Double Masters 2022 has come out of the gates like a greyhound, with even the early initial rounds of previews showcasing some absolutely huge reprints. Hundreds and hundreds of dollars’ worth of cards have already been previewed, and if the set continues in this vein it’s going to be one of the most incredible reprint sets we’ve ever seen. Let’s get across some of the biggest previews announced this week.
Weathered Wayfarer ($10)
For many, this reprint will pale in comparison to some of the other huge-ticket items that are appearing in Double Masters 2022. However, this is the first time Weathered Wayfarer has been printed in non-foil paper with a new black border. Onslaught was old bordered, Ninth Edition non-foils were white bordered and The List version of this card had the old border as well. For those, like me, who like having a consistent look across all the cards in their decks, this is a very welcome reprint!
Teferi’s Protection ($40)
Teferi’s Protection debuted in Commander 2017 and immediately became a format staple. A Mystery Booster reprint along with an appearance in the Strixhaven Mystical Archives did little enough to bring the price of this EDH mainstay down, so hopefully Double Masters 2022 makes it a little more accessible. It’s important that format staples don’t cost an arm and a leg, and so having Teferi’s Protection back is a big win for bringing down Commander’s sometimes quite steep barrier to entry.
Sensei’s Divining Top ($45)
Starting off in life as an uncommon and being banned from both Modern and Legacy have not impacted the absurd price of this card at all – and an Eternal Masters reprint didn’t help much, either. So many durdley Commander decks want this card, and with another reprint coming our way, more of them can finally have it. I really can’t believe this card costs $45, and I hope this reprint helps to bring its price tag back to a more sensible level.
Allosaurus Shepherd ($45)
Allosaurus Shepherd is an absolutely bonkers card in elf decks of all kinds, and supply of it was strictly limited to the first Jumpstart set ever released, where it was a mythic. It retains its mythic rarity in Double Masters 2022, but even so this card will be newly accessible to Elf mages everywhere with another round of reprints. Elf decks everywhere are about to get a lot better now that this card will be more readily available to them!
Dockside Extortionist ($50)
They did it – Wizards finally reprinted Dockside Extortionist. This card, which you have to have an extremely good reason not to include in any red EDH deck, has never been reprinted after its Commander 2019 debut and its price reflected that – this card will now hopefully tank in value so more people can actually play it.
It’s worth noting too, that this reprint probably means Dockside Extortionist is less likely to be banned any time soon. This might be a little cynical, but I can’t imagine an expensive, chase mythic like this being banned just after it was reprinted, especially with all the fancy new versions of it. Maybe I’m way off on this, but I have to think that forces outside of actual gameplay influence card bannings, and with Dockside Extortionist being an expensive marquee mythic in Double Masters 2022, I don’t see it getting the chop any time soon as a result.
Phyrexian Altar ($80)
Another card that has been sorely lacking in reprints, especially given how ubiquitous it is in sacrifice decks across the EDH format, is Phyrexian Altar. Ultimate Masters did see this card return, but despite an initial price dip in late 2018 demand has constantly outstripped supply and the card is flirting with the $100 price point as a result. Hopefully it’ll settle well below that now, thanks to this long-overdue reprint in Double Masters 2022.
Mana Vault ($80)
As far as fast mana goes, Mana Vault is right up there with the best of them, and is a massive addition to Double Masters 2022. While you might be able to find old-bordered or non-English versions of this card at a reasonable discount, it’s still a very expensive card and all the spiky, broken EDH decks out there more or less have to play it to keep up, so it’s remained very expensive over the years. Again – as with all these other reprints – Double Masters 2022 will hopefully address the price of this card, and make it more accessible for competitively-minded EDH players.
Cavern of Souls ($70)
Cavern of Souls has had a hell of a career. It was good in Standard, it was good in Modern and every EDH tribal deck definitely wants to play it, but is often priced out of doing so. It’s always frustrating seeing an avaricious upshift in rarity – the original Cavern of Souls was a rare in Avacyn Restored – but any reprints of expensive tribal staples like this are welcome, and it’s good to see Cavern of Souls back (even if, like Dockside Extortionist, it really should be a rare).
Wrenn and Six ($70)
Speaking of expensive staples – how about Wrenn and Six? Despite being banned in Legacy, this card still rules the roost in Modern, and finally people aren’t going to be held hostage by the dwindling Modern Horizons supply. Wrenn and Six is a mainstay in so many different Modern archetypes, and while it has been trending down in price so far this year, it will be good to see its price come down even further. Hopefully, by the end of the year, Wrenn and Six won’t be more expensive than the fetchlands it recurs for you.
Imperial Seal ($800)
You might have never heard of this card – first printed in Portal: Three Kingdoms, it received a Judge Promo version and… nothing, before or since. I’m not the biggest fan of how awash EDH is with tutor effects, but if we’re going to have them, they need to not cost $800 (twice that for the PTK version). Access to a second Vampiric Tutor is powerful, certainly, but it shouldn’t cost you a four-figure sum, and so even if I don’t like the card much, I’m very glad Imperial Seal will be more accessible to EDH players thanks to Double Masters 2022.
