April 2016: Shadows over Innistrad
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on Oct. 31, 2015, 6:42 p.m. by JWiley129
Announced during GP Indy, the Spring 2016 set is Shadows over Innistrad!
Edits for FAQ:
- Here is Mark Rosewater on why we're getting two returns in a row.
alanwescoat says... #2
Brad7986, yes. I am thinking that it is an enchant creature aura which flips under certain conditions, possibly destroying the enchanted creature and becoming something else.
March 7, 2016 3:09 a.m.
EverythingIsK says... #3
Here's a theory that I found while browsing tumblr
after reading the last bit, I'm more convinced that Tibalt is behind it all, given that he can control peoples' minds.
March 7, 2016 3:37 a.m.
Nightdragon779 http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/checking-planeswalkers-2015-2015-08-19
Apparently not, although previous editions of checking in, said he was on other planes. The vagueness suggests he might be on Innistrad.
March 7, 2016 7:48 a.m.
canterlotguardian says... #6
So somehow I'm just now reading Brain in a Jar. That is 100 percent finding a spot in my EDH deck.
March 7, 2016 8:13 a.m.
I'm sure this was already posted, but why do some of the spoiled cards have different set symbols? Some are the upside down Avacyn symbol and some are the right side up twisted Avacyn symbol. Please tag me in your response so I can find the response easily.
March 7, 2016 8:14 a.m.
TheFoilAjani, I'm guessing Harvest Hand will be a human. There are farmers on Innistrad. Also, Convicted Killer seems aligned right with red...quick to anger and all. I imagine this Kindly Stranger like the assassins from the House of Black and Whote from GoT or SoIaF depending on how you call it. They see themselves as friends that administer a "cute" to life. I'm guessing this guy will either sacrifice to kill a creature then flip instead of dying or possibly flip when you sacrifice a creature to it. Either way, I bet it will be flavorful. I'm pretty excited about the flips that don't seem like creatures myself. I'm guessing this Skin Invasion may give you control of enchanted creature and flip when t died. Possibly becoming a creature itself like Bestow.
March 7, 2016 8:21 a.m.
capriom85 Some of the spoiled cards were from the Duel Decks: Blessed vs Cursed set, and got spoiled that way. When the full set is revealed, we will see those cards with the normal SOI symbol.
March 7, 2016 8:23 a.m.
@capriom85 - I doubt 'Harvest Hand' will be a human, as it is an Artifact on the checklist. - Probably an "Artifact Creature - Construct" or "Artifact Creature - Scarecrow".
March 7, 2016 8:36 a.m.
VampireArmy says... #11
So for those who didn't get the reference earlier. Lili once seduced jace to gain information this "flipping into her" was technically an implied thing that happened.
March 7, 2016 9:13 a.m.
canterlotguardian says... #14
That is 100 percent going into my Jalira, Master Polymorphist EDH deck.
March 7, 2016 10:52 a.m.
ducttapedeckbox says... #16
Holy shit those flip cards look like sk much fun.
March 7, 2016 10:56 a.m.
MurderHood says... #17
Thraben Inspector looks like a really good creature for sealed/draft. Gives you a body, and if you have no 2 drop, you can just cash in your clue.
March 7, 2016 10:57 a.m.
mymanpotsandpans says... #18
Thing in the ice can easily be built around. Also what is up with warped landscape, why not evolving wilds? Are wastes back?
March 7, 2016 10:58 a.m.
MurderHood says... #19
Guys Nahiri, the Lithomancer is in the art for Warped Landscape. She's flailing around her molten sword.
March 7, 2016 11:02 a.m.
00xtremeninja says... #20
Elusive Tormentor/Mist creeping up on the guy in Blasphemous Act?
March 7, 2016 11:03 a.m.
There is now a distinction between colorless and generic mana that will always exist.
And where did these cards get relaesed at i cant find them anywhere
March 7, 2016 11:05 a.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #23
-Orvos-: Looks like the SoI Mechanics article.
Article also confirms the leaked checklist card was only for commons and uncommons and the second is for rares and mythics. There are 9 rare/mythic DFCs: 2 white (one is Archangel Avacyn/Avacyn the Purifier), 2 blue (one is Thing in the Ice/Awoken Horror), one black (Elusive Tormentor/Insidious Mist), one red, one green, one gold (Arlinn Kord?), and an artifact.
March 7, 2016 11:08 a.m. Edited.
GoldGhost012 says... #24
There's also another spoiler in the Mechanics article:
March 7, 2016 11:13 a.m.
Oh I'm loving Thing in the Ice!
Partly because it's got me even more excited about the possibility of Dark Depths in FTV:Lore and seeing Marit Lage on Innistrad. But mostly because with cards like that and Brain in a Jar, it looks like Izzet Prowess is going to be so broken even more broken!
March 7, 2016 11:14 a.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #26
Matt Tabak has confirmed in the Mechanics article that flipping shenanigans with double-faced cards has been fixed.
For example, say you activate Elusive Tormentor's ability, then you activate it again in response. Why? Because you want to discard a lot of cards. Why? We're almost there. Relax. The first ability to resolve will cause Elusive Tormentor to transform, as expected. But the second ability won't, as Elusive Tormentor has already transformed because of the first ability.
March 7, 2016 11:17 a.m. Edited.
Stormcaller says... #27
Geez! Thing in the Ice/Awoken Horror looky potentially broken :O
Also the lichen Thraben Inspector is Holding kinda looks eldrazi-ish. I'm still hoping they aren't going to go Eldrazi in the second set of the block...
March 7, 2016 11:22 a.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #28
TheAlexGnan: No. Heir's ability specifies that it can only be activated one per turn. However, you can activate Elusive Tormentor's ability (paying 
and discarding a card) multiple times as long as it hasn't already transformed. It will transform once into Insidious Mist, then the other activations will fizzle because it can only transform into the Mist off the first activation.
March 7, 2016 11:25 a.m.
Yup, Thing in the Ice looks broken. So far, the set looks sweet.
What do you guys think about Elusive Tormenter? He may be good in some sort of Madness deck, but I dunno.
March 7, 2016 11:25 a.m.
I agree, looks like Emrakuls spongy lattice in Thraben Inspector. Could be there just to show Emrakul perhaps passed through Innistrad and Jace will follow the clues to hunt her down.
March 7, 2016 11:27 a.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #31
More card spoilers from the Mechanics article, because I keep stopping my reading to update you guys.
I'll be honest, I totally forgot skulk was a mechanic.
March 7, 2016 11:28 a.m.
Just as I thought: Nahiri created the "sliver-head" cryptoliths. As for the weird stuff on Inspector, I don't know what to make of it, though Awoken horror adds fuel to my theory.
I really hope this isn't a sign of Emrakul.
March 7, 2016 11:39 a.m.
Stormcaller says... #33
Never go full Eldrazi!
The flavour on Just the Wind is on par! Look at those eyes...
March 7, 2016 11:46 a.m.
'Just the Wind' is disappointing.
2CMC Unsummon, with Madness to make it the same as Unsummon...? Bah!
It should have been the same as Unsummon with Madness or 
.
Could have even made it with Madness 
and shift it's rarity up a bit.
This makes me very skeptical that they are printing any 'good' Madness cards.
March 7, 2016 11:48 a.m. Edited.
Thing in the Ice... a little reminiscent of Dark Depths?
March 7, 2016 11:53 a.m.
Rayenous - what are you talking about? Just the Wind is great! Now I'm speaking for Limited and not Standard, but Just the Wind is exactly the card I wanted for my Pauper UG Madness deck!
March 7, 2016 11:54 a.m.
...Correction MagicalShrek... that should be "Delver is Black".
March 7, 2016 11:57 a.m.
Insidious Mist... this is only the 3rd time a creature has had both Hexproof and Indestructible.
Previous were:
Fleecemane Lion, which needed 
Mana total before it got there. - But it was easy to chump block.
Angelic Overseer, which had a requirement of having a Human in play. - But at least it has evasion.
But this also can't be blocked... Going to be hard to kill.
I like it.... not sure it will see constructed play, but I like it!
March 7, 2016 12:02 p.m.
In the SOI mechanics investigate video, it shows the new clue token, containing an excerpt from Tamio's journal that says:
"Their chanting grows louder as the tide rises"
MARIT LAGE HYPE!!!!!!
March 7, 2016 12:13 p.m.
TheAlexGnan,
No, MagicalShrek has it totally right.
Delver of Secrets Flip transformed into Insectile Aberration ... and now the Abberation is back as Aberrant Researcher ... who then transforms again into Perfected Form
So it's not that Delver (the card) is back exactly, but Delver (the dude) is ... though even more powerful now
March 7, 2016 12:22 p.m. Edited.
So who's going to break it to Ashockfan that the Avacyn flip combo doesn't work now?
March 7, 2016 12:42 p.m.
AgentGreen says... #45
Give him some time JWiley129, it's going to be a brutal shock to him
March 7, 2016 12:53 p.m.
However Ashockfan's dreams of a decent 
madness deck might be a reality.
I've been compiling cards that could work there and there is definite potential
March 7, 2016 1:20 p.m.
Thy changed the ruling already? I figured they'd have waited till prerelease.
March 7, 2016 2:19 p.m.
No, Matt Tabak puts out a mechanics article right at the start of spoiler season and then does the big Comprehensive Rules update right before the Prerelease. So while this is the new ruling it wont't take effect until SOI is released.
March 7, 2016 2:21 p.m.
Nightdragon779 says... #49
(Picture won't load so I pasted a link)
I found this picture and if you look closely, (it's also labeled on the picture) the vampires from incorruptible youth's picture have extra eyes, faces, and tentacles?! Tentacles seem out of place. Eldrazi have tentacles...
March 7, 2016 2:48 p.m.
Eldrazi have tentacles, but so does Cthulu, and so do krakens.
Brad7986 says... #1
Hey guys, just joining thread now, has anyone noticed that "skin invasion" on the check card doesn't sound like a creature at all? possibly a flip enchantment?
March 7, 2016 2:19 a.m.