Sphere of Influence: December 13, 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.

This week, we’re taking a look at some miscellaneous cards from across formats that have found a few different homes, where they will likely stay, and boast an affordable price given previous spikes. See for yourself.

Shuko

What was once a goofy role-playing piece of Equipment turned into a high-profile chase card when Nadu, Winged Wisdom was printed in Modern Horizons 3 and began commanding an inflated price, jumping from $1 to more than $30. This was a huge bummer for Commander players like myself simply hoping for a cheap Equipment for a themed deck; plus, the card facilitated a nearly unstoppable combo that dominated Modern for far too long.

Nadu is no more in both Modern and Commander, but has posted up in Legacy where it has started putting up results. Shuko’s price has fallen along with Nadu’s playability, and now sits at $4 - a totally reasonable amount to pay for something with a high ceiling achieved only with the right support.

Ignoble Hierarch

At the prerelease for Modern Horizons 2, I traded an Ignoble Hierarch for a Cyclonic Rift and that remains one of my savvier financial dealings. Ignoble tanked in price upon release and can be picked up for only $1 at the moment, where its price will likely sit for awhile. It’s still a really fun card that’s rooted in Magic’s history, capable of powering out a Yawgmoth, Thran Physician or Fable of the Mirror-Breaker while providing a tiny power and toughness boost to throw off any blocking calculus. Brewers out there will appreciate having a playset on hand.

Natural Order

This green multi-format staple is, mercifully, not part of the Reserved List and has therefore enjoyed plenty of price-dropping reprints in its time. Players today can snag the original version from Visions for $16, down from $40, or the Strixhaven edition, my favorite Natural Order, for $14. It’s probably only a matter of time before they print this in a Modern Horizons set and unleash its own sort of order onto Modern, so pick up the $9 Natural Order version from Mystery Booster 2 and start sacrificing creatures today while you can get one for a single digit price.

Staff of the Storyteller

In addition to putting in major work in Commander, Staff of the Storyteller has found its way into a few Legacy decks, where it provides a flying body and some card draw right from the beginning. What was once $10 is now only $2.50, which is a price likely to increase as other players catch on to this white Commander super-staple. I prefer Idol of Oblivion to this, but not by much.

Commanding Constructed

I’m curious which Commander cards y’all have been using in Legacy decks. I remember when True-Name Nemesis was printed and everyone freaked out and purchased Commander precons like mad, hoping to get their hands on one. Are there any recent additions to Commander that you’re psyched to brew with in our most eternal format? Let me know!