Shadows over Innistrad

Shadows over Innistrad

 

Booster Battle Packs

 

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Deck Builder's Toolkit

 

Intro packs

 

Trivia

 

Shadows over Innistrad
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description	A shadow/reflection of Avacyn's collar, the symbol of her church.
Design	Mark Gottlieb (lead) Mark Rosewater Ken Nagle Gavin Verhey Sam Stoddard Andrew Veen Adam Lee
Development	Dave Humpherys (lead) Tim Aten Ethan Fleischer Erik Lauer Ari Levitch Sam Stoddard with contributions from Matt Tabak
Art direction	Jeremy Jarvis
Release date	April 8, 2016
Plane	Innistrad
Themes and mechanics	Discard, Graveyard matters, Tribal matters, Double-faced cards
Keywords/​ability words	Delirium, Investigate, Madness, Skulk, Transform
Set size	297 cards (105 commons, 100 uncommons, 59 rares, 18 mythic rares, 15 basic lands)
Expansion code	SOI
Development codename	Tears
Shadows over Innistrad block
Shadows over Innistrad Eldritch Moon N/A
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Welcome Deck 2016 Shadows over Innistrad Eternal Masters

Shadows over Innistrad is the seventieth Magic expansion, and the first in the Shadows over Innistrad block. It was released on April 8, 2016, and is a large expansion.

Set details

“

Unravel the Madness

”

Shadows over Innistrad returns to the gothic horror-themed plane of Innistrad, emphasizing a sense of mystery and creeping dread. The expansion symbol of the set is an upside-down reflection of Avacyn's symbol. The set features the same tribal components as the Innistrad block with the five main tribes each being split over an allied color pair. Spirits primarily in white and blue, Zombies in blue and black, Vampires in black and red, Werewolves in red and green, and Humans primarily in green and white. For the mechanics, R&D made a conscious decision to return more to Innistrad the set than Innistrad the block.

Shadows over Innistrad contains 297 cards (15 basic lands, 105 commons, 100 uncommons, 59 rares, 18 mythic rares), including randomly inserted premium versions of all cards in the set. This is about 25 cards more than other large expansions in recent history. This is because Shadows over Innistrad also sees the return of double-faced cards which have a card frame printed on each side. Two different checklist cards may be used to prevent decks from becoming marked by containing them. These checklist cards replace the basic land in some boosters. Additionally, the design team embraced the idea of having a "double-faced cards matter" theme. The as-fan of the double-faced cards is about 1.125, meaning you always get at least one and sometimes get two. A normal pack contains a common or uncommon double-faced card. Approximately one in every eight packs also contains a rare or mythic double-faced card in addition to a normal rare or mythic rare (the rare or mythic rare double-faced card replaces a common one). These packs will have two double-faced cards, the common/uncommon and the rare/mythic rare.

Checklist card (uncommons and commons)

Checklist card (mythics and rares)

Storyline

Innistrad is a world beset by terrible evils on all sides and betrayed by the hope it held most dear. Avacyn has finally returned, but what new evils have come with her? Madness is plaguing the inhabitants. Terror falls from the skies on blood-spattered wings and nameless horrors lurk in the shadows. Odd things are afoot: the forces that had protected the humans have been twisted into something dark and strange. Jace Beleren of the Gatewatch investigates its dark mysteries. Meanwhile, Sorin is in search of the whereabouts of Nahiri.

The cards that represent the pivotal moments in the storyline are: Descend Upon the Sinful, Declaration in Stone, Epiphany at the Drownyard, Avacyn's Judgment, Anguished Unmaking

Magic Story

Title	Author	Release Date	Setting (plane)	Featuring
Under the Silver Moon	Kimberly J. Kreines	2016-03-02	Innistrad	Arlinn Kord, Halana and Alena
A Gaze Blank and Pitiless	Ken Troop	2016-03-09	Innistrad	Avacyn and the three sisters (Bruna, Gisela and Sigarda)
Unwelcome	Kelly Digges	2016-03-16	Innistrad	Jace Beleren and Liliana Vess
Sacrifice	Kelly Digges	2016-03-23	Innistrad	Gitrog monster
The Mystery of Markov Manor	James Wyatt	2016-03-30	Innistrad	Jace Beleren
Drownyard Temple	Mel Li	2016-04-06	Innistrad	Jace Beleren
Promises Old and New	Ari Levitch	2016-04-13	Innistrad	Sorin Markov, Olivia Voldaren, Nahiri and Avacyn
Liliana's Indignation	Kelly Digges	2016-04-20	Innistrad	Jace Beleren, Liliana Vess and Raven Man
Games	Alison Luhrs	2016-04-27	Innistrad	Gisa, Geralf, Odric
Lunarch Inquisition	James Wyatt	2016-05-04	Innistrad	Thalia, Odric
Stories and Endings	Nik Davidson	2016-05-11	Innistrad	Tamiyo, Jace Beleren
I Am Avacyn	Doug Beyer	2016-05-18	Innistrad	Tamiyo, Jace Beleren, Sorin Markov, Avacyn

Tamiyo's Journal puzzle

In the spoiler season, people noticed that the quotes from Tamiyo's Journal on the clue tokens differed for each language. This was eventually discovered to point to a code that produced a secret message. To find the message, write down the number of words in the flavor text of each of the six clue tokens. Then, look at the entry number in the flavor text of Tamiyo's Journal. Find the clue whose flavor text has several words equal to the first digit of the entry number. On that clue, find the word whose position in the flavor text corresponds to the second digit of the entry number. The third digit indicates where that word is positioned in the secret message. If you repeat this for each other language you get a word from each language and a position in the secret message (English and German have the same word in the same position). After you arrange the words in order, the secret message is: “Remember this they came as three”, referencing Ugin's insight and hinting at the presence of the surviving Eldrazi Emrakul.

Marketing

Shadows over Innistrad is sold in 16-card boosters (one card being a marketing card), five intro packs, one fat pack, a Deck Builder's Toolkit, Booster Battle Packs and a Gift Box. The boosters feature artwork from Falkenrath Gorger, Arlinn, Embraced by the Moon, Avacyn, the Purifier, Sorin, Grim Nemesis and Jace, Unraveler of Secrets. Due to the Two-Block Paradigm, the Deck Builder's Toolkit is the first of its kind to be released with an expansion instead of a core set. The Gift Box is the first of its kind to be released with a spring set.

Part of the marketing campaign for Shadows over Innistrad is the publication of The Hanweir Chronicle, an Innistrad newspaper providing clues for the storyline. On March 5–6, Wizards of the Coast hosted “escape rooms” in the form of Markov Manor, Thraben Cathedral and a Stitcher's Lab at various Grand Prix events around the world, while the online audience solved a variety of puzzles to unlock cards from the set.

Prerelease

Prerelease Events took place on April 2–3, 2016.

Promotional Cards

• Prerelease: a stamped card that can be any rare or mythic rare from the set.
• Launch promo: Angel of Deliverance
• Game Day: full-art Incorrigible Youths
• Game Day (Top 8): full-art Anguished Unmaking
• Buy-a-Box: Elusive Tormentor/Insidious Mist (alternate art)

Tokens and emblems

Clue artifact token with the symbol of the Westvale Cult.

1. 4/4 Angel with Flying for Descend upon the Sinful and Invocation of Saint Traft
2. 1/1 Human Soldier for Sigarda, Heron's Grace, Strength of Arms and Ulvenwald Mysteries
3. 1/1 Spirit with Flying for Dauntless Cathar, Drogskol Cavalry, Emissary of the Sleepless, Not Forgotten, Nearheath Chaplain, Slayer's Plate and Vessel of Ephemera
4. 1/1 Vampire Knight with Lifelink for Call the Bloodline and Sorin, Grim Nemesis
5. 2/2 Zombie for Diregraf Colossus, Drunau Corpse Trawler, From Under the Floorboards, Ghoulcaller's Accomplice, Gisa's Bidding, Rise from the Tides and Shamble Back
6. 1/1 Devil with “When this creature dies, it deals 1 damage to target creature or player.” for Dance with Devils and Devils' Playground
7. 1/1 Insect for Crawling Sensation
8. 3/3 Ooze for Inexorable Blob
9. 2/2 Wolf for Arlinn Kord, Cult of the Waxing Moon, Pack Guardian and Silverfur Partisan
10. 1/1 Human Cleric for Westvale Abbey and Westvale Cult Leader
11. Clue artifact with “, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.” for Investigate — Bearer of Overwhelming Truths, Briarbridge Patrol, Bygone Bishop, Byway Courier, Confirm Suspicions, Confront the Unknown, Declaration in Stone, Drownyard Explorers, Erdwal Illuminator, Expose Evil, Fleeting Memories, Gone Missing, Humble the Brute, Jace's Scrutiny, Magnifying Glass, Ongoing Investigation, Press for Answers, Root Out, Survive the Night, Tamiyo's Journal, Thraben Inspector, Tireless Tracker, Trail of Evidence, Ulvenwald Mysteries, Weirding Wood
12. Clue artifact with “, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.”
13. Clue artifact with “, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.”
14. Clue artifact with “, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.”
15. Clue artifact with “, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.”
16. Clue artifact with “, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.”
17. Emblem for Arlinn, Embraced by the Moon
18. Emblem for Jace, Unraveler of Secrets

Welcome Deck 2016 and Booster Battle Packs

Shadows over Innistrad is accompanied with a 16-card reprint set named Welcome Deck 2016, which is Standard-legal as long as Shadows over Innistrad is legal. The cards from this expansion are not found in booster packs, but are in various supplemental products like the Deck Builder's Toolkit and the new Booster Battle Packs.

Booster Battle Packs contain two of five 30-card ready-to-play decks, and two Shadows over Innistrad booster packs. The five monocolored ready-to-play decks are available as free sample decks at Wizards Play Network locations around the world.

Themes and mechanics

Clue artifact token depicting a Cryptolith.

Themes from the set are tribal and graveyard matters.

The Madness mechanic returns from Torment, having last been seen in Time Spiral. It allows you to pay an alternate cost to cast a spell if it is discarded. In the current set it is mostly associated with vampires.

Transform returns from the Innistrad block. To transform means to turn over a double-faced card, changing the card face that is visible. The front or "day" side of the card has a regular card frame, a mana cost, and the sun symbol. The reverse or "night" side has the moon symbol and a slightly altered frame.

There are three new named mechanics:

• Delirium, an ability word that gives an advantageous effect whenever there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard.
• Investigate (Put a colorless Clue artifact token onto the battlefield with “, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.”).
• Skulk, a new evasion ability (This creature can't be blocked by creatures with greater power).

Card types

Shadows over Innistrad introduces the Clue artifact subtype, the Mole creature type, and the Arlinn planeswalker subtype.

Cycles

Shadows over Innistrad has eight cycles and a partial cycle:

Cycle name
Crazed creatures	Topplegeist	Manic Scribe	Tooth Collector	Gibbering Fiend	Obsessive Skinner
	Five uncommon creatures which repeat their ETB-ability each turn when they reach delirium.
Vessels	Vessel of Ephemera	Vessel of Paramnesia	Vessel of Malignity	Vessel of Volatility	Vessel of Nascency
	Five common enchantments with an activated ability that sacrifices it.
Common another-tribal creatures	Apothecary Geist	Lamplighter of Selhoff	Stromkirk Mentor	Howlpack Wolf	Intrepid Provisioner
	Five common creatures that improve when played while another of its tribe is on the battlefield.
Enemy friendly color cards	Nahiri's Machinations ()	Ongoing Investigation ()	Behind the Scenes ()	Geistblast ()	Autumnal Gloom ()
	Five uncommon monocolored cards for 1M or 2M with an activated ability that require an enemy color.
Tiny Tribal lords	Spectral Shepherd ()	Drunau Corpse Trawler ()	Olivia's Bloodsworn ()	Ulrich's Kindred ()	Veteran Cathar ()
	Five uncommon creatures that support the deck archetype for each tribe and with an activated ability that requires an allied color.
Tribal lords	Thalia's Lieutenant	Rattlechains	Diregraf Colossus	Falkenrath Gorger	Silverfur Partisan
	Five rare creatures that support the deck archetype for each tribe.
Rare Transformers	Hanweir Militia Captain	Thing In The Ice	Elusive Tormentor	Geier Reach Bandit	Sage of Ancient Lore
	Westvale Cult Leader	Awoken Horror	Insidious Mist	Vildin-Pack Alpha	Werewolf of Ancient Hunger
	Five rare transforming DFCs.
Cycle name
Shadow lands	Port Town	Choked Estuary	Foreboding Ruins	Game Trail	Fortified Village
	Five rare dual lands that enter the battlefield tapped, except if you reveal a land with the corresponding basic land type from your hand.
Cycle name
Enemy color taplands	Forsaken Sanctuary	Highland Lake	Foul Orchard	Stone Quarry	Woodland Stream
	Five uncommon dual lands that enter the battlefield tapped.

Partial cycle

• Madness Sorceries: three rare monocolored Sorceries, which have Madness and in their Madness Cost — Welcome to the Fold, From Under the Floorboards, Avacyn's Judgment

Reprinted cards

• Catalog, first printed in Urza's Saga, last seen in 8th Edition.
• Dead Weight, first printed in Innistrad.
• Fiery Temper, first printed in Torment, last seen as a timeshifted card in Time Spiral.
• Ghostly Wings, first printed in Torment.
• Gloomwidow, first printed in Shadowmoor, last seen in Avacyn Restored.
• Groundskeeper, first printed in Mercadian Masques, last seen in 9th Edition.
• Macabre Waltz, first printed in Dissension, last seen in Magic Origins.
• Magmatic Chasm, first printed in Dragons of Tarkir.
• Puncturing Light, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi.
• Throttle, first printed in Khans of Tarkir.
• Tormenting Voice, first printed in Khans of Tarkir, last seen in Dragons of Tarkir.
• Unruly Mob, first printed in Innistrad.

Common to Uncommon

• Mad Prophet, first printed in Avacyn Restored.
• Lightning Axe, first printed in Time Spiral.
• Reckless Scholar, first printed in Zendikar, last seen in Conspiracy.

Functional reprints

• Devilthorn Fox is a functional reprint of Blade of the Sixth Pride from Future Sight, Dromoka Warrior from Dragons of Tarkir and Oreskos Swiftclaw from Journey into Nyx and Magic 2015, save for creature type.
• Hulking Devil is a functional reprint of Cobblebrute from Return to Ravnica, save for creature type.
• Niblis of Dusk is a functional reprint of Jeskai Windscout from Khans of Tarkir, save for creature type.
• Seagraf Skaab is a functional reprint of Maritime Guard from Magic 2011 and Lumengrid Warden from Mirrodin, save for creature type.
• Thornhide Wolves is a functional reprint of Blanchwood Treefolk from Urza's Saga, save for creature type.
• Vampire Noble is a functional reprint of Barony Vampire from Magic 2011.
• Warped Landscape is a functional reprint of Terminal Moraine from Planeshift.

Colorshifted

• Silent Observer is a colorshifted Tormented Angel from Urza's Destiny (white to blue).
• Sanguinary Mage is a colorshifted Jeskai Student fromKhans of Tarkir (white to red).

Notable cards

See also: Shadows over Innistrad/Trivia.

• Triskaidekaphobia is an alternate loss card.
• The dual land cycle (such as Choked Estuary) saw substantial play in Standard as well as Pioneer.
• Tireless Tracker is a powerful value engine in every format from Standard to Modern.
• Westvale Abbey is a high upside utility land that was played in numerous aggro and control decks in Standard.
• The Gitrog Monster is among the most heavily played green-black commanders in the casual Commander format and is notable for numerous complicated combos, such as interactions during the cleanup step with Dakmor Salvage.
• Thalia's Lieutenant is a staple in white aggro decks built around humans from Standard to Modern.
• Duskwatch Recruiter is a key part of creature toolbox decks in Modern, where it can help find the right creature for any given situation and provide significant card advantage.
• Lambholt Pacifist was among the best creatures for green aggro decks in Standard which could easily enable it to attack.
• Rattlechains has helped power Spirit-based aggro decks in Pioneer and Modern, as it provides a powerful protection ability, good aggressive stats, and a lord effect that improves many other Spirits.
• Falkenrath Gorger is the first 2-power 1-drop in red with only upsides.
• Prized Amalgam is a crucial part of Dredge decks in Modern and Vintage, which can return creature cards like Narcomoeba and Silversmote Ghoul from the graveyard to the battlefield without spending any mana.
• Pieces of the Puzzle is a strong card selection and advantage spell for decks with high spell density in Pauper and Pioneer.
• Archangel Avacyn dominated Standard and is notorious for holding an expensive price while she was legal.
• Thraben Inspector was a staple in white aggro decks in Standard and has also seen heavy play in Pioneer and Modern. It is especially strong in Pauper, where it is one of the most played cards in the entire format.
• Insolate Neonate is a simple discard enabler for graveyard-focused decks in Pauper and Modern.
• Thing in the Ice is a strong card for spell-based decks in Pioneer and Modern such as those built around Arclight Phoenix.
• Anguished Unmaking is a flexible removal spell that saw play in Standard and Modern, while Declaration in Stone was a Standard and Pioneer staple.
• Descend Upon The Sinful suffered from a translation error in French; using the acute accent instead of the circumflex, "sinners" becomes "fishers" or "fishermen".

Preconstructed decks

Shadows over Innistrad has five intro packs:

Intro pack name	Colors Included					Foil rare
Ghostly Tide	W	U				Drogskol Cavalry
Vampiric Thirst			B	R		Markov Dreadknight
Horrific Visions			B		G	Soul Swallower
Angelic Fury	W			R		Flameblade Angel
Unearthed Secrets		U			G	Nephalia Moondrakes