The Top Twelve Scariest Commanders To Play Against

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pulling Teeth|MOR|75" href="#" target="_blank">Pulling Teeth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.pavelecart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jim Pavelec</a></em></p>
<p> Various polls exist out there on the internet trying to definitively rank the scariest horror subgenre. None of them seem to agree, which might be the scariest genre of all considering how fickle they reveal human nature to be. To a person, the answer of what truly is the most terrifying variety of horror comes down to many, many factors. And then there are all the coulrophobic folks who skew the numbers against innocent clowns. In <em>Magic: The Gathering, </em>horror has always been an arrow in the quiver of world-builders and artists. We've got entire settings devoted to the genre in <em>Innistrad </em>and <em>Duskmourn, </em>and even decidedly non-horror areas of <em>Magic </em>canon can't seem to help themselves in dabbling, just a little bit, into horror. That's the result of a game in which Zombies, Vampires and other classic horror monsters are part of its fabric. <em>Magic's </em>a quilt of influence, and many squares are bloody. And speaking of the aforementioned horror sets above, there are plenty of ghoulish cards contained within that players know and love. Many of them are rares and mythics, showcases for artists and designers to show exactly what kind of mess characters on those planes are getting into. We're all familiar with stuff like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Meathook Massacre" href="#" target="_blank">The Meathook Massacre</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Come Back Wrong" href="#" target="_blank">Come Back Wrong</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Army of the Damned" href="#" target="_blank">Army of the Damned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and any number of other trope-heavy inclusions. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Meathook Massacre Come Back Wrong Army of the Damned"></div></div> But there are also currently 30,554 distinct <em>Magic </em>cards that exist in physical form, with more being added every day. Sometimes even more frequently than that. Sure, horror as a trope and genre from which to pull inspiration is relevant in <em>Duskmourn </em>or <em>Innistrad. </em>Horror abounds beyond those sets, however. And some of <em>Magic's </em>most macabre cards aren't tentpole mythics. Let's take a look at seven commons that went too hard into horror. </p>
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<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murder|EMN|97" href="#" target="_blank">Murder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Murder|EMN|97"></div></div> Can't get much more on-the-nose than Murder. There have been a number of versions of Murder, but every time an artist is tasked with creating the art, we center around a familiar motif. And yes, I tagged the one version of the card that's <em>not </em>a common, but I also like that one the most. Sorry. As for horror, most versions of Murder harken to the subgenre of Slashers. As the name implies, those center around a killer stalking a group of people. The killer's usually human, though often they feature supernatural elements that prevent them from being impeded by common means. Jason Voorhees doesn't usually get stopped by traffic or the need to go to the bathroom, for example. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Murder|M13|101 Murder|SNC|88 Murder|CLB|134"></div></div> It's where the trope of the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cautious Survivor" href="#" target="_blank">Final Girl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> comes from, and resonates with horror fans for the mostly believable and "possible in real life" aspect of it generating the terror. Slashers are not to be confused with occult horror, which also often features a person murdering teens but does so for the glory of Crom, or movies about assassins which are really just occupational narratives. There's something very viscerally alarming about the possibility of your life being snuffed by anyone, anywhere, at any time. And that's what Murder evokes. </p>
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<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pulling Teeth|MOR|75" href="#" target="_blank">Pulling Teeth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pulling Teeth|MOR|75"></div></div> There are two things we all have in common: We all have bodies, and we all don't want bad things to happen to those bodies. That's the crux of body horror. There are microgenres within this subgenre that really get under the skin (pun intended), involving teeth, fingernails or eyeballs, but you can use your imagination. Or don't. When it comes to <em>Magic, </em>though, body horror's actually pretty well represented. There are many cards that depict bad things happening to perfectly good body parts, and they're not all from <em>Duskmourn. </em>Though, to be fair, that set did lean heavily into the subgenre in its effort to shamelessly represent every horror subgenre there is. Most commonly, body horror in <em>Magic </em>can be attributed to the influence of the Eldrazi, who warp and mangle bodies with no regard for their natural structure. But it's not just the Eldrazi who like to tinker with flesh. And then there's Pulling Teeth. There's no reason <a href="https://www.pavelecart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jim Pavelec</a> had to go so hard on a common from <em>Morningtide, </em>a set inspired by Celtic fairytale. However, if you dig into Pavelec's body of work (which you can do if you click that link), you'll see that he probably couldn't help himself. In fact, Jim's one of <em>Magic's </em>horror flag-bearers, and any card assigned to him will likely have that edge. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirrorweave Feast of Sanity Oubliette|2XM|100"></div></div> </p>
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<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Citizen&#039;s Arrest|DMU|11" href="#" target="_blank">Citizen&#039;s Arrest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Citizen&#039;s Arrest|DMU|11"></div></div> What if your loved ones aren't really who they seem? What if there's something... off? What if you aren't...you? It's a question asked by plenty of horror media over the years, from <em>Invasion of the Body Snatchers </em>to <em>Fallout 4. </em>The idea that what you understand to be yourself, and what you understand to be the people closest to you, is inherently wrong: That's foundational to horror, and embodied most wholly in <em>Magic </em>by Phyrexia. In <em>Dominaria United, </em>Dominaria was united, yes. Reading the set name explains the set name. Dominaria was united against the Phyrexian invasion, during which anyone, at any time, could have been an agent of the invaders, corrupted and only themselves by facsimile. They're Sleeper Agents, and they've been around for awhile. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sleeper Agent|USG|159"></div></div> There are actually several examples of Sleeper Agents in <em>Dominaria United, </em>but none of them are quite as alarming in their depiction as we see on Citizen's Arrest. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Threats Undetected Benalish Sleeper Stenn, Paranoid Partisan"></div></div> Sorry if that last one's a story spoiler. </p>
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<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Breathstealer|MIR|109" href="#" target="_blank">Breathstealer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Breathstealer|MIR|109"></div></div> We've talked about getting murdered, getting your teeth pulled out by a dirty rope, and finding out your mom's actually an invading robotic horror from another dimension. But what if you're somehow able to protect yourself from all that, only to be perforated by the ethereal blade of otherworldly boogymen called Breathstealers? There's nothing really all that scary about the card Breathstealer, obviously. As far as <em>Mirage-</em>era commons go, it's subpar, which is saying a lot. But what it represents, and the lore behind the creature, is where the horror derives. Breathstealers can enter any abode undetected, noiselessly, and kill with impunity. Each life taken by a Breathstealer extends their own, and victims are nothing more than fuel - unless, of course, the victim's a child, in which case that child becomes a Breathstealer themselves, doomed to perpetuate the cycle of slaughter. There's horror in other people, in our own bodies. But true horror might be the inexorable approach of death. And that's what Breathstealers represent. Also, the card's one of very few in <em>Magic </em>that shows a decapitated human head, which is pretty gruesome in its own right. And since we're talking horror, here's some more! <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bogbrew Witch|M14|88 Legacy Weapon|10E|330 Radha, Heir to Keld|PLC|162"></div></div> </p>
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<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fanatical Offering|LCI|105" href="#" target="_blank">Fanatical Offering</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fanatical Offering|LCI|105"></div></div> This one could be considered murder like that depicted on, well, Murder, but if you know anything about the story of <em>Ixalan </em>you know there's an extra wrinkle involved. Horror comes in many forms, but the one that likely resonates the deepest in today's world is horror surrounding the fanatical, as depicted on this particular card. We all crave purpose. But when the pursuit of that purpose eclipses the rational, the result is the capacity to inflict great evil on the world. All it takes is a little misplaced conviction to turn man into monster. Or, in Vito's case, Vampire into monster. Monster into monster. More monster. You know what I mean. There are several such examples of this in <em>Magic, </em>where blind zealotry justifies cruelty, spreads terror, and weaponizes obsession. Often this manifests with a sharp knife and an unwilling parting with a vital organ. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sacrifice|LEA|124 Ritual of Rejuvenation|XLN|32 Persecute|7ED|154"></div></div> </p>
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<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dutiful Return|KTK|71" href="#" target="_blank">Dutiful Return</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dutiful Return|KTK|71"></div></div> What if death isn't the culmination of horror, like it's been in previous entries? What if instead of a grand finale, you're cursed with a perpetual denouement? That's a bit of what allows Zombie-themed horror to shamble on in perpetuity: the thought of knowing the eventuality of your body - your "self" - existing as a mindless monster causing harm to those you love. Or, in the case of Dutiful Return, serving as set decoration in the court of a fat dragon. But like Zombies themselves, zombie horror has decayed into a shell of its former self, and in many cases today serve as a workaround for writers and filmmakers who seek to depict wonton violence against humanoids without all that pesky morality getting in the way. However, the inherent horror of ending up like the sad sack on Dutiful Return will always be the frigid heart of the subgenre. In fact, <em>Khans of Tarkir </em>block is highly underrated when it comes to an interesting, more macabre take on the zombie trope. There are several examples of why if you're going to be reanimated into an undead thrall, it's probably best to avoid that happening on Tarkir. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Corpseweft|DTK|92 Shambling Attendants|KTK|89 Sibsig Host|FRF|82"></div></div> </p>
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<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Initiates of the Ebon Hand|FEM|39a" href="#" target="_blank">Initiates of the Ebon Hand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Initiates of the Ebon Hand|FEM|39a"></div></div> Sure, there's the body horror trope of getting your teeth pulled, like we saw above. But there's an entire subsection of body horror exclusively dedicated to having eyes where eyes shouldn't be. So much so, that over on Scryfall there's an <a href="https://tagger.scryfall.com/tags/artwork/eyes-where-they-shouldn-t-be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entire art tag</a> dedicated to that very trope. Granted, many of those card selections are related to eyeball monsters like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phantasmal Vision" href="#" target="_blank">Phantasmal Vision</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Horror of Horrors" href="#" target="_blank">Horror of Horrors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or being tormented by disembodied eyes like on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eyes Everywhere" href="#" target="_blank">Eyes Everywhere</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and not so much the body horror of extra eyes on your person. Think about it, though. What would you do if you woke up with a big ol' eyeball in your chest like Heather Hudson's version of the Initiates of the Ebon Hand? Think of how itchy a shirt would be. And don't even get me started on gloves. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curse of Surveillance|MID|46 Magnifying Glass|SOI|258"></div></div> </p>
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<h2>Unveil What Lies Beyond, One Horror at a Time</h2>
<p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Serum Visions|SLD|2323"></div></div> Thanks for coming along through our little journey of horror in <em>Magic </em>you might have missed. And with how vast the game is, and how little of it comparatively discussed today, what would you include in this list? What's your favorite lesser-known horror from the depths of <em>Magic</em>? </p>
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7 Horror-Themed Magic Commons That Went Too Hard

The Best Horror Combos in Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake" href="#" target="_blank">Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.daarken.com/">Daarken</a></span></i></p>
<p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Skeletons are an integral part of getting into the Halloween spirit. Every year, when I was in elementary school, we would watch a cartoon version of Danse macabre, a symphonic poem by Camille Saint-Saens. It was a beautiful and haunting depiction of skeletons rising from their graves, playing music, and dancing, and it’s stayed with me ever since, inspiring today’s kindred build.</span> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Drudge Skeletons Kuro, Pitlord"></div></div> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hypnotic Specter Dark Ritual"></div></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The first deck I ever built was Skeletons and Demons, using the regenerating <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drudge Skeletons" href="#" target="_blank">Drudge Skeletons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to clog up the ground while the foil <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kuro, Pitlord" href="#" target="_blank">Kuro, Pitlord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from my first-ever booster pack beat down. Like last week’s <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hypnotic Specter" href="#" target="_blank">Hypnotic Specter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s, my first deck was powered by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Ritual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s to enable the Demon beatdown plan. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Skeleton of that deck can make an interesting kindred Commander deck, but there are some holes to address when trying to make them a centerpiece. Small, regenerating creatures do a great job of defense, but there’s a reason I needed Demons for offense. If we’re going to cut the Demons, we need to have some sort of a plan.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This is where our commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake" href="#" target="_blank">Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> comes in. While the name may evoke the humorous “French Mistake” dance sequence from Blazing Saddles, the card is no joke, and neither is this Commander deck tech.</span> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake"></div></div> </p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake" href="#" target="_blank">Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Do?</span></h2>
<p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reassembling Skeleton"></div></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Skeleton Horror is a conglomeration of Skeleton pieces capable of reanimating itself from the grave, operating on a similar level to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reassembling Skeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Reassembling Skeleton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It requires mana to activate this ability, as well as eight or more permanent cards in the graveyard. A threat that can return itself over and over is quite deadly, although it does enter with a finality counter that would exile it upon death if returned this way.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the most important elements of our commander is its raw stats. Most Skeletons only have one or two power, but our commander is a bunch of Skeletons bundled together, so it’s much bigger than any one body. No, our commander is a 6/4 with vigilance and menace, making it a powerhouse on offense and defense. Now we can beat in on opponents while holding the ground with regenerators.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But how do we actually win? Armies of the undead tend to be slow and inevitable, but those types of decks, while good at winning, are rarely exciting. We could build this deck to use the regeneration with board wipes to outlast opponents, and that could be effective. This version, though, is much more grandiose: what if we did what <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reassembling Skeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Reassembling Skeleton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does, but on a grander scale?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">You see, there are other creature types that interact with the graveyard, like Zombies. How are Skeletons different from Zombies? Is the little bit of flesh that clings to Zombies enough to make them functionally unique from Skeletons?</span> </p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake" href="#" target="_blank">Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></span></h2>
<p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Millikin Deranged Assistant"></div></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">While Zombies tend to care about the graveyard, we’re going all-in. Since our commander cares about permanents in the grave, and we want to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reassembling Skeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Reassembling Skeleton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on a massive scale, we need ways to fill the grave. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Millikin" href="#" target="_blank">Millikin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deranged Assistant" href="#" target="_blank">Deranged Assistant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are solid ways to fill the grave while ramping, enabling explosive starts.</span> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Patriarch&#039;s Bidding Living Death"></div></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Once we have a full grave, we want to return all the Skeletons at once. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reassembling Skeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Reassembling Skeleton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is cute and has solid synergy with sacrifice effects, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Patriarch&#039;s Bidding" href="#" target="_blank">Patriarch&#039;s Bidding</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Living Death" href="#" target="_blank">Living Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are win conditions that can provide dramatic swings in momentum. These swings are what enables us to go wide while maintaining a solid defense.</span> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deadly Dispute Vivisection"></div></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Speaking of sacrificing, both black and blue have ways to sacrifice creatures for fun and profit. We can draw cards with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadly Dispute" href="#" target="_blank">Deadly Dispute</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivisection" href="#" target="_blank">Vivisection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or remove creatures with Bone Shards and Bone Splinters. Either way, we get bodies into the grave without milling.</span> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Tower Crypt of Agadeem Spawning Pool"></div></div> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Our nonbasic lands involve the grave, sacrificing, and even Skeletons! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crypt of Agadeem" href="#" target="_blank">Crypt of Agadeem</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are ways to generate large amounts of mana, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spawning Pool" href="#" target="_blank">Spawning Pool</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> happens to animate into a Skeleton and is another excellent way to follow up a board wipe.</span> </p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">How Does This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake" href="#" target="_blank">Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Commander Deck Win?</span></h2>
<p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Our goal is to load our grave with Skeletons and then bring them all back in a glorious and horrifying display of necromantic power. We can bide time by clogging the ground with recursive defenders as we mill and sacrifice our way to a full grave.</span> </p>
<h2><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake" href="#" target="_blank">Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Commander Decklist</span></h2>
<p> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="&nbsp; [Commander] *1 Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake [/Commander] &nbsp; [Creatures] *1 Bone Dragon *1 Carrionette *1 Champion of Stray Souls *1 Clattering Augur *1 Death Baron *1 Death Tyrant *1 Death-Priest of Myrkul *1 Deranged Assistant *1 Dimir House Guard *1 Drudge Skeletons *1 Emperor of Bones *1 Ghastly Death Tyrant *1 Gutless Plunderer *1 Gutterbones *1 Hunted Bonebrute *1 Kathari Remnant *1 Manor Skeleton *1 Millikin *1 Mortus Strider *1 Ozox, the Clattering King *1 Paragon of Open Graves *1 Persistent Specimen *1 Reassembling Skeleton *1 Restless Dead *1 Sanitarium Skeleton *1 Scrabbling Skullcrab *1 Screaming Swarm *1 Skeletal Vampire *1 Skeleton Crew *1 Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon *1 Tenacious Dead *1 Underworld Sentinel [/Creatures] &nbsp; [Enchantments] *1 Cemetery Tampering *1 Corpses of the Lost *1 Out of the Tombs *1 Oversold Cemetery *1 Ripples of Undeath [/Enchantments] &nbsp; [Artifacts] *1 Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass *1 Grimoire of the Dead *1 The Grim Captain&#039;s Locker [/Artifacts] &nbsp; [Instants] *1 Another Chance *1 Deadly Dispute *1 Death Denied *1 Eviscerator&#039;s Insight *1 Nasty End *1 Village Rites [/Instants] &nbsp; [Sorceries] *1 Bone Shards *1 Bone Splinters *1 Boneyard Parley *1 Call of the Death-Dweller *1 Command the Dreadhorde *1 Dread Return *1 Haunting Voyage *1 Incarnation Technique *1 Living Death *1 Patriarch&#039;s Bidding *1 Skulltap *1 Victimize *1 Vivisection [/Sorceries] &nbsp; [Lands] *1 Accursed Duneyard *1 Cavern of Souls *1 Crypt of Agadeem *1 Hostile Hostel // Creeping Inn *10 Island *1 Path of Ancestry *1 Phyrexian Tower *1 Rogue&#039;s Passage *1 Spawning Pool *1 Spymaster&#039;s Vault *20 Swamp *1 Tomb Fortress [/Lands] &nbsp;"></span></div></span> </p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conclusion</span></h2>
<p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Skeletons are a lot of fun as a support type, but even more so as a focus. Yes, they need some work to become a threat, but, once they get going, they can be truly frightening.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But how would you build Skeletons? And is building around board wipes better than mass reanimation?</span></p>


Building Skeleton Kindred with Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valgavoth, Terror Eater" href="#" target="_blank">Valgavoth, Terror Eater</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Illustrated by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/ajmanzanedo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Antonio José Manzanedo</a></em></p>
<p> Welcome to the next installment in our series examining <em>Magic</em> sets and their impact one year later! <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/examining-bloomburrow-one-year-later" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Last time we </a><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/examining-bloomburrow-one-year-later">examined <em>Bloomburrow</em></a> and the cozy woodland vibes it</span> brought to the gaming table. Today, we're taking a much darker turn with <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/dsk" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Duskmourn: House of Horror</em></a>! <em>Duskmourn</em> came out one year ago (at the time of writing), on September 27th, 2024. The set has had the lion's share of criticism and wasn't as well-received as <em>Bloomburrow</em> for those critical reasons. Nonetheless, the set's lore had a fantastic plot that engaged players in a huge way, as well as mechanics that really tied the set together under its horror flavor. What were the criticisms, and what made <em>Duskmourn</em> shine despite them? Come with us as we delve into the fear factory that was The House! </p>
<h2>General Notes on <em>Duskmourn: House of Horror</em></h2>
<p> We got our first major look at the set <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/first-look-at-duskmourn-house-of-horror" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on June 28th</a>. The set contained various house-horror tropes that hearkened back to pop-cultural horror across the history of the genre. The set takes tropes from a lot of literary horror as well. Stories like the Japanese author Uketsu's <em>Strange Houses</em> or Mark Z. Danielewski's <em>House of Leaves</em> all surely left their mark on this set. Of these tropes, though, the films of the 1980s were most prevalent and were the focal point of much of the art and flavor of the set. You'd see ideas from <em>A Nightmare on Elm Street</em> (1984), <em>Halloween</em> (1978), or even <em>Skinamarink</em> (2022) in this set. Any nightmarish being you can think of from all manner of horror or slasher film could feasibly make an appearance in <em>Duskmourn</em>. For many, however, this was a bit of an issue, but it wasn't necessarily the horror's fault. According to <em>Magic</em> Head Designer Mark Rosewater's <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/making-magic/state-of-design-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">State of Design 2025</a> article, there were a few issues with <em>Duskmourn</em> alongside some great praise. The article explores the good and less-good aspects of the reception of <em>Magic</em>'s designs from the previous year. So, when it came to the Duskmourn setting, Rosewater mentioned that players had issues with what he calls "mundane modernity." To quote Rosewater's analysis within that article: </p>
<blockquote><p>Some things <i>Duskmourn: House of Horror</i> did for the first time bothered players, like having characters wearing and using things that we actually use: things like sneakers, or jeans, or a baseball bat. Part of fantasy is the idea that you're coming to a world that is fundamentally different than your own. Fantasy wants to be inspirational, and seeing everyday objects which are a part of all of our daily lives deflates that.</p></blockquote>
<h3>A Contrast From <em>Bloomburrow</em> Showcases What Makes <em>Magic</em> Special</h3>
<p> And now, I'd like to bring in a slight sidebar. Something I've noticed about sets like <em>Bloomburrow</em> is their propensity to release just before or after a very dark set, such as <em>Duskmourn</em>. <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> has done this a few times as a "palate cleanser." We saw it with the <em>Lorwyn</em> block on the heels of <em>Time Spiral</em> Block, which was extremely dark. We saw it with <em>Kaladesh</em>, with the lighter, brighter themes following <em>Shadows over Innistrad</em> and <em>Eldritch Moon</em>'s sharp morbidity and cosmic grotesquery. And we saw it most recently last year with <em>Bloomburrow</em> releasing before <em>Duskmourn: House of Horror</em>. According to Rosewater's analysis, this brand of dichotomic planar juxtaposition is something that, from a flavor perspective, makes <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> so special. <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> is capable of showcasing great darkness and lightheartedness in equal measure over a short span. The way that the company can manage to do this is a major boon to the <em>Magic</em> cosmology, from a lore standpoint, and to the brand as a whole. This phenomenon keeps players highly engaged and interested for a while longer than they would if it were thematically the same throughout its expansion sets. In turn, the game continues through the revenue players put into it out of their interest in the themes. </p>
<h3>On the "Modern Mundanity" Issue</h3>
<p> Of note, based on some information that I've read recently, to use Rosewater's coined term, "modern mundanity" is still a problem for players. This year, we've had multiple <em>Universes Beyond</em> sets release, the most recent being <em>Marvel's Spider-Man</em>. <em>Spider-Man</em>'s reception at this time is not stellar. One Reddit thread stated that for their store, the set's Prerelease had the worst attendance they had in recent years, beating out <em>Murders at Karlov Manor</em>. </p>
<blockquote class="reddit-embed-bq" style="height:316px" ><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/1nm5qt3/spiderman_was_our_lowest_prerelease_attendance/">Spider-Man was our lowest Pre-Release attendance ever</a><br /> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Any-Conversation1401/">u/Any-Conversation1401</a> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/">magicTCG</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://embed.reddit.com/widgets.js" charset="UTF-8"></script> By contrast, <em>Final Fantasy</em> sold even better than <em>Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth</em> before the Square Enix collaboration even came out. I'd posit that this stark contrast isn't just about <em>Universes Beyond</em>, as players seem to say and believe. Rather, it's also largely about the lesson that <em>Magic</em> still hasn't quite learned from <em>Duskmourn: House of Horror</em>. Modern mundanity is something that players see as having no place in <em>Magic</em>. Believe it or not, fantasy sells a game rooted in the fantasy genre. Even the science fiction sets do pretty well, looking at <em>Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty</em> and even <em>Edge of Eternities</em>. It's when <em>Magic</em> drops a certain amount of fantastical escapism that it begins to suffer somewhat. Getting back to <em>Duskmourn</em>, people complained a ton about the '80s-chic high school-grade outfits that so many background characters had. It was in huge contrast to the key players in the story: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaito, Bane of Nightmares" href="#" target="_blank">Kaito</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, The <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Wandering Rescuer" href="#" target="_blank">Wanderer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tyvar, the Pummeler" href="#" target="_blank">Tyvar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niko, Light of Hope" href="#" target="_blank">Niko</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zimone, All-Questioning" href="#" target="_blank">Zimone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Wandering Rescuer Kaito, Bane of Nightmares Tyvar, the Pummeler"></div></div> </p>
<h3>Ah, Some Light in the Dark... *Click* Maybe Turn That Off Again?</h3>
<p> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valgavoth, Terror Eater" href="#" target="_blank">Valgavoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, oh <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Valgavoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Let's take a moment to discuss this insanely terrifying Elder Demon. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Valgavoth, Terror Eater Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls"></div></div> His presence in the <em>Duskmourn</em> story made it so much better than many would expect. Uncharacteristically for the majority of other <em>Magic</em> stories, Valgavoth's presence was horrific because he was everywhere and nowhere all at once. We hardly saw much of this monstrous character until the end of the story, but his existence as not just in The House but <em>as The House itself</em> was felt. Valgavoth is <em>Duskmourn</em>, and <em>Duskmourn</em> is Valgavoth. This was so important when looking at the storyline beats. It simply bears mention, because to neglect Valgavoth is to feed the dread he inspires. </p>
<h2>EDHREC Statistics</h2>
<p> So, this article also merits some stats. Here are the top five commanders from <em>Duskmourn: House of Horror</em>, as well as the top five commanders from its Commander decks. </p>
<h3>Top Five <em>Duskmourn: House of Horror</em> Main Set Commanders</h3>
<p> At #5, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kona, Rescue Beastie" href="#" target="_blank">Kona, Rescue Beastie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Kona is a mono-green creature with a strong ability that, at least when the set was spoiled, I didn't have much faith in. Nonetheless, <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/kona-rescue-beastie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kona currently ranks at #254 on the site</a> with 7,060 decks at the time of writing. For #4, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Mindskinner" href="#" target="_blank">The Mindskinner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This mono-blue enchantment creature is a dedicated Mill commander by all respects. And it's still surprising to me that the card is so popular as a commander, especially considering its archetype. With <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/the-mindskinner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">8,014 decks on EDHREC</a>, The Mindskinner ranks at #202 on the site, just shy of the Top 200. #3 on this list is a dear favorite of mine: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Jolly Balloon Man" href="#" target="_blank">The Jolly Balloon Man</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I wrote a deck tech on The Jolly Balloon Man very early on in my time with <a href="https://commandersherald.com/the-jolly-balloon-man-a-commander-deck-tech/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Commander's Herald</a>, which at the time was one of our sibling sites. So, you can understand why this creep was one of my personal faves. And I suppose the idea stuck well, because he currently boasts a formidable <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/the-jolly-balloon-man" target="_blank" rel="noopener">8,177 decks on EDHREC, ranking at #194</a> among the most popular commanders on the site. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kona, Rescue Beastie The Jolly Balloon Man The Mindskinner"></div></div> #2 is the very person who made the mistake of releasing Valgavoth into The House: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marina Vendrell" href="#" target="_blank">Marina Vendrell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Marina is a commander who deals with one of the set's most memorable gimmicks: Rooms. In essence, Marina can do a lot to make this concept work exceptionally well. And while I'm the only person I know who has a Jolly Balloon Man deck, I've faced quite a few Marina Vendrell builds. She ranks at <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/marina-vendrell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#146 on EDHREC with 9,819 decks built</a>. Frankly, I can't wait till she breaks 10k! And finally, at #1 for main set commanders in <em>Duskmourn</em>, we have a pint-sized powerhouse that I <em>never</em> expected to see on the top ten, let alone at #1. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arabella, Abandoned Doll" href="#" target="_blank">Arabella, Abandoned Doll</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a truly strong herald of the meek. As an uncommon card and one that's deceptive in its power, I was surprised to see Arabella on this list at all. But lo and behold, <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/marina-vendrell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arabella has 13,967 decks on EDHREC</a> at the time of writing, and is ranked well within the top 100 most popular commanders on the site at a mighty #76. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Marina Vendrell Arabella, Abandoned Doll"></div></div> </p>
<h3>Top Five Commanders From the <em>Duskmourn</em> Precons</h3>
<p> The top five most popular commanders from the precons of this set are as follows: #5 on this list is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Master of Keys" href="#" target="_blank">The Master of Keys</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a commander whose deck I've faced maybe all of one time. This release was just full of surprises, huh? The Master of Keys is used primarily as an enchantment-centric control commander. With <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/the-master-of-keys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5,734 decks and a ranking of #346 on EDHREC</a>, The Master of Keys doesn't have a ton of popularity, but it can still hold its own against a lot of other legendary creatures on the list. On the list at #4 is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rendmaw, Creaking Nest" href="#" target="_blank">Rendmaw, Creaking Nest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Rendmaw is a commander whose deck I've faced a handful of times and had a great, really fun match every time. This Scarecrow facilitates a fair few huggy, political builds which is <em>interesting</em> for its black-green color identity. Rendmaw boasts <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/rendmaw-creaking-nest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">8,221 decks on EDHREC and is ranked at #192</a> on here. #3 on our list is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zimone, Mystery Unraveler" href="#" target="_blank">Zimone, Mystery Unraveler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Perhaps made popular by initial games among the four <em>Duskmourn</em> precons, Zimone dominated many tables using that exact table setup. One particular game I enjoyed where Zimone had a great showing was one where Ify Nwadiwe of Dropout and Smosh fame piloted her on Commander At Home. You can find that video below. All the other preconstructed decks from the set also showcase their assets amazingly in it as well: <iframe loading="lazy" title="Commander at Home #44 - Duskmourn Commander Deck Preview with Ify Nwadiwe and Ashlen Rose" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eQY54Y0ftt4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> Zimone, Mystery Unraveler has a fantastic ranking of <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/zimone-mystery-unraveler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#127 on EDHREC, with 10,550 decks</a> at the time of writing. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Master of Keys Zimone, Mystery Unraveler Rendmaw, Creaking Nest"></div></div> At #2 on this list is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aminatou, Veil Piercer" href="#" target="_blank">Aminatou, Veil Piercer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. A dedicated Enchantress commander, the designers of her preconstructed deck leaned heavily into the miracle route. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aminatou, the Fateshifter" href="#" target="_blank">Aminatou, the Fateshifter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was popular enough in <em>Commander 2018</em> that it must have rubbed off onto the design here. Due to powerful synergies and a great toolkit in the form of her precon, Aminatou, Veil Piercer <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/aminatou-veil-piercer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ranks at #96 with 12,270 decks on EDHREC</a> right now. And finally, the #1 most popular commander from the <em>Duskmourn</em> precons is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The House may not <em>always</em> win, but it wins a <em>lot</em>. That obviously includes here in the rankings. Valgavoth is the commander of a Group Slug-style build most of the time, hurting opponents where it hurts them the most, and sometimes in equal or equitable measure. Valgavoth has even infiltrated the Top 50! With <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/valgavoth-harrower-of-souls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a rank of #38 and 18,152 decks databased on EDHREC</a>, he's one of the fiercest and most formidable commanders of this day and age. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aminatou, Veil Piercer Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls"></div></div> </p>
<h2>Conclusion, and an Open Call for Opinions</h2>
<p> I liked <em>Duskmourn</em> a whole lot more than I did <em>Bloomburrow</em>. I will admit openly that I can be edgy in my interests, but there's definitely a limit. I'm a huge fan of horror in theory, but, perhaps oddly, not in practice. I used to be a haunt actor and designer years ago, and that is maybe the big exception for me, but I can't stomach some horror styles. But haunted houses are my bread and butter, so <em>Duskmourn</em> was too, in essence. But let's hear from some of you, dear readers! What did you think about <em>Duskmourn: House of Horror</em> a year ago, and has that opinion changed? Do you like it more than you did before? Do you like it less? How has this set aged for you? Sound off in the comments below!</p>


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