Weekly Recs - 10/28/24

Hooray, another Magic set (I say sarcastically)! Regardless of my set fatigue, and only based on the limited spoilers on Reddit, Foundations and the associated Foundations: Jumpstart products look to be very solid sets. There are lots of fun returning mechanics, some great reprints, and some solid new cards to boot. This week, I'll be highlighting five commanders that could get a boost from the new cards.

Nashi, Moon Sage's Scion

1 year ago - $1.26

Today: $0.76

Nashi, Moon Sage's Scion helms decks that want to steal and cast your opponents' stuff. In Foundations, the new Tinybones, Bauble Burgler lets you cast your opponents spells if they discard them. He could easily slot into a Nashi deck.

However, I learned very early on in my EDH playing days that people do not like playing against discard or having their stuff stolen, so be very wary if you choose to play this kind of deck.

Types of decks to put it in

• Steal and play your opponents' stuff

Rin and Seri, Inseparable

1 year ago - $14.32

Today: $13.89

Rin and Seri, Inseparable has only been printed twice, once as a Buy-a-Box promo and another as a part of a limited print run Secret Lair. That, combined with the fact that everyone loves the cuteness of cats and dogs, makes it an extremely pricey card.

Cats seem to be shaping up as one of the larger creature types in Foundations, so I would expect people to be on the hunt for any cat related cards. Arahbo, the First Fang goes in Rin and Seri because it generates even more Cat tokens, powering up Rin and Seri's potentially game warping second ability. Generate enough Dogs and you can maybe knock a player out in one activation!

Types of decks to put it in

• Cats and dogs

Gargos, Vicious Watcher

1 year ago - $0.78

Today: $0.78

It seems like every set there is at least one new Hydra, and Foundations is no different. Hydras are one of the most classic creature types in all of Magic. In Foundations, the newest one, Mossborn Hydra, is a cool combination of +1/+1 counter and landfall synergies.

Gargos, Vicious Watcher is one of the best Hydra commanders because it both ramps you and is a repeatable source of removal. Mossborn Hydra would then be a 1 mana creature that, if you play a land and then classic green ramp source like Cultivate, becomes a 4/4 with trample.

Types of decks to put it in

• Hydras

Giada, Font of Hope

1 year ago - $2.18

Today: $4.15

Along with cats, Angel decks are looking to get the widest spread of new tools. Herald of Eternal Dawn is a sweet new card that can stop you from losing the game at flash speed.

And who better to pilot those angel decks other than Giada, Font of Hope! She both powers up your angels and ramps you into them, as they tend to be on the higher mana value level. She has only been printed once (not counting the reprint in the Secret Lair commander deck), so I would expect her price to continue going up.

Types of decks to put it in

• Angels

Niv-Mizzet, Parun

1 year ago - $2.18

Today: $1.03

Niv-Mizzet, Parun is on the higher power level of commanders due to his potential to do infinite (or at least a TON) of damage with his triggered abilities. Heck, most Niv-Mizzets are on the higher power level, and the new Niv-Mizzet, Visionary is no exception. He actually goes infinite with Niv-Mizzet, Parun.

I would expect to see a small resurgence in Niv-Mizzet play, and spellslinger brews in general.

Types of decks to put it in

• Spellslinger

End step

Is Foundations just Core Set 2025? It kind of seems like it, but that is not a bad thing! I thoroughly enjoyed the reprints in the last Core Set in 2021, and the limited environments are great for new players. Spoilers are just getting started, so I would think they still have some spicy reprints and new cards to reveal. Especially if they want this set to stay relevant until 2029, I would expect a mix of simplicity to draw new players in but some de facto staples for many commander decks in order to continue to sell the set into the future.