Another Magic: The Gathering set is releasing, and that means more powerful cards for Commander. Magic: The Gathering’s latest expansion is here with Duskmourn, an 80s-themed modern horror set.
Duskmourn: House of Horror has really upped its game in terms of Commander-quality cards. There are quite a few new and unique card effects, but the biggest pull here is strictly better card upgrades for already Commander-playable cards, such as the Enduring cycle.
In a typical set, we might overview ten or perhaps twenty playable Commander cards to consider upgrading to. In Duskmourn, we have a whopping 30 playable cards to consider!
Here are the 30 Best MTG Duskmourn Cards For Commander:
#1 Meathook Massacre II
Don’t bother counting the X in the mana cost here. You’re going to be casting Meathook Massacre II for four black mana. The ability we care about is the second one: “Whenever a creature you control dies, you may pay 3 life. If you do, return that card to the battlefield under your control with a finality counter on it.”
That’s right, for just 3 life we can keep returning creatures to play (although this only works once per creature thanks to the finality counter). This is a Athreos, God of Passage where you pay the life instead and get the creature guaranteed into play, rather than your hand. That’s a massive upgrade.
#2 The Rollercrusher Ride
For only three mana, The Rollercrusher Ride doubles your noncombat damage, which is a pretty huge deal for red decks. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s also a pretty solid boardwipe.
#3 Abhorrent Oculus
Everyone knows just how powerful creating a token on every players turn is, thanks to Tendershoot Dryad. Abhorrent Oculus brings the same type of effect for blue decks. Having to exile six cards from your graveyard, ideally by turn three, does take some effort. You’ll want to pair this with Thought Scour-type effects. It works great in reanimator builds.
#4 Entity Tracker
It’s Mesa Enchantress, but in Blue. For those enchantment decks not limited to Selesnya colors, this is a must-include. Having Flash is unnecessary, but steps it up an additional notch for blue players. It also cares about enchantments entering the battlefield rather than being cast, which means blink shenanigans or returning enchantments from your graveyard to play (think Replenish) are going to be impactful.
#5 Walk-In Closet // Forgotten Cellar
#6 Dollmaker’s Shop // Porcelain Gallery
For token and go-wide based decks, Porcelain Gallery offers a Craterhoof Behemoth-type of win condition. White token decks have long hated keeping track of plus-one counters with Cathars’ Crusade, and Porcelain Gallery gives players a new alternative.
#7 Enduring Curiosity
Enduring Curiosity is Coastal Piracy with the upside of having flash to surprise opponents and keep your mana open, as well as being a creature itself. That means this cat can also draw a card. That’s a solid combination of upgrades.
#8 Enduring Tenacity
It’s Sanguine Bond, but for one less mana! This is going in every deck that was already running Sanguine Bond. Nuff said.
#9 Enduring Innocence
#10 Cursed Recording
Cursed Recording is really good. Did you cast a Time Warp? Well, now you get an additional extra turn. Rinse and repeat. The 20 damage isn’t even enough to kill you in Commander. Pair this with big, impactful spells.
#11 Valgavoth, Terror Eater
Valgavoth is the big boi of the set. It has pretty impressive stats. Gaining 9 life on attacks and blocks is a pretty #%^&& big deal, and this thing is painful to target thanks to its ward ability. The best part, of course, is playing your opponent’s cards with no mana cost requirement. This is going to be a premier reanimation target for reanimator decks.
#12 Spiked Corridor // Torture Pit
Torture Pit is another Torbran, Thane of Red Fell for some red decks. It doesn’t apply to creatures though. If you’re looking to fire off a lethal Grapeshot, this card can really stack up the damage.
#13 Tyvar, the Pummeler
Tyvar is a twist on Ezuri, Renegade Leader. It’s an Elf, which is relevant. Unlike Ezuri, it protects itself rather than others, and it does so at no mana cost at instant speed. The pump ability is both better and worse than Ezuri’s. Not giving Trample is quite the downside, but on the upside it will be pumping your creature by at least 3 power and toughness, if not more.
#14 Chainsaw
Chainsaw is flying under the radar right now, but is going to be an absolute powerhouse in Voltron builds in Commander. Play it early to remove a mana dork or critical creature. By the time you equip it, there are likely 7+ charge counters on this bad boi. Not bad for a 3 mana equip cost. In long games, I could see this even getting to 20 rev counters.
#15 Nightshade Harvester
If you have too many friends at the table, Nightshade Harvester might be the card for you. This is a bit like a 4 mana Taurean Mauler in black. Being an Elf is strong upside here, as Golgari Elf decks can juice up their power level with this card.
#16 Arabella, Abandoned Doll
Arabella, Abandoned Doll is a crafty little win condition for Boros token-based decks. If you have 10 tokens in play, on attack, it will deal 11 damage to each opponent on the attack trigger. With 3 opponents, that means 33 damage and you gain a good chunk of life. That’s a huge deal, and you don’t even have to attack with your tokens!
#17 Disturbing Mirth
People aren’t talking about this card as much as they should be. It’s a Night’s Whisper, but better in an aristocrat or sacrifice deck. Think Village Rites with more upside.
For just two mana you get to: draw two cards, sacrifice something, sacrifice this permanent later, and get a 2/2 creature. That’s an amazing amount of value for sacrifice decks where each of these abilities would be considered upsides.
#18 Valgavoth’s Lair
Enchantment decks are going to love Valgavoth’s Lair. It will trigger all those Enchantment ETBs, drawing you cards and pumping permanents.
#19 Leyline of Mutation
Want to cast an Eldrazi for only 5 mana? Well, here you go. It’s Fist of Suns, but enters play for free.
#20 Toby, Beastie Befriender
#21 Enduring Courage
This is Ogre Battledriver, but also becomes an enchantment. Like the other glimmers, you’ll want to run this in the same decks that want to run the original effects.
#22 Redress Fate
Redress Fate is Replenish, but better since it also returns all artifacts from your graveyard to play. Of course, you’ll have to find a way to Miracle it to manageably cast it. Pair it with cards like Sensei’s Divining Top, Ponder, and Portent.
#23 Dazzling Theater // Prop Room
Prop Room is Drumbellower, but on an enchantment. This is an upside since enchantments are harder to remove. You also have the option of unlocking Dazzling Theater.
There’s an interesting synergy here with flash creatures where you can keep convoking creatures on every opponent’s turn, then you untap those creatures, just to convoke again on the next player’s turn.
#24 Cramped Vents // Access Maze
We are playing this for Access Maze. Seven mana is a lot, but you get access to its ability the turn you play it. Have an Eldrazi you want to play? It’s only a matter of paying life.
#25 Reluctant Role Model
If you’re running The Ozolith and white, you’re going to want to run Reluctant Role Model. Any proliferate or counter-based deck would benefit by considering running this card.
#26 Leyline of Resonance
Leylines are amazing cards in the right deck because you can start with them in play for free. Leyline of Resonance is perfect for a Feather, the Redeemed deck for instance that wants you to target your creatures with spells. Also works great with Zada, Hedron Grinder decks.
#27 Come Back Wrong
Remove the biggest threat on the table, plus gain control of it for a turn? Sign me up! This works great with sacrifice effects. Being sorcery speed is a pretty big downside for removal, so you’ll want to fully take advantage of having the creature for a turn. Aristocrat decks will love this.
#28 Inquisitive Glimmer
Inquisitive Glimmer counts as an enchantment and reduces the mana cost of enchantment spells by 1. This is solid mana ramp for Azorius or Esper enchantment decks that typically lack ramp spells.
#29 Metamorphosis Fanatic
Reanimator decks tend to run low to the ground on life thanks to cards like Reanimate. Metamorphosis is more conditional thanks to its miracle cost, but rewards you with two lifelinkers if you include itself.
#30 Demonic Counsel
Last, but not least, we have Demonic Counsel, a new tutor in black. Getting cards into your graveyard is pretty easy for black. This might end up being a little too conditional for cEDH, but for those willing to run tutors in casual, this is fairly acceptable, especially for a Demon-themed deck.
Early game, this has the downside of being unable to get a Sol Ring or a much-needed land, which comes up more often than you think.
That’s our list of the top 30 Duskmourn cards for the Commander and EDH format in MTG. If you liked this list, you might also be interested in The Best Colorless Card Draw in Commander.
READ MORE: The Most Expensive MTG Cards From Duskmourn: House of Horror
