Magic: The Gathering Hot/Cold List for the Week of February 16, 2026

Lutri, the Spellchaser

For years, Lutri was the ultimate what if card, famously banned in Commander before it even saw a prerelease. Trapped in companion purgatory, you could find copies in bulk bins for $0.25.

That changed on February 9 when the Commander Format Panel finally freed our favorite elemental otter, well, almost.

While Lutri is still banned as a Companion, it is now officially legal as your Commander or in your main deck.   

The result was a textbook example of an unban spike. Normal copies surged to settle around $6, but the real action is in the premium versions. If you’re looking to flex your new Izzet spell-slinger build, be prepared to pay.

The Halo Foil from Multiverse Legends has rocketed to nearly $72.

*Buy Lutri, the Spellchaser cards on eBay.

Gilt-Leaf Palace

Sometimes the hottest card isn’t new, but a 19-year-old land. With Lorwyn Eclipsed hitting shelves, players fully expected a reprint of the original tribal reveal lands.

When Gilt-Leaf Palace was omitted from the set checklist, the supply-side crunch was instantaneous.   

As the Elfball archetype dominates casual and competitive tables, thanks to new legends like High Perfect Morcant, this land has become an essential mana-fixer. 

It’s a nostalgia trip with a price tag to match, leaping from a $4 bulk rare to nearly $18 in less than seven days.

Collectors are realizing that without a near-term reprint, these original Lorwyn printings are going to remain expensive for the foreseeable future.

*Buy Gilt-Leaf Palace cards on eBay.

Torpor Orb

When the competitive meta gets this crowded, the veterans start looking for hosers. Pro Tour Richmond was dominated by enter-the-battlefield triggers, and Torpor Orb is the premier answer to shut them down.

It is the ultimate sideboard necessity right now, climbing this week to settle at $12.

The educational takeaway here is that you stop them and they can’t stop you from stopping them.

While it can neuter your own strategies if you aren’t careful, the current prevalence of Dimir Excruciator and Izzet Elementals makes this artifact a staple in any deck trying to survive the Standard ladder.

*Buy Torpor Orb cards on eBay.  

Chronicle of Victory

Typal themes are back in a big way with Lorwyn Eclipsed, and Chronicle of Victory is the must-have payoff.

While some critics have called its design uninspired power creep over Vanquisher’s Banner, players aren’t complaining about the results. 

For six mana, the Chronicle gifts your chosen tribe +2/+2, first strike, and trample, while also turning every creature spell into a cantrip.

This is insane value for any kindred deck, especially in colors that struggle with card draw. The card climbed to a new peak of $24. 

*Buy Chronicle of Victory cards on eBay.

Deceit

Market volatility isn’t always a one-way street. Deceit, the blue Evoke elemental from the newest set, entered the Richmond Pro Tour with a price tag propped up by pure hype, peaking at over $34.

While it appeared in Christoffer Larsen’s winning decklist, we’re seeing a major mythic correction as the market becomes saturated with Lorwyn Eclipsed products.

It is our loss leader for the week, sliding down to $22. It’s still a Standard staple, but the meta has already started to adapt with sideboard hate like Torpor Orb, cooling off the frantic pressure to own a playset at any cost. 

*Buy Deceit cards on eBay.