Within MTG and the Commander format, there are an awful lot of themes you can build a deck around. Between mechanics, creature types, or building around a specific Commander, the choices are practically endless. If you’re looking for one of the most popular choices in MTG, however, you needn’t look further than Elves.
As one of the most well-supported creature types in all of MTG, Elves have been around for Magic’s entire 30-year history. Thanks to this, when building an Elf-themed deck, there are a huge number of cards to choose from. As usual for MTG, many of these can be surprisingly expensive. Whether it’s due to power or rarity, many of these cards are nonetheless worth keeping on your radar.
To help you do exactly that, in this article, we’ll be highlighting all the most expensive Elves in MTG. Utilizing prices from TCGplayer, we’ll be looking at the best of the best in detail. Before we get to those, however, we’ve got a few honorable mentions to cover first.
Honorable Mentions – Reserved List Elves
While many Elves in MTG are expensive on their own merit, there is another category to cover first. Released in Magic’s early days, these cards are each on the Reserved List, which means they can never be reprinted. Due to this implicit rarity, the five most expensive Elves in all MTG are simply Reserved List cards.
While their price tags, which we’ll get to shortly, are certainly impressive, their abilities aren’t so much. In fact, most of them are pretty dire, being practically unplayable in most games. This is certainly the case for Lady Caleria who deals 6 damage, at best, while blocking.
For better or worse, while Lady Caleria and Deranged Hermit aren’t great, some Reserved List Elves are absolutely fantastic. For example, Eladamri, Lord of Leaves is incredibly strong, providing incredible protection to all Elves. As good as they are, however, Eladamri isn’t close to being the best Elf of the bunch.
Topping the charts for both price and power is Norwood Priestess. Capable of cheating out any creature from your hand by just tapping, this Elf is a true powerhouse. Sure, they might be a massive target for removal, but if ignored, they’re supremely powerful. Thanks to this, it’s no wonder that they’re the most expensive elf in all of MTG, costing over $100!
While we’re erring away from Reserved List cards throughout the rest of this list, we couldn’t help but mention these cards first. After all, as the following prices will show, these five Elves are the most expensive in all of MTG!
- Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary – $29.35
- Lady Caleria – $34.27
- Deranged Hermit – $35.62
- Eladamri, Lord of Leaves – $60.49
- Norwood Priestess – $102.94
5 | Simon, Wild Magic Sorcerer
Price: $14.15
To kick off our list, now that the honorable Reserved List mentions are out of the way, we have a rather new and unusual Elf. Released in celebration of 2023’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves film, this card is almost a Reserved List special. Sold only via Secret Lair, there’s currently no guarantee this Universes Beyond card will be reprinted in the future.
Thanks to this unusual detail, which goes against Wizards’ usual policy, the Honor Among Thieves cards have become rather expensive. Lauded initially for their scarcity, for better or worse, these limited-supply cards are also rather powerful and interesting. This is especially the case for Simon, Wild Magic Sorcerer, who embodies their namesake Wild Magic.
To talk about the Simon themselves, this card can, theoretically, be incredibly powerful, providing double value to many spells. While this is possible, however, you would have to roll a natural 20 to achieve this feat, which isn’t exactly common… Despite this, alongside cards like Pixie Guide, they can be slightly more consistent.
While Simon’s ability is very entertaining, you don’t have to hit the natural 20 every single time. Even just rolling a 10 or above will net you a great reward of some card draw. As strong as this is, however, Simon, Wild Magic Sorcerer is a very unusual Elf. Unlike most cards within Elf Typal decks, they’re not heavily synergistic and instead are more focused on doing their own thing.
For better or worse, their unique ability means Simon, Wild Magic Sorcerer isn’t a great choice for an Elf Typal Commander deck. When building around them, however, they’re still a deeply enjoyable card that’s well worth using.
4 | Bennie Bracks, Zoologist
Price: $18.06
Moving up the list by a few dollars, Bennie Bracks, Zoologist is another rather unusual Elf. Not only are they exclusive to a Streets of New Capennna Commander deck, but they’re also mono-white. In MTG, there are only 15 mono-white Elves, which definitely puts them in the minority. Despite this curious detail, however, Bennie Bracks, Zoologist is still a fantastic card.
Just like Simon, Wild Magic Sorcerer above, while great, Bennie Bracks, Zoologist isn’t the most obvious Elf. They don’t buff the board, protect your Elves, or generate mana aplenty to fuel your game plan. Instead, this rather unusual Zoologist provides a steady stream of card draw, so long as you’re making tokens.
Thanks to triggering on every end step, not just your own, Bennie Bracks, Zoologist’s card draw potential is incredible. So much so, in fact, that they’re arguably one of the best card draw engines in White! Thankfully, many Elf-Typal decks can make use of this ability, however, you’ll need the right Commander to support this.
While we do love a bit of Elf-Typal, Bennie Bracks, Zoologist isn’t just for this archetype. Within any token-creating deck, this card is fantastic, leading to consistently high demand. Thanks to this demand, the price of Bennie Bracks is currently rather expensive, not too shy of $20. Hopefully, considering they’ve only been printed once so far, a reprint can help bring this price down in the future.
3 | Allosaurus Shepherd
Price: $18.08
After two rather strange choices, we’re finally onto a true-blue green Elf. Included within a huge number of green and Elf-Typal decks, there’s no understating the power of Allosaurus Shepherd. In fact, if you ask us, they’re the most powerful Elf that’s been printed in MTG. Thanks to this, it’s no wonder that they’re rather high up on this list of expensive cards.
Since first being printed in the original Jumpstart set, Allosaurus Shepherd has thankfully seen one reprint. Appearing during Double Masters 2022, this new printing thankfully helped to bring the price down significantly. Despite this, however, as evidenced by their position on this list, Allosaurus Shepherd is still a rather expensive MTG card and an especially expensive Elf.
To justify this price point, Allosaurus Shepherd is a seriously strong card, primarily for their protection ability. Costing just one mana, Allosaurus Shepherd makes all your green spells uncounterable, and they can’t even be stopped themselves. As many MTG players will know, this mitigates one of green’s biggest weaknesses, making them practically vital.
Whether you’re building a big stompy deck, or an Elf-Typal list, Allosaurus Shepherd almost always makes the cut.
2 | Nissa, Resurgent Animist
Price: $19.54
Pipping Simon, Wild Magic Sorcerer to the post, Nissa, Resurgent Animist is the newest Elf on this list. Arriving in The March of the Machine: The Aftermath, this card nevertheless continues the streak of weirdness that we’ve seen so far. Not only are they part of Magic’s experimental Micro-Set, but they’re also a desparked Planeswalker.
Flavor aside, since their 2023 release, Nissa, Resurgent Animist has made their mark on multiple formats. Appearing semi-regularly within Modern and Standard, this Nissa definitely has competitive appeal. Like most MTG cards, however, the main place you’ll see them is in Commander.
Rather than leading a 99 into battle, Nissa, Resurgent Animist is commonly used within Landfall decks. Alongside Elementals such as Omnath, Locus of Creation, Nissa provides consistent and reliable value. Thanks to this, they’ve essentially become a staple within Landfall and Elemental-themed MTG decks.
While these archetypes admittedly aren’t the most popular, Nissa’s price is boosted by their rarity. Unlike most MTG sets, March of the Machine: The Aftermath severely underperformed. Thanks to this, coupled with pack distribution complaints, copies of the set’s mythic cards are surprisingly rare and subsequently expensive.
1 | Maralen of the Mornsong
Price: $23.16
Last, but by no means least, we have one of the most powerful, yet also dangerous, Elves in all MTG. Allowing you to tutor a card from your deck each turn, Maralen of the Mornsong is, quite frankly, obscenely strong. Despite this, however, they’re played incredibly infrequently in both competitive and casual MTG.
After taking a quick look at them, it’s not really a surprise why Maralen is so underplayed. For better and much much worse, their effect is symmetrical. As if this wasn’t bad enough, Maralen’s ability activates on your draw step, giving everyone else practically free tutors first. Should they be removed before it’s your turn again, you’ve essentially wasted your mana and only benefited your opponents.
Despite having the potential to be downright terrible, Maralen of the Mornsong is still surprisingly expensive. This is largely thanks to their niche combo potential that can ruin your opponent’s day. Combined with Opposition Agent, for instance, Maralen suddenly becomes absolutely amazing.
While they’re not the most dominant two-card combo in competitive and casual EDH, this appeal still facilitates healthy demand. Enough demand, obviously, to make them the most expensive Elf in all of MTG. Considering their niche appeal, however, if they’re ever reprinted, this demand will almost assuredly crash. Until that day comes, Maralen of the Mornsong wears the most expensive Elf crown for now.
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