Innistrad

Innistrad is a Magic: The Gathering expansion set released September 30, 2011.^[1] It is the first set of the Innistrad block. Innistrad is a "top-down" designed set based around Gothic horror. The sets mechanics and effects are mainly based around graveyard themes, with a minor focus on tribal themes. The tagline for the set is "Horror Lurks Within". It has 264 cards.^[1]

Design and development

According to Magic lead designer Mark Rosewater, "The number-one role of this set's design was capturing the feel of the horror genre."^[2] Monsters were one of the first tropes explored which lead to the tribal component of the set.

Innistrad is the first set to feature double-faced cards, meaning some of the cards do not feature the Magic card back design that has been used on every previous Magic card.^[2] Every double-faced card features the new transform mechanic.^[3] This is the first set since Ravnica: City of Guilds to have Magic creator Richard Garfield on the design team.^[4]

Storyline

The set's story focuses on the dilemma of how the archangel Avacyn has disappeared from the plane of Innistrad, and now the humans are at the mercy of the vampires while they are trying to control the growing werewolf problem and the rise of zombies.^[5].

Tribes

In Innistrad there are five tribes, major creature types that also play a role mechanically. Each tribe is linked to an allied color combination.^[4]

• Humans - Humans occur in all colors but dominantly in white and green. White humans are depicted as religious officials and warriors while green humans are monster hunters. This is the first set in which humans are treated as a tribe.
• Spirits - Spirits occur in white and blue, and sporadically in the other colors. White spirits represent guardian spirits and blue spirits represent ghosts.
• Zombies - Zombies occur in black and blue. Blue zombies are Frankenstein's Monster-like beings, while black zombies are ones that have risen from their graves and attack in hordes.
• Vampires - Vampires occur in black and red. Black vampires appear to be sophisticated individuals while red vampires appear more savage.
• Werewolves - Werewolves occur in red and green. Every werewolf is a double-faced card with the transform mechanic. One side of each of the werewolf cards is a human werewolf.

Mechanics

Innistrad introduces four new mechanics and reintroduces one old mechanic.

• Curse - Curse is a new Aura subtype that enchants a player.^[3]
• Fight - "Fight" is a new term to refer to two creatures dealing damage to each other equal to their power at the same time.^[3]
• Flashback - Cards with Flashback can be played from the graveyard for their Flashback cost. When they leave the stack, they are exiled (formerly "removed from the game") instead of being put anywhere else. Flashback was last seen in the Odyssey and Time Spiral blocks.^[3]
• Morbid - Morbid abilities are triggered if a creature has "died" (formerly "was put in a graveyard from the battlefield") earlier in the turn that the spell is cast or the ability is used.^[3]
• Transform - The Transform mechanic allows certain creatures to turn into different creatures once certain conditions specified on the card are met. Each card that can Transform is a double-faced card.^[3]

Notes and references