The red MTG card Bloodthirsty Adversary is spiking in price. A week after Wilds of Eldraine’s release, on September 16, the card had a value of $3.50 on MTG Goldfish. Since then, it’s more than doubled in price, currently at $7.10 and rising – an increase of 102%. A hasty two-drop, Bloodthirsty Adversary can nip in for damage if it’s played on turn two, or bring back a useful spell if drawn late.
What has caused this aggressive red card from the 2021 MTG set Innistrad Midnight Hunt go up in price? It seems to be the increasing popularity of the Red Deck Wins archetype. This aggressive mono red strategy aims to kill off the opponent in as few turns as possible, using fast little creatures and damage-dealing spells.
RDW has always had a place in Standard, and is usually one of the most popular MTG Arena decks, especially shortly after a new set releases. It’s a dependable, tried and tested archetype that can eke out plenty of wins amidst all the experimentation.
Wilds of Eldraine did provide plenty of new cards for aggressive mono red decks, from the impressive pump spell Monstrous Rage, to a new two-drop Charming Scoundrel, to the new top-end card Goddrick Cloaked Reveler.
And crucially, it seems the deck has found a very comfortable place in the current Standard meta. Every source we’ve checked, from MTG Decks to Aetherhub, currently has mono red aggro in the top three decks in the meta.
So why is Bloodthirsty Adversary the card we’re talking about here – why hasn’t some other card seen a similar price spike? A good bet is that it’s down to MTG card rarity. Bloodthirsty Adversary is a mythic, and it’s virtually the only mythic card in the red archetype. Therefore, it stands to reason there are fewer copies available, and that Bloodthirsty Adversary is more susceptible to price spikes.
In the wake of Wilds of Eldraine, the main Magic price stories have revolved around Commander, not Standard. Faerie cards are rising thanks to Alela Cunning Conqueror, and several aura enchantments have gotten pricier, thanks to the ultra-popular MTG Commander Eriette.
We’ve not seen any movement caused by MTG Doctor Who just yet, but rest assured, we’re keeping our eyes peeled. For more Magic content, check out these rare and expensive MTG cards and our write up of the MTG release schedule.