Historic Ban: Wednesday afternoon, Wizards of the Coast released an article going over the newest addition to the Banned list in Historic, Thassa's Oracle.  When combined with Tainted Pact from the Mystic Archive, Oracle created a consistant two card combo in the format.  Instead of banning the new card, they went ahead and banned the problem card in the format.  You can read their reasoning here. 

Strixhaven Redemption: This began on May 12th, with a guarantee until August 4, 2021.  After that date, it's until supplies last.  Get your set requests in now! 

Modern Horizons 2 Previews: Weekly MTG kicked off the preview season for Modern Horizons 2 Thursday with twelve new cards being looked at from the set.  We are getting Cabal Coffers in Modern thanks to the new set, and we're getting old border versions of Giver of Runes and Force of Negation as well.  You can see those cards here. 

Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Previews:  The Dungeons and Dragons team on Thursday also previewed some Magic cards.  Lolth, Drizzt Do'Urden and Bruenor Battlehammer were previewed today. You can see them here.
 

Standard: This was something I picked up for fun, it's not bad, it has a pretty nice sideboard for most of the decks in the Standard format. 

Mutate

 

4 Auspicious Starrix 2 Dreamtail Heron 2 Gemrazer 4 Migratory Greathorn 4 Pollywog Symbiote 4 Pouncing Shoreshark 4 Sea-Dasher Octopus 2 Vivien, Monsters' Advocate 4 Migration Path 1 Castle Garenbrig 1 Castle Vantress 7 Forest 7 Island

4 Temple of Mystery 1 Bala Ged Recovery 4 Barkchannel Pathway 1 Koma, Cosmos Serpent 4 Tangled Florahedron

Sideboard: 4 Elder Gargaroth 2 Mystical Dispute 2 Negate 3 Sublime Epiphany 2 Soul-Guide Lantern 2 Test of Talents

Historic:  Ever since I started to grab Standard and Historic decks from the Arena deck dumps, I have noticed just how off the wall some of these deck ideas can be that end up going off for 6 wins in a row in the best of three ladder.  This deck doesn't even have a sideboard, but based off of what I know about Tergrid, God of Fright from Commander, this deck might have some game in it. 

Tergrid Discard

 

3 Burglar Rat 3 Order of Midnight 3 Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage 3 Liliana, Dreadhorde General 2 Liliana, Waker of the Dead 4 Ritual of Soot 4 Sign in Blood 4 Castle Locthwain

20 Swamp 3 Acquisitions Expert 2 Demon's Disciple 3 Elderfang Disciple 2 Inscription of Ruin 4 Tergrid, God of Fright

Legacy:  With Modern Horizons 2 previews starting, I decided to show off what Modern Horizons could do to the a format.  Remember when Hogaak, Arisn Necropolis was legal in Modern? 

Hogaak

 

4 Basking Rootwalla 4 Gravecrawler 4 Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis 3 Hollow One 4 Lotleth Troll 4 Putrid Imp 4 Stitcher's Supplier 3 Sylvan Safekeeper 4 Vengevine 4 Once Upon a Time 4 Lotus Petal 3 Bayou 4 Cavern of Souls 1 Dryad Arbor

1 Forest 4 Misty Rainforest 1 Swamp 4 Verdant Catacombs

Sideboard: 3 Collector Ouphe 1 Scavenging Ooze 3 Fatal Push 2 Return to Nature 2 Snuff Out 3 Surgical Extraction 1 Thorn of Amethyst

Modern: Of course it would have made sense to show off a deck with Modern Horizons cards in the actual Modern format, and this one with (Seasoned Pyromancer:M:H1) does just that.  I bet the Pyromancer is one of the reprints from Modern Horizons that shows up in the new set with the retro border. 

Gruul Lukka

 

4 Arbor Elf 3 Birds of Paradise 4 Bonecrusher Giant 1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn 2 Klothys, God of Destiny 4 Magus of the Moon 4 Seasoned Pyromancer 2 Wood Elves 4 Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast 4 Lightning Bolt 4 Pillage 4 Utopia Sprawl 4 Forest 3 Misty Rainforest

1 Mountain 4 Stomping Ground 4 Windswept Heath 4 Wooded Foothills

Sideboard: 1 Obosh, the Preypiercer 2 Reclamation Sage 2 Burst Lightning 2 Chandra's Defeat 1 Magma Spray 2 Veil of Summer 3 Pithing Needle 2 Relic of Progenitus

Pauper:  Pauper remains a drag to get lists for.  This deck was played in an event on MTGMelee.com.  It went 4-2 so I imagine that it has some game to it.

Abzan

 

3 Avacyn's Pilgrim 2 Cliffside Lookout 3 Elves of Deep Shadow 3 Elvish Mystic 4 Essence Warden 2 Fleshbag Marauder 4 Soul Warden 4 Soul's Attendant 3 Cast Down 2 Lead the Stampede 4 Winding Way 2 Ash Barrens 2 Blossoming Sands 4 Forest 2 Golgari Rot Farm

2 Jungle Hollow 3 Plains 3 Swamp 4 Blood Researcher 4 Marauding Blight-Priest

Sideboard: 1 Scattershot Archer 3 Standard Bearer 2 Moment's Peace 2 Reaping the Graves 1 Suffocating Fumes 2 Chainer's Edict 2 Gleeful Sabotage 2 Relic of Progenitus

Pioneer:  I can't wait for a few more years when we start to get Pioneer Horizons! 

Selesnya Company

 

4 Elvish Mystic 4 Llanowar Elves 4 Lovestruck Beast 1 Scavenging Ooze 2 Thalia, Heretic Cathar 3 Voice of Resurgence 3 Nissa, Voice of Zendikar 4 Collected Company 4 Forest 2 Hashep Oasis 4 Plains 2 Sunpetal Grove 4 Temple Garden 4 Archon of Emeria 4 Branchloft Pathway

4 Elite Spellbinder 1 Emeria's Call 2 Reidane, God of the Worthy 4 Skyclave Apparition

Sideboard: 1 Bygone Bishop 2 Courser of Kruphix 1 Garruk's Harbinger 2 Giant Killer 1 Scavenging Ooze 3 Dromoka's Command 1 Settle the Wreckage 2 Declaration in Stone 2 Rest in Peace

 

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

Challenge Winners

Saturday Legacy - Azerate218 - Ad Nauseam Tendrils
Saturday Modern - cntrlfreak - Jund Death's Shadow
Saturday Pauper - Kirblinxy - Mardu Monarch
Saturday Pioneer - Lack of Players
Saturday Standard -  mahzinha_linda - Cycling
Saturday Vintage -  Burt_Reynoldz

Sunday Legacy - trunks132 - Bant Snow
Sunday Modern - Mogged - Gruul Lukka 
Sunday Pauper - Milkk - Izzet Tempo
Sunday Pioneer - Lack of Players
Sunday Standard - Omegauo - Sultai Ultimatum
Sunday Vintage - Darkmattergun

Other Event Winners

Strixhaven Block Sealed - Busyhands
Modern Champ Qualifier - Phill_Hellmuth - Izzet Prowess
Modern Super Qualifier - Juaspas and apriolo

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: Galazeth Prismari is off the list.  Vanishing Verse has joined it.  Rowan, Scholar of Sparks is off. 

Standard Cards	Price	Last Week	Change	% Change
Brazen Borrower	$23.40	$23.30	$0.10	0%
Bonecrusher Giant	$9.66	$10.30	($0.64)	-6%
Korvold, Fae-Cursed King	$16.43	$17.50	($1.07)	-6%
Shark Typhoon	$6.90	$8.55	($1.65)	-19%
Lurrus of the Dream Den	$13.70	$13.60	$0.10	1%
Valki, God of Lies	$70.74	$65.40	$5.34	8%
Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider	$12.32	$12.20	$0.12	1%
Goldspan Dragon	$15.72	$16.20	($0.48)	-3%
Alrund's Epiphany	$7.11	$6.79	$0.32	5%
Esika, God of the Tree	$5.82	$5.84	($0.02)	0%
Koma, Cosmos Serpent	$6.88	$6.77	$0.11	2%
Halvar, God of Battle	$5.08	$5.14	($0.06)	-1%
Elder Gargaroth	$14.49	$14.40	$0.09	1%
Stormwing Entity	$14.26	$7.59	$6.67	88%
Prismari Command	$11.32	$7.99	$3.33	42%
Magma Opus	$7.14	$8.24	($1.10)	-13%
Elite Spellbinder	$5.32	$8.37	($3.05)	-36%
Professor Onyx	$8.82	$8.46	$0.36	4%
Sedgemoor Witch	$8.74	$8.16	$0.58	7%
Velomachus Lorehold	$5.54	$5.35	$0.19	4%
Kasmina, Enigma Sage	$4.78	$6.31	($1.53)	-24%
Beledros Witherbloom	$6.41	$5.80	$0.61	11%
Extus, Oriq Overlord	$7.86	$5.94	$1.92	32%
Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger	9.93	$11.00	($1.07)	-10%
Klothys, God of Destiny	13.69	$14.40	($0.71)	-5%
Ox of Agonas	4.43	$5.16	($0.73)	-14%
Scourge of the Skyclaves	$34.93	$36.50	($1.57)	-4%
Turntimber Symbiosis	$9.81	$11.00	($1.19)	-11%
Agadeem's Awakening	$6.04	$6.44	($0.40)	-6%
Skyclave Apparition	$26.71	$26.20	$0.51	2%
Shatterskull Smashing	$4.28	$5.05	($0.77)	-15%

Modern Staples:  Noble Hierarch is off of the list right now.  Ranger-Captain of Eos is also off the list. 

Modern Cards	Price	Last Week	Change	% Change
Auriok Champion	$16.30	$18.20	($1.90)	-10%
Steelshaper's Gift	$8.45	$8.28	$0.17	2%
Engineered Explosives	$6.59	$7.42	($0.83)	-11%
Night's Whisper	$6.04	$5.54	$0.50	9%
Cavern of Souls	$18.42	$17.10	$1.32	8%
Mishra's Bauble	$16.58	$17.00	($0.42)	-2%
Aether Vial	$14.65	$13.80	$0.85	6%
Horizon Canopy	$8.94	$9.35	($0.41)	-4%
Tarmogoyf	$7.28	$6.36	$0.92	14%
Liliana of the Veil	$13.23	$18.30	($5.07)	-28%
Snapcaster Mage	$6.58	$6.26	$0.32	5%
Polluted Delta	$12.19	$9.54	$2.65	28%
Wooded Foothills	$14.35	$8.68	$5.67	65%
Flooded Strand	$8.27	$6.55	$1.72	26%
Bloodstained Mire	$11.80	$8.26	$3.54	43%
Windswept Heath	$8.52	$6.93	$1.59	23%
Thoughtseize	$9.29	$9.76	($0.47)	-5%
Cryptic Command	$5.25	$5.20	$0.05	1%
Elvish Reclaimer	$14.89	$10.80	$4.09	38%
Force of Negation	$72.00	$73.70	($1.70)	-2%
Wrenn and Six	$60.72	$63.00	($2.28)	-4%
Prismatic Vista	$12.86	$10.90	$1.96	18%
Sunbaked Canyon	$14.09	$15.80	($1.71)	-11%
Seasoned Pyromancer	$32.20	$35.30	($3.10)	-9%
Fiery Islet	$18.60	$13.30	$5.30	40%
Urza, Lord High Artificer	$5.99	$6.63	($0.64)	-10%
Plague Engineer	$11.80	$7.67	$4.13	54%
Force of Vigor	$15.09	$17.90	($2.81)	-16%
Giver of Runes	$7.32	$5.97	$1.35	23%
Flusterstorm	$12.08	$11.80	$0.28	2%
Archmage's Charm	$26.88	$31.10	($4.22)	-14%
Hexdrinker	$29.50	$20.30	$9.20	45%
Ice-Fang Coatl	$7.68	$7.14	$0.54	8%
Silent Clearing	$5.55	$4.04	$1.51	37%
Kaya's Guile	$14.04	$15.60	($1.56)	-10%
Chalice of the Void	$6.66	$9.33	($2.67)	-29%
Surgical Extraction	$15.65	$16.70	($1.05)	-6%
Karn Liberated	$5.65	$6.30	($0.65)	-10%
Emrakul,the Aeons Torn	$12.66	$10.30	$2.36	23%
Wurmcoil Engine	$4.98	$5.79	($0.81)	-14%
Ensnaring Bridge	$9.09	$9.47	($0.38)	-4%
Teferi, Time Raveler	$32.43	$35.00	($2.57)	-7%
Gemstone Mine	$10.48	$8.95	$1.53	17%
Jace, the Mind Sculptor	$8.26	$8.60	($0.34)	-4%
Scalding Tarn	$16.26	$13.60	$2.66	20%
Verdant Catacombs	$14.51	$17.50	($2.99)	-17%
Misty Rainforest	$14.83	$13.90	$0.93	7%
Arid Mesa	$7.80	$6.95	$0.85	12%
Marsh Flats	$4.67	$4.07	$0.60	15%

Eternal Staples:  Earthcraft is finally off the list. Mox Jet fell off the list as well. 

Eternal Format Cards	Price	Last Week	Change	% Change
Hullbreacher	$65.39	$60.20	$5.19	9%
Opposition Agent	$28.76	$24.90	$3.86	16%
Jeweled Lotus	$17.75	$16.90	$0.85	5%
Dark Depths	$5.37	$6.80	($1.43)	-21%
City of Traitors	$40.88	$42.30	($1.42)	-3%
Sphere of Resistance	$6.83	$7.32	($0.49)	-7%
Monastery Mentor	$6.12	$5.72	$0.40	7%
Allosaurus Shepherd	$29.18	$37.60	($8.42)	-22%
Muxus, Goblin Grandee	$7.44	$7.22	$0.22	3%
Force of Will	$68.89	$83.40	($14.51)	-17%
Karakas	$13.71	$13.50	$0.21	2%
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale	$45.86	$49.30	($3.44)	-7%
Demonic Tutor	$17.70	$17.70	$0.00	0%
Food Chain	$9.72	$10.71	($0.99)	-9%
Unmask	$11.09	$10.13	$0.96	9%
Misdirection	$12.70	$12.10	$0.60	5%
Rishadan Port	$15.48	$17.71	($2.23)	-13%
Snuff Out	$13.60	$13.17	$0.43	3%
Submerge	$34.22	$32.70	$1.52	5%
Daze	$15.03	$15.70	($0.67)	-4%
Entomb	$7.99	$8.45	($0.46)	-5%
Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow	$45.96	$64.10	($18.14)	-28%
Mox Diamond	$41.92	$42.20	($0.28)	-1%
Wasteland	$50.29	$57.80	($7.51)	-13%
Ancient Tomb	$22.20	$20.60	$1.60	8%
Lotus Petal	$24.42	$30.10	($5.68)	-19%
Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath	$6.68	$6.01	$0.67	11%
Grim Monolith	$19.99	$20.30	($0.31)	-2%
Exploration	$14.30	$13.90	$0.40	3%
Gaea's Cradle	$26.56	$25.10	$1.46	6%
Carpet of Flowers	$43.10	$40.20	$2.90	7%
Gilded Drake	$11.61	$12.30	($0.69)	-6%
Black Lotus	$13.33	$14.40	($1.07)	-7%
Tropical Island	$11.48	$10.60	$0.88	8%
Volcanic Island	$12.56	$17.00	($4.44)	-26%
Underground Sea	$17.41	$19.90	($2.49)	-13%
Null Rod	$11.18	$11.40	($0.22)	-2%
Doomsday	$23.90	$26.40	($2.50)	-9%
Paradigm Shift	$11.44	$11.60	($0.16)	-1%
Mindbreak Trap	$11.75	$11.00	$0.75	7%

Pioneer Staples: So many cards came off the list this week. Let's say bye to Liliana, the Last Hope, Collective Brutality, Arclight Phoenix, and Thought-Knot Seer. 

Pioneer Cards	Price	Last Time	Change	% Change
Soul-Scar Mage	$7.26	$8.46	($1.20)	-14%
Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger	$6.23	$7.80	($1.57)	-20%
Collected Company	$6.22	$6.37	($0.15)	-2%
Kolaghan's Command	$6.49	$4.53	$1.96	43%
Eidolon of the Great Revel	$6.72	$7.89	($1.17)	-15%
Mana Confluence	$2.94	$5.01	($2.07)	-41%
Spirebluff Canal	$7.18	$8.33	($1.15)	-14%
Golos, Tireless Pilgrim	$4.62	$5.40	($0.78)	-14%
Lotus Field	$5.35	$5.98	($0.63)	-11%
Chandra, Awakened Inferno	$7.27	$7.28	($0.01)	0%
Kozilek's Return	$15.29	$7.49	$7.80	104%
Kaya, Orzhov Usurper	$7.65	$7.15	$0.50	7%
Karn, the Great Creator	$42.67	$47.70	($5.03)	-11%
Blast Zone	$7.88	$12.00	($4.12)	-34%
Finale of Devastation	$6.07	$5.92	$0.15	3%
Dreadhorde Arcanist	$5.22	$4.58	$0.64	14%
Omnath, Locus of Creation	$16.36	$17.70	($1.34)	-8%

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 2021	$65.44	$57.73	$7.71	13%
Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths	$45.70	$48.87	($3.17)	-6%
Kaldheim	$195.38	$191.60	$3.78	2%
Strixhaven: School of Mages	$131.83	$129.01	$2.82	2%
Strixhaven: School of Mages Booster	$3.21	$3.26	($0.05)	-2%
Theros Beyond Death	$93.44	$95.11	($1.67)	-2%
Throne of Eldraine	$133.95	$139.95	($6.00)	-4%
Treasure Chest	$2.41	$2.43	($0.02)	-1%
Zendikar Rising	$128.68	$134.21	($5.53)	-4%

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	173.39
Snapcaster Mage	UBT	Mythic	104.21
Cavern of Souls	UBT	Mythic	94.04
Liliana of the Veil	UBT	Mythic	91.59
Karakas	UBT	Mythic	90.53
Mox Jet	1E	Rare	78.95
Ancestral Recall	1E	Rare	73.21
Force of Negation	MH1	Rare	72
Ethereal Forager	C20	Rare	71.77
Valki, God of Lies	KHM	Mythic	70.74
Mox Emerald	1E	Rare	69.68
Time Walk	1E	Rare	69.43
Force of Will	MED	Rare	68.89
Mox Sapphire	1E	Rare	65.68
Hullbreacher	CMR	Rare	65.39
Wasteland	ZNE	Mythic	62.76
Wasteland	TPR	Rare	60.84
Wrenn and Six	MH1	Mythic	60.72
Wasteland	EXP	Mythic	59.61
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth	UBT	Mythic	55.14
Dark Depths	UBT	Mythic	54.09
Force of Will	2XM	Mythic	53.36
Mox Ruby	1E	Rare	50.51
Wasteland	TE	Uncommon	50.29
Jace, the Mind Sculptor	MS4	Mythic	48.19
Wasteland	EMA	Rare	47.31
Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow	PZ2	Rare	45.96
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale	ME3	Rare	45.86
Underground Sea	ME4	Rare	44.25
Mox Pearl	1E	Rare	44.21
Mox Diamond	TPR	Mythic	43.9
Demonic Tutor	UBT	Mythic	43.8
Carpet of Flowers	UZ	Uncommon	43.1
Verdant Catacombs	ZNE	Mythic	42.88
Karn, the Great Creator	WAR	Rare	42.67
Purple-Crystal Crab	PZ2	Common	42.6
Mox Diamond	ST	Rare	41.92
Force of Will	VMA	Rare	41.78
City of Traitors	EX	Rare	40.88
Mox Diamond	V10	Mythic	40.66
Force of Will	EMA	Mythic	40.43
Force of Will	MS3	Mythic	40.25
Noble Hierarch	UBT	Mythic	40.25
Karn Liberated	UBT	Mythic	38.3
Timetwister	1E	Rare	35.7
Scourge of the Skyclaves	ZNR	Mythic	34.93
Verdant Catacombs	EXP	Mythic	34.77
Liliana, the Last Hope	MS4	Mythic	34.39
Heavenly Qilin	PZ2	Common	34.32
Submerge	NE	Uncommon	34.22
Platinum Emperion	UBT	Mythic	34
Underground Sea	ME2	Rare	33.76
Ancient Tomb	ZNE	Mythic	33.55
Celestial Colonnade	UBT	Mythic	32.93
Teferi, Time Raveler	WAR	Rare	32.43
Cavern of Souls	ZNE	Mythic	32.36
Seasoned Pyromancer	MH1	Mythic	32.2
Jeska's Will	CMR	Rare	31.21
City of Traitors	TPR	Rare	30.72
Misty Rainforest	ZNE	Mythic	30
Hexdrinker	MH1	Mythic	29.5
Scalding Tarn	ZNE	Mythic	29.46
Allosaurus Shepherd	JMP	Mythic	29.18
Opposition Agent	CMR	Rare	28.76
Scalding Tarn	EXP	Mythic	28.56
Cavern of Souls	UMA	Mythic	28.17
Wooded Foothills	ZNE	Mythic	27.4
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria	MS4	Mythic	27.2
Earthshaking Si	PZ2	Common	27.02
Polluted Delta	ZNE	Mythic	27.02
Lotus Petal	TPR	Uncommon	26.91
Archmage's Charm	MH1	Rare	26.88
Skyclave Apparition	ZNR	Rare	26.71
Gaea's Cradle	UZ	Rare	26.56
Creeping Tar Pit	UBT	Mythic	26.41
Fulminator Mage	UBT	Mythic	26.34
Lotus Petal	MS2	Bonus	25.86
Misty Rainforest	EXP	Mythic	25.65
Bitterblossom	UBT	Mythic	25.57
Cavern of Souls	MM3	Mythic	25.52
Life from the Loam	UBT	Mythic	25.17
Ancient Tomb	EXP	Mythic	25.05

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 $27,688.  The last time we reported the big number it was on May 7th and it was $28,310.  We have had a small loss since then. 
 

In Closing

A whole bunch of Commander was what I have been playing, and I am getting ready for the last team challenge qualifier for the local pokemon store.  My son is wrapping up his last days in middle school and will be moving on to high school soon enough.  Fourteen years have just flown by. 

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