Imagine playing a Magic format where ally fetch lands are allowed, but enemy fetch lands are not. A format where fetch lands can't search up original dual lands (like in Legacy), nor can they search out Ravnica shock lands (like in Modern). This restriction exists because the only sets allowed in this format are those that released between Fourth Edition and Scourge.

The format I am referring to is known as Premodern, and it has been exploding in popularity over the past year. In fact, I had never heard of the set until a few months ago, where enough members of my Magic social circle (personal and on social media) were talking about the format enough for it to finally hit my radar.

And boy oh boy did it hit my radar In a big way! If you're like me, and you have been overlooking the recent surge in this classic format, read on to understand the magnitude of the trend sweeping across the Magic community.

A Hot Format Indeed

Premodern has a rapidly expanding social media presence. You can follow the format closely on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. If you're looking to play in a Premodern tournament, there are dozens to pick from each month, and they take place all over the world. Here's a snapshot of 20 recent events to provide a taste of where they take place:

No matter if you're in the United States, Italy, Portugal, China, Spain, or Germany, there are events you can attend in person. Then, if you're unable to find a community close by, you also have the option of participating in Premodern events on MTGO (a supported format on the digital platform) or via webcam games online.

The point is that if you're looking for a community to play Premodern with, you can find one.

The Nostalgic Sweet Spot

While I've been a follower and a collector of Old School cards ('93/'94) for many years now, I had admittedly been overlooking Premodern. Technically, the majority of time I played during childhood would have overlapped more with the Premodern format than the Old School format. I began playing around Visions and Fifth Edition; therefore, many cards from the Premodern era tap into some of my fondest memories.

It should as no surprise, then, that I'm starting to explore building a deck and starting a collection of Premodern cards. To catch up on the format, I've been searching up the current metagame. In addition, I discovered a series of articles here at Cool Stuff Inc. written by Michael Flores, highlight different decks and interactions in the format. I'd highly recommend checking them all out.

I'm not as talented a player as Michael, nor do I have any experience whatsoever playing the Premodern format. What I can share, however, is my experience acquiring a smattering of Premodern cards as my interest in the format grows. Apparently, I am very late to the party. Seeing all the nostalgic cards has made me pine for a Premodern collection of my own, but when I saw prices on certain cards that I assumed were officially outpowered and outclassed, my jaw dropped.

It turns out Premodern has created a ton of demand for cards once left for dead. They are too weak for Legacy and too old for Modern. In the world of Premodern, they hit the sweet spot.

Surprisingly Expensive Premodern Cards

I ran a simple Google search for the most played cards in Premodern, and found this website. Listed below are the top 10 cards on the site:

1. Swords to Plowshares
2. Wasteland
3. Mishra's Factory
4. Wooded Foothills
5. Counterspell
6. Impulse
7. Duress
8. Rishadan Poirt
9. City of Brass
10. Seal of Cleansing

Aside: Hold up. Seal of Cleansing?! It turns out Seal of Cleansing offers a versatile sideboard option against some of the format's most popular decks (Phyrexian Dreadnought is a big one), while also combining cleverly with Parallax Tide. Here's how Michael Flores described the interaction in one of his articles:

I have fond memories of Rishadan Port showcasing its power in Legacy many years ago, but I don't think I've seen anyone play the card in years. With all the reprints that land has gotten lately, I kind of assumed the card was dead money.

Apparently not! All printings of this card have been climbing lately, but the Mercadian Masques printing has been especially resilient. The card has doubled in price from around $30 to over $60 over the past two years. Good thing Masters 25 copies can still be had for under $10 for those looking to stick to a budget.

While it's cool to see Rishadan Port see play again, I am even more shocked at some other Premodern specific cards that I don't recall ever seeing in Legacy play. Cards like the aforementioned Parallax Tide. Or Parallax Wave, for that matter (though the latter is at least a house in Vintage Cube).

Parallax Tide offers you the opportunity to one-way Armageddon your opponent, as described above. You could also use Stifle to counter the lands-returning trigger. Parallax Wave offers similar opportunities for a one-way Wrath of God. It gets particularly goofy when you also have an Opalescence in play, as Parallax Wave can then target itself.

How much do you think these cards cost? If you don't follow this market, you'd never guess. At the start of 2023, Parallax Tide was around $3-$4. Three years later, thanks to the explosion of Premodern (and the Reserved List), Parallax Tide now sells for about $50! Parallax Wave isn't on the Reserved List, but that hasn't stopped the card climbing from $5 to $30 over that same time period.

Two more cards that have really taken off lately are Cursed Scroll and Powder Keg.

I'm so old, I remember when Cursed Scroll was a house back in Type II (Standard). Apparently, it's also powerful in Premodern, and its price has climbed accordingly. I didn't follow Magic as closely in 1999 as I did in 1997, so I don't have as much familiarity with Powder Keg. All I can say is the card was a $1 rare in the 2010's, around $10 in 2023, and is now in the $50 range.

Dig Through Your Bulk Bins

In addition to heavy hitters like these, there are also many commons and uncommons that have climbed in price due to newfound Premodern demand. Check your bulk bins, folks, because you could stumble across some surprisingly expensive cards without realizing!

In the top 10 list above, we already see the popularity of Swords to Plowshares, Mishra's Factory, and Impulse (which admittedly have infinite printings). Some cards, with fewer printings, are more worthwhile picking. Cards like Chain of Vapor ($10), Foil ($6), and Daze ($3).

Each of these Blue instants are powerful spells in Premodern, and as such have gained in demand and price over the past few years. I swear I had copies of Foil that I opened from Prophecy packs many years ago, and they sat in my bulk boxes for years rotting. I probably buylisted them to Card Kingdom for a dime back in 2018. Oh well.

Other commons and uncommons to keep an eye out for (especially original printings) include Gush, Treetop Village, Smother, Flash of Insight, and Accumulated Knowledge. Fortunately, each of these have reprints to help keep costs down - those shopping on a budget won't have to spend a ton acquiring their sets of these powerful Premodern spells.

Honorable Mention: World Championship Decks

Between 1997 and 2004, Wizards of the Coast created specially packaged versions of four of the top ranked decks used during the World Championships of the respective year. These decks were printed with a gold border and non-standard Magic backs, making them unusable in sanctioned tournaments. The cards were also stamped in gold with the player's autograph.

For years, these have been deemed virtually worthless and useless outside the obvious use case: battling one World Championship Deck against another with your friends. With the rapid climb in tabletop play, players have slowly become laxer about allowing World Championship Decks cards. It started with Gaea's Cradle, a gold-bordered card that now sells for $200.

Over the past few years, demand for World Championship Decks have expanded to other gold-bordered cards, many of which are relevant in Premodern. Some unsanctioned tournaments even allow gold-bordered cards, such as the Swedish Premodern Nationals back in September. The more events that allow these cards, the more expensive they'll become. For now, they offer a fantastic way of acquiring Premodern staples on a budget.

Wrapping It Up

If you're interested in something new - a format where you can dust off some beloved, older cards, outclassed in Legacy - then Premodern may be for you. I especially appreciate how they've banned certain overpowered cards that dominate Legacy, such as Brainstorm and Force of Will. This ensures Premodern is even more unlike any other format you may get to experience.

Thus far, Martin Berlin's 2012 creation has resonated with many players and has gradually grown in popularity over the years. Similar to Old School, the community drives the format independent of Wizards of the Coast. Despite this grass roots growth, Premodern has a ton of support both in physical cards and on MTGO.

The result is that certain cards once left for dead have now become tournament staples once again! It's so exciting to see cards like Rishadan Port, Powder Keg, and Parallax Tide get a moment to shine after being deemed too weak for many years.

As for myself, my plan is to take my two oldest in-tact Magic decks (Birds and a Mono-White monstrosity) and combine them into a tier 3 Premodern deck to start with. I've already picked up a couple cards to make the deck a little more capable, including Adarkar Wastes and Swords to Plowshares. Luckily, with ample reprints to choose from, these weren't too expensive to acquire.

As for the more expensive Premodern cards like Mox Diamond and Gaea's Cradle... I may have to pass on those for the time being and admire them from afar. Either that, or trade some of my hard-earned Old-School cards into Premodern.