Locations
After receiving some feedback and evaluating some of the other writers who have taken the challenge this week, I think I have a way to lead this article that not only lets me talk about important financial information, but also allows me to talk briefly about my favorite card in the coming Standard format . . . That’s right! You guessed it! Séance!
I want to start with the user-submitted ideas first since I know if I start with my latest pet card, this whole article will devolve into the deck you aren’t—but should be—playing. It seems that a lot of people want to discuss token producers of the past and how their value has risen over the years and what that means for the future of some of today’s token generators.
To start, let’s look at some of the token producers of the past that are worth a pretty penny on today’s market; some are more obvious than others. Although this is a G/W week, most token producers that I will be discussing this week are green since that is one of the color’s strong points, but I will also ensure to reveal some white ones as well.
Token Producers of the Past
Rhys the Redeemed – I covered this card in the into in regards to Commander, and for this reason and casual play in general, this card can fetch upward of $10 on almost every major website. This guy does everything token decks want while putting you in the correct colors and providing you with a mega-populate ability all for 1 mana.
Avenger of Zendikar – One of the most powerful token producers, this card has seen its fair share of both competitive and casual play over the years. The fact is that you can abuse this token producer not only to create an army of creatures, but to make your army grow over time, creating an ever-quickening clock.
Elves – I don’t think I could choose one particular Elf to represent this group since everyone has his or her favorite, but cards such as Imperious Perfect, Wren's Run Packmaster, and Elvish Promenade are great examples of these little tree people amassing a following. Over the many years of the game, Elves have always been the tribe for most green players, and the ability to populate now just adds fuel to that fire, so expect this tribe to look to abuse the mechanic at kitchen tables near you!
Saprolings – Behind Elves and Squirrels, there is a huge list of other creatures vying for that top spot in casual players’ decks. Among the most popular in the realm of the kitchen table are Saprolings. This infectious tribe will replicate, er . . . populate faster than anyone can imagine if left unchecked, and cards such as Mycoloth and Saproling Symbiosis are at the forefront of that assault, doubling the number of guys you have on board, even at instant speed.
Doubling Season and Parallel Lives – Although these popular enchantments do not directly create tokens for you, they do help your army multiply at an exponentially faster rate, making them auto-includes in almost every token-producing Commander and casual deck looking to amass an army to Overrun your opponent.
The Competitive Population
Most of the cards I have covered so far seems to have jammed their way into mostly Commander decks over the years. Some cards like the above-mentioned Avenger and Deranged Hermit have seen the light of day on the Grand Prix and Pro Tour level, but beyond that, there are some cards we have forgotten about over the years that can still fetch a pretty penny.
- Master of the Wild Hunt has seen a considerable amount of Standard play as a way to create board attrition that your opponent must deal with before devoting anyone else to the battlefield.
- Spectral Procession was a key component in both the mono-white and Boat Brew strategies during it’s time, and even to this day, it is hard to find a more cost-efficient token producer. Maybe that is why this uncommon still fetches a few bucks.
- Martial Coup has been a staple in many of the control builds over the years, as it not only allows you to stabilize, but gives you the blockers necessary to survive until you can find another copy. If you manage to gain control after a ’walker, you also have the option to start bashing face, making this among the most popular token producers among casual and competitive players alike.
- Luminarch Ascension is another control finisher that provides you with a solid way to ensure your late game is better than your opponent’s while sneaking under the counterspells, leaving your opponent with very little time to find an answer. This saw mostly sideboard play in control mirrors, but variants of Turbofog did love spitting out Angels at times as well.
Honorable Mentions – These guys just don’t quite fit in the Selesnya Conclave, but they are still among the most powerful and expensive token producers in the game.
Standard Selesnyans
Thragtusk – This guy has to be among the greatest green creatures of all time, and the fact that he is directly in the center of a multicolored format while being easily splashable means he will probably see even more play than he typically would. Although he has already risen to the $15 mark at one point, his reprint in preconstructed products has kept his price down since then. I can see him reaching this level again if he sees as much play as I believe he will, but either way, I would not expect him to drop, and I would therefore would be more than willing to dump my overhyped and overpriced Return to Ravnica cards into these.
Precinct Captain – This guy seems to have a lot of potential and has already risen in price since his presale debut. If and when mono-white aggro becomes a deck, this is certain to be a player in the 2-drop spot in some capacity. Unfortunately, this guy has to fight with a few other options in the 2-drop spot, meaning he may not be a four-of, but expect him to show up nonetheless.
Trostani, Selesnya's Voice – This card has been testing well for everyone I have talked to, and although I thought it was mainly a sideboard card for the aggro mirror matches, it has been testing so well against control as well that it may start to see a main-decked play. I don’t expect the price to spike to hard due to the legend clause on this guy, but I can certainly see the card holding stable if aggro becomes a dominant player.
Armada Wurm – Even with the high presale price on this obscure-looking Wurm, I don’t know that it has hit its ceiling. Though the card is not a four-of in most decks, it does still seem to be a fit in both midrange and control builds, meaning it is more likely to see a spike over time if multiple decks settle into the tier-one place with this guy on board. 10 power for 6 mana that tramples can quickly end games or stabilize you from behind; the question is whether it is enough to demand a higher price than it currently carries.
Looking Forward
With the Conclave's Blessing, I depart this week, hoping you all learned something—whether it be about something new or something old. Thank you for reading as always, and let me know what you guys thought of my use of the theme this week. If you have any other ideas for the other guilds, leave me a comment or send me a tweet.
Ryan Bushard
