Magic: The Gathering's upcoming set, Theros: Beyond Death, is just a few weeks away which means hype is at an all time high for the return to one of MtG's most popular planes. The new Theros: Beyond Death mechanics have been revealed and players now have a solid idea about how the limited and constructed formats will play out. That means it's time to start figuring out how much money everyone will be spending on cards.
Whether players are fans of Magic's Standard format, casual formats, or something like Modern or Legacy; each set always brings at least a handful of new resources to stock up on. Although prices are guaranteed to fluctuate again after the set actually drops, some players prefer to do their shopping ahead of time by pre-ordering Magic: The Gathering singles.
Keep in mind that these prices are based on pre-orders only and will definitely change once the set releases. Some cards will go up in price, but many will also go way down. If you think something seems too expensive, it's definitely not a bad idea to wait it out and see how things look closer to the end of January 2020... Unless you're planning to run these cards in a competitive Magic: The Gathering tournament right away, in which case you are a bit at the mercy of pre-order prices.
Ashiok, Nightmare Muse
As always, planeswalkers are going to be an expensive pre-order. The potential to have a major impact on the metagame and the general popularity of the card type both help to put the new version of Ashiok at right around $20. Five mana is a little expensive (she's no Oko, right?), but in a blue black control or mill deck players probably aren't in a big rush to speed up the game anyway.
Calix, Destiny's Hand
Calix isn't quite as pricey as Ashiok, but this planeswalker is currently sitting at $10 for pre-orders. The four-mana enchantment-themed planeswalker is certainly interesting, but is much more of a build-around than a typical powerful planeswalker that could easily slip into any deck of the matching colors. The conditional requirement of the -3 ability in particular seems like a bit of trouble.
Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
It doesn't take much to see why players who prefer the green slice of the color wheel are excited about this Nymph. The Dryad is currently about $10 to pre-order and it will be very interesting to see if that price changes after the first major tournament or two. The ability to play additional lands per turn is massive and this card brings back serious memories of some of the most popular Theros cards during the last phase of the original Theros standard metagame.
Elspeth, Sun's Nemesis
Look out sun, here comes a new Elspeth. The reincarnation of the iconic white planeswalker is currently available to pre-order for around $18. Not only is Elspeth a very popular character with fans, but this is also just a very solid white planeswalker. The lack of a plus ability is definitely a limiting factor on Elspeth's power, but recasting it from the graveyard makes that a little less painful.
Erebos, Bleak-Hearted
The gods are back and players should prepare to pay the price for them. Erebos is availabe for $10 at most pre-order locations and is sure to be a fan-favorite. Hopefully devotion to black doesn't dominate the metagame in the same way it did a few years ago...
Heliod, Sun-Crowned
Players who want access to this two-card infinite combo potential are going to have to drop $20 on the pre-order. That is a pretty expensive, but the mythic rarity combined with the potential implications on Pioneer are definitely going to put this card in high demand until players figure out how real its threat is.
Klothys, God of Destiny
This god is going to cost shoppers around $20. The card has some amazing impact on both the early and late game and does just about everything players could want it do. It's causing damage, ramping mana, gaining life; and that's all before it even becomes a 4/5 indestructible creature.
Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger
At $15 Kroxa is a bit cheaper than a few of the other gods, but that's still an expensive mythic rare. This card does have a powerful effect, but don't be surprised if it drops down to a more reasonable price a few weeks after the set launches and the dust settles.
Nylea, Keen-Eyed
The god price gets even cheaper once players take a look at green. Nylea is only $8 and offers a bit of creature cost reduction and a good way to fill up the graveyard and filter through your deck in a hurry.
Nyx Lotus
As always, Magic players like to get excited anytime the word 'Lotus' is in a card title. With that in mind, Nyx Lotus is currently going to cost shoppers about $10. The ability to ramp up mana and also take advantage of Devotion is very powerful and it will be exciting to see what players are able to pull off with this card on the battlefield.
Nyxbloom Ancient
Despite the high casting cost, this card is going to be a beast. The Ancient is currently at $20 for pre-orders and that ability to triple mana is just too tempting for green players to pass up.
Polukranos, Unchained
Polukranos is back and much more of a zombie than the last time we saw the hydra. This new Polukranos is $10 currently and is a serious threat when it hits the battlefield. The added Fight ability allows Polukranos to double as targeted removal for most threats, as well.
Purphoros, Bronze-Blooded
Purphoros will cost $12 to pre-order, which puts it in the middle of the pack for the returning gods of Theros. Its casting cost is a little high, especially if the goal is to haste out a bunch of red creatures and take the win early with Purphoros becoming a creature as the late game win condition.
Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath
At $25, Uro is one of the most expensive Mythic Rares in the set. The Elder Giant has a super powerful ability that fits right into the goals of blue/green decks, so it's not surprising to see the card getting so much buzz. Expect to see a lot of this card played and sacrificed on turn three in the future of Standard.
Bronzehide Lion
Full Art Basics and Foils
Although basic lands aren't usually worth mentioning, do keep in mind that full art lands are very popular and the foil variants will likely go for at least $4 or so.
Now here is a white/green card that is sure to get players talking. The creature is currently only in the $1.50 range for pre-orders, but because it seems like it is going to be such a staple for mid-range aggro decks, it seemed worth mentioning on this list.
Be sure to check back in the near future for more Magic: The Gathering strategy guides, news, and updates. Until then, draw well, planeswalkers!
Magic: The Gathering's Theros: Beyond Death set releases January 24, 2020. Magic Arena is available now in select regions on Android and iOS devices. The Magic: The Gathering Throne of Eldraine expansion set is available now.