A Night of Frights: Exploring Duskmourn: House of Horror

From the charming anthropomorphic creatures of Bloomburrow to the terrifying house of horrors of Duskmourn. Duskmourn: House of Horror is the latest Magic: The Gathering set, and it brings a fresh, spooky twist to the game that couldn’t be further from Bloomburrow if they tried!

Duskmourn dives deep into the horror genre, drawing inspiration from classic and modern horror elements. The set features everything from demonic clowns to haunted toys, creating a chilling atmosphere that fans of horror will appreciate.

So, this is a set scaredy cat Dez is going to be peering around every corner for lurking horrors and hoping the shadows don’t come to life!

Event

Fortress Melbourne transformed into our House of Horror for Duskmourn, and the excitement in the line was infectious. Despite knowing very little about the set due to missing the pre-release events, I sensed that this was going to be a thrilling and slightly frightening experience!

With 100 eager players awaiting the start, the atmosphere was electric. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the Endless Punishment deck, especially since Boros is usually a deck I don’t completely suck at. It seemed I wasn’t alone in my enthusiasm; as we split into Commander and Sealed, the Endless Punishment deck vanished in record time—unlike any deck I had seen before at these events.

I wasn’t disappointed, though, as I often find myself sticking too closely to my comfort zone. The Death Toll deck looked like a lot of fun. With Rendmaw as my commander, I was ready to create some 2/2 birds that couldn’t attack me and that seemed like a great strategy to knock my opponents down a few life. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned; the birds just chump-blocked each other and died right away without any impact!

That said, I did have a 5/5 creature that saved me more times than I care to admit, especially since mana wasn’t an issue. Thanks to my questionable shuffling skills, I was lucky enough to draw land for the first 13 cards, so commander tax wasn’t a problem!

I was fortunate that Will from Hooked Gamers is a good enough friend not to completely dread playing with me. Will, new friend Daimian, and I sat down to explore what these decks had to offer. Will and I both took the Death Toll deck for a spin but with different commanders, while Daimian played Jump Scare. What a bizarre game it turned out to be! Will and I seemed to share the same unfortunate shuffling technique, drawing mostly lands. Meanwhile, Daimian faced the opposite problem; it felt like the Mana Gods were conspiring against him.

What began as a struggle with mana transformed into one of the best games of Magic: The Gathering I’ve ever played. We were all dropping creatures and the board was getting our of control. The game was incredibly back-and-forth, with Daimian initially looking like he was running away with it. However, a well-timed Room card turned the game in my favour, leading to an incredibly lucky win for me.

Mechanics

The set introduces several new mechanics and brings back some old favourites:

• Rooms: These are split card enchantments that offer different effects depending on which “door” you choose to open. They add a layer of strategy and decision-making to the game.
• Delirium: Returning from Shadows over Innistrad, this mechanic cares about the number of different card types in your graveyard. It is centred in the Jund colour space (black, red, green) for this set.
• Eerie: Similar to the constellation mechanic, eerie effects trigger whenever an enchantment enters the battlefield under your control.
• Impending: A new twist on the suspend mechanic, allowing you to cast powerful enchantment creatures that become active after a few turns.
• Manifest Dread: An upgrade to the manifest mechanic, letting you put one of the top two cards of your library onto the battlefield as a face-down 2/2 creature.
• Survival: This mechanic rewards creatures for surviving combat, triggering abilities if they are tapped at the beginning of your second main phase.

Artwork

The artwork in Duskmourn is both stunning and terrifying, perfectly encapsulating the eerie and unsettling atmosphere of the set. Each card is adorned with haunting, atmospheric illustrations that significantly amplify the horror theme. The grotesque designs of the creatures are particularly striking, with every detail meticulously crafted to evoke a sense of dread and unease. And scaredy cat Dez is evenly a huge fan & scared silly by the eerie beauty of this set.

The attention to detail in the artwork ensures that each card tells its own story, contributing to the overall narrative of the set and making it a truly memorable experience for anyone who encounters it.

 

Conclusion

Duskmourn: House of Horror is a standout set that infuses Magic: The Gathering with a fresh, spooky twist. Featuring innovative mechanics, stunning visuals, and engaging gameplay, it is a must-try for both horror enthusiasts and MTG fans alike.

Whether you are drafting with friends, building new decks, or challenging Will in Commander, Duskmourn promises a thrilling and immersive experience for both new and seasoned players. Dive in and embrace the chills!