Last Friday, Outlaws of Thunder Junction officially launched around the world. Sure, the set might have been legal and available at LGS’ since the 12th, but now it’s out for real! In theory, provided no big-box retailer jumps the gun, the official release date vastly expands the set’s accessibility. Thanks to this, many more MTG players have been picking up the quartet of Outlaws of Thunder Junction Commander decks.
As fun as they are on their own, as usual, each of the new Outlaws of Thunder Junction Commander decks can do with some upgrades. Regardless of whether you want to make the most of the face Commander or pursue other options upgrades always exist. Thanks to this, it’s no surprise that many otherwise unassuming Commander cards are spiking in value thanks to new synergy.
Gonti Gathers Interest
Out of the four new face Commander cards from Outlaws of Thunder Junction, Gonti, Canny Acquisitor is arguably the most interesting. Geared around stealing and casting your opponent’s spells, this Commander is certainly unique. Lathing onto this uniqueness, recently we’ve seen multiple spell-stealing cards spiking in price!
Grima, Saruman’s Footman
Topping the charts as the latest price spike, Grima, Saruman’s Footman has soared an impressive 700%! Previously costing as little as $0.44 a pop a few weeks ago, now this card is selling for $4+! This impressive rise is all thanks to them being a consistent card-stealing engine and an easy upgrade for the Grand Larceny deck.
While they’re not the strongest creature in MTG, Grima, Saruman’s Footman does have unblockable, giving them deep synergy with Gonti. Not only will Grima trigger their own spell-stealing ability, but Gonti’s will also trigger too. Ideally, this should always net you double the value from Grima, making them a perfect inclusion.
Should you be looking to pick up Grima, Saruman’s Footman, thankfully, you won’t have to shell out $4 for your copy. If you’re on a budget, there is a version of the card selling for around $2.50 right now. This variant is the “Showcase Scrolls” style, which was ridiculed upon release for looking wholly unfinished. If you don’t mind these visuals you could save yourself a smidgen of cash.
Thada Adel, Acquisitor
Hailing from all the way back in Worldwake, Thada Adel, Acquisitor is a truly classic card-stealing option. Throughout the years, Thada Adel has seen consistent play in Commander, keeping them at a fairly respectable price. Before their latest spike, Thada Adel would usually sell for around $13 or so.
Now that Gonti has made stealing all the rage again, unsurprisingly, the price of Thada Adel has jumped right up. In just a few days, the price of this classic card has doubled, with recent sales topping out at $26! Curiously, foil prices haven’t jumped nearly as much, as they remain consistent at around $38.
Much like Grima, Thada Adel, Acquisitor does everything that the Grand Larceny deck could want. Boasting a combat-based card-stealing trigger and an evasion ability, Thada Adel perfectly synergizes with Gonti. If you’re looking to go down the spell-stealing route, this card is an easy and automatic upgrade to the preconstructed deck.
Obeka, Keeps Splitting Seconds
On top of Gonti making waves in the MTG markets, Obeka, Splitter of Second has also been driving a lot of change. Much like Gonti, this unique Commander option fuels an incredibly novel strategy that players didn’t see coming. Thanks to this uniqueness, many previously unassuming cards are becoming downright expensive!
Darksteel Reactor
Back when Outlaws of Thunder Junction prereleases just started, we covered how Darksteel Reactor was on the up and up. Previously selling for around $9, the price of Darksteel Reactor momentarily soared to around $30! Thankfully, following this initial spike in demand, prices have fallen back down to the $20 range.
Despite the drop in price, Darksteel Reactor is still an incredibly powerful card. Not only is it just good in long Commander games, but the synergy with Obeka is obviously fantastic. Should you deal 20 damage to a player with Obeka, you win the game outright! Thanks to this synergy, it’s no wonder that Darksteel Reactor is so popular right now.
Considering the price has already dipped from its peak somewhat, it’ll be interesting to see how long this new price lasts.
Extravagant Replication
Much like Darksteel Reactor, Extravagant Replication was on our radar from the moment that Obeka started making waves. As one of many cards boasting a powerful upkeep-based ability, the synergy between these two cards was clear. When we first mentioned this possibility, Extravagant Replication had only doubled from its initial $4 price tag.
Now, a little over a week later, the price of Extravagant Replication has absolutely exploded. Currently, on TCGplayer, copies of this card are selling for as high as $20, making this spike the real deal. Considering Extravagant Replication can create tokens of a non-land permanent you control every upkeep, it’s no wonder they’ve garnered this impressive price.
Unfortunately, similarly to Darkstreel Reactor, it’s unclear how long this increased price will last. While Obeka is incredibly popular right now, there’s no telling how long they’ll stay in the limelight for. Once the recent flurry of interest begins to dry up, don’t be surprised if these cards fall back closer to their original price point.
Affluent Affinity
Alongside the latest Commander cards causing price spikes, we’ve also seen Affinity cards exploding in value recently. Thanks to a breaking Legacy Affinity deck, this archetype has become more popular than ever. Unsurprisingly, this surge in popularity has caused some insane spikes, such as Skorpekh Lord soaring by 3000%!
Thankfully, for budget-conscious players at least, not every Affinity card is becoming a value powerhouse. Scale of Chiss-Goria, for instance, is still worth barely $0.20, despite a lot of recent sales. In theory, this card could be a decent addition to Affinity lists, but the deck is hardly short of options.
Ultimately, the success or failure of Scale of Chiss-Goria largely depends on its competitive appeal. Should new Legacy Affinity lists using this card appear, we can expect its price to shoot up. That said, aside from adding to your Affinity count and triggering the new payoff Simulacrum Synthesizer that’s causing all these spikes, this artifact does not do much. For now, this technically un-reprinted Mirrodin artifact is still waiting for its time in the spotlight.
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