Now that the pair of precons for Lorwyn Eclipsed have been revealed, the floodgates are well and truly open. While a few optimistic investment cards ended up getting reprinted, there are still tons of missed cards offering extra support. Atomize, in particular, is a fantastic option for the Blight Curse MTG precon, which didn’t make the initial cut.
MTG Atomize
Originally released back in 2023’s MTG Fallout Commander decks, Atomize is a fairly basic removal spell with a huge upside. Four mana to destroy any nonland permanent is fine, but you’re not exactly short of removal options in Golgari. Having a flat Proliferate effect attached, however, seriously amps up this card’s potential.
Admittedly, while there is a lot of potential here, not every MTG deck can exploit this synergy. +1/+1 Counters isn’t always a theme in Golgari decks, after all, but there are strong places it sees play. Superfriends decks led by Atraxa, Praetors’ Voice, for example, can get tons of value out of this effect.
As you might expect, Atomize is also very good within the MTG Mutant Menace precon where it was first printed. The same is true of Toxic and Infect decks, which turn Proliferate effects into a deadly clock. While this did give Atomize a fair few homes in MTG Commander, these archetypes are rather unpopular due to being so powerful.
Thankfully, Blight Curse and the -1/-1 Counter support in Lorwyn Eclipsed looks a lot more agreeable. Within these decks, Atomize can, ideally, dish out an extra -1/-1 Counter to each of your opponent’s creatures. By also furthering your own Blight-based synergies, Atomize can easily do a ton of work for four mana.
Notably, Atomize works incredibly well with some of the new cards within the Blight Curse deck. Using this card before Eventide’s Shadow, for instance, should get you even more card draw, making both cards more valuable. Similarly, it can provide a ton of fuel for Wickersmith’s Tools, allowing you to create a ton of Scarecrows.
The Spike
Following the reveal of the Blight mechanic on High Perfect Morcant back in December, demand for Atomize spiked sharply. At the very least, this Fallout card was a shoo-in for any Morcant decks, and it’s only gotten more appealing since. Thanks to this, demand for Atomize has been fairly steady, with over 320 copies selling in the past month.
This steady demand has pushed the price of Atomize up from just $0.90 to $3.81. This marks a 323% price spike in just a few weeks, and it might not stop there. Thanks to the continued demand, supply is rather low at the moment, with only 31 listings for near-mint non-foil copies.
Unfortunately, if you’re after a cheaper copy of Atomize, you’re out of luck at the moment. Worse condition examples have all been bought out already, and the card’s alternative Showcase variant doesn’t provide any relief. While there is more supply of the Pip-Boy frame variant, prices still start at $3.71.
If you’re in the market for a fancy foil copy of Atomize, though, then you’re in luck. Surge Foil default frame copies currently start at $10, while Pip-Boy Frame foils are going for around $40!
Pricy Potential
At the moment, Atomize is still a fairly cheap MTG card, all things considered. Spending $4 on a synergistic removal spell certainly isn’t terrible, and, while it’s low, the supply isn’t all gone yet. That being said, should the trend of steady Lorwyn Eclipsed-driven sales continue, this could change very soon.
Being a compelling upgrade to the Blight Curse precon, many MTG players may be keen to acquire this card. The same is also true for missed reprints like Nest of Scarabs, Crumbling Ashes, and Tangle Wire, however. With these cards all vying for spots within the deck, the demand for Atomize may be somewhat limited.
Looking further into the future, there’s definitely the chance that Atomize will end up getting reprinted, too. Since it has a generic name and art, Wizards doesn’t have to worry about completely overhauling everything. The only trouble with that is that Counters and Proliferate effects aren’t massively common in Golgari colors.
Ultimately, as always, while there is some potential for Atomize in MTG, nothing is ever guaranteed. As such, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens in the coming weeks and months.
Stick with us here at mtgrocks.com: the best site for Magic: The Gathering coverage. Be sure to check out our deckbuilder for your next big brew!