JXClaytor's picture
By: JXClaytor, Joshua Claytor
Dec 24 2021 1:19pm
0
979 views


State of the Program for December 24th, 2021
 
In the News

Free Vintage Cube:  It's back for three weeks and if you have a paid MTGO account you will see a free Vintage Cube entry token in your collection!  These will be removed after these three weeks of Vintage Cube.  

Convention Championship:  If you went 3-0 in any of the Convention Prelims on MTGO, you should have a Wizards Ticket on your account.  This ticket will get you in the Convention Championship, held on January 1st, 2022!  The format is Modern Horizons 2 Sealed with a top eight draft.  All the info you need is here
 
MTGO State of the Program:  Chris Kiritz wrote about the year on MTGO.  What went right (the seven set releases, working with Pastimes) what went wrong (most of the Commander stuff past Kaldheim, the battlefield update not happening), and what is happening next year (Daybreak Studios involvement with MTGO).  You can read about it 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
February 9th, 2022
Constructed Leagues End
Ends February 9th, 2022
Sealed Leagues End
Ends February 10th, 2022
Next B&R
Unknown
Midnight Hunt Redemption 
Ends February 9th, 2021
Crimson Vow Redemption

Begins December 15th, 2021

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 - Until January 5, 2022 Modern Horizons 2 Draft
Ongoing - Until January 12, 2022 Modern Horizons 2 Sealed prelims
Ongoing - Until January 12, 2022 Vintage Cube. 

December 26th - Pauper Showcase Qualifier
December 26th - Crimson Vow Sealed Super Qualifier
January 2nd, 2022 - Pioneer Showcase Qualifier
 
January 8th, 2022 - Modern Horizons 2 Showcase Open
January 9th, 2022 - Modern Horizons 2 Showcase Open
 
Upcoming Events on MTGO

January 12 - Supreme Vintage Cube
January 19 - Usman Jamil's Ravnica Cube
January 26 - Innistrad Double Feature
January 28 - Pauper Super Qualifer
 
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: Here is one of the tribes of Standard that seems to be forgotten. 


Alchemy: Look I'm not the biggest fan of Alchemy, but if it lets Tiamat see play, that has to be a good thing right? 


Historic
:  There is a really good video for this deck here.  Check it out if you are interested in the archetype! 


Legacy:  I wanted to highlight anything but a Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer deck. 


Modern: This deck was supposed to be dead after the Simian Spirit Guide ban, I think for the most part it is, but it's also a super fringe strategy now. 


Pauper:  When you see Grixis in Pauper you expect it to be Affinity most times, but it's switched to Rakdos, the space Goblins used to occupy, and now Goblins took the space that Affinity did.  Pauper needs help. 


Pioneer:  This is the first time I have seen a solid Rakdos Vampires list in the format. 


Vintage:


 
Winner's Circle

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

They rescheduled the Pauper Super Qualifier, so I imagine that there is going to be a banning when Wizards of the Coast comes back from the end of year break. 

Something has to give with Legacy too.  Just no one is playing on Saturdays.  It might need a ban, it might need a time change, but something has to give there too

Challenge Winners

Saturday Legacy - no event
Saturday Modern - scipios - Golgari Undying
Saturday Pauper - Condescend - Affinity
Saturday Pioneer - Aardos - Dimir Control
Saturday Standard - bless_von - Mono Green Aggro 
Saturday Vintage - thepowernine

Sunday Legacy - kurohiren - Bant Uro Pile
Sunday Modern - Laplasjan - Hammer Time
Sunday Pauper - O_danielakos - Izzet Skred
Sunday Pioneer - Capriccioso - Jund Sacrifice
Sunday Standard - LucasG1ggs - Mono Green Aggro
Sunday Vintage - sora1428

Other Event Winners

Modern Super Qualifier -
JV_777 - Temur Rhinos
Sealed Super Qualifier - ffxKennethD


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:  It's a pretty large list to end the year with.

Standard Cards Price Last Week Change % Change
Demilich $30.89 $31.70 ($0.81) -3%
The Book of Exalted Deeds $11.02 $11.02 $0.00 0%
Acererak the Archlich $14.18 $16.35 ($2.17) -13%
Iymrith, Desert Doom $8.59 $9.18 ($0.59) -6%
Ebondeath, Dracolich $5.42 $6.45 ($1.03) -16%
Old Gnawbone $16.87 $16.66 $0.21 1%
Den of the Bugbear $35.69 $40.23 ($4.54) -11%
Lolth, Spider Queen $24.07 $23.82 $0.25 1%
Tasha's Hideous Laughter $15.06 $14.36 $0.70 5%
Inferno of the Star Mounts $6.77 $7.01 ($0.24) -3%
Ranger Class $6.82 $6.67 $0.15 2%
Hall of the Storm Giants $19.62 $17.96 $1.66 9%
Xanathar, Guild Kingpin $7.92 $7.92 $0.00 0%
Treasure Vault $11.06 $11.69 ($0.63) -5%
Valki, God of Lies $7.87 $8.33 ($0.46) -6%
Goldspan Dragon $8.34 $8.34 $0.00 0%
Alrund's Epiphany $10.25 $11.43 ($1.18) -10%
Arlinn, the Pack's Hope $5.31 $5.37 ($0.06) -1%
Bloodthirsty Adversary $7.95 $7.58 $0.37 5%
Moonveil Regent $4.86 $5.77 ($0.91) -16%
Tainted Adversary $5.25 $5.33 ($0.08) -2%
Spectral Adversary $5.35 $5.47 ($0.12) -2%
Wrenn and Seven $36.39 $35.65 $0.74 2%
Lier, Disciple of the Drowned $14.30 $14.25 $0.05 0%
The Meathook Massacre $27.07 $26.06 $1.01 4%
Intrepid Adversary $21.50 $22.23 ($0.73) -3%
Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset $5.28 $5.67 ($0.39) -7%
Memory Deluge $11.84 $12.46 ($0.62) -5%
Prismari Command $7.26 $8.31 ($1.05) -13%
Professor Onyx $5.12 $6.10 ($0.98) -16%
Mascot Exhibition $7.16 $7.46 ($0.30) -4%
Chandra, Dressed to Kill $35.91 $37.36 ($1.45) -4%
Cemetery Gatekeeper $8.38 $8.16 $0.22 3%
Faithbound Judge $5.28 $6.38 ($1.10) -17%
Cemetery Illuminator $6.71 $6.65 $0.06 1%
Cultivator Colossus $29.51 $29.62 ($0.11) 0%
Cemetery Prowler $5.24 $5.00 $0.24 5%
Manaform Hellkite $3.84 $5.08 ($1.24) -24%
Skyclave Apparition $14.27 $14.65 ($0.38) -3%
Shatterskull Smashing $12.71 $13.94 ($1.23) -9%
Roiling Vortex $7.80 $7.48 $0.32 4%
Agadeem's Awakening $5.96 $6.03 ($0.07) -1%
Modern Staples:
Modern Cards Price Last Week Change % Change
Engineered Explosives $30.13 $30.79 ($0.66) -2%
Steelshaper's Gift $4.83 $5.45 ($0.62) -11%
Cavern of Souls $16.09 $14.34 $1.75 12%
Mishra's Bauble $38.93 $35.80 $3.13 9%
Aether Vial $6.41 $5.88 $0.53 9%
Liliana of the Veil $8.58 $8.46 $0.12 1%
Polluted Delta $9.17 $7.89 $1.28 16%
Wooded Foothills $5.72 $5.83 ($0.11) -2%
Flooded Strand $7.99 $7.08 $0.91 13%
Bloodstained Mire $6.08 $6.21 ($0.13) -2%
Windswept Heath $8.14 $7.14 $1.00 14%
Thoughtseize $10.59 $12.33 ($1.74) -14%
Force of Negation $54.15 $48.89 $5.26 11%
Wrenn and Six $61.38 $61.68 ($0.30) 0%
Prismatic Vista $8.27 $7.53 $0.74 10%
Sunbaked Canyon $22.26 $21.40 $0.86 4%
Seasoned Pyromancer $12.09 $14.70 ($2.61) -18%
Fiery Islet $7.69 $6.88 $0.81 12%
Urza, Lord High Artificer $6.07 $5.96 $0.11 2%
Force of Vigor $50.71 $54.91 ($4.20) -8%
Flusterstorm $18.12 $18.98 ($0.86) -5%
Archmage's Charm $14.03 $15.63 ($1.60) -10%
Silent Clearing $7.63 $7.86 ($0.23) -3%
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician $10.71 $9.16 $1.55 17%
Archon of Cruelty $8.48 $9.27 ($0.79) -9%
Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer $101.24 $99.03 $2.21 2%
Urza's Saga $45.49 $48.28 ($2.79) -6%
Solitude $66.29 $52.87 $13.42 25%
Endurance $53.89 $63.51 ($9.62) -15%
Grief $11.51 $12.54 ($1.03) -8%
Murktide Regent $15.02 $14.85 $0.17 1%
Sanctum Prelate $8.25 $8.63 ($0.38) -4%
Fury $24.32 $28.84 ($4.52) -16%
Chalice of the Void $16.88 $17.63 ($0.75) -4%
Surgical Extraction $7.87 $7.24 $0.63 9%
Karn Liberated $6.43 $7.00 ($0.57) -8%
Puresteel Paladin $7.21 $5.95 $1.26 21%
Emrakul,the Aeons Torn $6.92 $7.03 ($0.11) -2%
Kozilek, Butcher of Truth $6.79 $6.61 $0.18 3%
Wurmcoil Engine $5.61 $6.28 ($0.67) -11%
Ensnaring Bridge $6.29 $6.47 ($0.18) -3%
Teferi, Time Raveler $39.88 $38.81 $1.07 3%
Gemstone Mine $9.92 $10.10 ($0.18) -2%
Scalding Tarn $5.75 $5.65 $0.10 2%
Verdant Catacombs $4.29 $3.32 $0.97 29%
Misty Rainforest $6.19 $5.40 $0.79 15%
Arid Mesa $2.94 $2.82 $0.12 4%
Marsh Flats $1.85 $1.44 $0.41 28%
Eternal Staples

Eternal Format Cards Price Last Week Change % Change
Hullbreacher $27.73 $24.00 $3.73 16%
Opposition Agent $24.35 $23.27 $1.08 5%
Jeweled Lotus $28.08 $26.38 $1.70 6%
City of Traitors $13.67 $13.35 $0.32 2%
Allosaurus Shepherd $37.76 $39.56 ($1.80) -5%
Muxus, Goblin Grandee $10.23 $8.85 $1.38 16%
Force of Will $54.07 $53.25 $0.82 2%
Karakas $6.95 $6.79 $0.16 2%
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale $13.43 $12.64 $0.79 6%
Unmask $13.86 $12.00 $1.86 16%
Misdirection $13.11 $13.11 $0.00 0%
Rishadan Port $9.43 $9.31 $0.12 1%
Snuff Out $11.50 $10.95 $0.55 5%
Submerge $10.54 $9.98 $0.56 6%
Daze $6.19 $5.88 $0.31 5%
Entomb $8.57 $8.86 ($0.29) -3%
Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow $9.11 $8.20 $0.91 11%
Mox Diamond $34.62 $33.57 $1.05 3%
Wasteland $23.55 $20.14 $3.41 17%
Ancient Tomb $16.16 $17.25 ($1.09) -6%
Lotus Petal $31.66 $30.60 $1.06 3%
Grim Monolith $11.48 $11.26 $0.22 2%
Exploration $18.65 $18.65 $0.00 0%
Gaea's Cradle $18.41 $18.46 ($0.05) 0%
Carpet of Flowers $14.15 $17.56 ($3.41) -19%
Gilded Drake $6.09 $6.39 ($0.30) -5%
Black Lotus $12.63 $15.06 ($2.43) -16%
Volcanic Island $7.77 $7.96 ($0.19) -2%
Underground Sea $8.27 $6.63 $1.64 25%
Null Rod $12.55 $12.77 ($0.22) -2%
Doomsday $20.25 $20.61 ($0.36) -2%
Paradigm Shift $8.23 $7.58 $0.65 9%
Pioneer StaplesBonecrusher Giant came off the list. 

Pioneer Cards Price Last Time Change % Change
Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger $4.77 $5.73 ($0.96) -17%
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria $5.63 $5.18 $0.45 9%
Collected Company $6.48 $6.40 $0.08 1%
Kolaghan's Command $3.99 $5.45 ($1.46) -27%
Brazen Borrower $17.85 $19.43 ($1.58) -8%
Arclight Phoenix $6.86 $6.02 $0.84 14%
Lurrus of the Dream Den $14.89 $14.82 $0.07 0%
Shark Typhoon $9.42 $8.32 $1.10 13%
Eidolon of the Great Revel $11.13 $12.82 ($1.69) -13%
Spirebluff Canal $4.67 $5.84 ($1.17) -20%
Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord $21.36 $23.44 ($2.08) -9%
Chandra, Awakened Inferno $8.37 $7.88 $0.49 6%
Rest in Peace $6.69 $4.96 $1.73 35%
Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger $8.72 $9.28 ($0.56) -6%
Ox of Agonas $5.70 $6.23 ($0.53) -9%
Karn, the Great Creator $25.02 $26.27 ($1.25) -5%
Blast Zone $4.58 $3.25 $1.33 41%
Omnath, Locus of Creation $24.53 $23.02 $1.51 7%
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 $277.14 $284.22 ($7.08) -2%
Innistrad: Crimson Vow $178.62 $184.73 ($6.11) -3%
Innistrad: Crimson Vow Booster Pack $3.28 $3.12 $0.16 5%
Innistrad: Midnight Hunt $210.21 $210.26 ($0.05) 0%
Kaldheim $85.00 $85.06 ($0.06) 0%
Strixhaven: School of Mages $75.12 $79.10 ($3.98) -5%
Treasure Chest $2.33 $2.42 ($0.09) -4%
Zendikar Rising $101.11 $102.84 ($1.73) -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 225.37
Cavern of Souls UBT Mythic 144.53
Mox Jet 1E Rare 117.73
Karakas UBT Mythic 111.68
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth UBT Mythic 107.77
Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer MH2 Mythic 101.24
Liliana of the Veil UBT Mythic 98.73
Ancestral Recall 1E Rare 95.44
Snapcaster Mage UBT Mythic 83.65
Time Walk 1E Rare 81.64
Mox Sapphire 1E Rare 81
Mox Emerald 1E Rare 79.45
Solitude MH2 Mythic 66.29
Demonic Tutor UBT Mythic 66.2
Wrenn and Six MH1 Mythic 61.38
Purple-Crystal Crab PZ2 Common 58.93
Dark Depths UBT Mythic 57.7
Force of Negation MH1 Rare 54.15
Force of Will MED Rare 54.07
Endurance MH2 Mythic 53.89
Mox Pearl 1E Rare 53.78
Edgar Markov PZ2 Mythic 52.08
Mox Ruby 1E Rare 50.71
Force of Vigor MH1 Rare 50.71
Heavenly Qilin PZ2 Common 47.53
Jace, the Mind Sculptor MS4 Mythic 45
Urza's Saga MH2 Rare 44.39
Marisi, Breaker of the Coil C19 Mythic 42.94
Teferi, Time Raveler WAR Rare 39.88
Mishra's Bauble CSP Uncommon 38.93
Liliana, the Last Hope MS4 Mythic 38.83
Scalding Tarn MH2 Rare 38.14
Mishra's Bauble IMA Uncommon 37.97
Allosaurus Shepherd JMP Mythic 37.76
Mishra's Bauble 2XM Uncommon 37.71
Karn Liberated UBT Mythic 37.35
Earthshaking Si PZ2 Common 37.15
Mana Vault UBT Mythic 36.87
Kozilek, Butcher of Truth UBT Mythic 36.76
Wrenn and Seven MID Mythic 36.39
Chandra, Dressed to Kill VOW Mythic 35.91
Den of the Bugbear AFR Rare 35.69
Flusterstorm CMD Rare 34.67
Mox Diamond ST Rare 34.62
Noble Hierarch UBT Mythic 32.54
Misty Rainforest MH2 Rare 32.43
Reanimate UBT Mythic 32.35
Celestial Colonnade UBT Mythic 31.98
Lotus Petal TE Common 31.66
Engineered Explosives UMA Rare 31.51
Lotus Petal MS2 Bonus 31.47
Wasteland EXP Mythic 31.2
Demilich AFR Mythic 30.89
Mox Diamond TPR Mythic 30.61
Engineered Explosives UBT Mythic 30.6
Platinum Emperion UBT Mythic 30.55
Engineered Explosives MMA Rare 30.53
Engineered Explosives 5DN Rare 30.13
Engineered Explosives 2XM Rare 30.05
Engineered Explosives MS2 Bonus 29.9
Timetwister 1E Rare 29.72
Mox Diamond V10 Mythic 29.72
Cultivator Colossus VOW Mythic 29.51
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria MS4 Mythic 28.62
Force of Will 2XM Mythic 28.57
Lotus Petal TPR Uncommon 28.37
Fulminator Mage UBT Mythic 28.11
Jeweled Lotus CMR Mythic 28.08
Cavern of Souls ZNE Mythic 27.75
Hullbreacher CMR Rare 27.73
Force of Will MS3 Mythic 27.32
Force of Will VMA Rare 27.15
Force of Will EMA Mythic 27.14
The Meathook Massacre MID Mythic 27.07
Retrofitter Foundry PZ2 Rare 27.04
Creeping Tar Pit UBT Mythic 27
Scalding Tarn EXP Mythic 26.24
Bitterblossom UBT Mythic 25.31
Aether Gale C14 Rare 25.3
Verdant Catacombs EXP Mythic 25.19
Polluted Delta ONS Rare 25.16
Karn, the Great Creator WAR Rare 25.02
Chalice of the Void A25 Mythic 25
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 $27,295.  Last week it was $27,475.  Just a small loss this week as we head in to 2022. 
 
In Closing

This will be the last issue of State of the Program for 2021.  I get my son on Christmas day, and will be hanging out with him for a much needed break.  Christmas will also be the one year mark since I stopped smoking cigarettes too. 

Anyways, if you're celebrating I hope you have a great joyous holiday season.  If you're not celebrating, I hope you have the best days. 

Thanks for reading you all, Happy New Year!

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