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.
Ragon_Wolfbane says... #2
The red angel isn't that great. Yet it will be amazing to use it in a Zedruu the Greathearted edh deck.
March 22, 2016 1:42 p.m.
Red mythic sucks. 4 mana to only punish opponents in losing positions is rubbish.
March 22, 2016 1:51 p.m.
Fair enough, it's really good in Zedruu, but otherwise...
March 22, 2016 1:52 p.m.
mymanpotsandpans says... #6
For standard is there enough aggro to consider running goldningt castigator? With Vessel of Volatility that is eight damage alone by turn 4. Despite the downside that is a fast clock for standard.
March 22, 2016 2:02 p.m.
AgentGreen says... #7
I think there is going to be enough argo in play; and you should have a fail safe to be able to absorb the 2x damage if needbe. Running the castigator is a high-risk high-reward play, very much a 
quality
March 22, 2016 2:30 p.m.
canterlotguardian says... #8
Has Triskaidekaphobia been discussed yet? Triskaidekaphobia. I just laughed for like five minutes straight. This thing is super weird. Probably meant for EDH but super funny if you can pull it off in Standard. I could see this finding a weird niche like Worst Fears did.
March 22, 2016 2:30 p.m.
AgentGreen says... #9
Triskaidekaphobia just seems to gimmicky to be a viable card. Can you absolutely gaurentee you can get your opponent to 13 life and then pick him off?
March 22, 2016 2:32 p.m.
canterlotguardian says... #10
I mean it would definitely take some preparation. They have to be exactly at 13 life, so you can't just go all-in, then use this to seal the deal. And with fetches going full rotato, you can't guarantee that they won't be pinging themselves down over the course of the game. But if you pull it off, even if it's just once... That feeling tho. It's almost like Hedron Alignment. It will most likely never happen unless you really dedicate yourself to making it happen, and even then the odds are astronomical. But when you do make it happen though, you'll have a story you can tell.
March 22, 2016 2:37 p.m.
Playing with enough "Target Player gains (some number, or X) life" abilities, and Tainted Remedy, you could certainly keep your opponent confused, and never know if you are about to kill them.
Even with Tainted Remedy alone, it's they lose one, you gain one... and if you get them to 13, they die.
March 22, 2016 2:37 p.m. Edited.
MagicalHacker says... #12
The best use for that deck in 60-card deck that I can think of is a deck with lots of burn to give you options on what life total your opponent has. Burn is also good at controlling the board, so maybe grixis control? Meh rakdos control is probably what I would do in standard. Burn this, burn that, burn you, and now you have 13 life.
March 22, 2016 2:38 p.m.
Stormcaller says... #13
I gotta say, I like the flavour the church of avacin has now quite a bit.
I've been wanting to make a Boros (maybe splash 
) religious zealots deck for a while now. Church of the Eternal Fire anyone?
Including things like Assemble the Legion, Razia, Boros Archangel, Debtors' Knell, Thraben Doomsayer, Burn at the Stake and of course all the new fanatic-themed cards.
March 22, 2016 3:28 p.m.
....Why do I feel that Triskaidekaphobia should work well with Choice of Damnations...?
March 22, 2016 3:37 p.m.
Nightdragon779 says... #15
Triskaidekaphobia is hilarious!! New favorite card right here
March 22, 2016 3:41 p.m.
Stormcaller says... #16
Rayenous: because Choice of Damnations is a hilarious Card? :D
March 22, 2016 3:44 p.m.
Nightdragon779 says... #17
Ohand fevered visions is going straight into my Nekusar EDH
March 22, 2016 3:44 p.m.
Fevered Visions is sick AF. That's an EDH card for sure. I need foils.
March 22, 2016 3:46 p.m.
Nightdragon779 says... #19
I'm kinda sad that the bloody Gisela art wasn't made into a new Gisela...
March 22, 2016 3:55 p.m.
Fevered Visions artwork is awkward...
You look up a woman's nose... see nothing!
Then you notice giant Nose Hair everywhere around her face...
OMG! She's inside her own nose!!!
March 22, 2016 3:58 p.m.
The red angel is great! I mean the downside may not be "quite" good enough but at least they gave it 9 toughness so it can block well.
I wish it did what it did AND it had double-strike though.
March 22, 2016 4:03 p.m.
Flash Anthems yay!
EDITS: Sage of Ancient Lore seems pretty bad...
March 22, 2016 4:11 p.m. Edited.
Not bad... a bit like Dictate of Heliod... but at a CMC that may make it playable in the right tribal deck.
March 22, 2016 4:12 p.m.
ducttapedeckbox says... #25
I just assumed that it was a 2/2 creature and thought that it was amazing. Now I realize that the 2/2 part was in my head, and it's just a decent enchantment.
March 22, 2016 4:14 p.m.
is it just me or is the wording on howlpack resurgence off? wolf and werewolf creatures you control get +1/+1 and trample?
March 22, 2016 5:41 p.m.
canterlotguardian says... #28
Not all Wolves are Werewolves. Not all Werewolves are Wolves.
March 22, 2016 5:43 p.m.
So thnk there is any chance at making an artifact deck based around the investigate and Hangarback Walker in SoI?
March 22, 2016 5:48 p.m.
EverythingIsK says... #30
I feel like they're wanting to reword tribal anthem affects like that.
Before I think it would have read "Wolf and werewolf creatures you control get +1/+1 and have trample."
March 22, 2016 6:04 p.m.
VampireArmy says... #31
Changelings would technically get +2/+2 with the old wording.
March 22, 2016 6:08 p.m.
Thunderbreak Regent is way better than Goldnight Castigator. Neither will see play in red aggro, but at least Thunderbreak fit into other standard archetypes. It could just be the worst mythic in the set.
March 22, 2016 6:14 p.m.
Ragon_Wolfbane says... #33
Does anyone think that hanweir militia captain can be played in Mono-White Modern Soul Sisters? This actually could allow you to play Champion of the Parish and gives you a consistent supply of triggers. Getting up to 4 creatures in a soul sister's deck isn't hard seeing how much you run in tokens. Thoughts?
March 22, 2016 6:34 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #34
wargodmogis, given that demons do not seem to have had a major role in the story of this block, thus far, might one or more be responsible for the madness that has afflicted Avacyn and also likely Nahiri? I still am waiting for Shilgengar to appear in person, and also for Edgar Markov to somehow play an active role, since neither of them has been explicitly stated to be dead. It seems that Nahiri is rousing a mob to violent anger, but how can she do that? She is a lithomancer (stone mage), not a telepath/mind mage, or has her power been expanded to being able to forge items of stone with various abilities?
With the new cycle of dual lands (called "show lands" by some), there have now been three cycles of allied-colored dual lands and two cycles of enemy-colored dual lands between the Battle for Zendikar block and this block (with it being very likely that there shall be another cycle in Eldritch Moon), but I noticed that two of the three cycles of allied-colored land have the option to enter the battlefield untapped, while both cycles of enemy-colored lands do not have that option; is that not very unbalanced?
March 22, 2016 8:51 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #35
So I've found no matter how well I evaluate most cards I can't evaluate 4 mana mythic red flyers. I like them way to much even when they blow and the hype takes over... Flame-Wreathed Phoenix was a sure thing if you asked me. Anyways I think Goldnight Castrator is awesome and hope it can be pushed out on turn 3 with some reliability. I like that it can survive Chandra's sweeper and wins the heads up match up vs most flyers played in Standard. This and Sin Prodder made the set for me.
March 22, 2016 8:57 p.m.
PistonGolem says... #36
DemonDragonJ about the lands, I think that the "showlands" colors were for flavor. The lands are in the colors of tribes. R/B for Vamps, B/U for Zambies, B/W for spirits, G/R for those Cute Puppies that people think are scary, and G/W for humans.
March 22, 2016 9:01 p.m.
I like humans in this block...they are all costed so that if they are taken out by removal it's not a big loss.
Werewolves on the other hand have a slightly higher investment and aren't as streamlined.
With Vampires it's a real crapshoot as to whether you draw to many spells or to many creatures, let alone draw the cards in the right order.
I am dissapoite that they did not push the Skaab creature type. I mean Skaab Ruinator is awesome. Also we need more creatures with Pearl Lake Ancient's return to hand ability. They could have done a "Discard a Card: Return thsi creature to your hand" as a GREAT 
or Madness, Delerium, and Skaab support option.
A Prognostic Sphinx type self-discard effect would have also been awesome as well.
March 22, 2016 10:19 p.m. Edited.
The Clue Tokens:
- "[Remember] to have Jenrik research Markov Manor."
- "Consider [this:] the shepherd turns on her flock. Why?"
- "The symbols-When did [they] change?"
- "With angels [came] mysteries."
- "Their chanting grows louder [as] the tide rises."
- "Fore every answer, [three] questions."
Ugin's Insight:
- "You speak to me of the threat of Ulamog. But [do not forget: they came as three]."
Not an exact quote, but something to think about.
March 22, 2016 10:28 p.m.
And it makes sense that some sort of clue or warning to/about Emrakul would be here; why else would Jace come to Innistrad after just saving Zendikar, if not to look for Emrakul or a way to find where she is? I don't think she'll be here, but I think Jace will gain something valuable to this end, either info about where to find her or an ally(s) to aid in her demise.
March 22, 2016 10:42 p.m.
I didn't, guy on another forum I'm on pointed it out.
March 22, 2016 10:43 p.m.
I really truly hope Emrakul is in this block. In EDM
March 22, 2016 10:54 p.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #46
Maro confirms we have 15 mythic rares in addition to the mythic double-faced cards. So we're looking at at least 18 mythics.
If my counting is correct, we currently have 15 mythics spoiled.
March 22, 2016 11:26 p.m.
ducttapedeckbox says... #47
Don't we usually see all of the mythics well before the full spoiler? And isn't the full spoiler coming Friday? Interesting if that's the case.
March 22, 2016 11:28 p.m.
yeah there are zero mono green mythics. Kind of annoying seeing how many mono-black ones are out so far, regardless of their quality.
March 23, 2016 12:10 a.m.
MaRo said on Tumblr a bit ago that there would be 15 over all, 3 of which are DFC. And I'm pretty sure 14 have been revealed so far, 2 of those being DFC. Could we possibly expect a mono green legendary DFC?
canterlotguardian says... #1
MagicalHacker I don't know whether to smack you or say GG well played.
March 22, 2016 1:39 p.m.