Wrapping up our October Secret Lair Superdrop coverage we’ve got a breakdown of the Big Foil and Big Non-Foil bundles. Last week, I covered the Post Malone and Warhammer 40K bundles here on the Conviction Gaming website. Check it out and make your purchases before the Drop ends on November 14th at 11 a.m. EST.
WHAT’S IN THE DROP?
Hard to see everything in the cover picture from the Secret Lair website, but at a quick glance you can see there are some great cards for Commander and competitive formats included in the October Secret Lair Superdrop. I’ve broken out each individual Drop below and added my analysis.
Here’s what’s included in the Big Bundles:
Big Foil Bundle: $258.99 // Big Non-Foil Bundle: $168.99
If Looks Could Kill: $29.99 Non-Foil // $39.99 Foil
- Azami, Lady of Scrolls: not a high price card in non-foil, but Azami only has one foil printing to date. This feels to me like a scenario where players who love their Wizard tribal should chase this version as a single rather than buying the entire Drop. The only other foil print is over $80, so this represents a nice budget option for anyone wanting to foil their Azami out without breaking the bank. I expect this to command $5-7 in non-foil and $12-15 in foil once the Drop is in hand and being resold on the secondary market.
- Liliana of the Dark Realms: LoDR is the chase card from a value standpoint in this Drop coming in around $15 in non-foil and $40 in foil. I see this holding $15 on the non-foil, but I’d expect the foil to be around $25 after this version is in the wild.
- Reflector Mage: we see Reflector Mage show up on occasion in Constructed and Eternal formats, and its foil somehow commands more than $7 despite being printed in one of the two heavily-opened “Expedition” sets (Oath of the Gatewatch). The non-foil is basically bulk, but this version should hold a reasonable premium as the first “bling” version. I’m pegging this one for $3 in non-foil and $5 in foil once the card is being listed on the secondary market.
- Adaptive Automaton: recently announced as a Schematic in Brothers’ War, Adaptive Automation gets two “blinged” versions in a matter of a few weeks. This generally doesn’t bode well for the price trajectory, and as an already-heavily printed card, I’m pegging this as a $4 non-foil and $6 foil.
RECAP: I am a buyer of the foil version of If Looks Could Kill only if I have a need for both Liliana and Azami. Generally, I recommend chasing singles from this Drop since it doesn’t have anything mind-blowing in it from a value standpoint.
Junji Ito: $29.99 Non-Foil // $39.99 Foil Etched (available in English and Japanese)
- Thoughtseize: the best part of this drop is Junji Ito, and the second best part is it having Thoughtseize as its premier “staple”. I expect this version of TS to be a heavy premium as players from all levels of Magic flock to the beautiful art captured in the image above by the famed Junji Ito. I expect this to be a $20+ non-foil and $30+ foil etched card the moment this Drop hits shelves, and I wouldn’t be too surprised to see this specific card appreciate in value quite a bit over the next 1-2 years. I’m a buyer of Junji Ito almost entirely because I want a play set of Thoughtseize using this art. I also would say you can debate this as being the most “blinged” version of TS despite it already having an Invocation and Retro Frame (from Time Spiral: Remastered).
- Doomsday: while not Thoughtseize, Doomsday is nothing to scoff at, and we finally get a new option in foil for Commander purposes. This could become a viable “budget” bling alternative to the Invocation, and for many I imagine this becomes a must-have upgrade over their Masters 25 foil. The non-foil still commands $6 normally, and with the Junji Ito art adding a premium, I think this compliments Thoughtseize to make this Secret Lair a “value” Drop worth buying.
- Carrion Feeder: while mostly regarded as a “throw-in” for this Drop, the Junji Ito art immediately makes this version of Carrion Feeder the bling option, thus I still predict this being valued around $2-3 in non-foil and $3-4 in foil etched. For context, the non-foil currently will cost you around $1 and the foil is around $3.
- Plaguecrafter: I was shocked to find that Plaguecrafter, a card which has been reprinted quite a bit, only has one foil printing still. It commands around $10-12, and I expect this version to bring the “bling” for many which bodes well for the foil etched copies. While I don’t expect much here, I could see the foil etched being a $5 card as an alternative to the Guilds of Ravnica foil, and if anything, I am probably a seller of those because they could drop quite a bit.
RECAP: this Drop has a highly sought after Japanese artist coupled with a card that’s played in every competitive format (Thoughtseize), so for that reason I am a buyer. I will likely plan on picking up a play set of foil etched and a play set of non-foils, and it won’t be until I have them in hand before I can figure out which to keep for myself and which to resell. I do expect this to be the most popular individual Drop from the October Superdrop, so don’t be surprised if there is a lot of supply to compete against on the secondary market if you are a reseller.
One additional note is that the Big Bundle comes with both an English and Japanese version of this Drop. While I am unsure how to evaluate the Japanese edition from a pricing standpoint, I do expect it to be quite valuable, and possibly add a premium since it will likely be outperformed in sales by the English counterpart. The Japanese edition could be one of those sneaky “keep it sealed and check back in two years” collectibles that appreciates tremendously, especially since Legacy is so popular in Japan (Thoughtseize and Doomsday both see play in Legacy Doomsday decks).
Yoji Shinkawa: $29.99 Non-Foil // $39.99 Foil (available in English and Japanese)
- Tezzeret the Seeker: the theme of the Yoji Shinkawa drop is a love letter to artifact players, and Tezzeret the Seeker is one of the more powerful planeswalkers complimentary to artifact strategies. It commands north of $12 in non-foil and a little more in foil, and I expect the Secret Lair version to hold a comparable if not slightly higher price-point when the singles become available on the secondary market.
- Solemn Simulacrum: while Sad Robot has a ton of printings now, it doesn’t have too many “more” blinged versions than this represents. The best comparison might be the Alternate Art printed in Core Set 2021, but even that isn’t a great comparison because the art is fairly straightforward. I think it is reasonable to expect this non-foil to command $5-7 and the foil to command a comparable amount. I am not evaluating the price of this Secret Lair version based on normal prints of Sad Robot which are usually only around $1 given the premium “blingy” upside this presents.
- Skullclamp: we just got a Surge Foil of Skullclamp in the Warhammer 40K Collector’s Edition, and now we can add another bling version to its resume. I expect this to be $12/20 in non-foil and foil respectively, but I do sense this could appreciate nicely over time given the heavy amount of organic demand Skullclamp has from Commander players.
- Phyrexian Metamorph: a card that seems to forever hold its value, Phyrexian Metamorph is somehow still going to run you more than $5 for its current available prints. This felt initially like a “throw-in” to me, but adding $5 is meaningful value, enough to push the non-foil Yoji Shinkawa drop to the top of the list for me in terms of best overall value from the non-foil drops in the October Secret Lair Superdrop.
RECAP: Metal Gear Solid is a popular game franchise and Yoji Shinkawa has fame attached to that. The combination of unique art from a sought-after artist and four useful cards in Commander bodes well for this Drop’s long-term value. I’m a buyer of this drop in English and admittedly don’t have preference between foil or non-foil, however I believe the non-foil at $30 could be better overall value.
Weirdest Pets in the Multiverse: $29.99 Non-Foil // $39.99 Foil
- Laboratory Maniac: a forever-wincon in decks that want to draw out, this represents the second truly “bling” version of LabMan, the first being the Time Spiral: Remastered retro frame. It does have a few other foil printings, but they’re basic pack versions. I expect this to be a $3-4 non-foil and $5-6 foil, but I might have this underestimated because I generally expect the Weirdest Pets in the Multiverse to be a lesser-purchased Drop, thus I expect lower supply for the cards in the Drop will exist.
- Stitcher’s Supplier: a staple in multiple formats, this uncommon from Core Set 2019 needed another reprint. I am, however, unsure if the art from this Secret Lair version will appeal to the masses. I wrote down $5/$10 (?) in my notes for this one because I admit I am not sure how to value it. It wouldn’t shock me if Stitcher’s Supplier ended up being the most valuable card in this drop long-term.
- Beast Whisperer: reprinted for the ninth time by my count, this card seems to be a forever staple that loves finding its way into every precon WotC produces. There aren’t too many “bling” versions yet, though, so this could have some sneak good value in foil over the long-run. I’d expect $4 for the non-foil and $7 for the foil.
- Vizier of the Menagerie: here’s another niche card that is great in Timmy style creature decks, but otherwise doesn’t make the cut. I have owned a copy of Vizier of the Menagerie since it released more than five years ago, and still have yet to use it in a final version of a deck. I’d peg this Secret Lair version as yet another $5 non-foil and $8 foil once the Drop hits the secondary market.
- Wood Elves: outclassed these days by so many better ramp options, Wood Elves is no longer even a staple in its own tribe. There are Elf collectors out there who will want to own a copy (or two) of this Secret Lair version, but this card admittedly feels more like a throw-in than a value creator.
RECAP: easily the worst individual drop from October’s Superdrop, this one will likely be the least purchased and thus have the lowest supply on the secondary market. Sometimes that situation breeds opportunity as a long-term hold, but for this particular scenario, I’m staying away. Aside from Stitcher’s Supplier, the cards in this Drop are either outclassed by power-creep or too niche to ever really grow in value. I’d rather buy singles if I need anything from this Drop.
The Space Beyond the Stars: $29.99 Non-Foil // $39.99 Foil
- Imprisioned in the Moon: great card for commander purposes and super flavorful in this drop. This is mostly a throw-in for value purposes, though. I expect $1-2 for the non-foil and $3-4 in foil.
- Stasis: first time foil alert! Stasis was recently voted on by the community as the #1 saltiest card in Magic according to an EDHREC poll, and now it finally gets a first time foil! While I can never imagine myself running this card personally, I do know it sees plenty of play in cEDH, enough that I believe this Secret Lair foil will hold a nice premium. While unfortunate that it didn’t get to keep the original art, there are still plenty of Eternal-format players who love to foil their decks out, and now they can get one step closer. I estimate the non-foil will command around $10 but the foil could be $30+ and appreciate quickly on the secondary market. I’m a buyer of this drop in foil because of Stasis; first time cEDH playable foils from Secret Lair have done very well in the past (see: Carpet of Flowers).
- Prismatic Omen: while not a first time foil, this Secret Lair drop might as well be for Prismatic Omen. It only has one other printing from Shadowmoor and sorely needed this reprint. The non-foil is $12 and foils were selling for $50+ before this reprint was announced. I expect the Secret Lair version to retain a $12 price tag in non-foil while I expect the foil to be around $20. This should appreciate nicely long-term just like Stasis so long as it doesn’t catch another surprise reprint in the near future.
- Wheel of Sun and Moon: the theme for this drop must have been “what are the four cards we can pick with one or less foil printings” because I feel like a broken record typing about it right now. Wheel of Sun and Moon has two printings, but one is from The List in non-foil and the other is from Shadowmoor where the foil was commanding $50+ before this reprint was announced. I am pegging this to be around $5 in non-foil and $10 in foil.
RECAP: while on paper this drop in foil screams value (it is), just remember everyone is seeing the same dollar signs as we are right now. All my price targets above are conservative based on my expectation that this drop gets bought heavily, but I also would expect this to appreciate nicely over the long-run on the back of Stasis being a first time foil.
Totally Spaced Out – $49.99 (Galaxy Foil only)
- Strip Mine: the big value play from the Totally Spaced Out drop is Strip Mine, but keep in mind it already has a few bling versions including Zendikar and Zendikar Rising Expeditions. The community was largely receptive to the Galaxy Foiling process in Unfinity, so it is reasonable to think these will be decently popular. I’m pegging this as a $25 card at the time it hits the secondary market.
- Ash Barrens: a staple in casual Commander play, and a commonly reprinted card in precons among other places, Ash Barrens is more of a throw-in than a value add. However, this represents a significant upgrade to Ash Barrens from a “bling” version perspective, so don’t be surprised if the Secret Lair Galaxy Foil commands $5 as a result.
- Fabled Passage: a staple in Pioneer and Commander, Fabled Passage has plenty of different bling versions available to date. That said, per my mention about Galaxy Foils being well-received in Unfinity, I wouldn’t be surprised if this commands $12-15 at the time it releases. Remember it sees a lot of play in a Constructed format, and usually as a 2-4 of in the lists that want it, so the supply will need to keep up with more than just singleton demand from Commander players.
- Command Beacon: the foil Borderless version of Command Beacon from Commander Legends runs you around $20, so I think it is safe to peg this version’s price comparably. It’s a Commander-only card, but we also know Commander players are notorious for blinging their decks. This should appreciate nicely over time given the premier Galaxy Foil treatment.
RECAP: I am a big fan of this land drop. At face value, it doesn’t look like you’re not getting much value because each of the four cards are fairly cheap when looking at their base pack non-foils. However, if you look at them from a “bling” perspective and view the Galaxy Foil treatment as a truly premium upgrade, the value of each of these cards starts to be more attractive. At $50, this drop is a bit pricy, so you could be well-served in just buying the singles you need instead of the entire drop.
I plan to pick this Drop up for my collection since I use at least one of each of these lands in my Commander decks. I am also very intrigued to see if they do a Galaxy Foil “secret card” for this drop. If they do, that could be a big value add making this drop even more substantial.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
While I don’t advocate buying the Big Foil or Big Non-Foil Bundles, I do think some of these drops are worth picking up individually. I personally really like the Junji Ito (English, non-foil), Space Beyond the Stars (foil), and Totally Spaced Out drops, and those are what I’ll be picking up. I plan to buy extra copies of Space Beyond the Stars in foil for my Chicago Style Gaming inventory since I believe that one could appreciate well over time.
I hope you enjoyed my coverage of the October Secret Lair Superdrop! Cheers!
Chris Martin is the co-founder of Conviction Gaming and co-host of the Brewin’ With Conviction podcast. He has been playing MTG since 1998 and is an avid EDH player with a knack for MTG finance.
You can reach Chris via DM and find more of his daily MTG content by following on Twitter @ChiStyleGaming.