Unfortunately, it’s no secret that cards in Standard can be incredibly expensive nowadays. Between immensely powerful bombs and an expansive mana base, it’s easy for decks to cost hundreds of dollars. Considering Standard is meant to be one of, if not the, most accessible formats, this is obviously a problem.
Thankfully, Wizards of the Coast has recently stepped in to try and fix just that. By extending Standard’s rotation to a three-year cycle, now players get to use their cards for even longer! This should, ideally, make Standard more of a sound investment for players both new and old. Saying that, however, it’s still not a cheap format to get into.
While Standard has already been expensive enough for a while, Wilds of Eldarine has just made things that much worse. Containing multi-format bombs aplenty, this new set threatens to make Standard even more expensive! In fact, just a few days after release, the set is already doing that, claiming three spots on this list!
As for this list, we should mention a few things before we get started. Firstly, the prices in this article are based on TCGplayer’s Market Price, rather than any potential minimum or maximum. Additionally, we’ll only be looking for the cheapest version of each card, regardless of how good, or bad, it looks.
Now, without the waffle out of the way, we can get into what we’re all interested in! Here are the top 10 most expensive cards in Standard right now!
Honorable Mention | Hidetsugu, Devouring Chaos
Price: $1,212.68
While we did say that we won’t be covering showcase frames or foils, this Honorable Mention is the exception to that rule. Coming in at over $1200, it’d be rude if we didn’t talk about this unfathomably expensive card. By only being found in roughly %1 of Boosters, Hidetsugu, Devouring Chaos’ Neon Ink treatments all demand an exorbitant price.
Even more incredibly, the basic version of Hidetsugu, Devouring Chaos is barely a bulk rare, only costing $0.53 on average. This is thanks to it seeing almost no play in any format. The only place you will see Hidetsugu, Devouring Chaos is in some fringe Commander lists.
Despite being deeply unpopular, the rarity and good looks of the Neon Ink Hidetsugu, Devouring Chaos is still enough to Command value. Thanks to the treatment not being repeated like serialized cards, it seems this price shouldn’t fluctuate massively.
10 | Moonshaker Cavalry
Price: $16.11
To move into the list proper, we have one of the brand-new cards from Wilds of Eldraine. Already affectionately known as white Craterhoof Behemoth, Moonshaker Cavalry’s strength is obvious. Offering an incredibly deadly finisher in white, Moonshaker Cavalry can win games, so long as they actually hit the battlefield.
Considering Wilds of Eldraine has only just launched, Moonshaker Cavalry hasn’t made a huge impact on the meta quite yet. That being said, however, there’s definitely interest in this powerful bomb. Potentially, Moonshaker Cavalry could find use being a finisher in Standard, however, Commander is the obvious home for it.
Currently, basic versions of Moonshaker Cavalry are sitting at around $15 on TCGplayer. This price, however, may not last too long, since the set is so new. With packs being opened every single day, it shouldn’t be long before supply catches up with demand. That is, at least, so long as everyone and their dog doesn’t want to use this card in Commander. For that, we’ll just have to wait and see.
9 | Cityscape Leveler
Price: $16.86
Like multiple cards on this list, Cityscape Leveler is only a Standard card in spirit. Sure, they’re legal in the format and they see very fringe play, however, this format isn’t their home. Instead, Cityscape Leveler is typically found within Pioneer, Modern, and Commander. Here, this 8/8 for 8 is rather aptly a massive, ideally game-ending threat. That said, a recent Standard archetype on the rise does feature Cityscape Leveler as one of the primary win conditions.
Competitively, Cityscape Leveler is most often found within Green Devotion Pioneer decks in Pioneer and Tron decks in Modern. Here, their usually prohibitive mana cost isn’t as much of an issue, allowing their strength to shine. The same is true of Commander, which has all manner of fast mana to accelerate casting this colossal construct.
8 | Agatha’s Soul Cauldron
Price: $17.69
Pipping Moonshaker Cavalry to the post, Agatha’s Soul Cauldron is currently the Wilds of Eldraine’s second most expensive card. Considering the awesome combo potential of the card, it isn’t at all a surprise that it has claimed this spot.
Offering unique combos in Standard, Pioneer, Modern, and, Commander, Agatha’s Soul Cauldron has a lot of potential. This has unsurprisingly caused a surge in early demand, as MTG players want to test with this card. Currently, whether or not any of these combos will actually see play remains to be seen, however, it’s nonetheless exciting.
Since Agatha’s Soul Cauldron has just been released, its price is ultimately subject to change. Should they turn out to be a true combo all-star, they could get even more expensive than they are now, for instance. Alternatively, if they can’t keep up in competitive formats, we could fall off this list completely.
7 | Mondrak, Glory Dominus
Price: $20.57
To say that token doubling effects in MTG are popular would be putting it lightly. Between Doubling Season and Anointed Procession, MTG players can’t get enough. Thanks to this, it should come as absolutely no surprise that Mondrak, Glory Dominus is also a rather expensive card.
Compared to the other token doubling effects, Mondrak, Glory Dominus isn’t the first choice since they’re a creature. While they do have a solid protection effect, they’re ultimately still removable, which limits their usefulness. At the same time, however, having an extra 4/4 body on the board can be rather useful all the same!
At the moment, Mondrak, Glory Dominus pretty much only sees play in Commander. Here, however, they’ve already found their way into almost 55,000 decks, so it’s no wonder they’re expensive!
6 | Nissa, Resurgent Animist
Price: $20.90
From the moment they were first spoiled, it was obvious that Nissa, Resurgent Animist had an obvious home alongside Omnath, Locus of Creation. Both heavily focused around Landfall, Nissa, Resurgent Animist helps to keep your hand stocked up with Elementals. Ideally, this means you’ve always got access to Fury and Solitude.
As you may have guessed from the Modern Horizons 2 cards, Nissa, Resurgent Animist is predominantly played in Modern. Here, they’re often seen as small parts of 4 color Omnath decks. Unsurprisingly, this Nissa also sees some play in Commander, however, they’re hardly an all-star in this format. If you’re building an Elementals deck, however, they’re nonetheless a decent addition to the 99.
5 | Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines
Price: $21.14
To put it politely, Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines is an absolutely oppressive MTG card. Capable of shutting down your opponent’s deck, while buffing your own, Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines does it all. As you might expect, this makes them an excellent choice for Commander decks, provided you don’t mind becoming everyone’s enemy.
Outside of seeing healthy play in Commander, Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines also sees decent competitive play. Elesh Norn sees play in Modern, Pioneer and Standard. Within Modern, the main home for Elesh Norn is controlling 4 color Omnath and Indomitable Creativity decks.
4 | Portal to Phyrexia
Price: $22.13
Capable of killing, and then resurrecting your opponent’s creatures, Portal to Phyrexia is definitely a powerful card. This ability, however, doesn’t come cheap, requiring nine mana to cast. This immense cost has kept the card on the fridge of playability. The only competitive format to make use of Portal of Phyrexia in a big way is Explorer, which is purely digital.
Thankfully, while Portal to Phyrexia might not be the best competitively, it’s still a great card in Commander. In this format, it isn’t held back by the immense mana cost, allowing its resurrection ability to shine turn after turn. Currently, according to EDHREC, Portal to Phyrexia can be found in around 32,000 decks.
3 | Boseiju, Who Endures
Price: $29.69
More so than any other card on this list, Boseiju, Who Endures is practically an auto-include within any green deck. Easily replacing any Forest, this Legendary Land offers a major upside for practically free. Well, free in the gameplay sense at least… As you can see, the card is rather expensive thanks to its strength.
Thanks to its Channel ability, Boseiju, Who Endures is useful regardless of when they’re found. If you have them early, they can just function as a green land and nothing more. Should you find them later, however, you now have an optional piece of artifact, enchantment, or land removal. Considering drawing a basic land would likely be useless at that point, Boseiju, Who Endures is almost all upside! The only awkward moment for Boseiju is drawing multiple of them when you need lands in play. Thanks to the Legendary Rule, only one Boseiju can exist on your board at a time.
As you might expect considering its strength, Boseiju, Who Endures is an incredibly popular card. Played within Commander, Pioneer, Modern, Standard, Legacy, and even some in Vintage, MTG players can’t get enough. As a result of this demand, the price is obviously sky-high, and it likely won’t be coming down anytime soon.
2 | Beseech the Mirror
Price: $32.17
Out of all the cards from Wilds of Eldraine, Beseech the Mirror is undoubtedly the best. Offering an almost free tutor for any four-cost spell, this card is utterly insane. After all, like all tutors, it lets you find what you need with added consistency. Considering how much Standard is already dominated by Sheoldred, the Apocalypse, this is definitely a scary thought.
Outside of Standard, Beseech the Mirror obviously has some massive implications for other formats. The question remains, however, how expensive will this card be? On the one hand, it’s already fairly expensive, but theoretically, the sky could be the limit! We wouldn’t at all be surprised if Beseech the Mirror became the most expensive card in Standard altogether!
For now, Beseech the Mirror is only worth around $32. While this is obviously no small amount of money, this tutor definitely has a lot of prospects. It remains to be seen, however, how many of these will materialize over time. Like all Wilds of Eldraine cards, there’s a chance this price is just inflated by hype and initial scarcity.
1 | Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
Price: $62.03
Unsurprisingly given the trends of this article, topping the list is another multi-format all-star. This card is, of course, the ever-oppressive Sheoldred, the Apocalypse. Found in Pioneer, Modern, Standard, and Commander, this Sheoldred variant is absolutely everywhere. So much so, in fact, that it’s hardly a surprise that they’re the most expensive card playable in Standard.
Curiously, while Sheoldred is obviously expensive, their cheapest variant isn’t what you might expect. Rather than it being the normal printing found in most boosters, the Phyrexian text art is actually the cheapest. In the right deck, this can be a highly sought-after art treatment, however, evidently, the majority of players value legibility.
If you want to pick up a copy of Sheoldred, the Apocalypse that you can actually read, you’ll have to pay at least $65. Once again, however, this isn’t the normal variant. Instead, this readable Sheoldred is the stained glass showcase frame from Dominaria United. Evidently, given the cheaper price, this isn’t a fan favorite either.
Standard Isn’t Getting Any Cheaper
Unfortunately, to conclude this list, we don’t have an optimistic statement about prices falling in the format’s future. Thanks to the overpowering dominance of Commander, card prices are likely to stay high. While this is obviously a disappointing reality, thankfully, Wizards’ recent changes should at least help.
Now, when getting into Standard, you should be able to use your cards for longer. This should make dropping $120 on a playset of Beseech the Mirror somewhat more agreeable. After all, at least you can use these new cards for three years in Standard alone. That idea is the hope, at least. Whether or not it works, still remains to be seen, as Standard is yet to be properly revived on paper.
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