Why did Archangel of Thune go up in price?
Economics forum
Posted on Feb. 23, 2014, 9:54 p.m. by RCMetalhead
Back in December I bought a single Archangel of Thune for like around $15 and that was the typical price for her at that time. I was planning on buying two more for my Azorius Midrange deck to have a playset of her, but she literally doubled in price!
Why did she go up in price so dramatically? Was it because a new BoTG card made her much better and that strategy is now seen a lot in Standard, or did someone win a major tournament with her? I'm just very shocked that she doubled in price and I would really like to know why she did.
If anyone can answer me I would greatly appreciate it! =)
She is used more in U/W control and also in Melira Pod which uses her for infinite lifegain and counters.
February 23, 2014 9:59 p.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #4
I wouldn't be surprised if it was because Modern Pod decks like to use her with Spike Feeder to go infinite. With the start of Modern season, and because she hasn't been printed before, her price rose due to demand.
February 23, 2014 9:59 p.m.
WomboCombo says... #5
If I had to guess, I would partly attribute Courser of Kruphix for the price rise in Archangel of Thune . The synergy with playing a land, gaining life and pumping all your creatures is quite powerful.
February 23, 2014 10:02 p.m.
RCMetalhead says... #6
@showda: Really? In Standard, Modern, and/or both? Yeah I mean I have noticed lifegain became more popular than what it used too but I didn't think so much that completely doubled her price.
@DrFunk27: Ahhh so I'm assuming that in Modern she became very popular and since the Pro-Tour in Spain just happened a few days ago, actually it just ended today I believe, before the Protour I guess people were buying so many of her.
February 23, 2014 10:03 p.m.
It rose well before the Pro Tour. It has been rising for weeks now. I'd say Modern is the reason it has risen, and I wouldn't expect it to fall any time soon.
February 23, 2014 10:04 p.m.
SharuumNyan says... #8
Yeah, it's weird. She really went out of popularity when Theros was released, and she still hasn't really found a place. As far as I know, she isn't being played in Standard or Modern. Maybe all good white cards are going up in price because moni-white is a thing again...? I haven't seen her in any white Standard decks yet though.
February 23, 2014 10:15 p.m.
Its because she is used in pod, and modern season just started, so everything that sees modern play just went up in price.
February 23, 2014 10:21 p.m.
I would bet money that it's due to pod. It is seeing big success right now and she fits in perfectly.
February 23, 2014 10:21 p.m.
saints4774 says... #12
UW in standard has been playing 3-4 in the sideboard lately
February 23, 2014 10:24 p.m.
SharuumNyan says... #13
Haven't seen her very much in Pod, at least not enough to justify the price doubling that quickly. If she was in a break-away deck that was top-8ing all of a sudden I could understand, but that isn't the case.
February 23, 2014 10:31 p.m.
She was in a top 16 pod deck today at the pro tour. I think that her price rise is the growing popularity of modern as the season begins. And pod made a big splash in Valencia today. Some of it may be from standard, but usually modern is what pushes prices way up.
February 23, 2014 10:35 p.m.
Her price rose at the exact moment that UW won a pro tour with 3-4 copies.
February 23, 2014 10:39 p.m.
You mean GP Vancouver? Yeah that was in the middle, she started to rise around then and continued until mid february.
February 23, 2014 10:42 p.m.
First of all I'll say it again, it is currently used in Melira Pod as an INFINITE COMBO. As a mythic that combos out in Modern, THAT will raise the price by itself. However, it has been played in U/W Control games SB and Standard has a reputation for inflating cards COUGH MUTAVAULT COUGH
February 23, 2014 10:49 p.m.
SharuumNyan says... #18
Why am I not seeing her in any Top 8 lists? Can somebody point me to some?
February 23, 2014 10:53 p.m.
Like I said, she was in the top 16 list, not the top 8 list. The top 8 list wasn't as combo intensive.
February 23, 2014 10:57 p.m.
http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=6698&d=238479
http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=6695&d=238448
http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=6663&d=238310
http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=6604&d=237957
February 23, 2014 10:57 p.m.
SharuumNyan says... #21
Still doesn't seem like enough hype to push the price up, and a one-of in a deck usually doesn't make a price jump as much. I could imagine it going up a bit, but not like it has. Still seems like a bit of a mystery, at least to me. It's not like a Bitterblossom situation, and Thunes aren't exactly hard to come by.
February 23, 2014 11:08 p.m.
The reason is because EVERY good azorius control in recent tournaments had her in the sideboard as a 4 of to side in when their opponents sided out their removal. Then, game 3, if it made it to that, the opponent wouldn't know what to expect. It is used as a confusion sideboard
February 24, 2014 12:31 a.m.
As well as the reasons of modern, this card has upped it's game in standard with Brimaz, King of Oreskos , and to a lesser extent Vanguard of Brimaz , Precinct Captain and God-Favored General making the number of boosted creatures much more threatening. Not enough for such a hike in price alone, but many pennies make a pound ;)
showda says... #2
Life Gain increased in popularity i would guess, hence she got more popular as a result.
February 23, 2014 9:58 p.m.