Top Trades: April 14-April 22

Howdy folks, and happy Thursday! Another week, another Top Trades, the column where we check in with the most popular cards from the past week of Cardsphere trades.

So what are players eyeing this week? Let’s take a look!

Honorable Mention - Cori-Steel Cutter

Number of Trades: 34 --- Number of Cards Traded: 38

Continuing its track record as an absolute monster in Standard (and beyond), Cori-Steel Cutter is absolutely the slept-on powerhouse of Tarkir: Dragonstorm. For , you get an Equipment that provides +1/+1, haste, and trample – all for the modest equip cost of .

If that wasn’t impressive enough, then don’t you worry – Cori-Steel Cutter also comes with a triggered ability that creates a 1/1 white Monk creature token with prowess whenever you cast your second spell each turn. Best of all, when this trigger resolves, it also lets you equip Cori-Steel Cutter to your newly-minted Monk.

Equipment which bring their own bodies with them are always worth keeping an eye on – just ask Batterskull – and Cori-Steel Cutter has kept that legacy going strong.

#5 - Marang River Regent

Number of Trades: 8 --- Number of Cards Traded: 8

On to the first main pick for the week – a card which is in a three-way tie with the next two cards on our list for both the number of trades and the number of cards traded. So, what’s the deal with Marang River Regent?

First off, a bit of a refresher on Omens. These instants and sorceries act a lot like Adventures, in that they are effectively another card stapled to the main threat which you can cast earlier in the game with the hopes of playing the main card later on. Unlike Adventures – which go into exile upon resolving – Omens get shuffled back into your deck as part of resolution.

In Marang River Regent’s case, the Omen it brings with it is Coil and Catch, an instant for which draws you three cards, then asks that you discard a card. Marang River Regent, meanwhile, is a 6/7 Dragon for with flying and “When this creature enters, return up to two other target nonland permanents to their owners’ hands.”

Now, a bit of an explanation as to why this card is as low as it is on the list, despite tying with picks four and three. Since all three cards were neck and neck, I figured the best way rank them was based on competitive viability. Not within a particular format, mind you, but across formats (otherwise our third pick would be much lower). And, despite seeing some success in Standard, Marang River Regent is still mostly a flex-slot for the decks that do play it. A potent flex slot, for sure, but not a card decks are clamoring for.

#4 - Tersa Lightshatter

Number of Trades: 8 --- Number of Cards Traded: 8

Up next is the second most-popular of our three-way tie and the stark opposite of Marang River Regent: Tersa Lightshatter, a low-cost aggressive threat.

For , Tersa Lightshatter is a 3/3 Orc Wizard with haste and two triggered abilities, the first of which sets up the latter perfectly. “When Tersa Lightshatter enters, you may discard up to two cards, then draw that many cards.” So, what does this set up? Recursion. “When Tersa Lightshatter attacks, if there are seven or more cards in your graveyard, exile a card at random from your graveyard. You may play that card this turn.”

First off, I just want to say how neat it is to see a red creature that lets you play lands from out of your graveyard. Well, exile, but first they were in your graveyard. All of this thanks to that pesky word “play,” rather than “cast” in Tersa’s second triggered ability. Repeat fetchlands? Yes please.

Back to the real world, however, and a cursory glance of Standard right now will show you that Tersa is putting up impressive results as one of the top-end threats of Red Aggro, providing consistent damage in the mid-game while also recycling all of those pump spells you cast earlier.

#3 - Voice of Victory

Number of Trades: 8 --- Number of Cards Traded: 8

Here we are – our final member in our trio of cards with eight trades, one which is sitting atop the rest due to its significant success in cEDH.

Voice of Victory is, for nearly all purposes, a second copy of Grand Abolisher, except more flexibly costed – coming in at just . Sure, it doesn’t shut off activated abilities, but nearly all of the activated abilities that really threaten you in cEDH were likely going to happen in-response to you casting Grand Abolisher in the first case, so this clause isn’t terrible.

Competitive Commander is the format of stack battles right now, and nothing solves a stack battle quite like a card that says “your opponents can’t cast spells during your turn.” The Mobilize 2 here is nice, but that’s not why every white deck from now until the end of time is playing Voice of Victory. Silence-on-a-stick is good, especially when it’s this easy to cast.

#2 - Mox Jasper

Number of Trades: 9 --- Number of Cards Traded: 9

Now on to a card which is seeing absolutely zero competitive play (unless you count some versions of Flubs, the Fool hopping around cEDH with as many Cheerios as they can hold): Mox Jasper. So, why all the fanfare? Simple – people love Dragons, and the name “Mox” is infamous. So, as bad as it may be, a Mox that works with Dragons is about as Magic as Magic can be.

For , Mox Jasper is a legendary artifact with “: Add one mana of any color. Activate only if you control a Dragon.” Clear-cut and straightforward, this is definitely a Mox…just not something remotely close to any of its less-restrictive brethren. If you play Dragons in low-bracket Commander, though, it’s hard not to want to play this. A cool card that helps you cast more cool cards, just not in the typically broken way the other Moxen do.

#1 - Stormscale Scion

Number of Trades: 9 --- Number of Cards Traded: 11

Last but certainly not least, we’ve made it to our most traded card for the week – another certifiably awesome Magic card that just screams Magic: the Gathering. Let’s talk about Stormscale Scion.

For , Stormscale Scion is a 4/4 Dragon with flying, “Other Dragons you control get +1/+1,” and the eponymous storm mechanic. So, what does this look like in practice? It means casting a Desperate Ritual to help cast your Stormscale Scion a turn early also nets you an extra token copy of this creature, except now their anthem effects see each other, so you’re left with two 5/5 fliers. Now that’s Magic.

In all seriousness, Stormscale Scion is – and I can’t believe I’m saying this – only decent outside of the fringe decks which dedicate themselves to supporting it. Stormscale Scion is a worse Empty the Warrens as far as Modern is concerned, and the rituals necessary to make this card good don’t exist in Standard. Commander, though, oh boy – now this is a card worth being excited about. An anthem for your typal decks, with storm, that also synergizes with itself? Sign me up.

Wrap Up

Another week, another list full of nothing but Tarkir: Dragonstorm. I’ll admit, I have no qualms with this – this most recent visit to Tarkir hasn’t broken formats or led to miserable play patterns, so I’ll happily take another week or two with it in the spotlight. Come back next week to see if that holds true, and thanks for reading!