Gain an advantage over your opponent at Duskmourn: House of Horror Prerelease events with spooky Magic: The Gathering combat tricks. Combat tricks in MTG are spells you can cast at Instant speed, disrupting combat through either a buff to power or toughness, or by Flashing a creature into play.
Wizards of the Coast devs continued to expand upon staple spells through Duskmourn: House of Horrors, adding abilities that push combat trick power levels. Here are the best Duskmourn combat tricks for Draft and Sealed.
The best combat tricks for Duskmourn MTG Draft and Prerelease
Floodpits Drowner
Floodpits Drowner is what I like to call a defensive combat trick. The Merfolk can enter before combat to tap down a creature or during combat as a chump blocker. The activated ability is good for tempo.
Growing Dread
Much like Floodpits Drowner, Growing Dread is a defensive combat trick if you want to play it that way. And if your manifested dread creature survives, it will still have the counter on it when it flips face-up.
Horrid Vigor
Two mana for a combat trick is slightly pricey, but I like what Horrid Vigor has to offer in Green. Indestructible for two mana at Instant speed is a decent value. Add Deathtouch into the mix and your opponent is going to regret blocking.
Jump Scare
Jump Scare is a typical White combat trick for one-mana, granting a boost in stats and Flying. But the Instant stands apart from previous variations in that it becomes a Horror Enchantment creature in addition to its other types. This is huge in an enchantment-themed set like Duskmourn, potentially triggering Eerie and enabling other abilities.
Shardmage’s Rescue
I tend to stay away from Enchantment Auras, even if they are a one-drop. Sharmage’s Rescue is different, though, as it’s a protection spell for that turn and an Aura. The Enchantment will see plenty of Limited play and may even creep into Standard.
Turn Inside Out
Turn Inside Out looks like a staple Red combat trick that boosts power but not toughness. The Common has an alternate option too, if you should want your creature to die. Upon death that turn only, you can Manifest Dread, which is a big deal since the standard casting cost for the mechanic is two mana.
Untimely Malfunction
Untimely Malfunction is a modal two-drop Instant in Red. The most interesting mode is “change the target of target spell or ability with a single target.” It doesn’t come up often and I have no idea how good the Uncommon will be but it is a neat design addition and I’m excited to see how much Untimely Malfunction gets played.
Violent Urge
Violent Urge taps into the Delirium synergies in Duskmourn as a one-drop combat trick in Red. At face value, the Instant pumps power and grants First Strike. But with Delirium activated, the creature now gains Double Strike until the end of the turn.
All Duskmourn: House of Horrors combat tricks can get tested out when the MTG set drops for Prerelease weekend on Sept. 20. Prepare for the new set by checking out the best Rares in Duskmourn, and how Toy creatures rank.
