One of the most common criticisms leveled at Secret Lair products these days is their lack of value. The reprints chosen for each drop are often lackluster, making $30 plus shipping look pretty pricey as a result. Thankfully, the MTG x Marvel crossover drops seem to be addressing this issue. All of them offer a pricey staple or two, and the Wolverine Secret Lair is far and away the best of them. Before you even factor in the brand-new card in this drop, you’re getting over $60 worth of value for the $39.99 you put in here.
Double Or Nothing, Bub?
- Mana Value: 1RG
- Rarity: Mythic Rare
- Stats: 2/2
- Card Text: Unrivaled Lethality – Double all damage Wolverine would deal.
At the beginning of each end step, if Wolverine dealt damage to another creature this turn, put a +1/+1 counter on him.
1G: Regenerate Wolverine. (The next time he would be destroyed this turn, instead tap him, remove him from combat, and heal all damage on him.)
Before we get to the juicy reprints, let’s talk about that brand-new card I just mentioned. As with all of the Marvel Secret Lair drops, Wolverine includes a new card based on its titular hero. Wolverine, Best There Is is undoubtedly a great name, but unfortunately, the card itself leaves a lot to be desired.
For three mana, Wolverine is a 2/2 that attacks and blocks like a 4/2. He can also Regenerate, which is incredibly flavorful for the character. That ability can help Wolverine trade with large creatures, and trigger his growth ability in the process. Costing two mana really prices it out of any kind of competitive use, however.
You won’t be seeing Wolverine in Legacy any time soon. Commander is a long shot too, but there is at least some potential there. His growth ability triggers on each end step, so he can potentially gain four +1/+1 counters per turn cycle.
It also counts all forms of damage he deals, not just combat damage. This means that fight effects, or cards like Burning Anger that let creatures tap for damage, play very nicely with Wolverine too. There’s potential for some kind of offbeat Aggro deck to be built around Wolverine, but I highly doubt it’ll be anything spectacular.
Value-wise, as with all of the new Marvel heroes in this Superdrop, we don’t really know where Wolverine will land. It’s possible that these drops are small teasers for the full Marvel set next year, and all five heroes will be reprinted in it. Then again, signs are pointing toward next year’s Marvel set being fully Spider-Man-themed, so these cards could be one-offs. In that case, even a weak legend like Wolverine could end up at around $5 in value.
Truly Terrific Value
Ironically, the rest of this Secret Lair drop really outshines Wolverine himself. It includes not one, but two outstanding value reprints.
The biggest hit here is definitely The Ozolith. This counter-catching artifact is a Commander giga-staple. It is also used in Modern Hardened Scales lists, which pumps its value even more. Throw in the fact that it hasn’t had a non-premium reprint since its first appearance, and it’s no surprise The Ozolith goes for around $35 right now.
The other big card here is Berserk. This one has seen a few reprints over the years, but it still sits at around $20. It’s a very cheap way to double a creature’s power and grant it evasion, which gives it serious power in Legacy Infect decks. It’s also a potent tool for punching through sneaky Commander damage wins.
The other two reprints here aren’t as exciting but, given that the last two make up $55 of value alone, they don’t really need to be. Rite of Passage is actually a first-time reprint, not seen since Fifth Dawn in 2004. It’s a pretty solid card for +1/+1 counter decks in Commander and goes for a respectable $5 as a result.
Rhythm of the Wild is one we’ve seen more recently in Ravnica Remastered, but it’s still a decent reprint. In any Gruul creature deck, both of the abilities it offers are extremely useful. This is a $3 card, so it’s the weakest in the drop by that metric.
Overall, the value of this drop is clear. You can grab it safe in the knowledge that your investment will pay off, at least based on the current numbers. Ironically Wolverine himself doesn’t factor into this much, but he’s still a fun new legend for Marvel fans.
