Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Edition Print Runs Through the Lens of a Blue Dragon Spirit

In the ever-shifting world of MTG print runs, Keiga, the Tide Star offers a compelling case study. This blue legendary creature—a Dragon Spirit with mana cost {5}{U} and a 5/5 blue presence on the battlefield—arrives wearing a modern Commander-era frame and a reprint tag that signals a distinct production run. Its oracle text, “Flying. When Keiga dies, gain control of target creature,” anchors blue’s control toolkit, while the flavor text—“The pull of the tide star holds eternal sway.”—invites players to ride the current of power across editions with both nostalgia and strategy in mind. 🧙‍♂️🔥

Keiga’s placement in Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander (tdc) helps illustrate how print runs differ when a card slips into a new home. This particular printing is a rare, non-foil reprint within a Commander-focused set, a combination that tends to yield steady demand but modest price shifts compared to first-print staples. The data from Scryfall confirms the card’s printed status as a reprint, and the 2015 frame with a black border aligns with a transitional era for card design—one that many players remember fondly for its bold art and clean lines. The nonfoil finish, while not as flashy as foil, is a staple of accessibility in Commander decks, ensuring that even budget-conscious players can slot Keiga into blue-heavy builds. The flavor-rich art, courtesy of artist Ittoku, plus the rare designation, makes this edition a memorable piece for both players and collectors alike. 💎

“Print runs are a mosaic of supply, demand, and timing—and blue’s inevitability often glides to the foreground when a dragon-spirit slips into a new edition.”

From a strategic lens, Keiga continues to inspire because its trigger rewards patient planning. In draft or Commander games, you might protect Keiga via blink effects or restitution after combat, then leverage its death trigger to steal an opposing creature, flipping the table in your favor. That interactive potential persists across printings, but the supply narrative shifts with each edition’s print run. A reprint in a Commander-focused set may mean more accessible copies for table-side play, yet the card’s value can still swing based on its rarity, condition, and the overall health of blue-control archetypes in the broader market. The interplay between playability and collectibility is a reminder that print runs matter just as much as the card’s rules text. ⚔️

Looking at the numbers, Keiga’s price tag in this edition sits in the few-tens-of-cents range in USD, with Europe showing a slightly higher EUR figure. Those modest numbers don’t tell the whole story, though. Print runs influence availability—how often you’ll see the card in shops, how readily it shows up on marketplaces, and how likely it is to pop up in a bargain bin or a premium display. When evaluating editions, many players compare language variants, border treatments, and set symbols to confirm which print they’re eyeing. It’s not just about value; it’s about capturing a moment in time when blue’s tides rose high enough to carry a legendary dragon into a new home. 🧭

For collectors, Keiga’s 2015 frame and reprint status can be a signal to hunt for mint-condition copies in binder-free sleeves, or to consider whether a nonfoil version fits their aesthetic and budget. For players, the practical takeaway is that a well-timed Keiga can slot into EDH decks without inflating deck costs, while still offering a satisfying power level and deck-thinning synergy with other blue cards. The card’s text—“Flying” and the potent death-trigger—remains the core value, but remembering its print run story adds a layer of appreciation for the edition you hold. 🎨

As you navigate the market, use print-run awareness to guide your buying decisions. Cross-reference set symbols, frame years, and rarity across sources, and don’t shy away from exploring both paper and digital echoes of Keiga in your collection. The tide may shift, but the thrill of securing a well-timed print run endures—especially when a dragon-spirit graces the table with a steady, blue-blackened rhythm. 🔎🔥

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