Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Reprints, price shifts, and the green domino effect
Reprints have a staccato effect on Magic: The Gathering’s economy. They flood shelves, broaden accessibility, and nudge prices downward for a while as supply outpaces demand. Strength of the Tajuru, a green instant from the Commander 2020 circle of reprints, is a perfect lens to examine this dynamic 🧙♂️🧭. This card wears the green mantle proudly: {X}{G}{G}, a multikicker ability that lets you push creatures up with X +1/+1 counters, and it scales beautifully in both casual Commander games and budget-friendly brews. When an evergreen card finds itself reprinted in a popular, high-visibility set—Commander 2020 being a standout—supply expands, accessibility improves, and the perception of scarcity shrinks. The result? A cooler price temperature across markets, from paper to MTGO, as players realize they can grab a copy without paying a premium for the "only one in town" vibe ⚡️.
A quick snapshot of the card in its own right
- Name: Strength of the Tajuru
- Set: Commander 2020 (c20)
- Rarity: Rare
- Mana cost: {X}{G}{G} (multikicker {1})
- Type: Instant
- Effect: Multikicker {1} — You may pay an additional {1} any number of times as you cast this spell. Choose target creature, then choose another target creature for each time this spell was kicked. Put X +1/+1 counters on each of them.
- Color identity: Green
- Prints: Nonfoil, with reprint in Commander 2020; rarity remains rare
From a gameplay perspective, Strength of the Tajuru embodies a few evergreen truths about reprint-driven price behavior: it’s a flexible, impact-rich card that fits a wide range of green strategies, yet its price ceiling is partly governed by print frequency. The nonfoil copy’s price in the current snapshot sits around USD 0.15 and EUR 0.23, a signal that the card sits in budget territory for many players. This is exactly the kind of card that benefits from reprint—they lower the threshold for entry and widen the audience for green, creature-heavy decks 🔥💎.
Why reprints tend to depress price for a card like Strength of the Tajuru
Reprints alter the price equation in a few predictable ways, and Strength of the Tajuru exemplifies them well. First, supply increases. More copies in circulation means more opportunities for local game stores, online retailers, and individual collectors to pick up the card. Second, visibility rises. Commander 2020 as a set drew attention from a broad audience beyond traditional competitive players; that influx of eyes translates into more confirmed buyers who can reinforce lower prices. Third, diversification of print runs matters. When a card appears in multiple nonfoil printings (as opposed to rare, single-print scarcity), the price anchor shifts downward because the “scarce” signal weakens. Collectors and players both respond to that shift—some sellers pounce, others bide their time—creating a market where the price stabilizes at a more affordable baseline 🧙♂️🎲.
For Strength of the Tajuru specifically, the card’s utility in commander brews—fostering broad, adaptable combat swings via X; green’s natural pack tactics; and the incremental buffing of multiple targets—remains compelling. Yet the reprint’s presence in a widely distributed set reduces the risk premium around ownership. That combination often yields healthier entry points for new players while still offering a use-case for seasoned collectors who want to showcase green’s classic counter-based punch. In short, reprints reshape the market by broadening access while softening the premium that once clung to “hard-to-find” versions 🧩💚.
Balancing strategy: buyers, sellers, and the dynamism of markets
If you’re navigating the Strength of the Tajuru price landscape, here are some practical takeaways that blend math with MTG intuition:
Don’t chase a single scarce copy when a reprint has opened doors. The card remains a solid option for green decks that love flexible mana costs and big swing turns. If you’re a collector, foil or alternative-print variants often carry the premium you expect from rarity—until another reprint shifts those curves. Keep an eye on upcoming set lists and promo schedules. After a reprint, prices tend to bounce around before stabilizing. A patient collector or player can time buys to catch dips and spreads across marketplaces. In Commander circles, cards like Strength of the Tajuru blaze brighter when green slowdown strategies appear or when +1/+1 counter themes trend in a given year 🧙♂️⚔️. While you’re tuning your green deck, you might also be upgrading your everyday carry—hence the small plug for practical accessories. A stylish card holder or MagSafe-compatible phone case is the kind of thoughtful addition that keeps your gaming life organized on the go 🎨🎲.
Culture, design, and the enduring charm of reprint-era cards
From a design perspective, Strength of the Tajuru showcases how multi-kicker mechanics can scale with the board state, turning a simple instant into a strategic climate control tool. The card’s evergreen green aura—fueled by a X-based premium—embodies a thematic harmony between growth, numbers, and creature-centric momentum. Reprints in Commander 2020 weren’t just about re-listing old cards; they re-energized conversations around what green can do when it’s allowed to scale with mana and massed creature boards 🧙♂️💎.
For fans who love the cultural tapestry of MTG, price movements around reprints aren’t merely numerical; they reflect how communities value accessibility, shared experiences, and the thrill of brewing powerful, affordable decks. Strength of the Tajuru, with its elegant simplicity and room-for-creativity, remains a friendly touchstone for both budget-conscious players and nostalgic collectors who remember when green counters felt rarer than a mythic dragon in the same week. The result is a living ecosystem where price, playability, and poetry on cardboard cycle together in a dance as old as the game itself 🔥🎨.