This week I'll share with you I have been buying and watching these days.

One more time, some good Modern picks, usual and unusual suspects. Whenever a format staple is dipping to its bottom, it is a nearly instant, no-brainer pickup. In 99% of the cases, a rebound will follow, especially with the Modern season to come.

I also have picked a wide variety of cards this week: Standard, Pauper and junk rares.

Finally, two cards that I'm not buying right now but that we should keep an eye on, as they might be potential winners in a near future.

Buying

Windbrisk Heights

This card is now well established in several variants of token decks. Recent changes in the B&R list and the shattering return of Bitterblossom probably drove the price of the white hideaway land a little bit over the top last month. With no appearance at the PT Born of the Gods, its price went back to its six-month low, a little bit below 4 tix.

Windbrisk Heights and token decks always have their share of play online, I'm expecting this card to move back to the 6-8 tix range for a comfortable 50% or more profit this spring.

Shadow of Doubt

This card moved from complete anonymity (0.1 tix) to the 1-2 tix range last year in January. Shadow of Doubt finally made a big jump between May an August to an almost 8-tix ceiling.

I had picked up few copies early this January at 3.9 tix. Shadow of Doubt is currently back to 2 tix, the bottom it has hit twice already since last year. I'm not necessarily expecting the blue-black instant to jump back to 8 tix, but I expect a return to about 4 tix this Modern season. I am reinforcing my position on this card.

Chromanticore

This five-color card was initially seen as a near junk mythic. Near because despite an impressive colored-mana requirement to cast it, the Chromanticore is extremely versatile and possesses a great combination of abilities. This mythic enchantment creature is seeing fringe play in Theros Block Constructed decks. In addition, a deck with four-of even posted a 4-0 in a Standard Daily Event (DE)!

With some casual appeal, in the line of Horde of Notions or Genju of the Realm, Chromanticore is for me underpriced at around 1.5 tix. I like this pick because it doesn't carry a lot of risks, probably a loss of 50% at most, and has great potential, either soon in Theros Block Constructed or later next year. If conditions are favorable, this mythic could easily break 5+ tix.

Ancestral Mask

Because diversification is a good thing, here is a pick that is non-Modern and non-Standard. Ancestral Mask is a Pauper and casual card. Mercadian Masques flashback drafts last December contributed to the fall of this common from 8 tix to 2 tix. Now back to 3-3.5 tix, this card is an excellent opportunity for the mid- to long-term. My goal with this card is in the 5 to 6 tix range.

Serum Powder

Another usual spec here in the name of diversification. This pick is based on its current chart trend and on its potential in a couple of months for Dredge decks in Vintage (it's a four-of). If Serum Powder has currently no application in Modern, and might not have any, this card has a very unique effect among Magic cards.

If a Modern deck happens to exploit the free mulligan artifact, very likely as a four-of, the price will go through the roof.

At an almost one-year low now, this simply sounds like a good pick to me.

Low Price Opportunities

Junk, or close to, cards with some potential could be attractive and easy specs for small bankrolls. They could also be attractive for bigger bankrolls if you consider buying 100 or 200 copies and forget about them until they really breakout. The Modern format is full of these "from zero to hero" success stories and I plan on writing an article fully dedicated to these "junk specs" in a very near future.

For now, here are the cards I think are worth considering.

Spoils of the Vault is pretty much unplayed at this point, occasionally appearing in some combo decks in Legacy. This card is also Modern-legal but doesn't fit in any competitive decks as of now.

I have seen some Modern casual deck list using Spoils of the Vault, and, surprisingly, it peaked at more than 1 tix right before Theros was released. This card is a typical sleeper that I am acquiring just in case. Nothing to lose and a minimum 1000% potential profits if something happens. Good enough for me.

Emeria, the Sky Ruin sees rare play in Modern, mostly in Martyr Proclamation decks. The card oscillates between 0.1 and 0.5 tix. The land from Zendikar is now at its all-time lowest, a great time to buy.

Leonin Arbiter. This cat is seeing more and more play as a member of the Hatebears horde in Modern, Legacy and Vintage. Currently at 0.5 tix and on the rise, I think Leonin Arbiter has a nice future ahead.

Watch List

Two cards I have been following the last couple of weeks which I am considering buying. I'm waiting for more information and/or a good opportunity to take position.

Ashen Rider

This archon from Theros was a little above junk mythic until Born of the Gods brought cards enabling a better graveyard reanimation strategy in Theros block and a little bit in Standard. Having replaced Angel of Despair in Legacy decks, Ashen Rider moved from 0.5 tix to more than 2 tix this past month.

At 2 tix, it is still a good deal, especially if Ashen Rider keeps being played in Theros Block decks after the released of Journey into Nyx.

However, in the past, Block strategies elaborated with only the first two sets were not necessarily valid after the addition of the third set. From this angle, the Rider might be a risky pick. On the other hand, if future Standard sets bring reliable reanimation spells, Ashen Rider is sure to have a place in the graveyard--2 tix is pretty cheap for such a mythic.

Gitaxian Probe

Now pretty low compared to its height, the free draw spell is a useful common for several Modern and Legacy decks. However, Scars block flashback drafts are just around the corner this week. Wherever the price will be this weekend, I'll try to get a bucket full. Gitaxian Probe is a guaranteed 1 tix or more during Modern season and a common staple for the years to come.

Thank you for reading!

Sylvain Lehoux