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.
March 29, 2016 10:03 a.m.
Guys, do you think Werewolfs will be powerful in standard? I've been playtesting them on Untap and they were kinda "meh".
March 29, 2016 10:21 a.m.
AwesomeName says... #4
I don't think any of the tribes (except maybe madness vampires) are strong enough in their current state, because we only have one set of cards to pick from now. However, some more tribal support is almost definite in eldtrich moon, which will help.
March 29, 2016 10:31 a.m. Edited.
WolfDice66 says... #5
Cloistered Youth is pretty "Yellow Wallpaper" too, Argeaux!
March 29, 2016 12:36 p.m.
TheFoilAjani says... #6
DarkLaw That's really cool actually. A nice mini story.
This is how I think it happened;
Lady Hermit was all alone in Hanne Hall. The place was all cursed and stuff, giving her eldritch powers. She kills anyone in her home, thus giving the curse more power (lifelink).
Lady Hermit wants to escape the voices in her head, i.e. the paintings, so she runs away. The curse has grown, as you will see later.
She tries to escape her past, trying to fit in with the rest of society. Maybe she uses some of her leftover strength to help people and become a hero.
But she can never truly escape the curse. One night, on her way to a high-society type event, the curse catches up to her. She goes mad, slaughtering everyone with her old powers (the identical stat boosts).
Maybe that town becomes the new Hanne Hall. Maybe the villagers can kill her. But the curse of the spaghetti hand continues on.
Anyway, that's my own headcannon for what happened in that mini section. Please note that this is not at all based in real story, just some fun theory crafting.
March 29, 2016 1:05 p.m.
I like the story.
I might collect all those cards and put them together in a folder to read to the chillun on Stormy nights.
March 29, 2016 5:28 p.m.
Are all the cards added to the card base? Cuz I want to start adding my brews to tappedout
March 30, 2016 7:20 a.m.
Ashockfan - I don't know about all but it seems like quite a few have been added.
March 30, 2016 12:14 p.m.
All the cards I needed were there except Sinister Concotion
Thanks a lot Femme_Fatale! Much appreciated is the speed you guys add the cards :D
March 30, 2016 11:16 p.m.
zephramtripp says... #14
Got it. Avacynian Missionaries Flip + any equipment + Isochron Scepter + Moonmist. Exile all your opponents' creatures! Slowly...over multiple turns.
March 31, 2016 9:16 a.m.
Does that work? doesn't the lunarch inquisitor leave the battlefield when it flips? Or am I thinking of morph :p
Edit: Ok, it doesn't leave battlefield that would make arlinn not function properly. But is it still on the battlefield when it transforms?
March 31, 2016 9:40 a.m. Edited.
That's actually a pretty cool interaction. Props for finding it!
March 31, 2016 9:49 a.m.
averagenovice74 says... #18
Question for you people, do you any of you think of the cards from the set will make a big splash in modern? I definitely like Westvale Abbey Flip to see a crack somewhere in a shell. Sin Prodder is another, I think even with a Dark Confidant psuedo ability which isn't as potent as raw card advantage, I think the card could crack in somewhere because it's so unique. Plus a 3/2 for 3 and menace is a plus.
Others are Olivia, Mobilized for War, Prized Amalgam, Nahiri, the Harbinger and Arlinn Kord Flip.
March 31, 2016 9:53 a.m.
@ averagenovice74 - I think Falkenrath Gorger is more usable than any of those. The question is does the rest of it's tribe care?
March 31, 2016 10 a.m.
Hamster2558 says... #20
So does anyone think there's going to be a new Tamiyo in Eldritch Moon.
March 31, 2016 10:10 a.m.
averagenovice74 says... #21
@kengiczar-Probably maybe, there are enough decent vamps in the modern pool but tribal synergy wasn't a criteria when I was deciding modern-playables but is a good point. Perhaps with Olivia, Mobilized for War?
The three I'm sure about.
Arlinn Kord Flip will see modern, in a zoo deck of sort. Not jamming 4 of her but she will be there, she is very strong and does all the things a zoo deck want, in the color they want.
Westvale Abbey Flip spot play, play test- maybe in a token based deck, Lingering Souls and Spectral Procession come to mind but it's harder to access with mana bases being no touchy-touchy in modern.
Sin Prodder I just personally like the flavor and it's stats are decent. Giving your opponent a choice is never a good thing but there are ways to get around it if desperately needed so ((fetching in response on upkeep, instant cantrip etc.)). Forcing incremental damage over some number of turns is great in modern.
March 31, 2016 10:22 a.m. Edited.
elpokitolama says... #22
I do, and hope so. ;)
averagenovice74: a madness modern tribal deck is definitively happening, as the synergy between these cards is real. It won't become the new merfolk, but after a lot of deckbuilding you can get something that will be much harder to disturb, trickier and funnier to play.
Sulta dredgevine may come back thanks to the amalgam which is powerhouse. I'll leave a mention here for Geralf's Masterpiece which is a darn perfect turn 3-4 (depending on the presence of dorks or no) for the deck.
I really don't know about Arlinn and I'd rather not overhype around her for the time being. She looks solid, but she hasn't anywhere to go for the moment, as she just isn't solid enough for Jund midrange and especially has a lot of almost dead abilities for this archetype which is for now the one and only one which could be interested in her.
'Bout Nahiri, I am overhyping even if I shouldn't. I've brewed a LD list featuring her as a win-condition and she's beyond amazing, but that's really the only archetype she could be used in -which is, I agree, incredible flavorfuly speaking-.
In my opinion, SOI's best card is Falkenrath Gorger. Probably one of the best 1-drops ever, though... Honorable mentions are Asylum Visitor, The Gitrog Monster, Sin Prodder and Anguished Unmaking.
But overall, this set is crazy good.
[Edit] urgh, I forgot Titi (Thing in the Ice Flip). Titi is by far the best card of the set. The gorger comes right after. x)
March 31, 2016 10:25 a.m.
There had better be...
And she needs to cost 
, start @ 2 loyalty, and be better than Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
Flip, at least in modern.
Like a -1 that says your opponent's next spell is countered...yeah...mm...so juicy OH JESUS! Well as good as that sounds it's actually pretty bad with abrupt decay...
Maybe a hexproof version of Erayo, Soratami Ascendant that starts off as a 1/2 without flying? Four spells is also way to many to be relevant... I could see three being the max. Two is the minimum. With three you could Lightning Bolt + Serum Visions + W/E on turn 3. Seems fair to me for an all in deck that empties it's hand so quickly.
March 31, 2016 10:28 a.m.
Why is there so much hype for Sin Prodder when Silverfur Partisan is going to get you more value against almost every deck. I mean if you pay 
for a Sin Prodder you're making me win off of Lightning Bolts... and I for one am sick of tournaments full of Lightning Bolt.
Seriously if you're going to play a 3 drop that dies to bolt it needs an ETB trigger, LTB trigger, or to just survive bolt.
March 31, 2016 10:39 a.m.
elpokitolama says... #26
You're still drawing, that's still free damage... Trust me, you're going to cry with this guy sitting on the table next to an Eidolon of the Great Revel. And RDW will often see its creatures eat all its opponent's removal before you can cast a guy that allows you to get card advantage or free burn.
Woolfy is damn nice, but unfortunately it still hasn't a home in modern atm. I hope someone will build one though :)
March 31, 2016 10:44 a.m.
Yeah if you get to untap with Sin Prodder. That's the hard part.
I can see in mono if you can curve out to Sin Prodder perfectly he's fine but I really dislike him anywhere else.
March 31, 2016 10:46 a.m. Edited.
averagenovice74 says... #28
@kengiczar true, it does die to bolt but I'm putting in context of it in general and a card, in red, that allows you to some form of card advantage and possible incremental damage is very desirable and "dying to bolt" can be overlooked in some aspect. The potential reward is bigger than risk to me.
oh yeah, Silverfur Partisan is bonkers too......
March 31, 2016 10:53 a.m.
elpokitolama says... #29
I'm tired to hear the "dies to bolt so bad" argument... Not dying to bolt makes a card good, but a good card don't have to survive to bolt. Look at Hatebears/Death and Taxes. There's sometimes not a single card that survives bolt, and yet that's a deck composed of really good creatures.
Eldrazi Mimic dies to bolt fater all... Yet it living after a single turn is a complete disaster. x)
March 31, 2016 10:59 a.m.
I am trying to point out that there are 2 types of creatures that die to removal (excluding Exile effects).
Type 1: Dies to bolt/decay and gives you nothing.
Type 2: Dies to bolt/decay and still gives you something.
Type 2 is the better choice every time because if it's true for Bolt it's true for 90% of the other removal spells in modern. I chose to use bolt specifically because it's one of the most highly played spells in the format. Because of this if you're paying 3 or more mana for an X/3 it needs to provide value even when it dies immediately otherwise you are wasting your time.
I think it's perfectly logical to choose which cards to play keeping the most popular removal spell of the format in mind.
But hey...there's these things called nutrition labels and they're everywhere. You should read them to find out what the daily sodium intake should be. I'm pretty sure you've had way to much.
March 31, 2016 11:07 a.m.
elpokitolama says... #31
I did not say this was not a criteria, I just implied it was lackluster... If you take a look at creatures played in modern (forgetting eldrazis), most of those are withing bolt range.
I really want it to see plays, but I have a feeling it will just end up being like Monastery Mentor for the reason you expose (its ratio mana/toughness), but its body is rather aggressive and don't need other cards around it to be good. It may be slightly better in Legacy though, were flipping a Force of Will is incredible... Miracles may like this guy (i can't say more than may, as I am not a legacy specialist).
March 31, 2016 11:13 a.m.
So ima ignore the random ad hominem at the end there and mention again Eldrazi Mimic.
You are correct that it is ALWAYS good to keep in mind the fact bolt exists when thinking about a creature. That doesn't determine how good the creature is though, just how much the creature will help you when its up against a deck with bolt.
You're also correct that if you can, you should, when given the choice between two creatures that both die to bolt, USUALLY pick the one that will help you whether it gets bolted or not.
But there's two things to keep in mind in this argument.
- Sin Prodder and Silverfur Partisan fill to VERY different niches.
- They also would usually NEVER be considered for the same slot in the same deck.
This makes them not very comparable when looking at the bolt test.
March 31, 2016 11:18 a.m.
Sin Prodder is very overrated. It won't see play in modern, and may not see play in Standard. It's a trap rare.
March 31, 2016 1:28 p.m.
Sin Prodder is extremely good card. You guys see it as a creature made for burn/aggro decks. The truth is, you want to have it in midrange (jund, anyone?) with something like Goblin Dark-Dwellers and cast it around turn 6 or 7.
March 31, 2016 1:49 p.m.
PistonGolem says... #36
It has positives and negatives. Yes, it is bad if you pull a land or a very low mana cost card, almost becoming useless in multiplayer because only 1 player has to take the hit. But it can allow you to draw an extra card for card advantage in certain cases, which is useful. Would anyone want to take the hit from drawing Emrakul? No, they wouldn't. Guys, pros and cons.
March 31, 2016 2:04 p.m.
Hamster2558 says... #37
Also PistonGolem no one wants to take a hit by Gleemax
March 31, 2016 2:41 p.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #38
March 31, 2016 6:17 p.m.
Thanks! I spelled it the same way you did, but I'm assuming it was added since then. :D
March 31, 2016 6:42 p.m.
Serendipitous_Hummingbird says... #40
Still think Sorin, Grim Nemesis is the most overrated card in the set, except maybe Thing in the Ice Flip
April 1, 2016 1:23 a.m.
tricklogic says... #41
I generaIly pull bad but I'm hoping to play something green with investigate. I think it'll be fun in limited. Is this prerelease like others where you represent a color or just get packs?
April 1, 2016 9:10 a.m.
averagenovice74 says... #42
@ Serendipitous_Hummingbird Nah, it has to be Thing in the Ice Flip. If it came out when Jeskai Ascendancy was still in the format, this card would be BUSTED GOOD. Especially with Expedite and Slip Through Space for cantrips. I'm actually brewing it for that reason alone but in a vacuum within standard, it can be kinda clunky and hot bait for removal.
It's not even a good defender with only 4 toughness.....
April 1, 2016 9:47 a.m.
Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor says... #44
Well it appears that Sin Prodder is about as polarizing as Jace, Vryn's Prodigy Flip was on here, so looks like we are gonna have another $50 rare...Jokes aside, I think it will be very powerful in graveyard focused midrange standard decks and an absolute powerhouse in limited. I can't speak for other formats since I usually don't play them.
The pre-prerelease by LRR really showed how game accelerating and annoying the Sin Prodder can be to opponents. Grant it that was a sealed event that made Flameblade Angel and Sanitarium Skeleton look like all-stars, so it is still too early to tell. However, I think it will see play and people are getting too worked up about the 'dies to removal' argument.
April 1, 2016 9:54 a.m.
LittleBlueHero says... #45
Flameblade Angel absolutely IS an all star in any limited format event.
A 4/4 flier that makes all your chump blocks ping for one is a huge hurdle for an opponent in limited. Its an easy slam pick in my opinion in draft, and would want to play Red any time I saw it.
April 1, 2016 9:59 a.m.
ducttapedeckbox, I've been seeing a lot of chatter online recently about Westvale Abbey Flip and several articles claiming it could be format defining. I don't know if there's substance to the claim or if some crazy decklist was posted somewhere, but I'm guessing it's last minute hype.
April 1, 2016 10:16 a.m.
Well considering that a taylored deck might be able to flip it turn 4 or 5 and it can attack immediately is pretty huge.
April 1, 2016 10:38 a.m.
Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor says... #48
LittleBlueHero, I absolutely agree in limited. But outside that format those two cards aren't very useful, they just looked reeeeally good at that time.
April 1, 2016 10:39 a.m.
At worst, decks would be forced to play Oblivion Strike and/or Flaying Tendrils. Decks already play Quarantine Field, Silkwrap, Stasis Snare, etc... I simply don't see that Westvale Abbey Flip can be format-defining. And the mana that it requires...
April 1, 2016 11:08 a.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #50
Many of the decks I've seen on r/spikes that utilize Westvale Abbey Flip are some sort of token or Aristocrats decks. They don't need to flip Abbey since they can win by going wide or by Zulaport Cutthroat. In addition to that, Abbey makes neat chump blockers if you need it to, but most of the time cards like Secure the Wastes and Catacomb Sifter do the hard work. The white exile enchantments aren't so good whenever you're dealing with armies of creatures. Plus, playing Quarantine Field or Stasis Snare only works after the 18 point life swing. Gross. Abbey's power has to be respected at all times.
End step Secure the Wastes is going to be a really scary thing for the next 6 months.
Argy says... #1
Oh well done whoever designed the latest version of Tormenting Voice.
The art and flavour work so well together.
It is very reminiscent of "The Yellow Wallpaper".
March 29, 2016 4:32 a.m.