By: Jim Marsh

Every week, some cards from Magic the Gathering increase and decease in value based upon a number of factors.

Let’s take a look at some of the cards whose values have changed the most and the factors behind why those changes have occurred.

10 Big Winners of the Week

10. Mana Confluence (Journey into Nyx)

From $11.70 to $12.97 (17.16%)

The new paradigm shift for Magic blocks and rotation have a lot of people excited but wondering what the future will hold in store. The new plan means that Journey into Nyx will be the last set to suffer the 6:2:1 drafting ratio. Now larger sets to smaller sets will be closer to 5:1.

This and looming rotation have cause a lot of interest in Journey into Nyx cards. The fact that Conspiracy arrived and cannibalized drafts makes this one of the least opened sets we will have for a while.

Let us start with our new and improved City of Brass. It is already played in standard Naya Hexproof and Selesnya Aggro.

I can only imagine that the more aggressive Khans wedges will want to be running four of these as well.

It is also being used in Legacy Dredge and I would not be surprised to see these in modern either.

You will want your play set for a long time to come.

9. Eidolon of the Great Revel (Journey into Nyx)

From $6.30 to $7.44 (18.10%)

Standard Burn. Modern Burn. Legacy Burn.

There are varieties of those flavors but this card comes down and deals damage.

It has already helped propel legacy lists to Top 8s. It is an all star from a set that was not opened much. These are going to be going up for a while. These are a safe hold for the next few months. A year from now when they are getting ready to rotate I would try to find as many copies as you can from standard players. They will be a good hold for quite a while to come.

8. Keranos, God of Storms (Journey into Nyx)

From $7.83 to $9.29 (18.65%)

Keranos, God of Storms is finding a home in every format imaginable. He is a steady engine of card advantage. He is great even if your deck has no way make him a creature.

He is in standard RUG (Temur) Chord and Grixis Control.

He is in modern sideboards for Splinter Twin, Kiki Pod, UWR (Jeskai) Delver and UWR Twin.

He is in legacy UWR Miracles.

He is even in a vintage Grixis deck.

He is a powerful commander and a god that gives you free Lightning Bolts. There is so much to love about him.

I do not know what Jeskai and Temur decks will look like Khans but I guarantee they will run a couple copies of Keranos. I would say he is an excellent pick up.

7. Temple of Epiphany (Journey into Nyx)

From $5.20 to $6.23 (19.81%)

Temple of Epiphany is used in standard Azorius Control, Esper Control and even WUR (Jeskai) Control.

It is even seeing play in Modern Ad Nauseam and Sun Titan Control decks.

We are going to get new lands in Khans to allow for wedges to be played. I still feel the value of scrying is powerful enough in slower colors and Azorius fits that bill perfectly.

It is losing a lot of steam at rotation but this will be one of the better scrylands to have soon.

Get them now.

6. Sliver Legion (Future Sight)

From $38.49 to $46.89 (21.82%)

Sliver Legion is going in everyone’s casual and commander sliver decks.

The demand has always been there but short supply and the resent printings of Sliver Hive and Sliver Hivelord have people brewing again.

Keep in mind that both Sliver Overlord and Sliver Queen have seen reprints in supplemental products. Let that sink in for a moment. Sliver Queen is on the reserved list and they still reprinted her in oversized form in order to keep players happy.

There is no way we do not see a similar reprinting for Legion. It could be Duel Deck: Slivers vs Eldrazi or in Modern Masters 2. I just know that it will happen. I would cash out while everyone is excited about having an indestructible Coat of Arms.

5. Slaughter Pact (Future Sight)

From $6.04 to $7.73 (27.98%)

Slaughter Pact is all over modern in a variety of decks. It is used in Jund, Junk (Abzan) and even Amulet of Vigor decks as removal and a win condition.

It is even seeing play in Legacy OmniTell.

The popularity and power of a free kill spell are undeniable. I think these are a good place to park some value. It will only be a matter of time before they hit $10 again.

The Modern Masters version can still be purchased for $6.59 and sold for $7.23.

4. Xenagos, the Reveler (Theros)

From $12.86 to $16.89 (31.34%)

Xenagos is all over standard. He is in Jund Walkers, Jund Monsters, GR Devotion and RUG (Temur) Chord decks.

He showed up in three of the Top 8 decks in SCG Hartsdale on 8/24/2014. There were eight out of a possible thirty two copies played.

He is well positioned for rotation and I expect him to break $20 in the coming weeks.

You can still get him for as little as $12.75 and sell him for up to $14.52.

3. Maralen of the Mornsong (Morningtide)

From $2.15 to $3.20 (48.84%)

When I first saw Ob Nixilis, Unshackled I thought of Maralen. Together they deal thirteen damage a turn to each player. The problem is that your opponents get to tutor for answers.

She is part of an incredible commander combo deck.

Cast her and tutor for Ad Nauseam. Draw your entire deck which consists of Sickening Dreams, Dark Sphere and about ninety swamps.

Play the Dark Sphere and cast Dreams large enough to kill everyone but you.

This is either hilarious or terrible depending on which side of the table you are.

Either way this combo is getting attention. You can still buy her for as little as $2.00 and sell her for as much as $2.23 or just hold it and hope novelty gets her to $10.

2. Nyx-Fleece Ram (Journey into Nyx)

From $1.01 to $1.64 (62.38%)

Nyx-Fleece Ram is bit of a work horse in any control deck that runs white. It has high enough defense to block almost any threat while nudging your life total out of burn range.

It is being used in Azorius Control, Orzhov Midrange, Esper Control and even in Boros Burn sideboards to help in the mirror match.

However I think it has had its heyday.

White control decks are losing Sphinx’s Revelation, Supreme Verdict, Detention Sphere, Blood Baron of Vizkopa, Archangel of Thune, etc. All of the Ram’s best friends are moving away.

The next block will be wedges which have been a little slower anyway. They may not need the Ram to keep aggro decks under control.

I would trade these away and take whatever profits you can.

Keep in mind the foils are still $9.64 despite seeing no modern or legacy play so I would cash out on those too.

1. Goblin Guide (Zendikar)

From $16.62 to $27.69 (66.61%)

Goblin Guide has been having a tremendous week! It is one of the most aggressive one drop creatures ever printed.

Any decent modern or legacy burn deck runs four main deck without question. This is less of a price spike and more of a price correction.

Burn decks have been experiencing success recently with the inclusion of Eidolon of the Great Revel.

I believe this price is here to stay until it is reprinted in either an expansion set or the next Modern Event Deck.

Vendors are still adjusting their prices so you can still get them as low as $20.00. If you have been waiting for this spec to pay off you can cash out up to $22.93 with some vendors.

I would be looking for other opportunities to profit as well. If you can track down a copy of the Into the Breach Event deck from Mirrodin Besieged there are a couple of Guides in there.

I would also take a look at the Grand Prix and foil versions. Both are hovering around $30 right now. There is absolutely no reason why these should not be $50 to $60 soon.

5 Big Losers of the Week

5. Sword of Feast and Famine (Mirrodin Beseiged)

From $22.87 to $18.49 (-19.15%)

Sword of Feast and Famine was recently reprinted in the Modern Event Deck.

Do not let that distract us from the multiple decks it is used in such as legacy UWR (Jeskai) Delver, Esper Stoneblade and Deathblade.

Modern UB Faeries and all manner of commander and cube builders love the swords.

There is no way that this does not bounce back.

To add some gravy you can purchase these as low as $12.00 and sell them for $13.19.

That sounds like more feast than famine.

4. Obstinate Baloth (M11)

From $1.72 to $1.36 (-20.93%)

I do not understand why this is a $1 card.

It is used in sideboards for modern Melira Pod, Jund, Scapeshift, Kiki Pod and Junk (Abzan) builds. It is great when cast normally and fantastic when you get it for free off of an activation of Liliana of the Veil.

Legacy even uses it in 12 Post.

I would gladly trade for these at $1 all day long.

You can even purchase these for as low as $0.61 and sell them for up to $1.10.

3. Silent Arbiter (Fifth Dawn)

From $4.54 to $3.54 (-22.03%)

Silent Arbiter was just reprinted in Conspiracy.

The only competitive deck that runs it is a singleton in legacy MUD sideboards.

Sure you can slot it into your commander deck to slow things down or to build on an exalted theme but it is still not that exciting. Artifact creatures are the permanent with the most answers.

Why spend $4 on this copy when you can get the Conspiracy copy for less than a $1?

Move these while you can.

2. Journeyer’s Kite (Champions of Kamigawa)

From $1.53 to 1.13 (-26.14%)

This commander staple has fallen out of favor. Has mana fixing gotten so good? Maybe more cheap viable commanders are being printed.

Either way the reprint in Duel Decks: Venser vs Koth did not help.

I like the card but I honestly feel it deserves to be a bulk rare.

There are just too many other things to do with extra mana.

1. Golgari Grave-Troll (Ravnica)

From $1.99 to $1.31 (-34.17%)

Vintage and legacy Dredge and Manaless Dredge decks would run at least a dozen Grave-Trolls given the chance.

The reason that Dredge has never been a serious contender in modern is the banning of Golgari Grave-Troll and Dread Return.

It was reprinted in Duel Decks: Izzet vs Golgari so you can find these for $1.

I do not think that that is sufficient for an enabler and finished in a deck that held two Top 8 spots in the SCG Legacy Open in Washington on 8/24/2014.

I would consider this a sale and grab as many copies as you can. If this is ever unbanned you can be certain this will spike.

You can get these for as little as $0.71 and still sell them for up to $1.18.

When you see buylists offering fair trade value that should get your attention.