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By: JXClaytor, Joshua Claytor
Apr 19 2023 10:21am
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State of the Program for April 19th, 2023
 
In the News

MTGO Socials: Daybreak has set up forums for MTGO, which you can find here. In addition to the Forums, Daybreak has set up a Discord for MTGO.  You can get the invite here. MTGO has a Twitter account, and can now add an account for Facebook and Instagram

Redemption: 
Redemption is up and running!  Remember that redemption runs now until supply is gone. Currently being redeemed are Dominaria United (Both Less Than 10%) and The Brothers' War (About Half-Gone). Phyrexia: All Will Be One's redemption period has started, and March of the Machine will start on May 17. 

Challenge Schedule Changing:  Two Prelims on Friday nights are now becoming small Challenge events.This helps players in the Asia-Pacific region.  Saturday is also getting another Modern Challenge. Both of these are 32 player events. The Saturday 6 a.m. Standard Event is going back to a small event prize structure. 

March of the Machine:  Events Started yesterday!  There are all kinds of events up for it, including Friendly and Competitive Sealed, Best of 1 Drafts and Single Elim and traditional draft queues.  Cards are legal in constructed play already and this weekend's events are sure to include some of the great new cards! 

Patch Notes: You can check out the notes for this update here.

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
May 3, 2023
Constructed Leagues End
April 18, 2023
Sealed Leagues End
April 18, 2023
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:

Ongoing - March of the Machine Release Events

May 3 - Magic 30 Cube Phantom
May 10 - Vintage Cube Phantom
May 24 - Invasion Block Phantom
May 31 - Tempest Remastered Phantom
June 7 - Battle of the Planes Phantom
June 14 - Lord of the Rings Release

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) FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
12:00 a.m.     Vintage Challenge
1:00 a.m    Limited 32 Challenge 32 Player Limited 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
12:00 p.m.   Limited Challenge Limited Challenge
2:00 p.m.   Pioneer Challenge Standard Challenge
4:00 p.m. Limited 32 Challenge    
6:00 p.m. Modern 32 Challenge Modern 32 Challenge  

 

Cutting Edge Tech

As March of the Machine comes in like a lion, it's time to do that neat thing were I look at the most successful deck of the past set, thanks to metagame data from MTGGoldfish!  Also, it's really hard to find Early Access decks from the event on Arena, and this just seemed a bit easier! 

Standard
: Atraxa, Grand Unifier was the biggest winner from the last set.  The fallen angel with a whole city behind her (on top of her?) is a multi-format staple and with the introduction of Battles in March of the Machine, the little value engine is going to continue to be heavily played, in Standard and beyond!


Legacy:  Of note, Legacy saw two bans in this time period, as both Expressive Iteration and White Plume Adventurer were removed from the format. 


Modern: Izzet Murktide seems like it is not slowing down, or letting go of the hold that it has on top.  5 Color Creativity, Hammer Time, and Temur Rhinos are not to far behind it. 


Pauper:  Burn has really controlled some of the bigger decks in the format, it's low to the ground, quick, a real gym rat of a deck. 


Pioneer:  I am actually surprised that Rakdos Midrange is number one, doesn't matter if I don't like it, I just down and write it. 

Thanks Nelly.



 
Winner's Circle

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

Challenge Winners

Friday Modern - Bullwinkkle6705 - Temur Rhinos

Saturday Legacy - Garpona - Storm
Saturday Modern - JuanmaAT - Rakdos Scam
Saturday Modern - Bullwinkkle6705 - Temur Rhinos
Saturday Pauper - Mogged - Blue Ninjas
Saturday Pioneer - sMann2.0 - Gruul Vehicles
Saturday Standard - No Event Reported
Saturday Vintage - karatedom

Sunday Legacy - Mr_VVizard - Karn Echo
Sunday Modern - anast1997 - Izzet Murktide
Sunday Pauper - VanillaJames - Emerge Tron
Sunday Pioneer - MrCafouillette - Dimir Control
Sunday Standard - Misplacedginger - Jund Midrange
Sunday Vintage - Yamaro

Other Event Winners

Pauper Super Qualifier
Vintage Super Qualifier

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: Loran of the Third Path came off the list.  Shipwreck Marsh also came off the list. 

Standard Cards Price Last Week Change % Change
Phyrexian Fleshgorger $6.30 $7.17 -$0.87 -12%
Brotherhood's End $6.26 $7.04 -$0.78 -11%
Cityscape Leveler $27.79 $27.04 $0.75 3%
Portal to Phyrexia $7.02 $6.92 $0.10 1%
Titania, Voice of Gaea $6.37 $6.27 $0.10 2%
Urza, Lord Protector $5.59 $5.49 $0.10 2%
One with the Multiverse $8.49 $8.19 $0.30 4%
Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor $4.76 $5.66 -$0.90 -16%
The Stone Brain $9.31 $11.41 -$2.10 -18%
Teferi,Temporal Pilgrim $5.34 $5.04 $0.30 6%
Leyline Binding $26.73 $26.21 $0.52 2%
Liliana of the Veil $6.42 $6.57 -$0.15 -2%
Sheoldred, the Apocalypse $38.81 $53.20 -$14.39 -27%
Karn's Sylex $5.80 $6.76 -$0.96 -14%
Serra Paragon $4.99 $5.47 -$0.48 -9%
Memory Deluge $11.10 $10.88 $0.22 2%
Brutal Cathar $5.22 $5.89 -$0.67 -11%
Bloodthirsty Adversary $7.27 $7.75 -$0.48 -6%
Boseiju, Who Endures $38.85 $44.04 -$5.19 -12%
Otawara, Soaring City $11.33 $11.81 -$0.48 -4%
The Wandering Emperor $10.17 $10.44 -$0.27 -3%
Fable of the Mirror-Breaker $50.21 $53.66 -$3.45 -6%
Atraxa, Grand Unifier $72.71 $75.35 -$2.64 -4%
Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines $10.35 $10.61 -$0.26 -2%
Jace, the Perfected Mind $6.72


Ledger Shredder $12.73 $14.06 -$1.33 -9%
Unlicensed Hearse $9.11 $10.57 -$1.46 -14%
Raffine, Scheming Seer $8.61 $9.28 -$0.67 -7%
Stormcarved Coast $11.99 $8.52 $3.47 41%
Wedding Announcement $8.57 $13.41 -$4.84 -36%
Modern Staples:

Modern Cards Price Last Week Change % Change
Engineered Explosives $15.08 $20.46 -$5.38 -26%
Cavern of Souls $7.02 $8.37 -$1.35 -16%
Magus of the Moon $5.37 $5.49 -$0.12 -2%
Orvar, the All-Form $17.30 $17.25 $0.05 0%
Polluted Delta $7.27 $6.97 $0.30 4%
Wooded Foothills $8.61 $6.40 $2.21 35%
Flooded Strand $9.65 $8.48 $1.17 14%
Bloodstained Mire $6.94 $6.79 $0.15 2%
Windswept Heath $4.79 $4.81 -$0.02 0%
Thoughtseize $6.38 $7.96 -$1.58 -20%
Force of Negation $19.80 $20.52 -$0.72 -4%
Wrenn and Six $17.27 $20.00 -$2.73 -14%
Sunbaked Canyon $9.42 $7.66 $1.76 23%
Seasoned Pyromancer $13.56 $14.22 -$0.66 -5%
Force of Vigor $18.58 $19.01 -$0.43 -2%
Flusterstorm $11.39 $11.43 -$0.04 0%
Archon of Cruelty $5.97 $7.17 -$1.20 -17%
Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer $18.54 $22.72 -$4.18 -18%
Urza's Saga $36.23 $40.11 -$3.88 -10%
Solitude $19.42 $21.09 -$1.67 -8%
Endurance $24.96 $27.32 -$2.36 -9%
Grief $16.75 $16.08 $0.67 4%
Murktide Regent $15.63 $12.76 $2.87 22%
Fury $30.64 $33.83 -$3.19 -9%
Esper Sentinel $8.10 $7.19 $0.91 13%
Subtlety $7.72 $7.03 $0.69 10%
Chalice of the Void $8.42 $10.47 -$2.05 -20%
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn $6.03 $5.88 $0.15 3%
Ensnaring Bridge $7.00 $6.93 $0.07 1%
Teferi, Time Raveler $20.69 $22.27 -$1.58 -7%
Scalding Tarn $6.59 $6.53 $0.06 1%
Verdant Catacombs $2.94 $2.68 $0.26 10%
Misty Rainforest $4.88 $4.57 $0.31 7%
Arid Mesa $2.46 $2.82 -$0.36 -13%
Marsh Flats $0.84 $1.32 -$0.48 -36%
Eternal StaplesCarpet of Flowers has fallen off the list.

Eternal Format Cards Price Last Time Change % Change
Avenging Hunter $5.83 $8.30 ($2.47) -30%
Kenku Artificer $11.36 $13.18 ($1.82) -14%
Goliath Paladin $6.26 $6.18 $0.08 1%
Minsc & Boo, Timeless Heroes $5.83 $3.42 $2.41 70%
Hullbreacher $11.27 $7.77 $3.50 45%
Opposition Agent $32.03 $29.38 $2.65 9%
Jeweled Lotus $8.38 $7.95 $0.43 5%
Jeska's Will $10.28 $10.28 $0.00 0%
City of Traitors $8.31 $9.72 ($1.41) -15%
Muxus, Goblin Grandee $10.50 $9.96 $0.54 5%
Helm of Obedience $18.65 $17.69 $0.96 5%
Force of Will $46.01 $44.48 $1.53 3%
Urza's Bauble $10.34 $9.44 $0.90 10%
Hydroblast $10.78 $8.21 $2.57 31%
Pyroblast $4.90 $4.44 $0.46 10%
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale $8.67 $7.62 $1.05 14%
Phyrexian Dreadnought $10.71 $8.65 $2.06 24%
Unmask $20.47 $20.84 ($0.37) -2%
Misdirection $11.32 $10.57 $0.75 7%
Snuff Out $15.34 $14.46 $0.88 6%
Submerge $9.63 $8.96 $0.67 7%
Daze $9.79 $9.72 $0.07 1%
Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow $7.48 $9.00 ($1.52) -17%
Stifle $8.67 $8.39 $0.28 3%
Mox Opal $7.11 $7.43 ($0.32) -4%
Mox Diamond $28.71 $28.33 $0.38 1%
Wasteland $13.82 $16.18 ($2.36) -15%
Ancient Tomb $19.69 $21.89 ($2.20) -10%
Lotus Petal $16.03 $17.23 ($1.20) -7%
Grindstone $19.00 $19.68 ($0.68) -3%
Grim Monolith $15.17 $15.07 $0.10 1%
Goblin Welder $9.08 $8.93 $0.15 2%
Exploration $6.04 $7.13 ($1.09) -15%
Gaea's Cradle $31.68 $31.68 $0.00 0%
Gilded Drake $12.90 $11.77 $1.13 10%
Show and Tell $20.75 $22.56 ($1.81) -8%
Natural Order $8.09 $6.81 $1.28 19%
Black Lotus $16.62 $11.31 $5.31 47%
Volcanic Island $12.91 $14.20 ($1.29) -9%
Underground Sea $8.37 $7.06 $1.31 19%
Null Rod $11.54 $10.68 $0.86 8%
Doomsday $13.82 $12.21 $1.61 13%
Paradigm Shift $12.28 $12.74 ($0.46) -4%
Pioneer StaplesTreasure Vault is back on the list, I guess stocked with the treasures?  Collected Company is off the list.  We've cast three instants or sorceries as well, because Arclight Phoenix is back on the list.  Necromentia is also gone again. 

Pioneer Cards Price Last Time Change % Change
Indomitable Creativity $7.12 $8.16 -$1.04 -12.71%
Den of the Bugbear $16.41 $15.38 $1.03 6.70%
Tasha's Hideous Laughter $8.35 $9.38 -$1.03 -10.98%
Treasure Vault $7.43


Brazen Borrower $20.13 $20.58 -$0.45 -2.19%
Arclight Phoenix $5.43


Shark Typhoon $25.90 $35.37 -$9.47 -26.77%
Fiend Artisan $12.99 $12.02 $0.97 8.07%
Mana Confluence $26.76 $27.02 -$0.26 -0.96%
Esika's Chariot $17.30 $17.25 $0.05 0.29%
Darkbore Pathway $5.23 $5.41 -$0.18 -3.33%
Spirebluff Canal $9.61 $6.98 $2.63 37.68%
Leyline of the Void $7.91 $7.17 $0.74 10.32%
Lotus Field $17.40 $13.64 $3.76 27.57%
The Meathook Massacre $9.36 $10.06 -$0.70 -6.96%
Witherbloom Command $4.70 $5.87 -$1.17 -19.93%
Prismari Command $7.91 $7.39 $0.52 7.04%
Karn, the Great Creator $24.09 $25.07 -$0.98 -3.91%
Emeria's Call $24.05 $24.40 -$0.35 -1.43%
Omnath, Locus of Creation $8.99 $10.99 -$2.00 -18.20%
Skyclave Apparition $5.32 $6.02 -$0.70 -11.63%
Roiling Vortex $8.19 $10.05 -$1.86 -18.51%
Agadeem's Awakening $6.37 $6.91 -$0.54 -7.81%
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 Time Change % Change
The Brothers' War $143.42 $149.00 ($5.58) -4%
Dominaria United $123.17 $137.36 ($14.19) -10%
Innistrad: Crimson Vow $63.44 $65.49 ($2.05) -3%
Innistrad: Midnight Hunt $85.71 $89.32 ($3.61) -4%
Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty $134.61 $143.63 ($9.02) -6%
March of the Machine



March of the Machine Booster $3.49


Phyrexia: All Will Be One $284.87 $323.21 ($38.34) -12%
Phyrexia: All Will Be One Booster $1.84 $2.81 ($0.97) -35%
Streets of New Capenna $52.47 $56.58 ($4.11) -7%
Treasure Chest Booster $2.44 $2.39 $0.05 2%

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 242.1
Mox Jet 1E Rare 109.71
Ancestral Recall 1E Rare 93.05
Atraxa, Grand Unifier ONE Mythic 72.71
Time Walk 1E Rare 71.85
Mox Sapphire 1E Rare 66.9
Mox Emerald 1E Rare 57.16
Mox Pearl 1E Rare 53.62
Liliana of the Veil UBT Mythic 53.49
Fable of the Mirror-Breaker NEO Rare 50.21
Mox Ruby 1E Rare 49.24
Atraxa, Grand Unifier ONE Promo 46.32
Force of Will MED Rare 46.01
Aether Gale C14 Rare 44.26
Cavern of Souls UBT Mythic 43.68
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth UBT Mythic 42.52
Karakas UBT Mythic 42.2
Boseiju, Who Endures NEO Rare 38.85
Sheoldred, the Apocalypse DMU Mythic 38.81
Demonic Tutor UBT Mythic 38.79
Sheoldred, the Apocalypse ONE Promo 37.9
Urza's Saga MH2 Rare 36.23
Dark Depths UBT Mythic 36.05
Wasteland ZNE Mythic 35.57
Pramikon, Sky Rampart C19 Mythic 33.83
Snapcaster Mage UBT Mythic 32.7
Timetwister 1E Rare 32.67
Opposition Agent CMR Rare 32.03
Gaea's Cradle UZ Rare 31.68
Flooded Strand ZNE Mythic 31.52
Kozilek, Butcher of Truth UBT Mythic 31.43
Fury MH2 Mythic 30.64
Jace, the Mind Sculptor MS4 Mythic 28.8
Mox Diamond ST Rare 28.71
Cityscape Leveler BRO Mythic 27.79
Mana Confluence JOU Rare 26.76
Leyline Binding DMU Rare 26.73
Shark Typhoon IKO Rare 25.9
Breath of Fire PZ2 Common 25.26
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.
 
In Closing

Last week, when I posted the column, I know it sucked.  I got most of it done before Wednesday, and had an appointment at an Ear Nose and Throat doctor to maybe see what is is going on with me and why I can't swallow most food anymore.  I woke up, took a dose of the drug that helps sedate me and got ready to go, knowing I was going to post the article after I got back. 

I failed to get there.  I had an incredibly bad panic attack on the way out of town, and turned around and came home.  I think things are all tied to motion sickness, but I also know I am tired of this, and by this I mean things that I used to do, not doing it for me anymore. 

This week was better. 

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