Top Trades: December 2 - December 9

Sokka, Bold Boomeranger | Illustrated by Toni Infante

Howdy folks, and welcome back to Top Trades, the weekly series where we check in with the most popular cards from the past week here at Cardsphere. So, what have traders been picking up? Let's take a look!

Honorable Mention - Bender's Waterskin

Number of Trades: 9 --- Number of Cards Traded: 15

Returning to Top Trades this week as our honorable mention is Bender's Waterskin, a mana rock that gets better and better the more opponents you have.

For , Bender's Waterskin is an artifact that untaps during each player's untap step and has ": Add one mana of any color." While might be a bit pricier than Commander's better mana rocks (the Talismans, Signets, and, of course, Sol Ring), it's exactly the right mana investment for lower brackets, where three mana is a common investment for acceleration. As for that untap ability, untapping each turn means that Bender's Waterskin will always allow for you to have some backup mana in case you need to tap out on your turn. Need to play your interaction but don't want to leave any resources on the table? Bender's Waterskin has got you covered.

#5 - Fire Nation Palace

Number of Trades: 7 --- Number of Cards Traded: 9

Kicking off our main list for the week is Fire Nation Palace, a land from Avatar: The Last Airbender with a pretty neat trick up its sleeve.

As for the fundamentals, Fire Nation Palace enters tapped unless you control a basic land, has ": Add ," and has ", : Target creature you control gains firebending 4 until end of turn." (Whenever a creature with firebending attacks, add an amount of to your mana pool equal to the firebending number. That mana doesn't empty from your mana pool as steps and phases end until end of combat.)

When played right, Fire Nation Palace's firebending-granting ability can effectively allow for this land to tap for a total of . Thanks to the wide pool of powerful instant-speed spells and effects in Magic, there are plenty of ways to spend that that your attacking creature will have generated. Plus, since Fire Nation Palace can enter untapped, this net two mana gain can be readily available in the midgame and beyond; there's no need to wait an extra turn.

#4 - Sokka, Bold Boomeranger

Number of Trades: 8 --- Number of Cards Traded: 7

Speaking of attacking creatures that you can play for cheap, our next pick is exactly that: Sokka, Bold Boomeranger.

For , Sokka is a 1/1 legendary Human Warrior Ally creature that allows you to discard up to two cards when it enters, then you'll draw that many cards. Additionally, whenever you cast an artifact or Lesson spell, put a +1/+1 counter on Sokka.

Rummaging (discarding and then drawing a card) is a powerful and popular effect, especially when attached to a low mana investment. Sokka's is just within range for the maximum two-card option, and that's only evaluating it as a 1/1 creature. Put Sokka in a deck with any sort of synergy and it's easy for it to grow into a real threat, fast.

#3 - Obsessive Pursuit

Number of Trades: 8 --- Number of Cards Traded: 10

Moving up to our third pick for the week is another two-drop, though this one provides solid card advantage instead of selection: it's Obsessive Pursuit.

For , Obsessive Pursuit is an enchantment with two triggered abilities. First, at the beginning of your upkeep, you'll create a Clue token and lose one life. Second, whenever you attack, put X +1/+1 counters on target attacking, where X is the number of permanents you sacrificed this turn. If X is three or more, that creature gains lifelink until end of turn.

Obsessive Pursuit is exactly the kind of engine-plus-payoff that snowballs into significant value as the game goes on if it's left unchecked. Sure, the investment necessary to sacrifice a Clue is a notable cost, so you probably won't be sacrificing three of them in a single turn, but even sacrificing just a single Clue per turn translates into an extra +1/+1 counter.

#2 - Stormchaser's Talent

Number of Trades: 8 --- Number of Cards Traded: 12

Taking a brief break from Avatar, out penultimate pick for the week is Stormchaser's Talent, a versatile Class enchantment from Bloomburrow which can end games when paired with enough support.

At base value, Stormchaser's Talent costs and creates a 1/1 blue and red Otter creature token with prowess when it enters. You can promote it to level two by investing more mana. Once it hits level three, it gains "Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, create a 1/1 blue and red Otter creature token with prowess."

Like Obsessive Pursuit, Stormchaser's Talent is a card that really shines in long games where it can be invested in. Unlike Obsessive Pursuit, this card has an immediate payoff that is already on-rate for the mana investment. Paying for a 1/1 with prowess is a decent enough on its own, and paying to get back a card is similarly alright. That last level, needless to say, can close out games.

#1 - Boomerang Basics

Number of Trades: 18 --- Number of Cards Traded: 33

Now back to Avatar for our most traded card of the week; put your hands together, folks, for Boomerang Basics!

For , Boomerang Basics is a Lesson sorcery that can return any target nonland permanent to its owner's hand. If you controlled that permanent, you'll draw a card.

So, why is Boomerang Basics so popular? Simply put, this card is just really efficient. The ability to target anything - be it a planeswalker, creature, etc. that your opponent is threatening you with or a card you control and really want to reuse - is an incredibly rewarding amount of flexibility. Most one-mana bounce spells can only hit select types of permanents and/or permanents your opponents control. It really sucks that Boomerang Basics is a sorcery, but the card draw stapled to it does a great job at making up for that.

It might not be the flashiest card, but boy, oh boy, is Boomerang Basics a great lesson in versatility.

Wrap Up

Like the past couple weeks, Avatar: The Last Airbender continues to dominate Top Trades. From fan favorite characters to versatile constructed-playables, the set has a great mix of cards for everyone across formats. Check back in next week for another Top Trades, and thanks for reading!