It’s pretty normal for a Magic: The Gathering card’s estimated price to drop precipitously after the set is actually out, but there’s always a few exceptions, and the uncommon spell Stock Up is the latest of these. Valued at a mere $0.30 upon Aetherdrift’s release on February 14, the card has since spiked by 733% in 10 days, and copies now sell for $2.50 each, while foils go for as much as $8.
I like covering these ‘premium uncommons’, as while they’re rarely worth the really big bucks (and this is no exception) chances are good that most players cracking MTG Aetherdrift packs will have a few. Don’t throw these in your bulk box – make use of the hidden little treasures!
Stock Up is a blue sorcery spell that is basically a bigger version of Anticipate. For the price of one extra generic mana, it lets you look at the top five cards of your library instead of three and then place not one but two of them into your hand.
This is a very slow spell – you don’t want to be playing Stock Up on turn three when facing aggro – but later in the game it gives you really good access to the cards in your deck, making it perfect for controlling, spells-heavy decks.
Right now, Stock Up is seeing a little bit of play in all sorts of different formats and decks, which seems like a good indication of its overall playability. There were a few decklists running it in Pro Tour Aetherdrift at the weekend, and it’s also been sighted in Modern Challenges, as well as even older formats.
In Standard, Stock Up is seeing play in Azorius colors. During Pro Tour Aetherdrift at Chicago MagicCon, Arne Huschenbeth went 9 – 1 with a typical controlling deck packed with removal, counterspells, boardwipes and big creatures, using Stock Up to dig for the perfect answers. Meanwhile, Yuta Takahashi’s deck was all about cheating Omniscience out as soon as possible, at which point Stock Up ensures the party keeps going until the game is won.
Meanwhile, in Modern, a few players are slotting Stock Up into well-established archetypes like Atraxa and Grinding Station. But right now, the most popular place Stock Up is getting played is the most busted MTG format of all: Vintage.
The card is mainly being played in PO Lurrus decks, which use Moxen alongside Paradoxical Outcome to draw absurd numbers of cards for zero net mana. Since this ultra-expensive decklist runs all the restricted cards from the Power 9, including Ancestral Recall, Time Walk, and the Moxen, having the ability to dig deep looking for what you need is obviously invaluable.
Since paper Vintage has a pretty minute playerbase, where this card’s price will eventually settle is going to depend largely on how much it sees play in Standard and Modern. There’s no top deck for it just yet, but I kind of think it’s only a matter of time until one emerges.
To stay up to date and informed on Magic: The Gathering, check out our guide to the 2025 MTG release schedule to find out about upcoming sets like Tarkir: Dragonstorm. You might also appreciate seeing all the MTG sets in order or reading our pick of the best MTG Arena decks.
Source: Wargamer
