Here's why Modern Horizons 3 is Magic The Gathering's most expensive set so far this year

We're on the cusp of the Modern Horizons 3 prerelease weekend at the time of writing, and if you've been thinking of heading to an event at your local game store, you may have wondered just why the set is more expensive than the likes of recent expansions.

After all, the price for MH3 is drastically higher for everything from boosters to Commander Decks, especially when compared to recent Magic The Gathering additions like Outlaws of Thunder Junction.

Here's why that is.

Why is Modern Horizons 3 so expensive?

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In short, it's because Modern Horizons 3 contains plenty of high-value reprints, and because Wizards of the Coast no longer suggests a retail price for its products.

The latter point is important because it means prices have been creeping up over the last couple of years, with everything from Commander Decks to basic booster packs seeing increased prices.

Modern Horizons 3 is a little more highly regarded than standard sets, too. As the name suggests, it's geared toward the Modern Format, but it also has a series of Special Guests this time and a whole host of returning mechanics.

It's essentially like a special set that brings a whole host of popular cards back, many of which are sought-after.

As far as reprints, there are some lovely returns for things like Goldspan Dragon, Selvala Heart of the Wilds, and Apex Devastator - and all of those are in the Commander Precons.

The most valuable cards in Modern Horizons 3

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Ulamog, the Defiler is the heavy-hitter in the reprints, with a value of around $85 at the time of writing (expect that to fluctuate in the next week). It's powerful, too, with players needing to exile half of their library, which then powers Ulamog up, too. If I pull one of these, I'm going to destroy my Commander opponents - although it does cost 10 mana to put into play.

Ugin's Labyrinth is next up, holding at around $80, and can tap for two colorless mana on your first turn (at a cost). That's a rarity in Modern.

You're also likely to be pretty pleased if you pull an Emrakul, the World Anew. Another Eldrazi, it can take control of all of your opponent's cards - yikes. It's currently worth around $70.

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You'll notice a big focus on Eldrazi with these pricier cards, and their colorless nature makes them desirable. As a result, the Eldrazi Incursion Commander Deck, with all five colors represented and colorless, is sold out and pricey. It stars Ulalek, Fused Atrocity.

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