Sphere of Influence: July 10th, 2026

Colossus Hammer | Art by Dmitry Burmak

Over the past several weeks, we've been keeping an eye on cards that could start rising in price thanks to the Marvel Super Heroes set; however, we're changing our focus for this week. The Hobbit is coming to Magic next month, which means it's important to get ahead of the hype train now.

With that in mind, join me, Tyler 'Savesya' Bucks, as I highlight a few cards that could be rising in price and playability thanks to the handful of spoilers we've seen so far of our return to Middle-earth.

Slumbering Trudge - $0.50

When I first saw Slumbering Trudge get spoiled a few months ago, I knew a one-mana 6/6 would be useful for a few specific decks out there, which is definitely the case when it's paired with Tom, Bert, and William. This potential commander loves creatures that have a high power, and small mana value, since you can cash them in for a whole lot of cards. If you opened that slumbering Beast in a Secrets of Strixhaven booster, it might be time to set it aside as more players begin searching for cards to fill up their future 99s.

Colossus Hammer - $1.50

Now let's change gears from Trolls to Dwarfs as we look at a great card that works well with Thorin, Mountain-king. Colossus Hammer is cheap to cast and offers a huge power buff, but has the drawback of both removing flying and having a very expensive equip cost. Thorin allows you to dodge that by attaching things to your creatures for free when it hits play, which is why a one-mana Equipment fits so well with this strategy: you can load up your board with useful artifacts in preparation for this legend to enter the battlefield.

The Reality Chip - $4

Bilbo, Thief in the Night loves casting things from anywhere other than your hand, which is exactly what The Reality Chip enjoys doing as well. This Jellyfish fits right into that strategy since you can deploy it and attach it to your commander in the early game in order to push forward your plan into the late game. If you have this rare from Kamigawa in a binder, it might be time to dig it back out and add it to your Haves list here on Cardsphere.

Loot Dispute - $0.50

Finally, let's take a look at an enchantment that synergizes well with Smaug the Magnificent. Loot Dispute adds Treasures to your board and offers up all the effects that comes with the initiative. Plus, since this commander has flying, you can reliably hit people in the air to get the initiative back. Then, once you've made it through a whole dungeon, one of Smaug's cousins gets to join the party, which adds another way to help close out the game.

Until Next Time

So, there you have it, four cards that could start rising in price and playability as we get closer to the release of The Hobbit. Keep an eye on future editions of Sphere of Influences, because I'll be covering even more great cards as we get additional spoilers from this upcoming set. Who knows what this preview season will bring, but I can tell you one thing: it's going to be an adventure!