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.
Thraben Inspector seems like an easy 4 of in an Investigate deck. Confirm Suspicions also seems tempting as a 1 or 2 of even though it seems really bad.
Something else I wonder is if we will see a lot more Skulk. That mechanic in a 
deck splash 
for pumps like Titan's Strength and Brute Strength seems like something I like if we get good creatures with Skulk.
March 19, 2016 7:36 p.m.
GreenGhost says... #4
For a second I read that as sulk and got really confused for a second.
March 20, 2016 1:38 a.m.
Sunday spoilers? Well, I guess it's already Monday in Japan.
Burn from Within XR
Sorcery
Burn from Within deals X damage to target creature or player. If a creature would be dealt damage this way, it loses indestructible until end of turn. If that creature would die this turn, exile it instead.
March 20, 2016 11:32 a.m.
AgentGreen says... #6
Wow! That is some sick removal.
Screw your indestructibility!
March 20, 2016 11:34 a.m.
ducttapedeckbox says... #7
That's really interesting. Is this the first time we've seen burn get through indestructible?
March 20, 2016 11:34 a.m.
In game? As I recall, yes.
In lore, technically Chandra burned through Ulamog, though that was with the help of Nissa/Green magic.
March 20, 2016 11:36 a.m.
You don't even need to spend all of X. If they block with it, dish out the remaining damage with Burn from Within in MP2.
Or deal 1 if damage is at or below 0.
March 20, 2016 11:43 a.m.
That's some great removal. My only issue is that it's 4 mana for a bolt. Fireball is a great card, but idk if it's good enough for current standard. I think we can all agree that Fall of the Titans is a lot better than a regular Heat Ray effect, but even that didn't see play. I'd be hesitant to jam this in any midrange red deck. Maybe in a hybrid slot for some extra removal and reach.
March 20, 2016 11:53 a.m.
Only good if there are relevant indestructible creatures. Like. Other than Ulamog, you probably aren't killing Ulamog with this most games.
March 20, 2016 12:06 p.m.
I literally tried to design this card three months ago. I'm glad that Wizards managed to find a templating that works here.
March 20, 2016 12:09 p.m.
Well remember, whether it had Indestructible or not, it's getting exiled when it dies. Very helpful against a reanimator strategy. There isn't a lot of that in Standard with Rally leaving, at least so far, but it is still good permanent removal of a creature in any format.
March 20, 2016 12:20 p.m.
Nightdragon779 says... #14
Nissa's magic = Bonds of Mortality
Chandra's magic = Fall of the Titans
Wombo combo - even activates surge - so much flavor
March 20, 2016 12:55 p.m.
i really wanted a playmat with a full art of Bonds of Mortality + Fall of the Titans...
March 20, 2016 1:28 p.m.
Just as an example, if I use that new burn spell on an attacking Gideon, Ally of Zendikar to make him lose Indestructibility, can I target it with Immolating Glare to kill him?
March 20, 2016 2:07 p.m.
Wait, no because he says prevent all damage and since he won't be damaged by the burn spell, it doesn't work.
March 20, 2016 2:08 p.m.
elpokitolama says... #18
Two things:
You can't since it's a sorcery
It would be easier to use the new spell on your opponent and then redirect the damages to Gideon ;)
March 20, 2016 2:32 p.m.
elpokitolamait still prevents the damage, to take out gideon with a spell you need some instant exile, and the only spells that can do so right now are Stasis Snare, Hixus, Prison Warden, Grip of Desolation, Titan's Presence, Blessed Reincarnation (i know that some aren't good but these are the only, i think the playable ones are Stasis Snare and Titan's Presence)
March 20, 2016 2:53 p.m.
It's a sorcery. It would be done on your own turn. Gideon would not be a creature. It would not prevent damage.
March 20, 2016 3:07 p.m.
Nightdragon779 says... #22
I have a question about Arlinn. Say, I play her. I activate her 0 ability, get a wolf and transform her. Can I then immediately -1, deal 3 dmg, transform her back, activate 0, transform her, etc?
March 20, 2016 5:41 p.m.
No, because you can only activate one loyalty ability on one planeswalker each turn. Just because Arlinn transforms that doesn't make her a "new" planeswalker. Otherwise she'd just be 9 damage and 3 2/2's for 
, and that's busted.
March 20, 2016 5:42 p.m.
FAMOUSWATERMELON says... #24
Nah, you think? :) Though I do wonder if there's some obscure combo out there that makes her blink every time she flips, so she can continue to activate her ability.
March 20, 2016 5:52 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #25
Well thanks to the flipwalkers (kid jace), a lot of people now think all transforming cards exile then return to the battlefield. :(
March 20, 2016 6:03 p.m.
Yeah, and everyone forgets about the OG flip-walker: Garruk Relentless Flip.
March 20, 2016 6:08 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #27
There have been plenty of angels in this set, thus far, but why have there been so few demons? Surely, they cannot all have been eliminated?
Also, having asked that, do angels on Innistrad respawn the way that demons do when they are slain?
March 20, 2016 6:11 p.m.
The story is about how the angels are going crazy and killing all the humans, so seeing more angels than demons should be expected.
March 20, 2016 6:14 p.m.
TheFoilAjani says... #29
FAMOUSWATERMELON The combo I first think of requires this; Mana Echoes, The Chain Veil, Arlinn, Animate Artifact/Karn/Scissors, Intruder Alarm and 7 Wolfs (bonus points for Xenograft).
Animate The Chain Veil.
Cast Echoes and Alarm.
Have at least 7 wolves.
Cast Arlinn. Now, you 0 her for a wolf.
Echoes adds 8 mana and you have an untap trigger.
Activate Veil. -1 Arlinn. Veil untaps from Alarm.
Activate Veil. 0 Arlinn. Veil untaps, you get 9 mana, flips.
Repeat.
You can actually go infinitely at 3 loyalty (infinite wolves/bolts) if you have a Doubling Season or Parallel Lives effect because you get 2 untap triggers, crap ton of mana, etc.
March 20, 2016 6:21 p.m. Edited.
GoldGhost012 says... #30
There were only 11 Demon cards in the original Innistrad block, including Elbrus, the Binding Blade Flip. 7 of those were in Avacyn Restored.
Comparatively, Angels had 16 cards, 13 of those in Avacyn Restored. That's almost a 2:3 ratio when compared the total number of Demons to Angels.
March 20, 2016 6:41 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #31
Since there is no individual thread for her, I would like to mention that I really like the new Sigarda; while she is not as powerful as the first Sigarda, in my mind, I do think that she may be a nice replacement for Spirit of the Hearth in several of my decks. In comparison to that creature, she has lower toughness, but everything else about her is a benefit; she costs less mana, is multicolored (meaning that she gets a greater bonus from Wilt-Leaf Liege and Shield of the Oversoul), and has an additional ability. While the decks in which I am considering putting her have very few humans on their own, she does generate human tokens, to which she can grant hexproof. What does everyone else say? Is she a worthy replacement for spirit of the hearth?
March 20, 2016 6:51 p.m.
DemonDragonJ - I hate to be that guy, but RTFC. Sigarda, Heron's Grace is a 4/5, the same as Spirit of the Hearth. She's just straight better, if you are comparing the two.
March 20, 2016 6:55 p.m.
ChiefBell - Almost, 
instead of is the one place where you can make an argument that Sigarda isn't "strictly better". Also Cats > Angels, everyone knows that.
March 20, 2016 7:04 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #35
The only downside I can see is that she's multicolored and she's legendary.
If we're going to talk about cards we really like, I'm super excited to play Trail of Evidence in my Talrand EDH/Commander deck and Asylum Visitor in my Liliana EDH/Commander deck. (If you're curious, they're on my profile...)
March 20, 2016 7:05 p.m.
EverythingIsK says... #36
@DemonDragonJ: She seems like a strictly better card for what you're wanting.
March 20, 2016 7:05 p.m.
As far as cards I like, I have a shortlist of cards that I've got lined up for my cube: Archangel Avacyn, Falkenrath Gorger, Arlinn Kord, Heir of Falkenrath, Relentless Dead, and Anguished Unmaking.
I've also got a spot reserved for Flameblade Angel in my Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas deck to fight token strategies.
Daring Sleuth has some great artwork that I would be tempted to buy the original art for. And Just the Wind is going straight into my Pauper deck of UG Madness.
March 20, 2016 7:12 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #38
JWiley129, I cannot believe that I forgot that the spirit is a 4/5; for some reason, I thought that it was a 4/6; in that case, there is no reason to deliberate using the new Sigarda as a replacement for it.
Also, while I do prefer cats over dogs in actuality, in terms of creatures in this game, angels are my favorites, because they tend to be very powerful, and the fact that almost all of them take the forms of attractive humanoid females certainly helps, as well.
March 20, 2016 7:19 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #39
Isn't Gabriel Angelfire the only angel that has a masculine appearance?
In fact, every demon I can think of is masculine and every other angel is feminine in appearance, so why can't we get a succubus, you know?
March 20, 2016 7:25 p.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #40
If you think about it, Innistradi demons are kind of similar to succubi (succubues?) because they gain strength from being worshipped.
March 20, 2016 7:30 p.m. Edited.
beakedbard says... #41
The male version of succubus is incubus so I guess some of them could be seen as that but they definitely aren't female. No idea why they need to do that though it would be cool to see male angels and female demons.
March 20, 2016 7:35 p.m.
Nightdragon779 says... #42
FAMOUSWATERMELON yes, same thoughts here, thinking like a combo player
March 20, 2016 7:36 p.m.
beakedbard - I can't speak for the Demons, but in M:tG lore all angels are female.
March 20, 2016 7:47 p.m.
beakedbard says... #44
I get that I just don't see the need for it there's many angels that are male in other things. Lucifer and Michael probably being the biggest examples and I think it would be interesting if they didn't just make them all female.
March 20, 2016 8:09 p.m.
TheFoilAjani says... #45
Nightdragon779 See post #2378. Sick Combos for Days.
March 20, 2016 8:10 p.m.
beakedbard - Let me rephrase, Mark Rosewater has said they're only making Female angels. Because that's how they like their IP to be.
March 20, 2016 8:12 p.m.
Can we talk about Asylum visitor? I'm not sure how to look at it. Does it go into the RB Madness Vampires? I would think it should but not sure how to fit it or if its even worth it enough
March 20, 2016 9:19 p.m.
Asylum visitor works kinda well with Olivia since olivia's ability keeps you hellbent, and visitor gets you two cards a turn for olivia's ability to continue being used.
March 20, 2016 9:49 p.m.
Ragon_Wolfbane says... #50
With what is revealed so far I really want to make a B/W control deck using things like Grasp of Darkness, Declaration in Stone, Descend upon the Sinful, Anguished Unmaking, and Sorin, Grim Nemesis. The only things I'm considering now is what major win conditions. You can have cards like Secure the Wastes and Archangel Avacyn. There are so many options I don't know what I want to work with! Any suggestions?
kanokarob says... #1
Yeah. White has a few investigate cards but probably not enugh to make it worth splashing for.
March 19, 2016 7:17 p.m.