The MTG card Unholy Annex (or Ritual Chamber) has had a massive price spike of 1460%. One of the room split cards from Duskmourn, when this spooky set released a month ago the card was only valued at $1. It’s shot up since then and now costs $15.60, according to MTG Goldfish’s price tracker.
Looking at the effects of this card from the latest MTG set, it’s hard to see why it was ever priced so low. On one side, it’s a source of repeatable card draw, netting you an extra card each turn. True, you pay a heavy price, losing two life each turn, but if you can play a demon that life loss turns into life drain, becoming a huge problem for your opponent.
The other side, Ritual Chamber, is much simpler. It’s just a 6/6 flying demon for five mana, which obviously helps you turn Unholy Annex to your favor.
Providing both a powerful beatdown threat and repeating draw, Unholy Annex/Ritual Chamber has all the hallmarks of a great midrange card. It gives its owner loads of value for just one card, if you can dodge the downside.
Sure enough, powerful black midrange decks are exactly where this room card is seeing play. In Standard, the ever popular Golgari Midrange deck is running it, while in Pioneer it’s seeing play in Black and Rakdos Midrange. All of these decks run four-CMC demons that can come down the turn after Unholy Annex to make the life drain much more reliable.
Specifically, the Rakdos and Golgari builds use Archfiend of the Dross, another giant flying demon, while the monocolor decks play the more black mana intensive Bloodletter of Aclazotz, which also makes the drain effect more damaging.
While midrange decks in 60-card formats are the main cause of the price spike, Commander will have also taken a bunch of copies out of circulation. That’s because Marina Vendrell is one of the most popular MTG commanders in Duskmourn, and her deck wants as many room cards as possible. She already has 3,469 decks logged on EDHREC, and over 70% of them run Unholy Annex.
For more Magic: The Gathering content, check out our guide to the 2025 MTG release schedule. And don’t miss our list of the best MTG Arena decks right now.
Source: Wargamer
