Amityville
With less than two months between set releases, we venture away from the cute and cuddly into the realms of dread. Duskmourn: House of Horror is a celebration of all things that instill fear and wish you ill will. Delivering 276 cards in the main set, along with a variety of alternative art options and product-specific cards, there is plenty to explore. While the sheer volume of cards can seem overwhelming, I’ve found it relatively easy to navigate so far. Most of the fun treatments are still tied up in Collector Boosters or available through bundles.
Currently, many cards are still fluctuating in value as the set is in its pre-release season. From the main sets, the Overlord and Enduring cycles both strike me as versatile cards that will see some amount of play as they provide strong recurring effects. Outside of the above cycles, many more cards are beginning to break through above the rest.
Horror in Style
Looking at the Special Guests slot for this set, we have 10 familiar reimaginings of popular cards. While this selection falls slightly short in value compared to some previous lists, two cards hit the mark. First up is Damnation (Borderless). Having lost its staple status long since its first printing in 2007, Damnation has recently experienced a small resurgence of interest. With its fourth reprint since 2022, the card's market price has seen a general decline, comfortably residing around the $20 mark. Based on the price trends of other Special Guests cards from recent sets, I expect this variant to settle between $25-27, before gradually climbing up in price.
Second is Expropriate (Borderless), which, despite providing a decent price point, hasn’t seen play across multiple formats. This marks its third reprinting, however, it's unlikely to reverse the downward trend the card has experienced over the past month. Expropriate is decreasing in price at a rate that is rare for other cards with a similar number of reprints and age. While the Special Guests listing will initially garner a higher price compared to the original, it won't maintain that value for long post-release.
In addition to the cards, Duskmourn also offers Nightmare Bundles, which come with a selection of card promos. Each bundle includes one of three borderless promos and one of three movie-poster treatments. The borderless promos present a strong artistic appeal but lack substantial value. On the other hand, the movie-poster styles contain the more price-orientated cards. Goryo's Vengeance (Showcase) and Archon of Cruelty (Showcase) are both currently utilized in several decks. Goryo's Vengeance is seeing solid play in Modern Reanimator decks, as evidenced by its recent price resurgence from $14 to $21 over the past year. Meanwhile, Archon of Cruelty is gaining popularity in Legacy, with occasional showings in Vintage and Modern. Despite a more modest average price of $5 and trending downward, the alternative art version is poised to be a sought-after variant for collectors and players willing to splash out.
Even though this bundle reminds me of the All Will Be One Compleat Bundle, it won’t sell to the same extent. These Bundles should only remain readily available after release if there has been a purposeful stock shortage.
| Damnation (Borderless) | | |
| Expropriate (Borderless) | | |
| Goryo's Vengeance (Showcase) | | |
| Archon of Cruelty (Showcase) | | |
Nightmare Fuel
Meathook Massacre II, like many other sequels, fails to capture what made the original so iconic. While the card's name arguably carries significant weight, its overall impact feels niche and reserved. The doubling of its mana cost and changes to its functionality has made it less accessible for a wide range of decks. Over the years, the game has seen many cards in black with similarly demanding mana costs, though most, like Griselbrand, were creatures that could be reanimated. However, enchantment reanimation is far less popular and I don't see many formats where Meathook Massacre II’s effect would be desirable. As a result, the overall price will likely adjust rather quickly after release, dropping closer to $10 or less.
When it comes to board wipes, we’ve seen a wide variety of them over the years, from conditional clears to those that destroy permanents. Cards like Citywide Bust which focuses on large creatures, or Bontu's Last Reckoning, a Damnation with a downside, have added creativity to deck building. Now, with Split Up, we can selectively punish aggressive or defensive playstyles. As for its price trajectory, I expect it to bottom out shortly after release before bouncing back up towards $6-8. In the same manner that Sunfall had made a comeback due to the rise of control in Standard over the last few months, Split Up could serve as a good replacement.
Lastly, I’d like to highlight Hauntwoods Shrieker from the main set. After reviewing the card during previews and recently seeing some gameplay with it, I was reminded of a certain Pro Tour about nine years ago. Back then, Megamorph dominated Standard, with cards like Deathmist Raptor and Whisperwood Elemental making morph strategies essential. Now, with the introduction of Manifest Dread and Disguise from Murders at Karlov Manor, there is a large pool of cards waiting to be utilized. For now, I remain hopeful that Hauntwoods Shrieker won’t end up as a bulk mythic, but its fate hinges on its playability.
| Meathook Massacre II | | |
| Meathook Massacre II (Extended Art) | | |
| Meathook Massacre II (Showcase) | | |
| Split Up | | |
| Hauntwoods Shrieker | | |
| Hauntwoods Shrieker (Borderless) | | |
Maybe I’m the Archenemy
Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait is yet another Simic legend that fulfills its purpose quite well. Despite being a rather heavy mana investment, Aesi combines some of the best land-related advantages on a single body. Originally from Commander Legends and having dodged reprints until now, Aesi has acquired a considerable price of around $32. However, with the reprint in the Jump Scare! Commander deck, the price can be expected to decrease towards a more stable average. Early signs from the European market show that new printings are settling around €17.
Inkshield wasn't a card I expected to see reprinted so soon after the Secret Lair treatment, although it certainly fits nicely into the set. Over the past month, the card’s market price bottomed out before slowly climbing towards $16. With this additional printing, the price will likely plummet towards the $10 and under category. Similar to Heroic Intervention, Inkshield is primed to become a frequent inclusion in future Commander decks. For those holding onto copies from the original release or the Sheldon Secret Lair, now might be the time to cash out into the market.
Turning to new cards, Ancient Cellarspawn offers a fresh take on the value of how we cast spells. Methods of altering spell costs are deeply ingrained in the game, with examples ranging from Force of Will to mechanics like Affinity, Improvise, and Delve.
Now, with Ancient Cellarspawn, each of these small discounts translates into tangible changes in life totals, rewarding more constructive deck building. This card will fit into a wide range of Commander decks or as a great companion to Bolas's Citadel. However, its potential will be tested in Legacy, where efficiency is paramount.
Metamorphosis Fanatic is another hopeful addition to formats outside of Commander. Its utility in Legacy or Vintage remains to be seen, as those formats are packed with reanimation options. It’s also unclear if they’ll adjust to include the Fanatic in mainboard strategies. For now, Metamorphosis Fanatic’s price will ebb and flow before skyrocketing in demand. If you’re able to pick up copies at a reasonable price, it might be worth stocking up before others catch on.
| Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait | | |
| Inkshield | | |
| Ancient Cellarspawn | | |
| Ancient Cellarspawn (Extended Art) | | |
| Metamorphosis Fanatic | | |
| Metamorphosis Fanatic (Extended Art) | | |
From Dust to Dust
Duskmourn was, without a doubt, my most anticipated set of the year, largely due to its theme and implications. Now that it has been fully revealed, I find myself feeling somewhat disappointed by its execution, though I’m still eager to try out some of the cards mentioned above. While my speculations and predictions for their impact on various formats remain optimistic, I believe we haven’t yet seen the full extent of how many playables Duskmourn will offer. There are several cards from this set on the cusp of playability, but they seem to be missing that one element needed to truly tie them together.
Join me again next month as we dive into the secrecy of Mystery Booster 2.
Further Reading:
Cards Rising in the Post-Nadu Modern
How Has the Print Change for Secret Lair Affected Prices So Far?
