5 best cards in MTG Duskmourn House of Horror

The latest MTG set, Duskmourn House of Horror features some absolutely incredible cards. The power level of this set is strong, and the 80s/90s horror theme is certainly on point. In fact, there were so many cards that almost made this list - and we may even expand it in the future. Quite a few cards almost made the cut, like Screaming Nemesis, which is an amazing way to completely stop lifegain decks dead in their tracks.

I’m also a huge fan of Valgavoth, Terror Eater for decks that love reanimating creatures. MTG Duskmourn has a wealth of great cards, but the ones mentioned below are our picks those that have the potential to be devastating in their own ways. Whether you’re playing Commander or Standard, these cards have potential.

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The best cards featured in MTG Duskmourn House of Horror

1) Demonic Counsel

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

I can see this MTG Duskmourn card being very popular in Commander, as well as standard. On its own, Demonic Counsel is a two mana spell to fetch a Demon from your deck. However, if you can also trigger its Delirium effect, you can fetch any single card and put it into your hand. It might feel challenging to have four card types in your graveyard, but with a reanimation/self-mill deck, this is easily realized.

Then, you can pick the card you need the most, and grab it to counter or set up another potentially big play. Or, you can just use it for its first effect, and pluck a demon from your deck. Maybe Rakdos, the Muscle (or some other flavor of Rakdos in Commander)?

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2) Abhorrent Oculus

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

Do you want to start putting creatures on the board during your opponent’s turn? Then, Abhorrent Oculus is what you want - it’s horrifying, powerful, and one of the best MTG Duskmourn cards ever. Its only downside is that you have to exile six cards from your graveyard if you cast it. But that’s only if you cast it. If you Manifest this instead, it’s just a 5/5 Eye that lets you Manifest Dread during your opponent’s upkeep.

For those who don’t know, Manifest Dread lets you take the top two cards of your deck and look at them. Then, put one into play face down as a 2/2 creature and the other into the grave. If the card you put into play is a creature, you can flip it over at any time by paying its mana cost. You can cheat some incredible creatures into play with this - perhaps a powerful Eldrazi from Modern Horizons 3?

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3) Leyline of Resonance

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

Oh, Leylines - you are both the bane of my existence, and my favorite cards in not just Duskmourn, but all of MTG. If you have a Leyline in your starting hand, you can play it on Turn 0 - before the game even kicks off. This card takes decks that already go insanely fast (Red Deck Wins/Spell Decks) and turbo-charges them.

This Enchantment allows you to copy the spell, whenever you cast an instant or sorcery that only targets a single creature that you control. Moreover, you may choose new targets if you want. Slap this in a deck where you buff and dominate with Slickshot Show-off, and you’re going to win so much faster. What an amazing Leyline!

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4) Dollmaker's Shop // Porcelain Gallery

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

MTG Duskmourn features a new type of Enchantment - Room Enchantments. These are cards split into two, and you can cast whichever side you want first. Then, at a time when you can cast a sorcery, you can pay the remaining cost to unlock the other side of this card. I’d definitely play Dollmaker’s Shop first since it creates a 1/1 white Toy artifact creature token anytime you attack with one or more non-Toy creatures.

Then, a few turns later, you cast Porcelain Gallery. This gives your creatures base power and toughness equal to the number of creatures you control. Fancy building an overpowered token creature deck? Here’s the game-winning card you need.

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5) Tyvar, the Pummeler

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

Elfball decks have almost always been powerful, but more modern decks have a brand-new tool to work with - Tyvar, the Pummeler. This MTG Duskmourn card is a 3/3 for 3, which is already decent. You can tap an untapped creature you control to give Tyvar indestructible for the turn - but you also have to tap Tyvar. That’s okay though since you’re likely only doing this when attacking or blocking.

However, what makes him shine for me is that you can pay 5 to give creatures you control +X/+X, where X is the greatest power among all your creatures. It’s a bare minimum +3/+3 across the board, but this is an Elf deck, so it’s going to get higher. I could really see Tyvar being a fun commander, or even an insert into a Commander deck.

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Check out our other MTG guides and features

• 5 best cards for Commander in MTG Bloomburrow
• 5 best Commanders in MTG Bloomburrow
• 5 best Commanders in MTG Assassin’s Creed