October 20, 2024
Rolling Attractions
Could Unfinity cards get traction in Commander with their dazzling designs, or are they destined to remain collector's curse forever?
I remember the Unhinged pre-release 24 years ago, a sealed tournament with a Top 8 draft. A friend of mine drafted 21 full-art lands and dropped from the Top 8.
A year later, those lands were worth more than the tournament's prize for the first place. Since then, I've closely followed every Un-set, including Unfinity.
A year later, those lands were worth more than the tournament's prize for the first place. Since then, I've closely followed every Un-set, including Unfinity.
Older Un-sets often leaned into toxic fun, where your enjoyment came at your opponent's expense. Unfinity shifts this dynamic, offering a friendlier and more relaxed experience.
After playing five drafts, I found it one of the best limited formats since lockdown. The new mechanics — stickers, attractions, and dice rolls — made it fresh and engaging.
Unfinity also introduced acorn symbol. Acorn cards aren't legal in Constructed formats.
But the other portion of the set includes Eternal-legal cards.
These either have no security stamp or the traditional oval security stamp. They look just like tournament-legal cards because they are tournament-legal cards.
This is a major departure for Un-sets, as previous ones were entirely illegal for tournament play, with their value primarily coming from the full-art lands.
This shift raises some interesting questions.
After playing five drafts, I found it one of the best limited formats since lockdown. The new mechanics — stickers, attractions, and dice rolls — made it fresh and engaging.
Unfinity also introduced acorn symbol. Acorn cards aren't legal in Constructed formats.
But the other portion of the set includes Eternal-legal cards.
These either have no security stamp or the traditional oval security stamp. They look just like tournament-legal cards because they are tournament-legal cards.
This is a major departure for Un-sets, as previous ones were entirely illegal for tournament play, with their value primarily coming from the full-art lands.
This shift raises some interesting questions.
Denimwalk Minotaur (one of its kind)
I heard that somebody took of his pants not to lose to this card. Was that fun?
Could Eternal-legal cards from Unfinity maintain demand over time? Would unique mechanics like attractions or stickers ever be reprinted? Will we see more dice-rolling Commanders?
Stickers, while creative, feel overly complicated and demand significant attention and setup to play with them.
Attractions, on the other hand, are simple, fun, and add unique abilities to decks.
Dice-focused decks are becoming increasingly popular. Mr. House, President and CEO, is leading this trend, currently ranked #64 on EDHREC. With more support from Wizards, this mechanic could gain even more traction.
Attractions fit perfectly into dice-rolling strategies, providing consistent rolls once they are opened. They also bring unique abilities, offering extra attack phases, creature reanimation, flickering, graveyard retrieval, and much more.
Attractions, on the other hand, are simple, fun, and add unique abilities to decks.
Dice-focused decks are becoming increasingly popular. Mr. House, President and CEO, is leading this trend, currently ranked #64 on EDHREC. With more support from Wizards, this mechanic could gain even more traction.
Attractions fit perfectly into dice-rolling strategies, providing consistent rolls once they are opened. They also bring unique abilities, offering extra attack phases, creature reanimation, flickering, graveyard retrieval, and much more.
These cards have the power to create memorable stories.
We recall clutch topdecks, a single lucky roll that turned the tide, or even Sauron, the Dark Lord, battling in the Tunnel of Love💕.
Attractions help players craft such moments with their Commanders.
We recall clutch topdecks, a single lucky roll that turned the tide, or even Sauron, the Dark Lord, battling in the Tunnel of Love💕.
Attractions help players craft such moments with their Commanders.
That's why i decided to speculate mainly on dice-rolling mechanics and some other Eternal-legal cards from Unfinity.
Attractions
Attractions come in multiple versions, each triggered by different dice rolls — some with up to six variations!
Currently, three cards allow extra dice rolls while ignoring the lowest result. I expect more of these to emerge, which could increase the price of certain attraction versions over time.
Currently, three cards allow extra dice rolls while ignoring the lowest result. I expect more of these to emerge, which could increase the price of certain attraction versions over time.
This scarcity makes foil attractions with the highest numbers particularly rare.
Collector boosters only have one slot for attractions, which could yield either an acorn attraction or one with lower numbers, making high-number foil attractions even more valuable.
To take advantage of this, I’ve bought at least four foil copies of each Eternal-legal attraction with the highest numbers.
To take advantage of this, I’ve bought at least four foil copies of each Eternal-legal attraction with the highest numbers.
Openings
Next, I’m working on acquiring cards that can open an attraction.
I decided to focus exclusively on Galaxy Foil versions of these cards due to their limited availability. In Collector Boosters, there's only one slot for common/uncommon and another for rare/mythic Galaxy Foils.
Once again, I purchased four copies of each Eternal-legal card but got additional copies of the ones shown above. The first three are the most mana efficient ways to open an attraction, while the other two bring unique effects to the board.
I decided to focus exclusively on Galaxy Foil versions of these cards due to their limited availability. In Collector Boosters, there's only one slot for common/uncommon and another for rare/mythic Galaxy Foils.
Once again, I purchased four copies of each Eternal-legal card but got additional copies of the ones shown above. The first three are the most mana efficient ways to open an attraction, while the other two bring unique effects to the board.
Rolling Dice
Now is the time to speculate on Mr. House, President and CEO, and the dice-rolling mechanic. Though currently tertiary and used occasionally, I believe dice-rolling will grow significantly — hopefully at a fast pace.
Priority Boarding is good when you are rolling D6 every turn but it becomes much stronger with the help of D20 rolls from Baldur's Gate cards like Component Pouch.
The standout card, however, is Clown Car. It serves multiple roles, and rolling several dice from a single card is both impactful and game-changing. Clown Car is crucial in decks like Magda, Brazen Outlaw (or Rip, Spawn Hunter, and Kona, Rescue Beastie), as it can be played for zero mana. It also can shine in token strategies.
I was so impressed by the card that I bought eight Galaxy Foil copies of it.
Priority Boarding is good when you are rolling D6 every turn but it becomes much stronger with the help of D20 rolls from Baldur's Gate cards like Component Pouch.
The standout card, however, is Clown Car. It serves multiple roles, and rolling several dice from a single card is both impactful and game-changing. Clown Car is crucial in decks like Magda, Brazen Outlaw (or Rip, Spawn Hunter, and Kona, Rescue Beastie), as it can be played for zero mana. It also can shine in token strategies.
I was so impressed by the card that I bought eight Galaxy Foil copies of it.
Dice Manipulation
These cards can help to get needed roll and cost me around $0.50 each for Galaxy Foil, except for Night Shift of the Living Dead, which is already quite expensive.
They’re so cheap because they currently see no play — but that could change in an instant with the release of new cards.
They’re so cheap because they currently see no play — but that could change in an instant with the release of new cards.
This is a topic for another day, but here’s a quick tip: never underestimate enablers.
Dice manipulation cards hold significant potential to enable strategies that don’t yet exist🔮. I’m willing to take the risk at such a low price, even if they end up sitting in my binder forever because the payoff never gets released.
Non-dice Cards
I also picked up some cards that don’t contribute to dice strategies but are interesting on their own.
For example, Starlight Spectacular is offers a significant boost to your board. While its effect is less impactful in tribal decks compared to Coat of Arms, it works regardless of creature types, making it a versatile option.
Saw in Half sees significant play as part of various infinite combos and has already been reprinted in Bloomburrow Commander. Despite this, I believe the Unfinity premium version will retain its value due to its scarcity and unique foil finish.
Although Saw in Half is the most expensive card in this speculation, accounting for 13.6% of the total spend, its category ranks third in overall share.
Overall, I’m quite pleased with this speculation. Approximately 40% was spent on attractions, 40% on dice-matter cards, and 20% on generally good staples:
For example, Starlight Spectacular is offers a significant boost to your board. While its effect is less impactful in tribal decks compared to Coat of Arms, it works regardless of creature types, making it a versatile option.
Saw in Half sees significant play as part of various infinite combos and has already been reprinted in Bloomburrow Commander. Despite this, I believe the Unfinity premium version will retain its value due to its scarcity and unique foil finish.
Although Saw in Half is the most expensive card in this speculation, accounting for 13.6% of the total spend, its category ranks third in overall share.
Overall, I’m quite pleased with this speculation. Approximately 40% was spent on attractions, 40% on dice-matter cards, and 20% on generally good staples:
Spend by card category
I’ve spent $560.06 on this entire speculation, which includes 66 unique cards. Only three of them account for more than 5% of the total spend.
These three cards are already in demand, while the rest represent much smaller portions of the overall investment. Here is Top10 list by card name:
These three cards are already in demand, while the rest represent much smaller portions of the overall investment. Here is Top10 list by card name:
As you can see, I believe dice-rolling will be a future mechanic in Magic: The Gathering and have made a small preparation in case it becomes more popular.
The risk is high, and I’m ready to lose the money, as the current state could be the end of dice-rolling rather than the beginning I envision.
But if I'm right, it could quadruple the budget spent and turn it into profit.
The risk is high, and I’m ready to lose the money, as the current state could be the end of dice-rolling rather than the beginning I envision.
But if I'm right, it could quadruple the budget spent and turn it into profit.
