Nightveil Specter?
Economics forum
Posted on Oct. 25, 2013, 5:39 p.m. by The Doctor
Okay, let's discuss this price. Why is it this high? Surely it can't be from just the mana cost for devotion triggers can it? And why would it spike almost 1,000% more then what it was?
Would you trade for its current price, or simply write it off as still a dollar rare? I think in trade I wouldn't go more then half it's value.
I think its because it was played in a lot of high profile decks recently. Net decking is a thing, and if you just copy the deck list off Theros Pro Tour, it shows up a lot. I'd agree that there currently isn't much else to it than the devotion triggers.
As for trading, idk. I'd trade if people wanted them, but then I don't really worry about changes in value that much. Anything I don't trade will probably end up in some deck eventually, so unless its for my competitive decks, I'll just use current prices. But then, I can afford to get fleeced, which many people probably can't.
October 25, 2013 5:46 p.m.
I imagine it's a lot like what happened to Desecration Demon . The card was already pretty solid, (2/3 flyer for 3, steals cards) then started to see play in the big leagues. Then those decks started winning, and with everyone hopping on the Devotion train (Blue and Black especially) and that pretty much leaves us with Specter and Deathcult Rogue as devotion-building creatures, and the Rogue isn't exactly stiff competition.
October 25, 2013 5:52 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #5
It is selling high, best to consider it to be worth that much.
October 25, 2013 6:13 p.m.
The other aspect to consider is that many of the fringe playable cards from RTR block are going to increase in price because of rotation.
Previously they were pushed to the sidelines by 4 full sets of cards, Innistrad block and M13, but currently they only have to contend with each other, M14 and Theros. Granted much of these specific cards increased play has been around the abuse of the devotion mechanic and the increased dependency on Doom Blade , but all in all this has an artificial effect of raising the power level of cards by limiting the pool.
October 25, 2013 6:15 p.m.
In playing against Mono-U Devotion decks, stopping the nightveil from milling me and giving them some card advantage is HUGE. Nightveil is stronger than just the devotion.
October 25, 2013 6:16 p.m.
fatality292 says... #8
I'm using 3 in my current deck, acquired them when it was a rare... everyone saw it as a joke of a card really... but with Vampire Nighthawk dropping out it makes a cool 3 drop... awesome for devotion...
BUT! I only play it for playing someone elses deck using Chromatic Lantern so i'm quite annoyed as I need another one but I can't afford to trade for it at that price...
October 25, 2013 6:17 p.m.
Bobgalarneau says... #9
Nightveil is a good card. The card stealing part is good, but it is mostly used because of the devotion... Also it is currently used in two deck that recently won, mono-U and mono-B devotion. Unless more winning decklist start using him, it should not gain much more value. I can only see it going down when the next set is released.
Long term, it will not keep it's value when rotating and will end-up being a junk rare.
If you are not using it, it's probably the right time to trade or even sell if your LGS gives you a good deal. Traded mines for 4$ each two weeks ago and while i may have lost a few dollars, i'm realy happy with the fact i got an Adarkar Valkyrie for them...
October 25, 2013 6:32 p.m.
NobodyPicksBulbasaur says... #10
I refuse to accept that Nightveil Specter is now a good card. It's mediocre at best, especially compared to other competitive cards from the past few Standard rotations.
It's played extensively in monoblue simply because that deck doesn't have any better options, and its increase in price is all a matter of people copying the monoblue deck. As soon as another playable 3-drop gets printed in Standard, this guy is gonna go the way of the dodo.
October 25, 2013 6:38 p.m.
K3LLOGSkid says... #11
Another partial factor of it's price is the fact that it costs UUU or BBB granting a big boost in either B or U devotion. Yes the card is very average but the fact that it feeds Master of Waves in particular makes the card very valuable to have.
October 25, 2013 6:46 p.m.
The Doctor says... #12
I too don't think that it itself if a good card, and that it's only being used for it's mana cost. I also agree that if anything else gets printed with either UUU or BBB that it will probably replace the Specter.
October 25, 2013 6:51 p.m.
blackmarker90 says... #13
Master wouldn't be as big if it weren't for nightveil
October 25, 2013 6:52 p.m.
The Doctor says... #14
And Frostburn Weird , that plays a pretty hefty role.
October 25, 2013 7:17 p.m.
I doubt nightveil will be going up much more, (if any more) so I just sold 3 from my playset for 20 bucks. I loved the card, and I'll likely buy more when they drop again
October 25, 2013 7:22 p.m.
It just won the protour and grand prix, in 2 different decks, so its being fueled by 2 decks, not just one, being 2/3 is key considering it will block a lot of things favorably, ie almost all of mono red, a lot of early game g/w and r/g, it steals cards which if you have nythkos is even easier to cast cards bc you can already add blue or black mana if your mono one. stealing a thoughtseize in the mirror or a variety of other things.
while it may drop in value as almost all things do as long as SCG keeps selling out of them i dont think theyre going to drop their price, i picked up my playset at $1,50 each, traded at $6 each so i was pretty happy
October 25, 2013 10:06 p.m.
If more powerful devotion comes out for both Blue and black, expect Nightvale's price only to go up. Wizards isn't going to make a triple black or triple blue creature or enchantment in this block because of how good it would be with devotion cards. Nightvale Specter is a good because devotion is good. And the better Devotion gets the better Nightvale will get. Once RTR rotates out its price will most likely drop. But until then, don't expect it to happen. If Devotion continues to shine and becomes a Modern deck then don't expect its price to drop then either. After looking up the other hybrid cards with CMC 3, Nightvale is honestly the best of them.
October 26, 2013 1:37 a.m.
TheLameSauce says... #18
Man, Theros standard seems to be the season of jank rares. Glad I'm a fan of them and happened to have a few specters and a playset of Desecration Demon s when they both spiked XD
October 26, 2013 9:53 a.m.
I hear that. Got my playsets of Desecration Demon and Nighveil Specters while they were both ~$2 a card. InB4 Rubblebelt Raiders is a thing? I mean, just look at that synergy Ordeals!
October 26, 2013 10:52 a.m.
Schuesseled says... #20
It's a bad card with a great mana cost. (for devotion)
Compare to boros reckoner which is a great card with a great mana cost. I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the increase either.
October 26, 2013 11:28 a.m.
SharuumNyan says... #22
@Schuesseled - yeah, you had to say something bad about it because it's in that "terrible" mono-blue devotion deck which is simultaneously a pile of crap and the star deck at the Pro Tour.
I just don't know how a 2/3 flyer for 3 mana with flying and a great ability is a bad card. I'm not saying it's as good as Boros Reckoner , but there's no way it's bad. Also, Boros isn't really a thing right now, so that makes Reckoner less useful anyway.
It's still at $10 on SCG, I doubt it'll get to $20.
October 26, 2013 12:24 p.m.
My bad ment boros on the rise, price wise hes been on yhe rise, I dony see neightveil reaching maybe more than $12 for non foil but then again heros downfall is up yo 15 soo
October 26, 2013 1:01 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #24
@SharuumNyan. You said it bud. If it was such a great card how come it only made into pro tour when devotion became a thing? Is it perhaps because when compared to other 3 drops, it's not particularly good. Pre rotation you have to be dribbling on the floor insane to run this in the place of Vampire Nighthawk .
And of course Boros Reckoner is still a thing, most people couldn't care less about the infinite life gain combo, but they are still running 3/4 reckoners in a lot of archetypes.
October 26, 2013 1:22 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #25
- Boros Decks might not be prevalent, but they never really were, Boros Reckoner being a hybrid fits in a lot of midrange and aggro decks, even when the mana base doesn't support it properly.
October 26, 2013 1:25 p.m.
I actually really like Nightveil Specter . And I'm happy to see it shine.
The Doctor says... #2
Nightveil Specter
October 25, 2013 5:39 p.m.