The Magic Market Index: Set Reviews of Kaladesh and Inventions

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Kaladesh is coming out this weekend. This article will review all the cards in this set that are not completely Limited fodder. This is not meant as to a guide to what to play, but rather what cards will be in demand and thus worth it keep and/or go after. However, there will be some commentary on what cards may be good in and whether they have a place in a given format, as playable cards tend to have more value and demand then unplayable cards.

This set's prices are generally at their peaks at release day, and values will go down as more product is opened. This is the same for every set before and most likely after.

Cards that are only good in Limited were excluded from the list. All cards that were not marked as Limited fodder during the research stage will be reviewed. Some cards have * in their price to indicate that there was no price data for that card at the time the data was collected. All rares and mythics were included regardless of price, and all card over one dollar were included. There is a section after the set that is the common and uncommons that will see play in a format and are worth keeping your copies.

Kaladesh

Name		Price on 9/20		Is this worth its current price?	Is this good to hold on to?	Could this go up later?	Comment

Chandra, Torch of Defiance		$47.78		N	N	N	Chandra. Torch of Defiance is quite good, but she will not maintain this price. She could go down to as low as $20, but will most likely be around $30.
Nissa, Vital Force		$18.94		N	Y	N	Nissa, Vital Force is a strong planeswalker for this set.
Dovin Baan		$14.99		Y	Y	Y	Dovin Baan is likely to be the best planeswalker in the set.
Saheeli Rai		$14.94		N	N	Y	Saheeli Rai is a strong planeswalker a set of great planeswalkers. Her Shining will come if a U/R artifact deck shows up in Standard.
Verdurous Gearhulk		$10.95		N	Y	N	Verdurous Gearhulk is a strong gearhulk that is either a five-mana 8/8 trampler or a team pumper that can be abused with flicker effects.
Spirebluff Canal		$6.77		Y	Y	Y	All of the enemy fast lands are good investments. This is one is the best for non-Standard formats.
Cataclysmic Gearhulk		$6.06		Y	Y	Y	Cataclysmic Gearhulk is a worse [/card]Tragic Arrogance[/card], but it does come with a body.
Aetherworks Marvel		$5.59		N	N	Y	Aetherworks Marvel has combo written all over it.
Skysovereign, Consul Flagship		$5.45		N	N	N	Skysovereign, Consul Flagship has a lot of potential to be good. This might make token decks good again, and five colorless mana to kill a three toughness creature or three loyalty planeswalker is always acceptable, even in Standard.
Smuggler's Copter		$5.39		N	N	N	Smuggler's Copter is a little overhyped, but it s a great card and one of the best vehicles so far.
Torrential Gearhulk		$5.39		Y	Y	Y	Torrential Gearhulk is not Snapcaster Mage but it is not far from that card. You do not have to play for the card and you have a 5/6 for five mana. It seems like a great finisher in blue control decks.
Noxious Gearhulk		$5.14		Y	Y	Y	A six-mana 5/4 with evasion that destroys a creature is great already and fringe Constructed play. Gaining life when that creature dies pushes it into being playable.
Blooming Marsh		$5.10		Y	Y	Y	All of the enemy fast lands are good investments. This one will be the biggest one in Standard.
Combustible Gearhulk		$4.97		Y	Y	Y	Combustible Gearhulk is actually really good. This is potentially very good.
Rashmi, Eternities Crafter		$4.75		Y	Y	Y	Rashmi, Eternities Crafter is going up up as it sees play in Commander decks.
Inspiring Vantage		$4.49		Y	Y	Y	All of the enemy fast lands are good investments.
Botanical Sanctum		$4.42		Y	Y	Y	All of the enemy fast lands are good investments.
Concealed Courtyard		$4.41		Y	Y	Y	All of the enemy fast lands are good investments.
Angel of Invention		$4.29		N	N	N	Angel of Invention is a small army in a can or a 4/3 with a Glorious Anthem attached. This should do well with aggressive decks in Standard.
Demon of Dark Schemes		$3.33		N	N	Y	If a reanimator deck arrives, Demon of Dark Schemes is a solid player in that deck
Panharmonicon		$2.48		Y	Y	Y	Panharmonicon will be worth something good. Getting a lot is not advised, but have a few copies for later will be good.
Authority of the Consuls		$2.47		N	N	Y	Authority of the Consuls is an interesting card that has potential in aggressive and lifegain decks.
Metallurgic Summonings		$2.19		N	N	N	Metallurgic Summonings is a Commander card that will see play, but not in that much to warrant getting extra copies of.
Toolcraft Exemplar		$2.15		Y	Y	Y	Toolcraft Exemplar is a decent one drop that will dip down in price but go up once an aggressive white deck is found.
Fumigate		$2.14		Y	N	Y	Fumigate is the board wipe of of this block. It is debatable between whether you want this or Planar Outburst.
Scrapheap Scrounger		$1.83		N	Y	Y	Scrapheap Scrounger has potential for some strategies. It might see play in Modern Dredge.
Kambal, Consul of Allocation		$1.82		y	Y	Y	Kambal, Consul of Allocation is a great control card for W/B/x control decks.
Insidious Will		$1.69		N	N	N	Insidious Will is a fine card. Cards that give a lot of options tend to do well, but this is kind of on the weak side.
Syndicate Trafficker		$1.68		N	N	N	Syndicate Trafficker could be decent, but it requires a lot of set up and build around for a decent payoff.
Bomat Courier		$1.61		Y	Y	Y	Bomat Courier is awesome in an aggressive red deck. Look for it to go up.
Aether Hub		$1.47		Y	Y	Y	Aether Hub is the new Tendo Ice Bridge that can replenish its ability to make colored mana. This will see play in Standard.
Inventors' Fair		$1.26		N	N	N	Inventors' Fair is a fair card that will see play in small amounts, mostly in Commander but maybe in Standard
Metalwork Colossus		$1.25		Y	Y	Y	Other than dealing with exile effects, Metalwork Colossus is a great card that makes it worth playing artifact themed deck.
Cultivator's Caravan		$1.15		Y	Y	Y	Cultivator's Caravan is a great mana producer. Early game, this ramps and color fixes, and later is is a threat when the mana produced is not needed.
Lost Legacy		$1.10		N	N	N	Other than a cute combo with Eternal Scourge, this is almost unplayable.
Lathnu Hellion		$0.99		N	N	N	While not unplayable, Lathnu Hellion is not worth the pay off for using energy.
Aetherflux Reservoir		$0.97		Y	Y	Y	Aetherflux Reservoir is a combo card and could be the a finisher for the life gain decks out there in Magic.
Fateful Showdown		$0.94		N	N	N	Collective Defiance is much better but this has some uses. It is not unreasonable to keep a copy or two of this, but it not likely to make a real impact.
Madcap Experiment		$0.94		N	N	Y	Madcap Experiment has some potential for abuse, so it worth getting some copies.
Ghirapur Orrery		$0.93		N	N	Y	Ghirapur Orrery is a decent card that might see some play. It is not a bad idea to have some on hand.
Fleetwheel Cruiser		$0.91		N	N	N	Fleetwheel Cruiser is a fine vehicle that could see play.
Marionette Master		$0.90		N	N	N	Marionette Master has some potential to be great as Disciple of the Vault, which was banned for being too great.
Padeem, Consul of Innovation		$0.90		N	N	N	Padeem, Consul of Innovation is a fine card but will not see much, if any, play.
Gonti, Lord of Luxury		$0.89		N	N	N	Gonti, Lord of Luxury has a good effect, but the question is if that effect is worth a slot in the deck and that is not an answer in the favor of Gonti.
Animation Module		$0.85		Y	Y	Y	Animation Module is a interesting for Commander. It could see some play there.
Depala, Pilot Exemplar		$0.83		Y	Y	Y	Depala, Pilot Exemplar going to be a fan favorite since it is the Dwarf lord. The adding dwarves to your hand is a bonus for Casual and Commander decks.
Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafter		$0.82		N	N	N	Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafter is a mediocre card and will not likely be better than.
Confiscation Coup		$0.78		N	N	N	There is a world in which Confiscation Coup is a great card, but a lot has to change in Standard.
Wildest Dreams		$0.77		N	N	N	Would it kill Wizards to make one of these that do not exile itself? Seasons Past did not and it saw play. Green spells like this would not exile themselves.
Deadlock Trap		$0.76		Y	Y	Y	Deadlock Trap has a lot of potential to a be a great lock piece.
Pia Nalaar		$0.65		N	N	N	Pia Nalaar is not as good without her other half. This is a solid card, but that is all.
Dynavolt Tower		$0.64		N	Y	N	Dynavolt Tower is a fun card that could see play in spell-based energy decks.
Servant of the Conduit		$0.63		N	N	N	Servant of the Conduit is playable but not going to make a real difference to the green ramp decks. They wanted something like Explosive Vegetation.
Dubious Challenge		$0.60		N	Y	Y	Dubious Challenge is a card waiting to be broken in Standard. Everywhere else has [card]Tooth and Nail[//card].
Midnight Oil		$0.60		N	N	Y	Midnight Oil is an interesting twist to draw extra cards for black and might see play in some decks.
Bristling Hydra		$0.58		N	N	N	Bristling Hydra is the typical Hydra and this is slightly playable which is not enough to get it to see play.
Master Trinketeer		$0.51		N	N	N	Master Trinketeer is a fine card that will not see Constructed play outside of causal decks.
Eliminate the Competition		$0.50		N	N	N	Eliminate the Competition is an interesting card that could be interesting in a black-based token deck.
Aetherstorm Roc		$0.49		N	N	Y	Aetherstorm Roc has potential to be good in a white aggressive deck, but that remains to be seen.
Architect of the Untamed		$0.49		N	N	Y	Architect of the Untamed is a fine card.
Electrostatic Pummeler		$0.49		N	N	N	The payoff is not worth the setup cost.
Key to the City		$0.49		N	N	Y	The madness deck finally got some good support. It will not make the deck great, but it can make it playable.
Paradoxical Outcome	$0.49	N	N	N	The effect is cute but this feels too much like a Commander card.
Skyship Stalker	$0.49	N	N	Y	It is a shame Thunderbreak Regent left the format, because those two cards would have made an awesome Standard deck. Still, it a good curve-topper for a red aggressive deck.
Saheeli's Artistry	$0.46	N	N	N	Saheeli's Artistry is going to be great in Commander decks.
Aethersquall Ancient	$0.45	N	N	N	Aethersquall Ancient has potential as a sweeper in blue-based control decks, but that is one whale of a task.
Territorial Gorger	$0.43	N	Y	Y	Territorial Gorger has potential for something good, but potential is all it is now.
Cultivator of Blades	$0.41	N	N	N	These kinds of effects never make an impact in anything outside of Standard.
Captured by the Consulate	$0.40	N	N	N	Limited removal is the best this will ever be.
Multiform Wonder	$0.39	N	N	N	Urza's Avenger was not a great card, but this is a different time and this does not require weakening itself to get abilities.

Kaladesh Commons and Uncommons

These are cards that will be good in any format outside of Limited. They may not be worth a lot or ever reach the normal list, but they are worth holding on to.

Kaladesh Inventions

Name		Is this worth its current price?	Is this good to hold on to?	Will this go up later?	Comment

Lotus Petal	$249.94	N	Y	Y	Lotus Petal is most likely to stay at the top of the Inventions list since it sees play in Legacy and only has one other foil printing which is also expensive.
Mana Vault	$239.97	N	Y	Y	Mana Vault finally has a paper foil printing so it will be highly sought after.
Mana Crypt	$206.89	N	Y	Y	Mana Cryptl will stay at the top despite a more recent reprint.
Mox Opal	$197.97	N	Y	Y	Modern will want Mox Opal.
Crucible of Worlds	$197.94	N	Y	Y	Crucible of Worlds is a much loved card and the invention will have demand.
Sol Ring	$190.00	N	Y	Y	Sol Ring is one of the most popular Commander and Vintage card. The problem is there are two other foil printings of this card.
Sword of Fire and Ice	$164.97	N	Y	Y	Sword of Fire and Ice is a fine Invention to open but the question is do the people who play this card want this or any of the other three prints?
Aether Vial	$149.95	N	Y	Y	Aether Vial is not likely to have too much demand aside from the person who wants a play set.
Sword of Light and Shadow	$140.97	N	Y	Y	Sword of Light and Shadow is not likely to be as wanted as Sword of Fire and Ice but it has appeal in the casual crowd.
Sword of Feast and Famine	$129.97	N	Y	Y	Sword of Feast and Famine has some demand so it a good one to open. It has the best art of the three and only one other promo.
Scroll Rack	$99.97	N	Y	Y	Scroll Rack has another foil printing but this is the first new art. It will have demand since it sees play in Commander and Eternal formats.
Chromatic Lantern	$79.97	N	Y	Y	Chromatic Lantern is a Commander staple and will have demand.
Painter's Servant	$79.97	N	Y	Y	Painter's Servant is part of a Legacy combo and if Grind Stone gets reprinted, there is a very small chance of being able to do the combo in Limited.
Steel Overseer	$79.97	N	Y	Y	Steel Overseer is not going to see a lot of demand outside of the person who wants a playset.
Lightning Greavs	$79.95	N	Y	Y	Lightning Greavs is a Commander favorite and will have demand.
Chrome Mox	$77.47	N	Y	Y	Chrome Mox's recent reprinting will hurt demand for this, but not enough to make it worthless.
Solemn Simulacrum	$74.94	N	Y	Y	Solemn Simulacrum is a much loved card in Commander and is a great card.
Rings of Brighthearth	$71.47	N	Y	Y	Rings of Brighthearth will have demand since it sees plays in Commander.
Gauntlet of Power	$59.94	N	Y	Y	Gauntlet of Power is a card that is not the best to go after, but someone will want it.
Cloudstone Curio	$57.49	N	Y	Y	Cloudstone Curio is one of those fun cards that is just waiting for someone to want it.
Sculpting Steel	$53.00	N	Y	Y	Sculpting Steel is not the most favorite card but it is a solid card with reasonable demand.
Champion's Helm	$49.19	N	Y	Y	Champion's Helm has a small appeal, so demand will not be great but someone will want it.
Combustible Gearhulk	$45.99	N	N	N	Combustible Gearhulk is an interesting card that could see play in other formats so it might have some demand.
Cataclysmic Gearhulk	$45.98	N	N	N	Cataclysmic Gearhulk is not the Invention you want to open, but it is not the worse Gearhulk.
Torrential Gearhulk	$44.97	N	N	N	Torrential Gearhulk is a nice one to open and might be the one that sees play outside of Standard.
Mind's Eye	$43.99	N	Y	Y	Mind's Eye sees play in Commander so it has some demand.
Static Orb	$43.99	N	N	N	Static Orb is not a big player so demand will be low for this.
Hangarback Walker	$43.00	N	N	N	Hangarback Walker is fine to get, but not a great one.
Noxious Gearhulk	$42.48	N	N	N	Noxious Gearhulk is one you want to open the least.
Verdurous Gearhulk	$0.00	*	*	*	Verdurous Gearhulk will be worth much, relative to other Inventions, even when there is a price.

Overall Summary

Kaladesh as a whole is a fine set. It is better than Battle for Zendikar but worse than Shadows over Innistrad. The set has more of a Commander feel than a competitive feel but there are plenty of strong competitive cards. The mechanics are split between really good and lackluster. Fabricate is not very interesting and does not do much. Vehicles and energy are exciting and open up a lot of design space. The downside of vehicles is that planeswalkers are going to be less good and instant removal will have a higher priority.

Kaladesh Inventions have already been discussed in a previous article, but there is still a point to make. Opening up even the worst Invention is better than not opening one. None of the Inventions are critical to playing a format, so they should be as demanding as the Expeditions were.

Cards Recommended to Pick Up