Sphere of Influence: August 21, 2026

Leyline Axe | Art by Edgar Sánchez Hidalgo

As the days go by, more and more strategies seem to be growing in popularity thanks to players getting the new cards from The Hobbit set into their hands. A few of those themes seem to be ones centered around Equipment, Goblins, and beating people down with creatures.

So, with all those things in mind, join me Tyler 'Savesya' Bucks as I show off a few great cards that are starting to rise in value and playability right now!

Frenzied Baloth - $2

When it comes to the latest sets, we've gotten some truly awesome creatures that players want to populate their battlefields with, because of that, I think Frenzied Baloth will begin to rise in price. This powerful two-drop hits play and will ensure that all of your key spells will resolve from here on out. Plus, it has trample and haste, making for a great threat in Standard and even some Commander decks that're looking to buff up their creatures in order to add even more punching power.

Leyline Axe - $3.50

The Dwarves of The Hobbit set love their Equipment since they can help make them more effective with hone counters or even lower their equip costs in order to make them easier to throw onto the members of their team. Leyline Axe works perfectly with that strategy, since you can begin the game with it in play, which'll help you kick things off with your plan in place right away. If players begin to gravitate towards building Dwarf decks, this weapon will begin to be very sought after for those lists.

Howlsquad Heavy - $4

Goblins are having a moment right now, which is why creatures like Howlsquad Heavy have been rising in price and playability right now. Not only does it power up your Goblins, but it also gives them haste and can ramp you into the late game. Plus, this card is still in Standard, which means it can fit right into a deck that's filled with this creature type, helping drive a lot of damage forward as you move to combat.

Basilisk Collar - $5.50

Solid Equipment is becoming a hot commodity, as more players are looking to build around this great archetype. Basilisk Collar not only works well with the Dwarves from The Hobbit set, but it also really synergizes with The Great Goblin since he can deal out tons of damage as the game goes on. So, as you build up counters on your board, you're also gaining a whole lot of life in the process, which makes these aggressive decks all the more resilient!

Until Next Time

So, there you have it, four cards that are beginning to rise in price and playability right now! If you've been interested in building around any of these strategies, these cards should probably be on your radar!

Also, if you're looking to offload any of these great singles, be sure to add them to your 'Haves' list here on Cardsphere in order to open them up for trades to other players who want to brew with these awesome cards.