In one of the most dramatic Magic: The Gathering price spikes we’ve seen all year, the artifact MTG card Eon Hub has risen in price from $1.40 to $32.50 (going by MTG Goldfish prices) an increase of 2222%.
This little-known artifact card from the MTG set Fifth Dawn has just one, rather simple effect. It makes all players skip their upkeep steps. If you’ve been paying attention to popular MTG commanders in the last six months, that’s probably enough for you to have already guessed the cause of this price explosion.
That’s right, it can only be related to Obeka, Splitter of Seconds, the most popular MTG commander of the past month, who right now sees 900 new decks submitted to EDHREC each week. Obeka can grant her controller multiple upkeep steps a turn, and she’s so in demand that she’s caused multiple price spikes herself.
Now, personally, I’ve yet come across the upkeep-doubling ogre (though I suspect it’s only a matter of time), but clearly she’s frustrating a significant number of Commander players if they’re prepared to go and buy up a card just to serve as a hate piece for her effect specifically.
There is something a bit odd about this price spike though. It seems very strange to me to slot a card into your Commander deck that only functions against one specific commander, who you may or may not be facing. Similarly, I feel most playgroups would frown against ‘sideboarding’ in an Eon Hub once you see an Obeka on the opposite side of the table.
Of course, if you have a very consistent playgroup, and one guy always brings their Obeka deck, then perhaps there’s greater justification for picking up an Eon Hub. Presumably, that’s the situation most of the people picking up this card are in – and they want to stick it to that guy in particular?
We can’t help but think this particular price rise will be a flash in the pan. Certainly, Obeka won’t forever be as dominant as she is right now , and once the new hot thing turns up, there won’t be much reason to pop an Eon Hub into your deck.
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