Zendikar Rising set is ripe ground for all Magic: The Gathering investors and speculators. Mythic rare card numbers will increase from the usual 15 to 20 in this set because of the inclusion of new cycle of modal double-faced cards.
This means that the chance of opening mythic rare cards in booster boxes will be slightly higher than before; modal spells will have their own dedicated card slot in the boosters, according to set's designer Mark Rosewater. This may artifically decrease prices a little bit because of the higher supply of mythics, but that is not a certainty.
Regardless of the outcome, this list outlines the 11 most expensive MtG cards in Zendikar Rising, not including extended or promo cards.
Sea Gate Stormcaller
- Regular price: $12.03
- Foil price: $23.78
Sea Gate Stormcaller has already been comparedto the eternal staple that is Snapcaster Mage. Of course, it's not as flexible as Snapcaster Mage, but it may find its place in decks like Izzet Prowess.
The current price for this card is pretty steep, so expect it to drop a few dollars by the end of 2020. It should settle somewhere in the $6-7 range per copy.
Control decks will still keep their Snapcasters because of its Flash mechanic, but Sea Gate Stormcaller is still well-positioned in the commander format, where there is a need for more proactive cards.
Leyline Tyrant
- Regular price: $12.73
- Foil price: $24.62
Leyline Tyrant's Fires of Invention enchantment (currently banned in standard) may be the most broken synergy in MtG. But formats outside of standard will definitely take advantage of the opportunity to build up more damage with this card.
If Leyline Tyrant performs as intended, its price will rise significantly, and players may be looking at a $20 card right now — with an even higher ceiling in the future.
This card will mostly find its place in pioneer format — and to a certain extent in modern. Commander players will be glad to have it as well, but more as a tribal dragon filler than an actual engine.
In any case, this is the card that is worth noting in your investment booklet.
Nissa of Shadowed Boughs
- Regular price: $12.89
- Foil price: $15.75
Zendikar Rising's Nissa planeswalker is very well polished and balanced, and since Nissa, Who Shakes the World rotates out of standard, Sultai and Jund players will definitely be looking for a replacement.
However, every other Magic: The Gathering format will continue using Nissa's cousin because of her incredible passive ramp ability.
Unfortunately, standard can't hold the value of this card on its own, so it looks like Nissa of Shadowed Boughs will have a hard time maintaining its current price.
The only deck that could seriously consider this new iteration of Nissa planeswalker is Niv to Light in pioneer. But one deck, even one so highly regarded, will not make this card as sought after as others.
Forsaken Monument
- Regular price: $13.47
- Foil price: $26.16
Colorless support in the form of an artifact is a big deal for commander format, since there are tons of colorless mana artifacts that will benefit greatly from Forsaken Monument.
However, other formats will find it a bit too slow. The only deck that may consider Forsaken Monument is Eldrazi Tron in modern. Though this card will most likely find itself as a one-off in the sideboard.
With that in mind, the price of Forsaken Monument will surely drop. It has all the signs of a $2 mythic that awaits inclusion in yet another bulk collection.
Omnath, Locus of Creation
- Regular price: $13.64
- Foil price: $32.18
Although the new Omnath is one of the best-looking commanders in Zendikar Rising, it will rarely see play in any other format.
Niv to Light players may find its extra utilities very useful, but other than that exception, Omnath will tread water for now.
The last Omnath printing from Core Set 2020 faced a similar situation. It started off as a $20 card, before dropping to about $5.
Omnath, Locus of Creation is a bit better than its M20 alternate, so it may still fetch around $10, but don't expect it to push that envelope very much.
Turntimber Symbiosis
- Regular price: $14.12
- Foil price: $15.78
There are two main reasons why Turntimber Symbiosis is currently priced where it is. First, it's a great addition to commander decks that need to run out big creatures and easily tap for 7 mana. Second, it's a modal double-faced card, which enables Mono Green players in standard to keep mana flood under control.
It's hard to determine how well this card will do, but there is substantial amount of support for these types of cards, so it could go either way. As usual, the best strategy with brand new cards is to just wait and see how the market moves.
Agadeem's Awakening
- Regular price: $14.67
- Foil price: $15.34
Unlike Turntimber Symbiosis, Agadeem's Awakening is a modal double-faced card that seems to have far more potential.
It would be a great addition to Death's Shadow decks, which will appreciate both sides of this spell. The land side can bolt you for 3 damage, which works better than shocklands, and the spell side can bring Death's Shadow back from the graveyard.
Agadeem's Awakening is also obviously very good in commander and Mono Black standard lists. Out of the five mythic rare modal cards in Zendikar Rising, Agadeem's Awakening looks like a sure winner.
Moraug, Fury of Akoum
- Regular price: $14.78
- Foil price: $22.97
Standard Gruul and commander players will find Moraug, Fury of Akoum highly valuable. Its Landfall mechanic is powerful, giving it an advantage in a number of matchups.
Out of all the cards in Zendikar Rising, this card seems to have the highest monetary potential. But as usual, Wizards of the Coast could ban it if it is truly overpowered.
For now, Moraug, Fury of Akoum is a great investment for investors; it will likely break $15 in the future.
Ashaya, Soul of the Wild
- Regular price: $16.64
- Foil price: $24.39
Ashaya is definitely one of the hardest cards to evaluate in Zendikar Rising. It has all the markings of a format breaker. But at the same time, it's too expensive at 5 mana.
It could be a solid replacement for Nissa, Who Shakes the World after standard rotation because of its ramping effect, but this only applies to non-token creatures, making things more complicated.
The general feeling for this card is good, but there just isn't enough information for it to be a solid investment right now.
Ancient Greenwarden
- Regular price: $17.93
- Foil price: $25.69
Ancient Greenwarden is already labeled as broken by some standard players, alongside Nahiri's Lithoforming spell. But as with many other cards, this doesn't seem to go beyond standard format.
It would be better to play Crucible of Worlds or even Panharmonicon in eternal formats than a 6-mana monster, so financially, this card isn't going to hold its price for too long — unless it breaks commander format as well.
Currently, commander players are pairing it with Lord Windgrace, which benefits well from Ancient Greenwarden's mechanics, so it could be a hit for sure. But that's just speculation at this point.
Lithoform Engine
- Regular price: $24.36
- Foil price: $40.69
Lithoform Engine is currently the most expensive card in Zendikar Rising, and that's mostly due to commander players.
However, it has a lot of potential for standard as well because of its last ability, which copies permanents. That's a massive upside, which will be attractive to many players.
Since Lithoform Engine is a colorless artifact, it can be played in any deck, opening up a lot of possibilities. It can easily go up in price and become the next best artifact card in Magic: The Gathering's history. But we'll just have to wait and see.
Those are the most expensive cards in Zendikar Rising. For more Magic: The Gathering content, card lists, and guides, head over to our MtG hub page here.
Published: Sep 16, 2020 11:07 am