Top 5 Cards in MTG Duskmourn: House of Horror

The newest Magic: The Gathering set, Duskmourn: House of Horror, is packed with remarkable cards that will surely impact gameplay. With a powerful card pool and a nostalgic 80s/90s horror theme, this set has certainly left its mark. Many cards nearly made our top selections, such as Screaming Nemesis, a fantastic card that can effectively halt lifegain strategies in their tracks.

As an avid fan, I particularly appreciate Valgavoth, Terror Eater for its synergy in creature reanimation decks. MTG Duskmourn offers an abundance of exceptional cards, but below are our top picks that could potentially wreak havoc in various formats. Whether you’re in Commander or Standard, these cards have significant potential.

The Best Cards in MTG Duskmourn: House of Horror

1) Demonic Counsel

An adjustable Tutor card? We love that around here (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Demonic Counsel, a two-mana spell, is set to become a hit in Commander and Standard alike. It allows you to fetch a Demon from your deck. Yet, when you trigger its Delirium ability, you can retrieve any card instead. Although achieving four different card types in your graveyard may seem daunting, it’s a straightforward task with a reanimation or self-mill strategy.

With this flexibility, you can fetch the key card you need for counterplay or set up a significant move. Alternatively, you could simply use it to pull a demon from your deck, like Rakdos, the Muscle if you fancy a particular flavor of Rakdos in Commander.

2) Abhorrent Oculus

What an unsettling eye... but so powerful (Image via Wizards of the Coast) — What an unsettling eye… but so powerful (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Would you like to start putting threats on the battlefield during your opponent’s turn? The only drawback of Abhorrent Oculus is that you must exile six cards from your graveyard to cast it. However, if you Manifest it instead, you’ll deploy a 5/5 Eye creature that allows you to manifest Dread during your opponent’s upkeep.

For those unfamiliar, Manifest Dread lets you reveal the top two cards of your deck, placing one face-down as a 2/2 creature while the other goes to the graveyard. If the card you manifest is a creature, you can flip it at any time by paying its mana cost, making it possible to sneak powerful creatures, perhaps even an Eldrazi from Modern Horizons 3, into play.

3) Leyline of Resonance

Want those instants to have just a bit more bang for your buck? (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Ah, Leylines—both a source of frustration and a favorite among MTG enthusiasts. If you pull one in your starting hand, you can play it on Turn 0, instantly influencing the game. This card amplifies fast decks, such as Red Deck Wins or Spell Decks, significantly.

This enchantment allows you to copy spells whenever you cast an instant or sorcery that targets a single creature you control, and you can choose new targets if you wish. Combine it with a card like Slickshot Show-off, and you’ll rapidly accelerate toward victory. Truly, an incredible Leyline!

4) Dollmaker’s Shop // Porcelain Gallery

Token creature decks are going to adore Porcelain Gallery (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

MTG Duskmourn introduces a new category of enchantments—Room Enchantments. These cards are split into two parts, allowing you to cast either side first. One option is to play Dollmaker’s Shop, which generates a 1/1 white Toy artifact creature token whenever you attack with non-Toy creatures.

Then, after a couple of turns, you can cast Porcelain Gallery, which grants your creatures base power and toughness equal to the total number of creatures you control. Planning to create an overpowering token creature deck? This is your essential game-winning card.

5) Tyvar, the Pummeler

Tyvar yet again has an amazing, useful card (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

While Elfball decks have consistently been formidable, Tyvar, the Pummeler from MTG Duskmourn brings modern enhancements to these strategies. This 3/3 creature for three mana provides utility by allowing you to tap an untapped creature to grant Tyvar indestructible for the turn, requiring you to tap Tyvar simultaneously. Fortunately, this action is likely only necessary during attack or defense.

However, his most notable ability lets you pay five mana to give all your creatures +X/+X, with X being the highest power among your creatures. While this typically results in a minimum of +3/+3 for an Elf deck, it has the potential to get even crazier. Tyvar could easily shine as a fun commander or a crucial addition to your Commander deck.

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