Sphere of Influence: June 6, 2025

Welcome to Sphere of Influence, a pre-FNM look at some potential movers and shakers that are worth picking up before their prices increase.

Before Final Fantasy takes over Standard, it's worth looking at the format and identifying some great pick-ups that can slot into top decks for cheap. Here are a few to keep an eye on:

Heartfire Hero - $1.50

Red Deck Wins has taken first at a few big Standard tournaments, and it's anchored by some pretty expensive cards: Screaming Nemesis, Monstrous Rage (an uncommon!) and more. Meanwhile, Heartfire Hero represents a fantastic one-drop alongside Monastery Swiftspear and can deal some serious damage later in the game directly to an opponent. I suspect this one will be a role-player, moving forward, and well worth picking up today.

Go for the Throat - $1.50

This perennial staple, currently run in Dimir Aggro and Orzhov Control, cycles in and out of Standard, and when it's legal, it's an all-star that serves as an almost-unconditional cheap removal spell. There are a few targets it won't be able to hit, but for the most part, you can rely on it to get you out of some sticky situations. Stock up on a few now; it holds some small utility in Commander, too.

Inti, Seneschal of the Sun - $2.50

This card kicks major booty in aggro decks. It offers trample, beefs up a target and digs deeper into your deck, all at the low mana price of two mana. Its financial price ebbs and flows within the $10 range, and now is a decent time to pick up a playset to get the most bang for your buck.

Unstoppable Slasher - $4

I'm surprised Unstoppable Slasher is as cheap as it is. Casual players love cutting opponents' life totals in half, and this version of the effect is one of the best ever printed. This is the sort of card that stands to rise in price the scarcer it gets, so grab at least one now in case you want to run it in Commander.

Qarsi Revenant - $2

Vampire Nighthawk received a strict upgrade in Tarkir: Dragonstorm, and while the former is still technically Standard-legal, it's this new card that sees play for its added utility in the graveyard. I'd expect this to remain a role player in most Standard environments, so $2 seems like a fair price for something so versatile and, frankly, annoying to see across the table.

Standard Fare

How is the Standard meta these days? Any thoughts on what Final Fantasy will bring to the mix? Let me know!