Innistrad Remastered Preview Season Officially Begins
On Tuesday, January 7th, Magic: The Gathering's official weekly Twitch stream, WeeklyMTG, kicked off the preview season for Innistrad Remastered. Because of this kickoff, Wizards of the Coast previewed a great many newly reprinted cards from the set. Many of these cards are ones from the many Innistradi-based sets, but some aren't - they simply, yet perhaps weirdly, fit. Let's take a look at some of these new previews!
Innistrad Remastered Is Noteworthy
Before we begin, there are a couple of interesting things to note here:
- Innistrad Remastered is a draftable set, and, as such, has a cohesive Limited environment all on its own. As such, some frankly excellent cards are notably absent from the set. For example, Wizards of the Coast added Butcher's Cleaver. However, because that card went ham with Invisible Stalker in Innistrad Limited, the latter is not included in Innistrad Remastered.
- As discussed in an article we published approximately one month ago, there are a few cards not originally from the Innistrad setting that will be reprinted in Innistrad Remastered. Mass Hysteria was the one example we had back then. Since then, we have learned that the number of cards like this purportedly may only count in the single digits. However, Through the Breach is one of these, as is Hermit Druid, both very strong cards in their own right.
- Quite a few cards from the original Innistrad block and thereabouts will only be printed in a retro-frame treatment. In the article linked in the previous bullet point, we saw Liliana of the Veil and Snapcaster Mage as two examples of this. On January 7th, Craterhoof Behemoth was revealed in the WeeklyMTG stream as another. Furthermore, Avacyn, Angel of Hope was revealed via email blast as another of them.
Time For Previews!
The cards shown in the WeeklyMTG stream and mailing list email on January 7th are as follows:
Innistrad Remastered Commons
INR Uncommons
- Town Gossipmonger
- Forbidden Alchemy
- Rise from the Tides
- Haunted Dead
- Fiery Temper
- Burning Vengeance
- Thermo-Alchemist (in an upshift from Common rarity)
- Noose Constrictor
- Ghoultree (in a downshift from Rare rarity)
- Travel Preparations
- Splinterfright (in a downshift from Rare rarity)
- Butcher's Cleaver
- Grizzly Ghoul
- Fleshtaker
- Bloodtithe Harvester
- Bladestitched Skaab
- Wandering Mind
- Vilespawn Spider
- Markov Waltzer
- Join the Dance
Innistrad Remastered Rares
- Captivating Vampire (a reprint from Magic 2011)
- Hermit Druid (a reprint from Stronghold)
- Tireless Tracker
- Maelstrom Pulse (a reprint from Alara Reborn)
- Thing in the Ice
- Docent of Perfection
INR Mythic Rares
- Through the Breach (a reprint from Champions of Kamigawa, upshifted from Rare rarity)
- Avacyn, Angel of Hope (only found in the Retro Frame treatment)
- Arlinn Kord
- Bloodline Keeper (an upshift from Rare rarity)
- Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord (a reprint from Core Set 2020)
- The Gitrog Monster
- Tamiyo, Field Researcher
- Craterhoof Behemoth (only found in the Retro Frame treatment)
Additionally, the day before, on Monday, January 6th, Wizards of the Coast revealed three other cards worth mentioning:
Finally, of note are a few other things. For one, in addition to the many retro-frame cards in this set, each basic land type will have two retro-frame versions with art from across the Innistrad setting. Furthermore, any retro-frame cards in the set that deal with graveyard shenanigans in a meaningful way (and there are a lot of those over the whole of Innistrad's setting) have the "tombstone" symbol next to their name. This is neat as a callback to the flashback mechanic as originally envisioned in Odyssey. It also is a continuation of the trend set by Time Spiral Remastered and furthered in Dominaria Remastered and Ravnica Remastered. What a neat callback to honor in the retro-frame!
Finally, in addition to the ones already revealed, Hermit Druid, Through the Breach, The Gitrog Monster, and Captivating Vampire all get the Movie Poster frame treatment:
It Came... In Late January!
Innistrad Remastered is due to release on January 24th. With 17 days left to go at time of writing, we know how long and arduous this wait may be. In the meantime, are you excited for the set? Are you hoping to pull any specific cards, like the serialized copy of Edgar Markov? Sound off below!
