While it’s proven itself to be a great Commander set, MTG TMNT hasn’t had a huge impact on constructed formats. A few experiments aside, it’s been one of the less successful recent sets in that regard. With Secrets of Strixhaven just around the corner, however, Casey Jones, Vigilante is starting to make some moves in MTG Modern. While this card went overlooked during TMNT previews, it’s more than proving its worth now.
Casey Jones, Vigilante In MTG Modern
Over the last couple of weeks, players have been experimenting with Casey Jones, Vigilante in Jeskai Blink decks in Modern. This is primarily down to the card’s potent synergy with established Jeskai staple Consign to Memory. Players have long used this card to Stifle the negative triggers on Phlage, Solitude, and Quantum Riddler. Turns out it works just as well with Casey Jones, letting you counter its delayed trigger to avoid discarding three cards.
With this interaction, Casey Jones becomes a three mana 4/3 that draws you three cards, which is an insane rate. It also makes a fantastic target for Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd and Ephemerate for the same reason. With these lines, you can easily refill in the mid-game if you find yourself low on resources. Even if you can’t cast what you draw, you can pitch it to Solitude or March of Otherworldly Light, or use it to Escape Phlage post-discard.
While Casey Jones doesn’t radically alter Jeskai Blink’s game plan, it does add a new, explosive element. In the short testing window it has had so far, it has quickly established itself as a solid addition to the deck. Just yesterday, SPyromancer won the Modern Challenge with Jeskai Blink, running two copies of the card. Some players, like Iamyep, are even on three. Exact numbers are still being figured out, but it’s safe to say the card is part of the archetype for now.
A Real Sleeper Hit
While its MTG Modern performance is definitely impressive, that’s not all Casey Jones, Vigilante has been up to recently. We’ve also seen the card put in a solid shift in Rakdos Monument decks in Standard, where the discard is actually an upside. On top of that, some players are discussing Casey Jones as a potential Storm Commander in cEDH. With cheap red Clone effects like Twinflame, it’s easy to burn through your deck with Jones at the helm.
Despite all this newfound success, Casey Jones remains a very affordable card for the time being. Near-mint copies of the base version can be had for as little as $0.95 on TCGplayer right now. If you want to get fancier, the Showcase Sewer Frame printing is also reasonably priced at just $2. At these prices, the card is a great buy, given its proven multi-format potential. With players quickly catching on to its power, however, this may not be the case for much longer.
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