Eldritch Moon

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Eldritch Moon
 
 
 
Eldritch Moon
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Eldritch Moon.png‎}}|250px]]
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description Emrakul, or Liliana's headpiece
Design Ken Nagle (lead)
Mark Rosewater
Shawn Main
Ben Hayes
Bryan Hawley
Kelly Digges
Development Sam Stoddard (lead)
Dave Humpherys
Jackie Lee
Bryan Hawley
Melissa DeTora
with contributions from Matt Tabak
Art direction Jeremy Jarvis
Release date July 22, 2016
Plane Innistrad
Themes and mechanics Double-faced cards, Graveyard matters
Keywords/​ability words Delirium, Emerge, Escalate, Madness, Meld, Protection, Transform
Set size 205 cards
(74 commons, 70 uncommons, 47 rares, 14 mythic rares)
Expansion code EMN[1]
Development codename Fears
Shadows over Innistrad block
Shadows over Innistrad Eldritch Moon N/A
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Eternal Masters Eldritch Moon From the Vault: Lore

Eldritch Moon is the 71st Magic expansion, and the second in the Shadows over Innistrad block. It was released on July 22, 2016,[2] and is a small expansion.

Set details

“  Take On the Darkness  ”

Eldritch Moon continues where Shadows over Innistrad left off. It expands its horror theme into Lovecraftian Cosmic Horror. The expansion symbol of the set is a stylized silhouette of Emrakul but also resembles Liliana's headdress. The set contains 205 cards (74 commons, 70 uncommons, 47 rares, 14 mythic rares), including 15 double-faced cards, 6 meld cards (3 pairs), and randomly inserted premium versions of all cards.[3] A checklist card replaces the basic land in some boosters.

The set is peculiar in its distribution of colors due to a Green bias in the multicolored rares and Emerge and Meld being colorless cards with a color identity. Counting cards by their casting cost gives a wildly varying number of cards per color, with white having the most cards (36) followed by Red (35), Black (34), Blue (32), and Green (31). When counting in color identity, the totals even out more: White, Blue, and Black have 39 cards each that can be cast using those colors, while Red and Green have 38 each.

Storyline

With the death of Avacyn, the last protections over Innistrad have faded. Nahiri has summoned Emrakul to the plane, to take revenge on Sorin Markov. The Titan of Corruption and Warper of Biology twists all things living, be it plants, animals, or sentient beings, into Eldrazi Horrors. Mutations frequently gain Emrakul's fibrous lattice motif, often including tentacles, extra eyes and limbs, and her bizarre colorations. The mutations include five increasing levels of corruption: distorted, disfigured, deformed, misshapen, and monstrous. Some of the affected creatures meld together into new organisms. The few unaffected survivors, humans, and native monsters alike fight a losing battle against their mentally and physically twisted former peers. Now Innistrad's fate rests in the hands of unlikely allies: Jace Beleren brings the Gatewatch, and Liliana Vess brings hordes of undead immune to Emrakul's influence.

The cards that represent the pivotal moments in the storyline are Coax from the Blind Eternities, Campaign of Vengeance, Nahiri's Wrath, Emrakul's Influence, Dark Salvation and Imprisoned in the Moon.

Magic Story

Main article: Magic Story
Title Author Release Date Setting (plane) Featuring
The Archmage of Goldnight Kimberly J. Kreines 2016-06-08 Innistrad Arlinn Kord, Reeves, Rembert, Leighton, Freydalia, Olaylie
Stone and Blood Kelly Digges 2016-06-15 Innistrad Nahiri, Sorin Markov, Avacyn, Tenri, Erem, Ulamog
Emrakul Rises Kimberly J. Kreines 2016-06-22 Innistrad Nahiri, Emrakul, Maeli, Sadie, Edith, Halana, Alena, Kolman, Bruna, Gisela, Brisela, Jace Beleren, Tamiyo, Chandra, Gideon
Innistrad's Last Hope Doug Beyer 2016-06-29 Innistrad Liliana Vess, Gared, Dierk, Sorin Markov, Olivia Voldaren, Emrakul
Campaign of Vengeance Ari Levitch 2016-07-06 Innistrad Nahiri, Sorin Markov, Olivia Voldaren, Emrakul
Saint Traft and Flight of Nightmares James Wyatt 2016-07-13 Innistrad Thalia, Grete, Halmig, Odric, Seeta, Rem Karolus, Jedda, Dennias, Mathan, Traft, Olivia Voldaren, Brisela, Sigarda, Emrakul
Battle of Thraben Nik Davidson 2016-07-20 Innistrad The Gatewatch, Liliana Vess, Gared, Emrakul
The Promised End Ken Troop 2016-07-27 Innistrad Liliana Vess, the Gatewatch, Tamiyo, Emrakul, Raven Man, Erebos

Marketing

Checklist card

Eldritch Moon is sold in 16-card boosters (one card being a marketing card), five intro packs, and a fat pack. It is the last to feature intro packs, which will be replaced by Planeswalker decks in the next expansion.[4] The fat pack is the last to be marketed as such (to be replaced by bundle). The boosters feature artwork from the cards Lunar Force and Smoldering Werewolf, and non-card artwork of Liliana.

Prerelease

Prerelease Events took place on July 16–17, 2016.[5]

Promotional cards

Tokens and emblems

Eldritch Moon features 8 tokens and 2 emblems.[7]

  1. {C} 3/2 Eldrazi Horror for Desperate Sentry, Extricator of Flesh, Extricator of Sin, Enlightened Maniac, Emrakul's Evangel, Foul Emissary, Hanweir, the Writhing Township, Howling Chorus, Otherworldly Outburst and Wharf Infiltrator
  2. {U} 1/1 Human Wizard for Docent of Perfection and Final Iteration
  3. {B} 2/2 Zombie for Cryptbreaker, Dark Salvation, Graf Harvest, Liliana, the Last Hope, Noosegraf Mob, and Oath of Liliana
  4. {B} 2/2 Zombie
  5. {B} 2/2 Zombie
  6. {B} */* Zombie for Soul Separator
  7. {R} 1/1 Human for Hanweir Garrison
  8. {G} 1/2 Spider with reach for Ishkanah, Grafwidow
  9. Emblem for Liliana, the Last Hope
  10. Emblem for Tamiyo, Field Researcher

Tokens from Shadows over Innistrad, named on Eldritch Moon cards:

  1. {W} 1/1 Human Soldier for Thraben Standard Bearer
  2. {W} 1/1 Spirit with flying for Sanctifier of Souls and Spectral Reserves
  3. {R} 1/1 Devil with “When this creature dies, it deals 1 damage to target creature or player.” for Make Mischief
  4. {G} 1/1 Insect for It of the Horrid Swarm
  5. {G} 2/2 Wolf for Wolfkin Bond

Themes and mechanics

Two cards melded into Hanweir, the Writhing Township

Madness, Transform, Skulk, and Delirium are carried over from the previous set. Creatures that transform into colorless Eldrazi have an {dfc-fullmoon} indicator for the front side and an {dfc-emrakul} indicator for the back side, showing this creature has joined Emrakul's brood.[8] This symbolizes one transformation step further from that shown in Innistrad, Dark Ascension, and Shadows over Innistrad, where cards transformed from {dfc-sun} on their front sides to {dfc-moon} on their back sides.

There are three new named mechanics:[9][10]

  • Meld, a keyword action that changes the card with meld and a specific other card into one oversized card. That single card only exists on the backs of the two other cards. Whenever the melded card leaves the battlefield, both cards go, and they each turn front face up again.[11]
  • Emerge [cost] (You may cast this spell by sacrificing a creature and paying the emerge cost reduced by that creature's converted mana cost).[12]
  • Escalate, a keyword ability appearing on modal instants and sorceries. By paying the escalate cost, additional modes may be chosen.[13]

Card types

Cycles

Eldritch Moon has two cycles:

Cycle name {W}{U} {U}{B} {B}{R} {R}{G} {G}{W}
Allied colored rares and Mythics Spell Queller Gisa and Geralf Bloodhall Priest Ulrich of the Krallenhorde // Ulrich, Uncontested Alpha Heron's Grace Champion
Five creatures with casting cost including an allied color pair.
Cycle name {W}{B} {U}{R} {B}{G} {R}{W} {G}{U}
Enemy colored uncommons Campaign of Vengeance Mercurial Geists Mournwillow Ride Down Lashweed Lurker
Five uncommon cards that can be cast using the mana of an enemy pair.

Mega-Mega cycles

Eldritch Moon completes three mega-mega cycles:

Horizontal cycles

Cycle name {W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Oaths Oath of Gideon (Oath of the Gatewatch) Oath of Jace (Oath of the Gatewatch) Oath of Liliana (Eldritch Moon) Oath of Chandra (Oath of the Gatewatch) Oath of Nissa (Oath of the Gatewatch)
Oath of Liliana completes the mega-mega cycle of single colored Oaths started in Oath of the Gatewatch and signifies that she joined the Gatewatch.

3-Card cycles

Cycle name
Eldrazi Titans Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger (Battle for Zendikar) Kozilek, the Great Distortion (Oath of the Gatewatch) Emrakul, the Promised End (Eldritch Moon)
Emrakul, the Promised End completes the Eldrazi Titan triplet started in Battle for Zendikar.
Cycle name
Delver Iterations Delver of Secrets // Insectile Aberration (Innistrad) Aberrant Researcher // Perfected Form (Shadows over Innistrad) Docent of Perfection // Final Iteration (Eldritch Moon)
The rare double-faced card Docent of Perfection/Final Iteration completes a vertical cycle.

Escalation cycles

The Escalate keyword exists on Mardu colored modal spells, resulting in three partial cycles, two triplets, and a pair:

Cycle name {R} {W} {B}
Alliance Instants Savage Alliance Blessed Alliance
These two uncommon instants use "Alliance" as part of their title.
Borrowed Instants Borrowed Hostility Borrowed Grace Borrowed Malevolence
These three common instants use "Borrowed" as part of their title.
Collective Sorceries Collective Defiance Collective Effort Collective Brutality
These three rare sorceries use "Collective" as part of their title.

Pairs

Eldritch Moon has one mirrored pair and three meld pairs:

Mirrored Pairs

Mirrored Pairs Description
Faithbearer Paladin
({W})
Markov Crusader
({B})
Two knights have both a converted mana cost of 5 and lifelink and mirrored power and toughness. The pictures are similar as well, however, the black card is uncommon whereas the white card is common, because of a bonus ability with vampires.

Meld Pairs

Meld Pairs Description
Bruna, the Fading Light
({W})
Gisela, the Broken Blade
({W})
Brisela, Voice of Nightmares
— Two angelic protectors corrupted.
Graf Rats
({B})
Midnight Scavengers
({B})
Chittering Host
— Humans and rats become a new horrific creature.
Hanweir Battlements
({C})
Hanweir Garrison
({R})
Hanweir, the Writhing Township
— Citizens oozing into their beloved town.

Reprinted cards

Common to Uncommon

Functional reprints

Colorshifted

Card comparisons

Notable cards

Banned and restricted

Preconstructed decks

Eldritch Moon has five intro packs:

Intro pack name Colors Included Foil rare
{W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Unlikely Alliances W B Sanctifier of Souls
Dangerous Knowledge U R Niblis of Frost
Shallow Graves U B Noosegraf Mob
Untamed Wild R G Assembled Alphas
Weapons and Wards W G Ulvenwald Observer

References

  1. Product information
  2. Wizards of the Coast (February 8, 2016). "Announcing Eldritch Moon". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. Wizards of the Coast (July 8, 2016). "Eldritch Moon Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. Blake Rasmussen (June 28, 2016). "Eldritch Moon Intro Pack Rares". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. Gavin Verhey (July 11, 2016). "Eldritch Moon Prerelease Primer". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. Wizards of the Coast (June 20, 2016). "Eldritch Moon Prerelease Kit Contents". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. a b Blake Rasmussen (July 7, 2016). "Eldritch Moon Tokens and Promo Cards". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. Ken Nagle (June 28, 2016). "A Summary of Two Fears". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. Matt Tabak (June 27, 2016). "Eldritch Moon Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. Mark Rosewater (July 4, 2016). "Over the Moon, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. Mark Rosewater (June 27, 2016). "Over the Moon, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  12. Sam Stoddard (July 15, 2016). "A Little Change Will Do You Good". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  13. Sam Stoddard (July 1, 2016). "Developing Eldritch Moon". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  14. Mark Rosewater (August 10, 2016). "What is going on in the art of "Grapple With the Past?"". Blogatog. Tumblr.

External links