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Looking to make money with Gatecrash? I am too, and with a lot of borderline cards pushing $10, while other playables languish, I see plenty of opportunity for profit. I'm going to run through some buy, sell, and hold recommendations. Reasoning included as available.
Sell side calls should always be easier in MtG speculation. Maintaining buying discipline will keep you from losing money and no one goes broke taking a profit. Sure, card pricing runs away from you sometimes, but learning from price volatility can set up future gains, helping you choose what investment to keep riding. Without further ado:
The Sells
Duskmantle Seer is coming in at a $14 average online. Currently Ebay offers a 15% discount to that price and while a 4/4 flyer for four mana looks good, letting an opponent draw cards without enough resource denial in Standard doesn't look too good. I have to believe a lot of Seer's price is driven by fond memories of Dark Confidant. Of course Confidant is 2cc and offers true card advantage. While Seer will find a home in Commander decks looking to punish higher curves, is there a format outside of Standard (maybe) that needs this card? For me the answer is no, and I'll be happy to trade off two Seers for a playset of Steam Vents. SELL
I get that Master Biomancer is a mythic, but at 4cc this card doesn't do enough on its own to command $12. If you like this card, I'd recommend Corpsejack Menace. They play nice with each other and Corpsejack sees some tournament play. Oh yeah, it's also $1. No need to get cute though, would you rather own a Biomancer or a Breeding Pool? SELL
Aurelia's Fury has to compete with a lot of cards and while this mythic will undoubtedly earn a spot in Constructed lists, I'd rather park $25 elsewhere. Consider Bonfire of the Damned. It can't tap, but is equally one-sided and likely cheaper to cast. Fury can tap, but so can Thundermaw Hellkite. In Gatecrash, Gruul gives players Clan Defiance and that card can often make more efficent use of the mana players put into it. Aurelia's Fury is an instant and that means I get interested around $10 as long as it's in Standard. That's still $16 or a Breeding Pool and Frontline Medic away. SELL
Boros Reckoner is an interesting card that opens up many lines of play. Its casting cost is deceptively prohibitive and in Boros builds faces stiff competition at 3cc spot from everybody's favorite hasty flier, Skyknight Legionnaire. For ten dollars you can pick up most of the reprinted Shocklands and with Frontline Medic at half the cost also jockeying for a spot at 3cc, the Reckoner is a SELL.
And now I'll stick my neck out a bit. Some cards I'm excited about and some i'd even purchase!
The Buys (or close to it)
Prime Speaker Zegana draws cards. For 6cc you get a body and more ammunition. Compared to Sphinx's Revelation for three she looks very good. She also plays nice with Thragtusk, earning a player a 6/6 and five cards with that Beast on the field. By the way, this is a potential Commander and I suspect it's Commander appeal that has driven Zegana well over $10. At just over $12, I could see the Speaker fetching a price similar to Sphinx's Revelation ($17) but i expect both cards to have a lot of price volatility and until I see Zegana for $10 I'm gonna suggest we HOLD.
Mind Grind is a new mill card that will draw Commander interest thanks to friendly wording. With enough mill support in Gatecrash for Standard and Mindcrank mill combo available to Modern, I like this card's chances of at least doubling from %2.50. Right now Ebay offers chances to snag this card up closer to $2 so some patience is required to build a position at the right price. BUY
Thespian's Stage is a cheap piece of real estate that has Vesuva-like functionality at a cost with some added utility. With near mint copies availible for less than $4 online, I see eight dollars as a reasonable target (see Vesuva). Here, Ebay offers a slight discount with copies of the Stage going for about $3, making it the market of choice for patient speculators. BUY
Final thoughts today include a simple way to ease purchase and trade choices and some cards worthy of an honorable mention. First, when considering a purchase or trade, please consider the deal as it relates to the cash Standard cards of the day. Today that is all the Shocklands and at least Thragtusk. Mileage will vary as different Magic groups demand different cards, but the overall message I want to relate is not to chase value in your speculations. Trade into good as cash or make sure you are reducing risk by controlling costs and quantity while diversifying your investments.
Borborygmos, Enraged is worth a look on the cheap as Enter the Infinite into the Enraged is a win. Keep an eye out for cheap copies of Frontline Medic and Blind Obedience. Both are HOLDS if I was pressed to make a call, but they'll both see play and the later will show up often across formats. Deathpact Angel is too expensive, but it's an Angel. If you can trade into this around $3 someone will relieve you of copies and you can squeeze 5$ out of them.
While I agree with almost all your calls, I disagree with Zegana..she’s ONLY good when you have another creature on the field, I don’t like cards that are only good in certain instances. Her ability is awesome and she’ll make a good commander, but her price currently is due to Standard speculation on her…I say wait a month and pick her up at 4-5 dollars. For the same 6 mana you could get Niv Mizzet (and while you don’t get immediate cards) he’s good WITHOUT requiring another creature on the battlefield…not to mention he can machine gun little guys.
she’s a hold for those reasons. you are prob right that multi niv for my Zenaga is a good trade. thanks for the feedback. i like all your stuff and look forward to it each week.
I’m still surprised that Niv Mizzet isn’t seeing that much play. He is pretty much game over if you untap with him still in play and there’s very little removal currently played.
Agreed. This is why I still grab Niv-Mizzets at the $2 they are now. Lost some on my earlier acquisitions, but can’t lose at the current price, and the spice would be massive if it happens.
talked up some local players, all the better people want more from Zenaga at 6cc. same argument – they want to win at that cost. niv comparison so on point. and 2$? wow.