The MTG card Spyglass Siren has spiked in price by 300%, going from $0.50 to $2.00 – it might not sound like much, but that’s a pretty big leap for an uncommon one mana creature spell that has only just turned one year old. The price rise doesn’t seem to be the result of any new combos or tech: it’s just a key card in several meta relevant decks that fans are eagerly buying into.
Spyglass Siren was printed in the MTG set Lost Caverns of Ixalan, back in November 2023. MTG Goldfish lists its price at $0.30-$0.40 for most of its lifespan, but between Foundations hitting the MTG release schedule on November 15 and today, it rose from $0.50 up to $2.30, before settling to two bucks today.
Unusually for a price spike following a set release, this doesn’t seem to be the result of some new MTG card unlocking a new combo with the Siren, or powering up the decks that already run it. We’re a year out from its printing, it’s used in several competitive decks in Standard and Pioneer, and both formats are in a pretty good place: the price is going up because people want to run the decks it’s in.
Spyglass Siren is a 1/1 creature with flying that costs one blue mana – a statline often called a ‘Flying Man’ after the first creature to feature it. When the Siren enters, its controller creates a Map token, a handy artifact that can be tapped and sacrificed for one mana to allow a creature to ‘explore’.
The MTG keyword ‘explore’ allows the exploring creature’s controller to look at the top card of their library. If it’s a land card they can reveal it and put it into their hand. Otherwise, they can put a +1/+1 counter onto the creature that explored, and then place the card back on top of their deck or into the graveyard.
With evasion and a low mana cost, Flying Men have always had a place in aggressive blue decks. In the current Dimir Midrange deck, the Siren is an early threat. With an Enduring Curiosity in play, if it connects with your opponent you get to draw a card. In this build, the Map token is a convenient mana sink to pull lands or pump a creature.
Some decks put the Map token to work in other ways. Azorius and Jeskai decks have access to the Warden of the Inner Sky, a 1/2 creature that costs one white mana and gains flying and vigilance as long as it has three or more counters on it. It also has an activated ability: tap three other artifacts or creatures you control, and you can scry one, and put a +1/+1 counter onto the Warden.
Jeskai decks also run Gleeful Demolition. For one red mana, this sorcery allows you to destroy an artifact. That would be a sideboard card at best, if it weren’t for the second clause of the spell: if you control said artifact, you create three 1/1 red goblin creatures. A Spyglass Siren into a Gleeful Demolition puts four bodies onto the board that can be used to pay the Convoke cost of spells, or simply swing at your opponent.
The Siren is just as effective in MTG Arena decks as it is on paper. Make sure you check out our guide to all the MTG Arena Codes that still work to grab yourself some free boosters.
Source: Wargamer
