Innistrad

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For other uses, see Innistrad (disambiguation).
Innistrad
[[File:{{#setmainimage:ISD logo.jpg}}|250px]]
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description Two outward-facing, overlapping, stylized herons
Design Mark Rosewater (lead),
Richard Garfield,
Jenna Helland,
Graeme Hopkins,
Tom LaPille
Development Erik Lauer (lead),
Mark Gottlieb,
David Humpherys,
Tom LaPille ,
Adam Lee,
Kenneth Nagle
Art direction Jeremy Jarvis
Release date September 30, 2011
Plane Innistrad
Themes and mechanics Double-faced cards,
Curse,
"Graveyard matters",
"Human matters"
Keywords/​ability words Flashback,
Transform,
Fight,
Morbid
Set size 264
(15 basic lands, 107 commons, 67 uncommons, 59 rares, 16 mythic rares)
Expansion code ISD[2]
Development codename Shake
Innistrad block
[[Innistrad]] [[Dark Ascension]] [[Avacyn Restored]]
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
[[Duel Decks: Ajani vs. Nicol Bolas]] Innistrad [[Premium Deck Series: Graveborn]]

Innistrad is the first set in the Innistrad block. It is the 56th Magic expansion and was released on September 30, 2011.

Set details

Innistrad is a top-down-designed Magic set, [3] [4] meaning that it was designed and developed with flavor in mind first, "molding mechanics to fit the concept". [5] The expansion symbol of the set is a depiction of two outward-facing, overlapping, stylized herons. [6]

Innistrad has a gothic horror theme and makes use of horror tropes. It is the first set to thematically take place on the plane of Innistrad. The set features graveyard [7] and tribal mechanics, with the five main tribes each being split over an allied color pair. [8] [9] 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. In each of these pairs, the second color is considered the primary. There are also slight thematic differences between the tribes depending on the color, such as blue zombies being abominations of science in the vein of Frankenstein's Monster, while black Zombies are shambling corpses reanimated by magical spells.

Innistrad contains 264 cards (15 basic lands, 107 commons, 67 uncommons, 59 rares, 16 mythic rares), including randomly inserted premium versions of all cards in the set. [10] This is 15 more cards than any large expansion in recent history had. Innistrad also features a number of double-faced cards which have a card frame printed on each side, and a checklist card used to prevent decks from becoming marked by containing them. The checklist card replaces the basic land in three of every four boosters. Due to basic lands becoming more rare, Innistrad only contains three basic land artworks rather than the usual four, further enlarging the number of functionally different cards.[11]

Additionally, double-faced cards are on a different print run than regular cards, and every booster pack has a double-faced card. This means that boosters can have two (mythic) rares without either being foil. [12]

Innistrad featured the last Magic Invitational card: Snapcaster Mage, created by Tiago Chan. [13]

Flavor

“  Horror Lurks Within  ”

Innistrad is a plane of menace and dread where every creature hides a darker aspect. Here, hedonistic vampires stalk the shadows to quench their thirst, and the full moon can transform a simple villager into a savage werewolf. [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

Main article: Innistrad (plane)

Marketing

Innistrad 6-card booster

Innistrad was sold in 16-card boosters, 6-card boosters, five intro packs, two event decks and a fat pack [22]. The 16-card boosters featured artwork from Liliana of the Veil, Garruk Relentless, Terror of Kruin Pass, Olivia Voldaren and Bloodgift Demon. [23] The small booster featured artwork from Grimgrin, Corpse-Born.

Innistrad was introduced by way of an Alternate Reality Game (ARG), in which bits of story were leaked in the form of various letters, journal entries and other in-world correspondences.[24][25] The prerelease of the set was September 24–25, 2011 [26], the launch party on September 30–October 3, 2011, the magic online release was October 17, 2011 and the Game Day was October 29-30, 2011. The promotional card given to participants at the Prerelease tournaments was the double faced Mayor of Avabruck / Howlpack Alpha. [27] The launch party promotional card was Ludevic's Test Subject / Ludevic's Abomination [28], and the Magic Game Day promotional card was a full-art Diregraf Ghoul (top-8 participants received a full-art foil Elite Inquisitor). [29] The Buy-a-Box card was Devil's Play. [27]

Regular boosters of Innistrad come with a bonus sixteenth card that is either a checklist card, a creature token or rules card with an advertisement on the reverse side.

Tokens

The Innistrad tokens in numerical order are: [30]

Themes and mechanics

Day (front)-side Delver of Secrets and its night (back)-side, Insectile Aberration

Innistrad is the first set to have cards with different card backs. These cards have two card faces on each side, and are used for the transformation mechanic, changing creatures into different creatures and back by turning the card over. [31] [32] When playing with double-faced cards, players may use a checklist which has a regular card back and the player marks on the card which double-faced card the checklist card is supposed to represent. Whenever the card is in a public zone, the checklist card is replaced with the double-faced card. Playing with only the double-faced card is also allowed if the player is playing with opaque sleeves. [33]

Checklist card
Curse of Death's Hold, a card with the subtype Curse.

The transformation mechanic simply consists of the word "transform" written on the card in a sentence, similar to sacrifice, counter, or flip. The mechanic also introduces new symbols representing a sun and a moon which appear to the left of a card name similar to the tombstone icon marking graveyard-based mechanics in Odyssey block. The symbols specifically indicate the creature before transformation (day) or after transformation (night). Transforming creatures always enter the battlefield as they are before transformation, and once transformed not all creatures can transform back. During transformations, Auras, Equipment, and Counters stay on the creature.

Innistrad also introduces a new subtype for Enchantments named "Curse", which are simply Auras which enchant players and have a detrimental effect. The set is partially graveyard-based and features the return of flashback which originated in Odyssey and was reprinted during Time Spiral block. It also introduces the keyword action Fight, which represents the ability of Arena or Tahngarth, Talruum Hero. Two creatures that fight deal damage equal to their power to each other. Innistrad also features the new ability word Morbid in which creatures get benefits if another creature died the turn they entered the battlefield. [34] [35]

The set makes use of tribal mechanics, with Vampires, Zombies, Werewolves, Spirits and Humans giving bonuses to each other and have abilities that work against other tribes. A small theme of using +1/+1 counters is also used in the set, particularly with Vampires growing stronger by dealing damage.

Liliana Vess returned as a new card named Liliana of the Veil. Garruk Wildspeaker also returned on a new card, named Garruk Relentless. Garruk Relentless is a double-faced card and the first Planeswalker card with five loyalty abilities. It is also the first Planeswalker card with a continuous triggered ability and the first green-black Planeswalker. [36]

References to the number 13 are sprinkled throughout Innistrad cards.

Creature types

No novel creature types were introduced in this expansion.

Cycles

Innistrad has five cycles:

Vertical cycles

Innistrad has two vertical cycles:

Reprinted cards

Functional reprints

Colorshifted

Card comparisons

Main article: Innistrad/Card comparisons

Notable cards

See also: Innistrad/Trivia.
  • Delver of Secrets (along with its back face, Insectile Aberration), sometimes called a "blue Nacatl", is arguably the most effective cheap threat in its color (although it was not seen that way either in design or upon its release), widely played in aggro-control tempo decks across all constructed formats.
  • Snapcaster Mage is the Magic Invitational prize card Tiago Chan made and finally collected after four years of development. It would be the last Invitational card released. Snapcaster Mage was a defining card in Standard, and has had a significant impact in Modern and Legacy as well for its ability to grant flashback to some of the most powerful cards in Magic's history.
  • Geist of Saint Traft is a powerful early-game rush card, given that it's hexproof and can effectively deal 6 damage on turn 4. It is often used alongside Delver of Secrets for tempo.
  • Olivia Voldaren is very reminiscent of Memnarch, being able to turn enemy creatures into vampires then gaining control of them just as Memnarch could turn creatures into artifacts and control them. Olivia, however, can only target creatures, but can power herself up this way in exchange for not being as permanent or flexible as Memnarch.
  • Liliana of the Veil became one of the most powerful planeswalkers ever printed, second only to the infamous Jace, the Mind Sculptor. It is a Modern staple, especially in Jund and Grixis, and in BUG decks in Legacy.
  • Intangible Virtue became part of a very powerful Tokens deck in Standard when combined with Lingering Souls from Dark Ascension. Both cards were later banned in Innistrad block constructed, and are part of the Modern BW Tokens deck, along with Morningtide's Bitterblossom.
  • Diregraf Ghoul follows a long tradition of 2/2 Zombies for {B} which includes Sarcomancy, Carnophage and Accursed Centaur. The first two cards saw widespread tournament play in Suicide Black decks.
  • Laboratory Maniac is an alternate-win card.

Preconstructed decks

Intro decks

Main article: Innistrad/Intro packs

Innistrad has four bicolored theme decks.[39]

Intro pack name Colors Included Foil rare
{W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Spectral Legions W U Angel of Flight Alabaster
Eldritch Onslaught U R Sturmgeist
Deathly Dominion B G Skirsdag High Priest
Carnival of Blood B R Falkenrath Marauders
Repel the Dark W G Elder of Laurels

Event decks

Main article: Innistrad/Event decks

Innistrad has two Event decks.[40]

Event
deck name 		Colors Included
{W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Deathfed U B G
Hold the Line W

References

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External links

Innistrad block
Shadows over Innistrad block
Innistrad 2021
Supplemental
Innistrad storyline
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Locations
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Affiliations
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