4 mana for an artifact is always ok in my book. Especially for a laid back card like this that is only going to work for a "long game" deck…the ideal EDH scenario.
According to the translators at MTGSalvation, "Handelsposten" contains the following FOUR abilities:
1) 1 mana, tap, discard a card: You gain 4 life.
Discarding a card is not a very good trade for 4 life. If this were the only ability, this card would already be in the dumpster, and I haven't even got one yet. I would be throwing other people's copies in the dumpster, and laughing manically while doing it.
But sometimes you do want to get rid of a card in your hand. In this regard, it's a least better than One with Nothing. Say you wanted to put Animate Dead on your Butcher of Malakir or something in your hand. Then it would be good.
And sometimes you want to pump your Rakdos Pit Dragon. I have had this situation happen as well.
But ability #1 is hopefully the least useful of the Trading Post's abilities.
2) 1 mana, tap, pay 1 life: Put a 0/1 white Goat creature token onto the battlefield.
Sometimes all you need is a creature, and any creature will do. This 0/1 Goat is pretty fun just in the fact it's a Goat. But you are also going to be chump blocking with that Goat. And don't forget (at least in my case) giving him completely implausible equipment no Goat should really be carrying around.
This Goat is ready to even things up should an errant Barter in Blood or similar spell come down. Not to mention provide a painless sacrifice target for the numerous other artifacts EDH players love to have around.
3) 1 mana, tap, sacrifice a creature: Return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
Happy Feet! Sometimes you need a creature, sometimes you need to get rid of a creature. This is certainly the most powerful, most useable effect. Sometimes you will get into games where opponents will relentlessly try to steal your creatures. Trading Post offers yet another way to deny them the pleasure of using your own weapons against you.
And in exchange for this valuable service you get to take an ARTIFACT out of your graveyard and put it back in your hand? I love artifacts, and I especially love replacing a creature targeted with lethal damage with a fresh artifact in my hand. What if that artifact is Wurmcoil Engine? Indeed!
4) 1 mana, tap, sacrifice an artifact: Draw a card.
Sometimes evil people blow up your awesome artifacts. Or maybe you just want to kill your Wurmcoil Engine for some reason. When that happens, why not get a card out of the deal?
After carefully reviewing each of these abilities, I can only conclude that Trading Post is the most awesome thing ever.
Yes, yes, not every deck is going to want this. But most of my decks will. Trading Post truly shines (like most artifacts) is decks using colors that normally don't get these abilities. I use a lot of red. Typically poor in drawing cards, token creation and especially pulling artifacts out of my graveyard. Black players take note, too. Ability #3 is a kind of holy grail in resurrection abilities, seen only very rarely.
So Trading Post is now on my watch list. And hopefully the 4 mana cost will keep the chase-y-ness down unlike that awesome land I saw the other day.
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