In one of the most extreme Magic: The Gathering price spikes we've seen in weeks, the Chronicles card Arena of the Ancients has shot up by 2000%. Previously, this card was going for only 90 cents, but now copies in good condition are selling for just over $20.
That's the version of the card from the white-bordered MTG set, Chronicles, which came out in 1995. There's also a much rarer variant from 1994's Legends, which used to cost $15 but are now selling for a whopping $99, with one outlier even going for $190.
So what is this card, and why is it suddenly selling for so much? Well, Arena of the Ancients is an artifact with an unusual effect. When it comes into play, it taps down all legendary creatures, and it keeps legends from 'readying' in the untap phase, potentially locking them down for the rest of the match.
Back in the 90s, this effect was extremely niche, but now Magic has more legendary creatures than ever. Just ask the guy on a quest to create a deck for each MTG commander. The recent proliferation of Universes Beyond sets has only swelled their rank further, meaning that Arena of the Ancients affects a wider percentage of creatures today than it ever did in the past.
This card was a forgotten relic, destined to sit in dusty boxes. Until last week, when it suddenly started gaining attention. The buzz seemed to begin with Magic influencer TheTeaBeard, who pointed out that this card can nullify every commander that cares about combat damage or tapping.
From there, it was picked up by MTG Rocks, who in one article dubbed it an "anti-universes beyond" card. Given that anti-UB sentiment is stronger than it has ever been before - with the internet alight and prominent creators, from Brian Kibler to The Command Zone, all debating its flaws - this probably drew even more attention to the card.
I'm now seeing some skepticism as to whether this spike can last, however. Arena of the Ancients does shut down legendary creatures, but the effect is symmetrical, so unless you specifically craft a deck that avoids them, it's going to impact you too.
It's also very matchup dependent. Sometimes, it'll be the best card in your deck; other times, it'll totally whiff. My new Rendmaw deck doesn't give a damn if you tap down the commander, for instance.
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