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By: JXClaytor, Joshua Claytor
Feb 21 2020 1:00pm
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State of the Program for February 21st, 2020
 
In the News

World Champion Crowned: Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa added a World Championship trophy to his already crowded mantle this past weekend.  You can find the tournament coverage here.

Challenger Decks Come Back:  The popular preconstructed decks that serve as an entry point to Standard are coming back this year.  You can check out the lists here

Legacy Challenge Broke:  The Legacy Challenge broke this weekend, with at least a 2 hour wait between rounds.  It eventually finished, but a lot of players for their entry fee refunded.

Redemption Issues:  Speaking of broken things, a lot of people got emails saying their redemption did not process on Wednesday.  As of now, redemptions were processed on Thursday morning.

Jumpstart:  20 card booster packs, each with a theme, be it Phyrexians, Zombies, Cats, Pirates, or a ton of others.  Almost 500 reprints and 37 new cards are coming to the game.  Cards are Legal in Eternal formats.  It's coming to Arena, but just like the new Secret Lairs, no mention of MTGO.  Read the full details here

Ikoria box toppers:  From the twitch video today, Ikoria will have box toppers, much like Ultimate Masters did. 

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 26, 2020
Constructed Leagues End
April 15, 2020
Sealed Leagues End
April 16, 2020
Next B&R Announcement
Unknown
Throne of Eldraine Redemption
Ends March 11, 2020
Theros: Beyond Death Redem
Starts February 12, 2020
Theros: Beyond Death
January 24, 2020
Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths
April 24, 2020
Core Set 2021
Zendikar Rising
Third Quarter 2020
Fourth Quarter 2020
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:

Saturday - Pauper PTQ 
Sunday - Limited PTQ
 
Magic Online Format Challenges
These are high stakes events that happen every weekend. They cost 25 Tix / 250 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:
 
Event Type
Start Time
Saturday 6:00 am PT
Saturday, 8:00 am PT 
Saturday, 10:00 am PT
Sunday 6:00 am PT
Sunday, 8:00 am PT
Sunday, 10:00 am PT

 


Cutting Edge Tech

Standard: Sometimes looking at decks is a real tedious thing to do, especially when the format is solved.  Thankfully, this list that I grabbed from a Hareyura event is off the wall bonkers! 


Legacy: Doomsday and the stacks that you make has always intimdated me, but this version seems a lot easier to figure out, which is great, because I am a dumb.


Modern: This is what I am currently playing in Modern, and let me tell you, it's a lot of fun! Also Simian Spirit Guide shouldn't be a legal card in the format. I defended it forever, but wow, yeah it does nothing fair.


Pauper: I just closed my eyes and picked a Pauper deck. This is not one I would play, and I miss Izzet Blitz.


Pioneer:  Check out Around the Web for a great primer on this deck! 


Vintage
:Oracle combo seems to be all over the place and the card has to be among the most impactful cards out of Theros Beyond Death right?



 
Winner's Circle

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

Challenge Winners

Pioneer - i_dont_know - Sram Auras
Pauper - SacredDevil - Stompy
Legacy - Pische10 - Snowko
Vintage - IamActuallyLvL1 - Painter
Standard - __Noob__ - Temur Reclamation
Modern - TSPJendrek - UW Stoneblade

PTQ Winners

Modern - Violent Outburst - Amulet Titan
Pioneer - SunofNothing - Dimir Inverter
 

Around the Web

MTGOTraders YouTube:  Did you know that MTGOTraders.com has a YouTube page with videos added Monday, Wednesday and Friday?  Well if not, now you do, and you can find it here

Jeff Patterson wrote an excellany primer on Kethis combo, which is why I featured the list this week, you can check it out here
Corbin Hosler wrote a great piece after Worlds.

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: Throne of Eldraine stuff seemed really soft this week, and both The Royal Scions and The Great Henge fell off the list.  Embercleave came back though!  

Standard Cards Price Last Week Change % Change
Brazen Borrower $37.49 $48.39 ($10.90) -23%
Korvold, Fae-Cursed King $8.01 $8.08 ($0.07) -1%
Questing Beast $7.67 $7.96 ($0.29) -4%
Alela, Artful Provocateur $7.87 $8.11 ($0.24) -3%
Chulane, Teller of Tales $6.53 $6.57 ($0.04) -1%
Fabled Passage $8.38 $9.38 ($1.00) -11%
Rankle, Master of Pranks $5.64 $5.96 ($0.32) -5%
Bonecrusher Giant $7.63 $6.54 $1.09 17%
Embercleave $8.65


Arclight Phoenix $5.81 $7.03 ($1.22) -17%
Assassin's Trophy $5.81 $5.63 $0.18 3%
Chandra, Awakened Inferno $16.74 $19.04 ($2.30) -12%
Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord $10.41 $13.32 ($2.91) -22%
Leyline of the Void $9.06 $9.88 ($0.82) -8%
Vivien, Arkbow Ranger $8.53 $9.62 ($1.09) -11%
Ajani, Strength of the Pride $6.69 $7.24 ($0.55) -8%
Cavalier of Thorns $12.65 $17.89 ($5.24) -29%
Knight of the Ebon Legion $4.20 $5.85 ($1.65) -28%
Lotus Field $9.50 $7.98 $1.52 19%
Hydroid Krasis $5.48 $6.90 ($1.42) -21%
Deputy of Detention $9.67 $6.90 $2.77 40%
Kaya, Orzhov Usurper $6.78 $7.58 ($0.80) -11%
Spawn of Mayhem $4.34 $5.45 ($1.11) -20%
Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath $48.29 $53.20 ($4.91) -9%
Heliod, Sun-Crowned $10.98 $16.43 ($5.45) -33%
Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger $14.29 $9.01 $5.28 59%
Ox of Agonas $5.17 $6.19 ($1.02) -16%
Teferi, Time Raveler $54.00 $54.45 ($0.45) -1%
Finale of Devastation $11.35 $11.45 ($0.10) -1%
Karn, the Great Creator $8.19 $9.13 ($0.94) -10%
Dreadhorde Arcanist $13.15 $13.53 ($0.38) -3%
Blast Zone $10.79 $11.27 ($0.48) -4%
Illharg, the Raze-Boar $4.54 $5.00 ($0.46) -9%
Gideon Blackblade $7.57 $7.51 $0.06 1%
Niv-Mizzet Reborn $21.59 $22.67 ($1.08) -5%
Jace, Wielder of Mysteries $9.99 $11.11 ($1.12) -10%
Modern StaplesAuriok Champion made a fool of me, and I should have taken it off last week, however, it is gone now, and can no longer hurt me.  Noble Hierarch has fallen off the list.  Trinisphere is back on the list.  I wonder how long Magus of the Moon will be on here.  Summoner's Pact?  Also gone!  Primeval Titan long thought to be a winner in the new Modern has fallen off the list despite seeing a ton of run.  Two cards from Modern Horizons are on the list with Waterlogged Grove jumping back on and Archmage's Charm hanging out as well.  Emrakul, the Aeons Torn is back, ready to annihilate boards.  

Modern Cards Price Last Week Change % Change
Engineered Explosives $7.91 $8.15 ($0.24) -3%
Cavern of Souls $10.92 $9.57 $1.35 14%
Mishra's Bauble $23.48 $20.94 $2.54 12%
Aether Vial $8.15 $8.42 ($0.27) -3%
Trinisphere $5.43


Once Upon a Time $13.74 $9.03 $4.71 52%
Horizon Canopy $10.65 $8.32 $2.33 28%
Tarmogoyf $7.00 $5.86 $1.14 19%
Magus of the Moon $5.19


Liliana of the Veil $15.14 $14.35 $0.79 6%
Polluted Delta $5.31 $4.85 $0.46 9%
Wooded Foothills $3.18 $4.03 ($0.85) -21%
Flooded Strand $4.00 $3.63 $0.37 10%
Bloodstained Mire $4.44 $3.61 $0.83 23%
Windswept Heath $3.09 $2.38 $0.71 30%
Thoughtseize $16.66 $16.57 $0.09 1%
Field of the Dead $5.94 $6.31 ($0.37) -6%
Force of Negation $68.67 $65.59 $3.08 5%
Wrenn and Six $81.06 $76.48 $4.58 6%
Prismatic Vista $15.45 $14.46 $0.99 7%
Sunbaked Canyon $12.59 $13.38 ($0.79) -6%
Seasoned Pyromancer $21.50 $19.82 $1.68 8%
Fiery Islet $11.38 $10.30 $1.08 10%
Urza, Lord High Artificer $20.86 $18.30 $2.56 14%
Hexdrinker $6.05 $5.95 $0.10 2%
Plague Engineer $19.09 $17.49 $1.60 9%
Force of Vigor $20.71 $16.47 $4.24 26%
Collector Ouphe $9.29 $9.09 $0.20 2%
Nurturing Peatland $8.38 $6.15 $2.23 36%
Ice-Fang Coatl $19.03 $17.51 $1.52 9%
Giver of Runes $7.53 $7.09 $0.44 6%
Ranger-Captain of Eos $8.98 $8.43 $0.55 7%
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician $7.21 $5.02 $2.19 44%
Echo of Eons $4.38 $5.44 ($1.06) -19%
Waterlogged Grove $5.19


Archmage's Charm $5.52


Chalice of the Void $9.97 $8.78 $1.19 14%
Karn Liberated $7.55 $7.31 $0.24 3%
Surgical Extraction $11.55 $11.39 $0.16 1%
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn $5.72


Ensnaring Bridge $7.61 $7.92 ($0.31) -4%
Gemstone Mine $12.68 $16.12 ($3.44) -21%
Jace, the Mind Sculptor $13.72 $13.41 $0.31 2%
Amulet of Vigor $5.14 $5.82 ($0.68) -12%
Scalding Tarn $12.86 $12.15 $0.71 6%
Verdant Catacombs $8.39 $8.89 ($0.50) -6%
Misty Rainforest $12.77 $11.47 $1.30 11%
Arid Mesa $3.06 $3.33 ($0.27) -8%
Marsh Flats $2.20 $2.03 $0.17 8%
Eternal StaplesDazes not here man.

Eternal Format Cards Price Last Week Change % Change
Dark Depths $5.28 $5.40 ($0.12) -2%
Oko, Thief of Crowns $16.30 $15.64 $0.66 4%
City of Traitors $13.51 $13.88 ($0.37) -3%
Monastery Mentor $11.60 $11.84 ($0.24) -2%
Force of Will $33.22 $30.66 $2.56 8%
Land Tax $6.34 $6.02 $0.32 5%
Unmask $8.60 $7.31 $1.29 18%
Misdirection $8.39 $8.08 $0.31 4%
Entomb $4.95 $5.31 ($0.36) -7%
True-Name Nemesis $5.34 $5.60 ($0.26) -5%
Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow $23.96 $25.68 ($1.72) -7%
Mox Diamond $12.68 $13.08 ($0.40) -3%
Altar of Dementia $6.53 $6.53 $0.00 0%
Grindstone $11.34 $12.69 ($1.35) -11%
Wasteland $17.12 $19.29 ($2.17) -11%
Ancient Tomb $10.07 $9.72 $0.35 4%
Lotus Petal $14.28 $12.29 $1.99 16%
Earthcraft $6.69 $6.24 $0.45 7%
Academy Rector $6.27 $5.68 $0.59 10%
Grim Monolith $7.31 $7.37 ($0.06) -1%
Exploration $17.77 $17.37 $0.40 2%
Gaea's Cradle $11.91 $11.94 ($0.03) 0%
Sneak Attack $5.23 $5.64 ($0.41) -7%
Carpet of Flowers $7.13 $7.80 ($0.67) -9%
Gilded Drake $5.64 $5.43 $0.21 4%
Time Spiral $6.09 $6.44 ($0.35) -5%
Black Lotus $5.46 $5.07 $0.39 8%
Volcanic Island $7.42 $7.01 $0.41 6%
Underground Sea $7.55 $7.43 $0.12 2%
Sol Ring $10.77 $10.43 $0.34 3%
Null Rod $7.55 $7.41 $0.14 2%
Pioneer StaplesGideon of the Trials is back on the list.  I imagine it's not the worst thing against Inverter decks or the Breach decks of the format.  (Ulamog, the Ceasless Hunger) fell off the list as big mana Eldrazi threats continue to drop in popularity in the format.  Courser of Kruphix is also gone.  Spirebluff Canal is off.  Inverter of Truth had a pretty short stay. 
Pioneer Cards Price Last Time Change % Change
Walking Ballista $9.81 $9.44 $0.37 4%
Soul-Scar Mage $7.25 $10.05 ($2.80) -28%
Liliana's Influence $8.94 $8.94 $0.00 0%
Gideon of the Trials $5.75


Gideon, Ally of Zendikar $6.53 $7.52 ($0.99) -13%
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria $4.69 $5.75 ($1.06) -18%
Kolaghan's Command $4.99 $4.85 $0.14 3%
Collected Company $12.71 $11.80 $0.91 8%
Liliana, the Last Hope $13.61 $14.33 ($0.72) -5%
Collective Brutality $7.41 $5.99 $1.42 24%
Emrakul, the Promised End $10.43 $10.03 $0.40 4%
Selfless Spirit $4.76 $6.38 ($1.62) -25%
Spell Queller $5.18 $4.48 $0.70 16%
Breeding Pool $7.23 $7.13 $0.10 1%
Stomping Ground $2.23 $2.94 ($0.71) -24%
Godless Shrine $2.46 $2.72 ($0.26) -10%
Sacred Foundry $0.34 $0.42 ($0.08) -19%
Watery Grave $1.31 $1.72 ($0.41) -24%
Mana Confluence $12.14 $11.84 $0.30 3%
Eidolon of the Great Revel $7.90 $9.04 ($1.14) -13%
Chandra, Torch of Defiance $5.65 $8.02 ($2.37) -30%
Botanical Sanctum $7.24 $9.51 ($2.27) -24%
Scavenging Ooze $6.28 $7.02 ($0.74) -11%
Mutavault $13.95 $17.11 ($3.16) -18%
Goblin Rabblemaster $9.94 $11.87 ($1.93) -16%
Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet $14.03 $13.92 $0.11 1%
Thought-Knot Seer $6.05 $7.00 ($0.95) -14%
Jace, Vryn's Prodigy $12.99 $12.51 $0.48 4%
Rest in Peace $11.62 $7.78 $3.84 49%
Supreme Verdict $4.66 $6.16 ($1.50) -24%
Hallowed Fountain $2.01 $2.64 ($0.63) -24%
Steam Vents $1.50 $2.10 ($0.60) -29%
Blood Crypt $0.95 $1.22 ($0.27) -22%
Overgrown Tomb $0.70 $0.84 ($0.14) -17%
Temple Garden $1.29 $1.52 ($0.23) -15%
 
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
Core Set 2020 $192.72 $205.54 ($12.82) -6%
Guilds of Ravnica $49.37 $52.82 ($3.45) -7%
Modern Horizons $386.61 $359.08 $27.53 8%
Ravnica Allegiances $70.05 $72.17 ($2.12) -3%
Theros Beyond Death $126.94 $138.19 ($11.25) -8%
Theros Beyond Death Booster $3.30 $3.40 ($0.10) -3%
Throne of Eldraine $175.04 $183.54 ($8.50) -5%
Treasure Chest $2.16 $2.16 $0.00 0%
War of the Spark $183.08 $189.57 ($6.49) -3%

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 186.46
Mox Emerald 1E Rare 83.79
Wrenn and Six MH1 Mythic 81.06
Mox Sapphire 1E Rare 77.94
Karn Liberated UBT Mythic 76.55
Force of Negation MH1 Rare 68.67
Mox Jet 1E Rare 66.44
Ancestral Recall 1E Rare 65.68
Snapcaster Mage UBT Mythic 57.6
Teferi, Time Raveler WAR Rare 54
Liliana of the Veil UBT Mythic 52.45
Mox Pearl 1E Rare 51.85
Dark Depths V16 Mythic 48.41
Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath THB Mythic 48.29
Unmask V16 Mythic 46.45
Time Walk 1E Rare 45.95
Noble Hierarch UBT Mythic 43.83
Mox Ruby 1E Rare 43.63
Dark Depths UBT Mythic 42.08
Lord Windgrace PZ2 Mythic 41.87
Jace, the Mind Sculptor MS4 Mythic 41.58
Brazen Borrower ELD Mythic 37.49
Liliana, the Last Hope MS4 Mythic 34.68
Cavern of Souls UBT Mythic 34.27
Force of Will MED Rare 33.22
Mana Confluence EXP Mythic 32.66
Timetwister 1E Rare 32.04
Celestial Colonnade UBT Mythic 29.37
Tuvasa the Sunlit PZ2 Mythic 27.77
Karakas UBT Mythic 26.99
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria MS4 Mythic 25.7
Tarmogoyf UBT Mythic 25.24
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 $20,320.  The last time we had a big number it was $20,795.  It is a small loss, one that could placed, I am sure, a bit on the tanking of Mox Opal, but a $475 loss regardless. 
 
In Closing

The big number was given to me by Pete on Tuesday, and the prices were done on Thursday.  The rest of the article was worked on daily, while also being depressed.  I won this week. 

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