Modern Intelligence History

The August 17 Hobbit Secret Lair adds new versions of Sol Ring, Lightning Greaves, Thought Vessel, Diabolic Intent, Mirkwood Bats, Stony Silence, and other Commander cards. That creates new treatment supply, but it does not mean the existing regular, old-frame, foil, or premium versions have already lost demand.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Verify the final fifth drop, exact card names and aliases, foil treatment, purchase limits, queue behavior, sellout status, Secret Lair print identifiers, CardTrader and TCGplayer mappings, and seller depth for existing printings before and after August 17. Do not treat a newly announced treatment as current marketplace inventory or assume every older printing will reprice together.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Refurbished Familiar keeps selling because artifact decks can cast it cheaply, attack in the air, and make the opponent discard. More than nine hundred listings mean ordinary copies are still easy to find.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Check exact finish, seller count, total quantity, recent sales pace, CardTrader inventory, marketplace agreement, tournament usage, and whether listings begin falling while Pauper demand stays steady.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Fight Rigging is selling steadily, but it is not hard to find. The Modern plan is to put counters on Slumbering Trudge, unlock hideaway, and cast an Eldrazi threat without paying its full mana cost.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Check the exact printing, finish, seller count, total listing quantity, recent sales pace, CardTrader inventory, marketplace agreement, price confidence, and whether seller breadth starts falling while Fight Rigging remains a bestseller.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Plunge into Darkness is moving, but the current price is difficult to trust. A small number of Fifth Dawn listings are sitting far above several older sales and other marketplace references.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Verify Fifth Dawn nonfoil versus foil, English versus other languages, Near Mint versus played condition, seller count, listing depth, recent completed sales, CardTrader supply, marketplace agreement, and whether the high asks are selling or only being reposted.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Hobbit Hole is useful because it is still a land when the Halfling search is not needed. In the right deck it can find Delighted Halfling, a flash interaction creature, a partner, or another key Hobbit.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Check post-release inclusion, the exact Halfling targets players search for, regular versus foil supply, seller count, listing depth, CardTrader inventory, marketplace agreement, and whether the support-card package matters more than Hobbit Hole itself.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Settle the Wreckage is back in Standard, giving white control decks an instant-speed answer to a full attack. The new Hobbit copy adds supply rather than making the older versions one shared market.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Verify HOB collector number 26, finish, treatment, current presale sellers, Ixalan and The List inventory, recent sales, CardTrader depth, marketplace agreement, Standard adoption, and Pricing Confidence.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Disrupting Shoal is moving because Namor decks can pitch blue cards to protect their board without spending mana. The move is real enough to check, but the current price is not clean.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Verify Betrayers of Kamigawa versus Ultimate Masters, foil versus nonfoil, condition, language, seller count, listing depth, recent sales, CardTrader supply, TCGplayer Market Price, and source freshness.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Wizard's Staff gives Gandalf decks another reason to play creatures with useful triggers instead of only loading up on large spells. Prowess also works with the Staff because prowess is a triggered ability.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Verify the complete Oracle text, mana and equip costs, collector numbers, regular and extended-art finishes, Gandalf inclusion after release, seller count, listing depth, marketplace agreement, and Pricing Confidence.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

More Hobbit cards are scheduled to appear at Comic-Con today. The safe move is to wait for official names and rules text instead of building pages from screenshots or incomplete social posts.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Check the official card gallery and Wizards coverage for exact card name, Oracle text, set code, collector number, rarity, treatment, finish, product source, legality, and any confirmed Commander or deck context.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Springleaf Parade is selling steadily, but buyers still have plenty of copies to choose from. Flow State is also easy to find. These are demand signals, not proof that supply is disappearing.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Check CardTrader inventory, seller count, listing-count changes, exact TCGplayer finish, recent sales pace, marketplace agreement, and whether seller depth begins falling while sales remain steady.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Several familiar Middle-earth cards now have new Hobbit printings. Those copies may use different art, frames, finishes, and products, so their prices should not be blended with older versions.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Verify HOB or HOC set code, collector number, treatment, finish, language, booster or promo source, seller count when listings begin, and whether the new printing changes supply for older versions.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Orcrist rewards creature-heavy typal decks for connecting in combat. The card is not only for Goblins: any deck with enough creatures sharing a type can turn one hit into a large Treasure payout.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Check full card treatments, Commander adoption, creature-type density, Equipment support, combat-damage reliability, exact printing, seller count, listing depth, and whether multiple Typals use it rather than only Goblin decks.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Part in Friendship rewards decks that can lose one real creature on each turn, while The Master of Lake-town turns every life-loss event into milling. Both cards need actual deck testing before older support cards receive demand labels.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Check Commander and Constructed legality, exact Oracle text, recurring sacrifice outlets, top-deck manipulation, life-loss engines, mill payoffs, graveyard thresholds, printing, finish, seller count, and post-preview decklist use.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

The Hobbit's deck structure is much clearer now. Humans make recruits, Goblins grow an Army, Wolves reward large creatures, Dwarves care about artifacts, legends, and Sagas, and Elves use landfall.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Watch the full card gallery for repeated support cards in each color pair. Verify exact printing, finish, treatment, seller count, listing depth, marketplace agreement, and whether the interest becomes repeated deckbuilding rather than preview discussion.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

The Hobbit event calendar adds several cards that need their own version pages. Store, WPN Premium, Spotlight, CommandFest, RCQ, and Regional Championship copies will not have the same supply.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Verify collector number, foil status, event source, eligibility, region, distribution date, seller count after release, and whether existing copies change price before the promos are actually available.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Hone counters are more than a one-set flavor word. They give Equipment permanent upgrades, and Wizards expects to use the technology again after The Hobbit.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Check the complete hone card list, exact reminder text, interactions with moving Equipment, Commander adoption, older support-card overlap, seller count, listing depth, and whether future sets expand the mechanic.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Planar Genesis is the clearest card to check from the champion's Modern deck because Yuuki Ichikawa played the full four copies. The trophy was decided in Booster Draft, so this confirms a strong Modern finish for the deck rather than proving that Planar Genesis won the finals.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Check exact printing, finish, treatment, seller count, listing depth, recent sales, and post-event deck adoption for Planar Genesis, Neoform, Eldritch Evolution, Allosaurus Rider, and Summoner's Pact. Keep the event result separate from confirmed marketplace movement.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Broodscale Combo took three of the eight Modern seats in Amsterdam. The cards to check are the shared engine pieces, especially Blade of the Bloodchief, Basking Broodscale, Kozilek's Command, Eldrazi Temple, and Urza's Saga.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Check each card's exact printing, finish, condition, seller count, listing depth, recent sales, and marketplace agreement after the Top 8. Keep Blade of the Bloodchief printings separate and compare regular tournament copies before premium foils.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

Four newer cards survived into the Modern Top 8, but they are doing different jobs. Superior Spider-Man is in Esper Goryo's, Slumbering Trudge is a four-of in Eldrazi Ramp, The Legend of Roku is a one-of in Boros Energy, and Planar Genesis is a four-of in Simic Neoform.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Verify the exact deck role, copy count, printing, finish, treatment, seller count, listing depth, recent sales, and whether other post-event lists adopt the card. Keep regular tournament copies separate from premium character versions.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.

The Hobbit has several versions that should never share one undifferentiated price. The gleaming gold Smaug, Dwarvish Mox Amber, book covers, Dragon hoard cards, classic artist cards, and scene cards all come from different supply paths.

This format was part of the play context.

What to check next: Verify HOB or HOC set code, collector number, language, finish, treatment family, product source, seller count, preorder allocation, listing depth, and comparable sales. Do not compare a Dwarvish or surge foil card with a normal English nonfoil.

Version-specific: compare the exact set, collector number, finish, treatment, and product source before trusting the move.