mox Jet 1E Rare 91.11
Force of Negation MH1 Rare 90.75
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth UBT Mythic 76
Ancestral Recall 1E Rare 72.87
Mox Emerald 1E Rare 68.38
Mox Sapphire 1E Rare 65.72
Time Walk 1E Rare 63.96
Wrenn and Six MH1 Mythic 58.24
Endurance MH2 Mythic 57.8
Wasteland EXP Mythic 54.38
Valki, God of Lies KHM Mythic 53.75
Urza's Saga MH2 Rare 52.55
Purple-Crystal Crab PZ2 Common 50.18
Dark Depths UBT Mythic 49.42
Jace, the Mind Sculptor MS4 Mythic 48.87
Demonic Tutor UBT Mythic 47.61
Teferi, Time Raveler WAR Rare 47.59
Mox Pearl 1E Rare 47.46
Gaea's Cradle UZ Rare 46.73
Force of Will MED Rare 45.51
Force of Vigor MH1 Rare 44.03
Mox Ruby 1E Rare 43.44
Dauthi Voidwalker MH2 Rare 42.3
Heavenly Qilin PZ2 Common 40.34
Mox Diamond TPR Mythic 38.89
Wasteland ZNE Mythic 38.02
Noble Hierarch UBT Mythic 37.58
Karn Liberated UBT Mythic 37.32
Liliana, the Last Hope MS4 Mythic 36.75
Ignoble Hierarch MH2 Rare 36.61
Verdant Catacombs EXP Mythic 33.69
Cavern of Souls UMA Mythic 32.99
Celestial Colonnade UBT Mythic 32.93
Chalice of the Void A25 Mythic 32.43
Earthshaking Si PZ2 Common 31.71
Chalice of the Void MS2 Bonus 31.68
Chalice of the Void MMA Rare 31.67
Chalice of the Void TSR Bonus 30.96
Timetwister 1E Rare 30.92
Marisi, Breaker of the Coil C19 Mythic 30.87
Platinum Emperion UBT Mythic 30.84
Chalice of the Void MRD Rare 30.47
Jeska's Will CMR Rare 29.82
Wasteland TE Uncommon 29.7
Wasteland EMA Rare 29.37
Karn, the Great Creator WAR Rare 29.3
Allosaurus Shepherd JMP Mythic 29.07
Wasteland TPR Rare 28.94
Cavern of Souls ZNE Mythic 28.52
Lotus Petal MS2 Bonus 28.32
Mox Diamond ST Rare 28.18
Murktide Regent MH2 Mythic 27.58
Hullbreacher CMR Rare 27.26
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria MS4 Mythic 27.2
Scalding Tarn EXP Mythic 27.15
Brazen Borrower ELD Mythic 27.07
Creeping Tar Pit UBT Mythic 26.76
Force of Will MS3 Mythic 26.53
Seasoned Pyromancer MH1 Mythic 26.49
Fulminator Mage UBT Mythic 26.34
Mishra's Bauble CSP Uncommon 26.02
Retrofitter Foundry PZ2 Rare 26
Ancient Tomb ZNE Mythic 25.85
Lotus Petal TPR Uncommon 25.8
Lotus Petal TE Common 25.75
Bitterblossom UBT Mythic 25.68
Demilich AFR Mythic 25.3
Mana Vault UBT Mythic 25.28
Polluted Delta ONS Rare 25.24
Kozilek, Butcher of Truth UBT Mythic 25.2
The big number is the retail price of a playset (4 copies) of every card available on MTGO. Assuming you bought the least expensive versions available, the cost of owning a playset of every card on MTGO is approximately a number that I cannot figure out still. I have actually asked Pete to do this for me, because Open Office is weird, and I have no idea what I am doing, and I am pretty close to just being a dog in a labcoat.

Nevermind, ignore all of that, Pete got it done for me, because he is just the dang best. The big number this week is $26,860.  Last week it was $26,590.  A very small increase of 270 but an increase!  Going to be interesting to see what Modern Horizons 2 coming back does for things! 
 
In Closing

I typically start writing this article on Monday, after I get done cleaning up the update for the day. I've sadly begun not sleeping well, so I get up with enough time to work on the content for the day, and then push everything else back.  With the Forgotten Realms set coming out this week, I have been super busy thanks to the second job.  I typically work 20 hours a week, and as of this writing, on Wednesday, I've already worked 20.  On top of that, I have begun to rededicate myself to exposure therapy, and I have been dealing with the mental and physical issues that those bring.  I pushed the article off this week due to bad time management and poor sleeping habits that are forming now, but hey at least I got to watch TikTok for 3 hours a night. 

It's not even that good! 

This series is an ongoing tribute to Erik “Hamtastic” Friborg.