Sphere of Influence: December 6, 2024

Welcome to Sphere of Influence, a pre-FNM look at some potential movers and shakers that are worth picking up before their prices increase.

Modern Horizons 3 certainly rocked the eponymous format, and its aftershock is still being experienced in Commander, where many of the cards have found happy homes. Here are a few worth picking up, plus a sweet colorless reanimation engine from Assassin’s Creed.

Guide of Souls

As if Soul Warden and Soul’s Attendant needed to be any better, Modern Horizons 3 saw the printing of this iteration and it’s superior in just about every way: beefier toughness, synergy with energy decks, and a self-fueled, baked-in payoff. (The Sisters gain life for every creature entering, not just yours, but outside of Commander that fact is less relevant.) It stands tall as a tentpole in Modern Boros Energy decks and has settled at $3 for the moment. 

It’s difficult to tell where its price will head now. The deck is quite strong in Modern, though not entirely unbeatable, so I’d be surprised if a key piece gets banned anytime soon - though if that were to happen, my money’s on Amped Raptor. However, as Modern Horizons 3 fades into the rearview mirror, Guide of Souls’ price is destined to start a steady climb upward. This is an excellent time to grab a few and start slotting them into Commander decks.

Recruiter of the Guard

This gem from Conspiracy: Take the Crown has fluctuated wildly in financial value since its printing, with a high of $35 and a low of $15. Its reprint into Modern Horizons 3 has caused a significant dip in price; the card reached an all-time low of $6, where it has stayed. The card’s value in Modern is yet to be fully realized at a Tier 1 level, but in Commander there are no shortages of spicy targets to grab - and the potential for repeat value through flickering and reanimating is quite high.

Boggart Trawler

Bojuka Bog has always been a super staple in Commander, and this card is much, much better. It’s a land that comes in untapped and a creature that can be reused to exile multiple graveyards (another great flicker and reanimation target) or swing in for a not-insignificant amount of damage. Its $2 price tag is a steal considering this card is a black Commander staple forever now.

Yggdrasil, Rebirth Engine

This card seems nuts and underhyped, considering it’s a repeatable and mostly unconditional recursion source without a color identity. Yggdrasil has already found its way into Modern reanimator shells, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it started showing up in non-black Commander decks and began demanding a higher price. It’s worth grabbing one for $2 while Assassin’s Creed cards are still readily available.

Two Faces Better Than One?

How many MDFC lands do you run in a typical deck? After all the great ones in Modern Horizons 3, I’m finding it hard to argue against including as many as I can. I’d love to know your thoughts!