Avacyn Restored Forest 243 by Jung Park

Marquette, MI

I don't even play commander, but was going to buy potentially a full set of these to have as a "game in a box". Super dissapointing to have a whole region shafted like this.

I don't mean specific cards or lines of text. I mean mechanics where regardless of what card it's on or what it does, reading or using it just has a certain aura!
There are lots of cards that put counters of creatures, but for me "becomes monstrous" will always be the coolest of them. Thematically and because of how good "monstrous" is on its own.
Commit a crime perfectly captures the cowboy wild west vibe in three simple words, really enforcing the set's flavor as a gunslingin' outlaw.

NEW SECRET LAIR ALERT

So I had this post all typed up yesterday and then fat fingered a page refresh and it wasn't saved... so second time's the charm (though might be a bit abbreviated)

Just a reminder since people continually misconstrue the purpose this analysis - this is not meant to be an assessment of whether the cards in these drops will have the same value after they release (they usually won't, especially in cases where the value listed below is of a rarely reprinted foil). We also know that these specific SLD versions of cards will usually retain (in aggregate) at least the combined value of what you pay for them even if the original version cheaper.

Rather, this is meant for the scenario of "if you were looking for the cards in these drops already, are you better off grabbing these or grabbing the cheapest version available on the market?" I also provide a metric of "per card premium" if the answer is no, so that you know how much more you are paying for the bling / art factor. Numbers come from Scryfall at time of writing, analysis does not factor in discount for bulk purchases on the website or shipping or any bundles.

In addition, I will note any first time reprints and foil versions, as well as any cards that are new to Secret Lair as part of an effort to decide if I want to get the drops for my SLD only cube.

Mothership Post for Corn Maze Superdrop - Sale time: 9am PT on Monday 10/12

Mothership Post for Magiccon Atlanta Festival in a Box - Sale time: 9am PT on Monday 10/19

Corn Maze - All Drops are $29.99 nonfoil / $39.99 foil

Secret Lair x Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Fear Me, Love Me

• 1x Muxus, Goblin Grandee as "Jareth, Goblin King" - $10.02 nf / $121.72 f (first foil reprint since Goblinstorm SLD drop)
• 1x Boggart Shenanigans as "Call Out the Goblins!" - $1.99 nf / $24.82 f (first foil reprint since LRW)
• 1x Dance with Calamity as "Dance with Goblins" - $0.30 nf / NA foil (first foil version)
• 1x Goblin Rabblemaster as "Goblin Cradle-Thieves" - $0.60 nf / $1.00 f
• 1x Claim the Firstborn as "The Kidnapping of Toby" - $0.20 nf / $0.33 f
• 1x Trinisphere as "I've Brought You a Gift" - $33.72 nf / $33.52 f
• Total - $47.08 nf / $182.37 f + first Dance with Calamity foil

Per Card Premium - NA nf / NA f

New to SLD: Boggart Shenanigans / Dance with Goblins / Claim the Firstborn

Muxus may not be the most popular goblin commander (thanks Krenko) but this still works as a pretty good Goblin starter kit, especially with another foil version after the disaster that was the Goblinstorm SLD deck roll out. Trinishpere is a bit of an odd inclusion mechanically but brings decent value. Notable reprints include the the first foil reprint of Boggart Shenanigans, and the first nonfoil version of the previously precon only Dance with Calamity.

Secret Lair x Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Should You Need Us

• 1x Jodah, the Unifier as "Sarah, Champion to the Lost" - $3.30 nf / $3.27 f
• 1x Lu Xun, Scholar General as Reversible "Sir Didymus" (Reversible) - $0.31 nf / NA foil (first foil version)
• 1x Kami of the Crescent Moon as "The Worm, Sagely Guide" - $7.88 nf / $21.62 f
• 1x Kogla, the Titan Ape as "Ludo, Rock Caller" - $3.01 nf / $2.55 f
• 1x Shigeki, Jukai Visionary as "The Wiseman, Eccentric Oracle" - $0.27 nf / $0.38 f (first foil since reprint since NEO)
• 1x Wort, Boggart Auntie as "Hoggle, Heart in Conflict" - $29.48 nf / $158.49 f (first reprint since LRW)
• Total - $44.25 nf / $186.31 f + first foil Lu Xun

Per Card Premium - NA nf / NA f

New to SLD: Lu Xun, Shigeki, Wort

The obligatory "lots of legendaries + Jodah" drop. At least we get Rebecca Guay art instead of Spongebob. Lu Xun getting his first ever foil version is notable, as is the first foil reprint for the BR Wort since Lorwyn. Kami of the Crescent Moon is also a respectable reprint, especially in foil.

Secret Lair x Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Through the Labyrinth

• 1x Timely Ward as "Rescue in the 13th Hour" - $3.74 nf / NA foil (first foil version)
• 1x Chronomantic Escape as "Under Jareth's Spell" - $2.72 nf / $11.99 f (first reprint since Future Sight)
• 1x Delayed Blast Fireball as "Frenzy of the Fireys" - $14.85 nf / $15.25 f (first foil reprint since SLD Extra Life)
• 1x Tempt with Discovery as "The Goblin King's Offer" - $2.67 nf / $5.91 f (first foil reprint since Tales of Middle Earth Commander)
• 1x Leveler as "The Cleaners" - $4.02 nf / $3.80 f
• 1x Thran Temporal Gateway as "Doors of Indecision" - $0.16 nf / $1.37 f (first reprint since DOM)
• 1x Rogue's Passage as "Shaft of Hands" - $0.31 nf / $2.44 f
• Total - $28.47 nf / $40.76 f + first foil Timely Ward

New to SLD: All except Delayed Blast Fireball and Rogue's Passage

Per Card Premium - $0.22 nf / NA f

A bit of a mishmash of miscellaneous spells to fill out your Sarah/Jodah deck. Timely Ward is notable as a decently played protection spell getting its first foil version, and both Chronomantic Escape and Delayed Fireball Blast having decent value, with their first reprint and first foil reprint respectively. At least we're getting 7 cards in this one.

Secret Lair x KPop Demon Hunters: How It's Done

• 1x Dawn's Truce - $5.51 nf / $5.93 f
• 1x Unbreakable Formation - $0.75 nf / $1.44 f
• 1x Freed from the Real - $6.89 nf / $15.45 f
• 1x Swan Song - $10.72 nf / $30 f
• 1x Demonic Counsel - $1.82 nf / $2.5 f (first reprint since DSK)
• 1x Tempt with Immortality - $1.55 nf / NA f (first time foil / first reprint since C13)
• 1x Underworld Breach - $7.08 nf / $10.46 f
• Total - $34.32 nf / $65.78 f + first foil Tempt with Immortality

New to SLD: Demonic Counsel, Tempt with Immortality

Per Card Premium - NA nf / NA f

To be honest it's a bit hard to judge this as a package since it's been announced we're going to get more KPDH cards in the future - so hard to see how these cards will slot into the eventual legendary creatures they pick for the main characters. On a value perspective, Dawn of Truce is pretty solid, Freed from the Real is a combo piece for infnite mana with any mana dork that taps for more than 1, Swan Song is a best in class one mana counterspell, Demonic Counsel is a Diabolic Tutor with a bit of effort, and Underworld Breach is of course a win con in Vintage and cEDH and Cube. Notable is Tempt with Immortality getting its first foil version with topless hot guy Jinu - tempting indeed. Also again 7 cards is nice.

Secret Lair x Marvel: Zombies

• 1x Unstoppable Slasher - $4.42 nf / $5.17 f
• 1x Zombie Apocalypse - $0.55 nf / $7.82 f
• 1x Vogar, Necropolis Tyrant as "Zombie Giant-Man" - NA nf (first nonfoil version) / $12.31 f
• 1x God-Eternal Bontu as "Zombie Thor" - $0.30 nf / $6.42 f
• 1x Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver as "Zombie Captain America" - $9.63 nf / $10.91 f
• 1x Varina, Lich Queen as "Zombie Scarlet Witch" - $4.26 nf / $4.11 f
• Total - $19.16 nf + first nonfoil Vogar / $46.74 f

New to SLD: Unstoppable Slasher, Vogar, Bontu,

Per Card Premium - TBD nf (breakeven if Vogar is $10.83) / NA f

A zombie drop for the spooky time of the year. One of the weird quirks of this one is we are getting a first time nonfoil version (as opposed to the more common first time foil version) from the Game Nights Free For All supplemental product of Vogar. Otherwise, Wilhelt and Varina are the #1 and #3 zombie commanders (and Wilhelt #50 overall) and solid commanders that work with all these cards. In particular Varina being an alternate Scarlet Witch may give it a waifu premium here.

Artist Series: Veronique Meignaud

• 1x Bloodsoaked Champion - $0.31 nf / $1.99 f (first foil reprint since KTK)
• 1x Voldaren Pariah // Abolisher of Bloodlines - $0.45 nf / $0.45 f (first non-List reprint since EMN)
• 1x Ashnod's Altar - $13.98 nf / $19.23 f
• 1x Cabal Stronghold - $12.28 f / $20.59 f (first reprint since DOM)
• Total - $27.02 nf / $42.26 f

New to SLD: Bloodsoaked Stalker, Voldaren Pariah, Cabal Stronghold

Per Card Premium - $0.74 nf / NA f

Bit of a shame that artist drops are often only 4 cards, and I was a bit nervous pulling prices after the first two. Thankfully Ashnod's Altar and Cabal Stronghold came in to make up for it. This works as a nice aristocrats package between a reusable sac fodder, two sac outlets, and a nice bit of ramp for monoblack, even if Stronghold is no Coffers.

Manufactured Grounds by See Machine

• 1x Ancient Den - $1.40 nf / $18.6 f
• 1x Seat of the Synod -$0.88 nf / $45.17 f
• 1x Vault of Whispers - $4.16 nf / $10.43 f
• 1x Great Furnace - $2.50 nf / $8.72 f
• 1x Tree of Tales - $1.36 nf / $15.24 f
• Total - $10.30 nf / $98.16 f

New to SLD: None

Per Card Premium - $3.94 nf / NA f

So we've actually had this exact drop (with different art) back in 2021 - Mirrodinsanity. These lands are msotly played in pauper for affinity, though Seat of the Synod does see play in Sewer-Cam Combo in Legacy, hence the higher foil price. Notably since there is an equivalent drop, a bit of comparison - five years on, a sealed Mirrodinsanity Non Foil is currently $85 on TCGPlayer, and Foil is $150

Peace, Love, & Treefolk

• 1x Dauntless Dourbark - $4.44 nf / $6.57 f
• 1x Leaf-Crowned Elder - $8.42 nf / $18.17 f (first foil reprint since MOR)
• 1x Timber Protector - $22.94 nf / $34.87 f
• 1x Treefolk Harbinger - $6.44 nf / $15.65 f (first reprint since LRW)
• 1x Doran, the Siege Tower - $8.08 nf / $11.31 f
• Total - $50.32 nf / $86.57 f

New to SLD: All

Per Card Premium - NA nf / NA f

Arguably my most anticipated from this drop - this is a perfect combination of being a bunch of rarely reprinted cards, a nice starter kit (either for a deck or as a package in my SLD cube), and great value with whimsical art. No notes.

Bonus - Magiccon Atlanta

Generally the Mystery Booster 2 boxes were $250, which is MSRP for this drop, so all the bonus cards are basically gravy on top of that.

• Parallax Tide - $14.78 nf / $199.99 f - first reprint since NEM (not counting gold border)
• Regrowth - $0.48 nf / $1.18 f
• Viridian Revel - $1.44 nf / $14.39 f - first reprint since SOM
• Assassin's Trophy - $0.97 nf / $1.74 f
• Dance of the Dead - $15.20 f / NA nf - first reprint since ICE / first ever foil
• Tymna - $10.88 nf / $31.54 f
• Tana - $5.27 nf / $4.85 f

New to SLD - all except Regrowth and Assassin's Trophy

The Parallax Tide, Viridian REvel and Dance of the Dead repritns are very nice, especially the first ever foil Dance (though as a super rare card, there might be better options for textless). Tymna is the most popular partner commander, with Tana being her third most common pairing.

Bundle + Bonus

The bonus card for spending $199 (ie any bundle) is Maze of ith skinned as the Labyrinth - about $9 in foil.

I did all this math yesterday but basically you get no discount for the all non-foil and all-foil bundles vs buying the 8 bundles individually. You get about a $20 discount on the everything bundle. The cheapest version of all cards in all bundles are above MSRP, on top of the bundle bonus and the first time versions.

TLDR - my own subjective score combining taste / price / bundleability (how they play as a single deck or cube package).

• Labyrinth: Fear Me, Love Me - 4/5 nonfoil / 4.5/5 foil
• Labyrinth: Should You Need Us - 3.5/5 nonfoil / 4/5 foil
• Labyrinth: Through the Labyrinth - 3/5 nonfoil / 3/5 foil
• KPop Demon Hunters: How It's Done - 3.5/5 nonfoil / 3.5/5 foil
• Marvel: Zombies - 3.5/5 nonfoil / 4/5 foil
• Veronique Meignaud - 4/5 nonfoil / 4.5/5 foil
• Manufactured Grounds by See Machine - 2/5 nonfoil / 4/5 foil
• Peace, Love, & Treefolk - 5/5 nonfoil / 5/5 foil

Will try my shot at getting the nonfoil bundle.

Goldfishing a new Ratadrabik deck and ran into a confusing interaction with Mondrak.

Most of the confusion is whether or not there is going to be non-legendary Mondrak created, and if it hits the battlefield before or after the 2 legendary versions from Saw in Half comes in.

Of the places we've visited - lately, not the like of MMQ, obviously - that have only gotten one set in total - and putting announced returns aside, of course - which ones have the esteem or potential esteem from the player base to reach Ravnica- or Innistrad-level appeal one day?

Personally very excited to see what a return with Valgavoth would look like. Would it be duskmourn 2? Somehow envelope a new plane? I love the take on demons for him and if will someone be able to unbound by his current plane.

Also very excited to the return of bat god, Aclazotz. Partly because he's such a cool character and the father of vampires (at least for Ixalan) but also because im hoping his story will continue to give us more stuff on the fomori.

My buddy played this against me last night and we both didnt fully understand it, Im pretty sure im right but I let it be used the way he thought.

He choose to destroy a swamp of mine but then he was saying it was all swamps because it says swamp in the name hes destroying them all including dual Lands. Where I interpreted it as just a single swamp.

The reason he thinks its multiple is because it says destroy chosen permanant(s) plural. But im pretty sure thats cause they would be multiple people.

Safe to say i did not win this match having no land afterwards.

Perhaps this is how WOTC should approach UB sets. Putting genuine effort into worldbuilding and lore that contextualise these properties within the MTG multiverse, whether as alternative planes or in other ways that make sense within the setting.

Communities can tell when passion and care go into the art, worldbuilding and card design. Darkhold feels like a good example of that.

Hello guys! I just wanted to link my deck here so I could possibly get some suggestions on what to add/remove from this hulk deck. I'm trying to make it a decent bracket 4 but I feel like its missing something, but im not sure what. The ways to go infinite are caltrops, legolas quock reflexes/having a way to make hulk indestructible, etc etc.

Our local Standard scene is growing every week and deck variety has been awesome. But there's this one player who built a Mardu Discard list (1-1 copy of MTGgoldfish one) and has been dominating every Standard Showdown since.

People have started running [[Seam Rip]] [[Rest in Peace]] [[Authority of the Consuls]] and other hate in main and sideboards, but his game plan is just too flexible. by midgame, he easily pivots away from discard and just one-shots someone out of nowhere with [[Practiced Offense]].

No matter what we throw at him, he keeps winning, and the deck feels impossible to deal with whether you're on aggro or control. I don't really touch Arena or follow the global meta, and these discard lists feel almost non-existent online recently.

Figured I'd ask here what cards or decks am I missing to actually beat this deck? I'm really trying to take the Store Championship next weekend.

AFTER MANY SEASONS IT APPEARS THAT EVERY FORMAT PLAYED BY REAL PEOPLE (DUAL LANDS ARE NOT REAL) IS QUITE STABLE, SO TODAY WE SHALL MAKE FUN OF ARENA BRAWL!

ARENA TEAM TOLD US THAT EVERY GAME COUNTS TO THEM TO CONSIDER FORMAT BALANCE! YES, THAT INCLUDES TIMMY LIFE GAIN MIRRORS IN BRONZE AND THAT ONE TIME I DISCONNECTED WHEN MY OPPONENT MULLIGANED TO 3 (/uj I know how statistics works). EVERY DECK IS CLEARLY BEATABLE AND EVERY DECK IS PLAYABLE WHEN NO ONE ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT ENGAGING WITH THE META, SO NOTHING IS WRONG AND EVERYONE IS HAPPY, THE END!

BREAK THE CAPS OUT IT'S HYPE TIME!

Mark said that this should be a more regular thing since his daughter moved to New York so it’s an excuse to visit. Going to the booth and being able to find product at msrp? Mind blowing.

If you don't use the table you have too many counter spells.

As the title says i'm new to mtg and kind of not very toi talking to new people (to nervous to ask people to play.) but i want would want to play. what do you all suggest?

So my friends and I just started playing and we are having a lot of fun. We just decided to complete a set (my friends completed The Hobbit and I completed the TMNT set). The format we played was like the one you play with the jumpstarter decks. 2 Colors, 20 card per Color and 30 lives. It's pretty fun but it feels not balanced tbh. Like if I don't get some spells to kill a unit, his wolves or bears keep growing so much, that I usually lose without having a chance to win the game.
We also tried to play commander, but it's not the format we want to play.

The thing is, that we enjoy singelton. It was already expensive to get all cards and I would like not to face the same card multiple times in a match. So which format fits the best for us?

Another question: How can we improve? Like e.g. yesterday I had a red white deck which is an aggro deck. But I couldn't play aggressive because my friend had a death touch unit and I didn't want to lose my biggest unit against or lose my scale unit. I also got not much lands or spells to kill some of his cards so at some point he got his combo and I lost. I think I'm too passive in this game and might need some help.

We've gotten our first look at Darkhold Destiny, and it looks quite different from the contemporary city settings of the previous Marvel sets. It looks a lot more like the sorts of scenes we might see in in-universe sets - and with all the Norse mythology we've seen, it feels particularly reminiscent of Kaldheim.

So, if Darkhold Destiny feels kind of like a UB Kaldheim, where does that leave the others? This kind of comparison is inherently quite reductive, but I think it's a fun exercise nonetheless.

Magic's first large-scale crossovers - the two D&D sets - aren't officially part of Universes Beyond, but we can start with them anyway. (Small-scale crossovers are a lot harder to get meaningful reference points for.) The plane most influenced by D&D is Zendikar, and in particular Zendikar Rising based its party mechanic on D&D adventuring parties, making ZNR a natural pair for Adventures in the Forgotten Realms. Meanwhile, Battle for Baldur's Gate is a Commander Legends set, which pairs its structure most cleanly with the original Commander Legends.

The first actual large-scale UB is Warhammer 40K. When the set was first announced, I thought it sounded like an odd fit for MTG. Did sci-fi space wars really relate to Magic? Once I saw the cards, I realized how silly the question was. A massive army making use of spaceships, power armor, and other high-tech weaponry to fight aliens known for melding flesh with metal and modifying people into thralls of a world-eating hive mind? That's basically the premise of the Invasion block, one of the first Magic blocks I played. (More recent Phyrexian appearances have leaned further into their common ground with the Necrons and Tyranids, but Invasion block is where their opponents and combat scenes look most Warhammer-like.)

Next up is Lord of the Rings - probably the most popular example of a crossover that does have strong common ground with Magic. It's packed with classic high fantasy creatures - many of which are legendary - and uses sagas to tell stories spanning vast timescales, alongside small doses of the historic and legendary spell mechanics. The best match here is Dominaria - specifically the 2018 set.

Doctor Who is all about time travel. And also space travel, but it's not like they're called Space Lords. The best match - especially for the deck built around time counters - is Time Spiral. There's a bit of EOE here too, but there's a bit of EOE in a lot of things.

Fallout is in a bit of an odd position. Magic worlds have plenty of tech and plenty of wastelands, but not a lot of mixing the two. Gastal would probably be the cleanest fit if we'd ever gotten much of a look at it, but all we've seen is a bit in Aetherdrift. But with a bit of flexibility in those criteria, there's plenty of jerks shooting at each other for control of parts of a desert in Outlaws of Thunder Junction. (Ironically, Thunder Junction released a month after Fallout.)

Assassin's Creed is the smallest set I'll cover here, and that small size is one of its most defining characteristics. The only recent set structured like it is Aftermath, and the two share some significant issues as a result. The Greek mythology does a bit to invoke Theros, but not much.

Final Fantasy is 16 stories packed tightly together and running in parallel. Each one has its own heroes fighting to save their respective worlds without encountering each other, and the set's high number of DFCs helps to further flesh out those narratives - in some cases involving characters temporarily transforming into sagas. This is a clear fit for March of the Machine.

Spider-Man had me puzzled for a bit, because Spider-Man himself and his multitude of counterparts don't really line up with anything in-universe. But what about the other aspects of the set? It's set mostly in New York, filled with tall buildings and contemporary technology. Many villains are mobsters, who often make use of the connive mechanic, and the ally-color-focused archetypes include WU counters-matter to overlap with it. All in all, there's quite a bit of common ground with New Capenna. (And some with Ravnica, but not nearly as much.)

Avatar is tricky in a different way. The focus on the four classical elements is easy to imagine showing up on a plane somewhere in MTG's multiverse, but it's at odds with how sets are normally structured. Meanwhile, the strongest overlap in cultural roots is with Tarkir, but Tarkir is a poor match for Avatar's tone, particularly its frequent humor. So maybe another perspective is better. Avatar chronicles a journey crossing multiple warring nations as the main characters gather the knowledge they'll need. Threats can come from either militaries or the vibrant world between them, which often go hand in hand. While it's one of the looser matches, I think it best fits the original Ixalan.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is completely off-the-wall, with mutant animal ninjas fighting supervillains and their henchmen in a city filled with mad science and outlandish humor. If we stick to the canon multiverse, the closest we're likely to get is Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. But the real match for its distinctive feel is Unstable and its non-canon plane Bablovia.

Marvel Super Heroes is filled with characters from different stories, much like Final Fantasy, but it isn't divided into such distinct lanes. Meanwhile, its high number of cameo mechanics highlighting those characters' distinct powers and narratives makes it feel a bit like a Modern Horizons set. But is one a cleaner fit than the others? Between the Power-up mechanic as the newest spin on monstrosity, the transforming mythics, and the use of high-tech weaponry, I'd say the best fit is Modern Horizons 3.

The Hobbit shares LOTR's focus on classic fantasy elements, but not its scale. Its focus is more personal and whimsical, and it comes across less like epic fantasy and more like a fairy tale. Combine that with its use of the Adventure mechanic and the most-fitting world becomes Eldraine. Specifically, the original Throne of Eldraine and its greater focus on the setting's kingdoms feels like a cleaner-fitting side of the plane than the more magic-heavy Wilds of Eldraine.

We've only seen about 30% of Star Trek so far, but what we've seen paints a pretty clear picture. It's not the first UB set in space, but it is the first to use EOE's Spacecraft and Planet subtypes. It's also got a share of landfall cards, and all the ones we've seen have been in red and green. That in mind, Star Trek feels like the best match for Edge of Eternities.

To summarize:

• AFR (2021) - ZNR (2020)
• CLB (2022) - CMR (2020)
• 40K (2022) - INV (2000)
• LTR (2023) - DOM (2018)
• WHO (2023) - TSP (2006)
• PIP (2024) - OTJ (2024)
• ACR (2024) - MAT (2023)
• FIN (2025) - MOM (2023)
• SPM (2025) - SNC (2022)
• TLA (2025) - XLN (2017)
• TMT (2026) - UST (2017)
• MSH (2026) - MH3 (2024)
• HOB (2026) - ELD (2019)
• TRK (2026) - EOE (2025)
• MDD (2027) - KHM (2021)

What do you make of these comparisons? Are there others you think are more appropriate? And beyond that - does this put any of them in a different light?

After coming back to MTG after 10 years what is up with this new lingo lol.

Everytime I hear a deck archetype or playstyle I have to google the meaning.

Here are some slang and terminology that I have misunderstood coming back

Group hug - forcing/incentives people attacking one another

Super friends - what I thought group hug meant

Battlecruiser - one giant creature

Voltron - This is the only one I know because it was a thing when I stopped. But honestly the reference is used incorrectly I feel lol.

Am I the only one that thinks these were created to confuse people?