Aetherdrift Set Review - Reprints
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White | Blue | Black | Red | Green | Artifacts & Lands | Allied & Shards | Enemy & Wedges | cEDH | Reprints | Pauper/Budget
Controlling It is Another Matter
Normally, when we do these reprint reviews, we start with the draft set, i.e. the "normal" set. But this is 2025. "Normal" sets haven't been normal in some time, as every release is not only a draft set, but Commander decks, Special Guests, and whatever other miscellaneous hoopla thrown in for good measure.
So it stands to reason that as Magic: The Gathering sets evolve, so too should our methods of looking at reprints. No, that doesn't mean I plan to change, because if nothing else, I'm obstinate in my ways. But what we are going to do, however, is start with the Commander deck reprints, and tack on the draft set reprints to the end of this article. Do we really need to start off our day with conversation about Bloodghast and Spell Pierce? What is this, 2009?
With that out of the way, let's get started. As always, we're looking at reprints through the dual lenses of "Did we need this?" and "Did we want this?" The former of the two questions is related to the card's price in USD before the reprint, and the latter is related to the card's usage as per EDHREC metrics.
Aetherdrift Commander Reprints
Elder Gargaroth
Did we need it?
We first met the Elder Gargaroth in Core Set 2021 as the next in the long lineage of giant green mythic creatures that are undercosted and overpowered. That lineage started with Conflux'sThornling, then made stops in hydratown with Protean Hydra and Khalni Hydra, before giving us a few iconic green monsters in Gaea's Revenge, Elderscale Wurm, and Carnage Tyrant.
In a vacuum, it's very good in comparison to its predecessors, probably just under Primeval Titan in that regard. But we don't live in a vacuum, because then we wouldn't be able to breathe.
Elder Gargaroth has never been reprinted until now, which means its price was much higher than it had any real right to be. It's a great card, but is it a 15-dollar card? No. Thankfully, the reprint here means it's already preordering for half that.
Did we want it?
We see Elder Gargaroth in 33,800 lists on EDHREC, good for roughly 1% of all decks playing green. That doesn't sound like a lot, but it's one of the best choices if you're looking for a versatile, mid-range green creature. By a wide margin, the most popular commander including the Elder Gargaroth is Indominus Rex, Alpha thanks to its trio of keywords, with 51% of the 2,697 Indominus decks including it in the 99.
I personally have only played it in one deck: Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse. Jolrael's not even listed as a Gargaroth enjoyer on EDHREC, so I don't know if that means I am wrong, or is it the world who is wrong. I vote the latter.
Rot Hulk
Did we need it?
We'll go from one first-time reprint to another, albeit the Rot Hulk was also included in Mystery Booster 2 after its debut in the Game Night box set. All that is to say Rot Hulk has never really been in a widely accessible release before now, and the price of the card reflects that. The Game Night version, for example, still runs around $25, while the MB2 version, in its Future Sight frame glory, is around $8.
With its inclusion in Aetherdrift Commander, we're probably looking at that price deflating significantly, which is of course a good thing. It's a fine card, especially for Zombie decks (well, only for Zombie decks), but there's absolutely no reason why this card should be more than a buck or two.
Did we want it?
Speaking of Zombie decks, even the majority of those aren't playing Rot Hulk, though that's likely due to the price tag more than anything. As per EDHREC, Rot Hulk only appears in 4,772 decks, and most of those are Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver. Looking at the card's EDHREC page, all the decks playing Rot Hulk are Zombie-themed, even the ones with non-traditional Zombie commanders, like Old Stickfingers.
This number will certainly rise as more people get their hands on the "Eternal Might" Aetherdrift Commander deck. However, I wouldn't expect every Zombie deck to immediately slam a Rot Hulk into the 99, as the creature type is already bursting at the seams with viable options. If you're going to play a Rot Hulk now that it's likely cheaper, what do you swap out for it?
Academy Ruins
Did we need it?
New art is always welcome, and Josu Solano's version here in Aetherdrift Commander is the fourth skin for the classic blue artifact retrieval land.
Every single one of the card's prior printings are $15+, except for the new reprint. That justifies its inclusion in the preconstructed decks right there, full stop. That said, at around $9.50 it's the most expensive reprint in the Living Energy deck by almost double (except for Grandpa G at the beginning of this list), which probably says more about the value of that particular deck than it does about the card itself.
Did we want it?
Unlike the first two entries in this article, Academy Ruins has the opposite conditions in the sense that despite the price, it's still a wildly popular card. A lot of that has to do with the fact that it's been around for going on 20 years now. That, and it's a land, which means Commander players who are loath to play basics have one more option available to them.
In total, 119,088 decks are playing Academy Ruins, which is approximately 5% of all decks playing blue. Will that number rise with the reprint? Probably not significantly. It's not a matter of price or availability with this one, as most players who are playing a deck that wants Academy Ruins probably already has an Academy Ruins.
The Scarab God
Did we need it?
We've seen beetle dad appear in its original form in Hour of Devastation as well as the associated Amonkhet Invocations, and it's been reprinted in both Double Masters and Commander Masters. It's also made an appearance in a Secret Lair, though that particular version is an entire vibe on its own and likely doesn't see a ton of actual use at Commander night.
With Aetherdrift Commander, we go back to Scarab God's original form and frame, but we're not going back to its original price. All the other versions range from $11-25 depending on whether it's foil or non-foil, or whether you can actually read the words on the card. Then there's the Invocations version which is $250, but that's its own thing.
You'll probably detect a theme, but the one newly reprinted in the "Eternal Might" Commander deck is already much cheaper. Another solid choice for reprint.
Did we want it?
The Scarab God is insanely popular and has been since pretty much the onset. On EDHREC, there are 10,572 decks listed that run The Scarab God as the commander, which puts it at the 81st-most popular commander on the site. As a card in the 99, that number nearly triples. It's in 27,553 lists, which is a very respectable number for a multicolored card.
It's going to be one of the premier Zombie commanders for... well, forever, so it's nice to see more copies floating around out there. I would have preferred new art; not a dig at the classic Lius Lasahido version, but rather just for non-DJ variety.
Unholy Grotto
Zombie Master
Did we need them?
Let's just run through two more "Eternal Might" inclusions in slightly quicker order, since they both more or less tell the same story. While this is the first non-Secret Lair, non-The List reprint of Unholy Grotto since it debuted in Onslaught, and Zombie Master has seen roughly a dozen printings since Alpha, both cards have been paired together for the better part of three decades. Both were in the Creepshow Secret Lair, both have been bringing Zombies back from the dead in Commander for as long as people have been playing Zombies in Commander, and both are always hovering around the $10 range for the cheapest version.
That's all changed now, though, as their inclusion in the Eternal Might deck means neither are more than $5. And you probably already put this together for yourself, but yes, the Eternal Might deck is a much better value for your dollar than the other one.
Did we want them?
Zombie Master's in 19,807 lists, and Unholy Grotto is in 17,192 lists. Basically the same number, when we're talking Commander. Both are played extensively in Zombie decks, and virtually never outside of them. And both are actually better in Zombie decks that aren't Eternal Might, as in they're at their peak in mono-black. Adding blue is very common when it comes to Zombies, of course, but once you get into three-color territory, a land that doesn't produce color does more harm than good, as do abilities that require black mana to activate.
Still, as an avid Zombie player myself, I'm not going to let any of that get in the way of a good time. Plus, I'd be remiss if I didn't at least mention the absolutely gorgeous new art for Zombie Master from Yohann Schepacz. Yowza.
Cryptbreaker
Gravecrawler
Did we need it?
Speaking of new art, here are two more Zombies with a makeover. That's not the only connective tissue between the two, of course, which is why we're pairing them up for the purposes of this discussion.
In terms of one-mana Zombies, they don't get much better than the one-two punch of Cryptbreaker and Gravecrawler. While the former's never been reprinted until now, the older Gravecrawler, originally from Dark Ascension, has seen several versions over the years. Secret Lairs, Remasters, regular Masters, you name it, Gravecrawler's seen it. Despite the different roads to the present, both Gravecrawler and Cryptbreaker are roughly the same price.
That's going to continue with the Eternal Might list, except that price is now going to be around a buck. A very good ask for two very good Zombies.
Did we want it?
70,624 decks for Gravecrawler, while only half that -- 34,315 -- for Cryptbreaker. I admit that the disparity in numbers surprised me, as both have been in my own Zombie deck since Cryptbreaker was printed in Eldritch Moon way back in 2016. Maybe with this Commander deck, we'll see those numbers get closer together.
Still, compare these to the previous entry of Zombie Master and Unholy Grotto. The cheapest of the four is also the most played, and the higher the price, the less we see them in lists on EDHREC. I think one thing that long-time, enfranchised players forget is that just because you got your hands on a promo version of Gravecrawler 13 years ago, or opened a Beta Zombie Master back when Beta was new, that doesn't mean they're easy for anyone to just acquire on a whim.
So, if you ever sit down at a table to play with strangers, and someone is playing Zombies, don't just ask why they aren't playing Zombie X, Y, or Z, because the answer might simply be that they can't afford a copy.
That's why these reprints matter.
Chromatic Lantern
Did we need it?
We've been spoiled with new art for Chromatic Lantern a lot lately. With Aetherdrift Commander, Julie Dillon gets a crack at the popular mana rock, but we also saw new art for the versions in Foundations Jumpstart, Ravnica Remastered, Tales of Middle-earth Commander and even a few more going further back in time.
That's approaching Mind Stone territory in terms of the sheer number of looks you can find for a single mana rock, though it has a long, long way to go before it hits Arcane Signet or Sol Ring levels.
I bring all this up, because once upon a time, there was only one Chromatic Lantern, from Return to Ravnica, and when that set was printed, players were up in arms about how Chromatic Lantern "ruined" Commander due to its ability to allow for decks to be less restricted in color. And now here we are, 12 years later, and people hardly bat an eye at the card.
But to answer the original conceit, did we need another version? Yeah, sure, why not.
Did we want it?
Chromatic Lantern might not be quite as popular as it was a decade ago, but it's still very dang popular indeed. As per EDHREC, the card is in 489,285 decks. A half-million people out there are still abusing their mana bases with this one simple trick.
That's good for around 10% of all decks that can play Chromatic Lantern, which is all decks, period. One in every ten decks play Chromatic Lantern.
I don't think another reprint is going to change that in any measurable way, but for people playing Temur decks like "Living Energy," Julie Dillon's art is a sure and simple upgrade for you, specifically.
Aetherdrift Commander Lightning Round
There are 143 total reprints between the two Commander decks this time around, and neither you nor I want to go over every single one of them. But there are still plenty that are worth at least a mention:
God-Eternal Oketra: Moldy Oketra has never been very popular, with only 2,198 decks to its name, and it's first true reprint probably won't change that.
Lightning Greaves: Courtesy of a Brigitte Roka and Clifton Stommel team-up, we get another new art for Lightning Greaves, the eighth in roughly a year and a half.
Underground River, Adarkar Wastes, Karplusan Forest, and Caves of Koilos: Painlands again. I still prefer the original versions because I'm a hipster.
Angel of Sanctions: First reprint since Commander 2019, which was the first reprint since it came out of Amonkhet. Nothing interesting to report here.
Swords to Plowshares: We get a new StP like clockwork every release it seems, but at least this one has some really striking art thanks to Piotr Dura.
Commence the Endgame: Drawing two cards and making a (possibly) big Zombie Army token was good in War of the Spark Limited, but it hasn't really been a thing in Commander. New art, though.
Reality Shift: If you wanted your blue removal to be significantly more elephantine, you're in luck. It's a great card, and I'm all for more variety.
Corpse Augur: Originally from Commander 2015, this is the first new art seven reprints between then and now. Not only that, but it's got some eyebrow-raising flavor text as well. Who are the Fly God and the Wasp God, and when can we meet them?
Grave Titan: You can't print a Zombie deck without Grave Titan, though I'll always be partial to Lucas Graciano's version (even though it was actually credited on the card to Nils Hamm).
Chaos Warp: There are a million ways to come up with a visual interpretation of a "chaos warp," and at this rate, we might actually get to see them all. This is the 11th art of the card since it joined us with Commander 2011.
Bootleggers' Stash: Man, this one really went from "most broken card of Streets of New Capenna" to "barely mentioned footnote in a reprint article," huh. It's almost like new sets and histrionics go together like peanut butter and the most jelly, ever.
Arcane Signet, Arcane Signet, Sol Ring. Sol Ring: Two for the price of one, and I have to say that I really like the idea of providing Commander decks their own bespoke Arcane Signets and Sol Rings. It's better than seeing the same version set in, and set out.
Duplicant: Interesting choice for new art, outside the Masterpiece version, we have only had either the Tom Baxa art or the Marco Nelor art from which to choose.
Command Tower, Command Tower, Path of Ancestry, Path of Ancestry: Basically what I said about Signet and Sol Ring, but here, instead.
Aetherdrift Special Guests
We've got 10 different cards that make up Special Guests for Aetherdrift, as usual. But for the first time since Special Guests have been a thing, we've got two versions of each selection.
First, here are the "regular" Special Guests reprints:
And here are those same ten cards, but in the yellow-bordered, "First-Place Foil" treatment:
You might be looking at these and think that they seem more at home in a Secret Lair than they do as Special Guests, which have historically featured more "traditional" art along with either borderless frames or frames that suit the planes from which the card's lore draws inspiration. That's because the gimmick with these particular Special Guests is that they are more like Secret Lairs, in the sense that they were created by the Secret Lair team.
This marks a first for both multiple Special Guests versions in the same release, as well as the first time ever we've seen yellow borders on a card. Both of these points have been contentious, but does it really matter? It's just more variety, which is perfectly fine as long as it doesn't replace what people like about options we've had previously. As Mark Rosewater says, Magic is an "additive game," so the only real way we can evolve is to just keep adding new stuff to see what sticks. Will yellow borders stick? Time will tell, but I have a feeling that it's just the first of many new colors we'll be seeing in the near future.
As for the card choices themselves, it's arguably a better bunch than the Special Guests from Duskmourn or Bloomburrow, though that Chrome Mox is probably doing a lot of the heavy lifting in that regard.
You can find the regular versions of these in either Play Boosters or Collector Boosters, while first-place foil Special Guests cards appear only in first-place Box Topper packs, which you can only get by buying boxes of Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, or Finish Line Bundles. Got all that?
Aetherdrift Draft Set
Let's finish the race at the beginning, with a quick look at the reprints of the Draft Set. In total, there are 20 of them, though five of them are the customary basic lands. None of them are very exciting for we Commander players, though I would imagine other Constructed formats might look at a few of them with more than just ambivalence.
Bloodghast
Did we need it?
Bloodghast is one of those creatures that has seen a considerable amount of creative leeway taken on its overall look. When first we met it in Zendikar, it was basically a humanoid vampire with some ethereal, ghostlike qualities, reflecting its type line of both "Vampire" and "Spirit." That look was reinforced over the handful of reprints we got over the years:
Now, however, we're looking at a Haunter-ass gremlin guy, or whatever this is:
I've been saying this whole time that I prefer variety, and I'm not going to backtrack on that now. I'll just say that we've seen Bloodghast go from a $10-ish card in its heyday to what will likely be a bulk rare when the dust settles with Aetherdrift. That's pretty good for Vampire and Landfall fans.
Did we want it?
Overall, 53,997 decks on EDHREC list Bloodghast among their 99, good for 2% of all decks playing black. Perfectly respectable numbers, and in line with what we might expect for a pretty iconic creature in a very popular creature type. Most of the decks in which it appears are in fact Vampire-based, with Clavileño, First of the Blessed leading the way. Sacrifice-themed lists also love Bloodghast, as evidenced by the number of Zimone and Dina decks rocking the little guy.
We won't see that number change much with this reprint, unless it turns out that people really, really like Bloodghast's new look.
And now, the rest:
A Curse Barely Remembered
In terms of reprints, the vast majority of the value and usefulness comes from the Eternal Might Commander deck. That's only if you like Zombies, though. As far as overall interest to the average Commander player not building a Zombie deck, Aetherdrift is a pretty lackluster set when it comes to reprints.
And there's nothing wrong with that, of course. Over the past few months we've had Foundations and Innistrad Remastered to sate our unending thirst for reprints, so if we have to skip the ol' zoom-zoom race car set entirely, that's perfectly fine by me. I'm sure my colleagues reviewing non-reprints over the past week have picked out the worthwhile new cards for us so we don't have to pay attention ourselves.
Any reprints you're surprised to see? Any you're surprised were not included? Is the answer to that second question Varina, Lich Queen? Sound off below.
