This particular MtG Core Set is packed to the brim with legendary creatures, which is a bit odd since those types of cards are mainly designed for EDH formats. On the flip side, core sets are meant to be marketed to new players that need to learn how to play Magic: The Gathering.
However, Core Set 2020 has a fair amount of expensive reprints, such as Leyline cycle of enchantments that had to be reprinted sooner or later. So it's nice to see those cards go down in price.
But the rest of the financial value of the set rests solely on those EDH cards that will solely drive the market this season. So check them all out in this guide to Core Set 2020.
Lotus Field
- Current price: $12.85
A new rare land in Core Set 2020 has a huge number of applications in Modern with the help of such cards like Amulet of Vigor, Crucible of Worlds, and Blood Sun.
These combinations of cards will make Lotus Field an incredibly powerful land that can quickly produce a lot of mana. But does this mean that it will also be able to produce a market demand?
Just like with all cards in Modern, the value increases slowly but steadily, unlike with the instant Standard hits that eventually dwindle in price.
So Lotus Field will most definitely go up in price, but only in the course of the next year or two.
Mu Yanling, Sky Dancer
- Current price: $12.41
The main selling point of the new Yanling planeswalker is the ultimate ability, which lets you draw a card every time you tap an island. That is incredibly strong if you can get there in the course of the match-up.
However, you can't use her second ability right after she comes into play. The only other planeswalker in MtG that had the same problem was Tibalt, who didn't do very well.
Taking this into account can indicate a gradual drop in price, and the only reason for the current price is the novelty factor, which will lose its value over the course of time.
Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord
- Current price: $13.37
The new Sorin planeswalker is busted! The reason is the minus three ability, which allows you to put any Vampire creature from your hand onto the battlefield right after you play Sorin.
Just like Lotus Field, this card will be exceptional in Modern, and thus the price will increase gradually. It's hard to say how high, but expect it to reach around $20 in the next year or so.
The EDH crowd will love Sorin, too. It can go right into the Edgar Markov deck or create its own mono-black Vampires archetype. All of this will influence the price significantly.
Kaalia, Zenith Seeker
- Current price: $6.59
While Sorin was predominantly a Modern card, Kaalia is purely an EDH Commander pick, which will probably end up being the best Commander card in Core Set 2020.
She is not as overpowered as Kaalia the Vast from Commander Anthology, so there is a good possibility that the new Kaalia won't reach the level of her older self, which is currently priced at around $25.
If somehow this new Kaalia paradoxically performs better, then it will find itself at around the $15 mark, and if not, then it will drop down to about $3 a piece.
Kethis, the Hidden Hand
- Current price: $7.76
When Kethis was first revealed, it was the most expensive single card in Core Set 2020 at $25. As you see, the price got slashed significantly, and understandably so.
Just like Kaalia, this is exclusively an EDH Commander card that won't see much play in any other format, hence the sharp price reduction that happened right after the massive initial hype.
His second ability looks mighty good in the right kind of Commander deck, but if it works as intended needs to be tested. That is why the current pricing on Kethis won't change much in the near future.
Ajani, Strength of the Pride
- Current price: $8.83
The new Ajani planeswalker will probably not see much play beyond the sideboard in Standard and Modern. Nevertheless, mono-white Life Gain decks in EDH Commander can really make use of this card.
But even in EDH, it won't be used much as a Commander. It will act as more of a support card that can instantly wipe the board with his ultimate ability that surprisingly costs zero.
How will this affect the price? Most likely Ajani, Strength of the Pride will fall in price and settle at around $4 to $5 — or even less.
Leyline of the Void
- Current price: $17.49
The one card that desperately needed a reprint is finally here. Leyline of the Void was as high as $55 a piece, and it finally took a dip with Core Set 2020.
It will keep going down to about the $10 mark, and then go back up to around $20, which is the typical slow ascending price cycle of any expensive reprint in Magic: The Gathering.
Leyline of the Void will be huge in Standard, just like it was in Modern. So expect some interesting games coming, especially with the new London Mulligan rule.
Vivien, Arkbow Ranger
- Current price: $10.75
Here is a clear Standard winner that will go right into every green Stompy deck without exception. All of Vivien's abilities look really good, and this planeswalker is clearly designed to push damage.
Her previous incarnation Vivien Reid from Core Set 2019 had a similar impact on the meta, which proved to be really efficient. That is why it is almost guaranteed that Vivien, Arkbow Ranger will stay at the current price level, or even go a bit higher to $15 threshold.
Unfortunately, Vivien's ultimate ability has no application in EDH formats, since there are no sideboards involved. But other than that, it's a very strong Standard planeswalker.
Kykar, Wind's Fury
- Current price: $6.79
A new Jeskai Commander is here! It's pretty odd, but it has its fair share of attention from the EDH community.
There are already several strong brews cooking in the Commander format's kitchen. One of them is the Land Destruction combo, and the other is Storm with a ton of cantrips.
For now, it's really hard to say how well the Magic market will take Kykar, so it's better to wait than take a leap of faith at this point.
Yarok, the Desecrated
- Current price: $6.88
If you could use Panharmonicon as your Commander, then that would be Yarok, the Desecrated.
It has already been called the eternal partner of Muldrotha, another staple Commander in Sultai. That alone makes it a very tasty piece of cardboard, and the ability to trigger the ETB effects of all permanents without excpetion is getting a lot of attention these days.
If Yarok goes beyond the EDH formats, and breaks in Standard or Modern, then it will get a serious price boost. Otherwise, it'll settle at around $10 mark.
Chandra, Awakened Inferno
- Current price: $14.00
The emblem ability on the new Chandra planeswalker makes a lot of players dizzy, especially if you take into account that this card cannot be countered. That could mean a very fast clock in many match-ups.
However, the six mana cost is pretty high for Chandra planeswalker, which has historically been more of a four mana card. Red decks really don't like to stack up on that mana, so who knows if this will perform as well as it looks at first sight.
But if things go as intended, then you can expect Chandra, Awakened Inferno to go up in price to about $25 a piece.
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For more Core Set 2020 card guides, check out the list below:
Published: Jul 3, 2019 10:28 am