We reviewed the new Duskmourn set for the Timeless and Historic formats. While these formats are the most powerful formats on MTG Arena, the threshold for card playability is high.

The following review focuses on cards that can affect gameplay in one or both formats, and highlights their potential application at the professional level, with various 1 pound minimum deposit casino taking bets.

Key Cards for Timeless

Overlord of the Balemark

One of the most exciting new cards in the set, Overlord of the Balemark fits perfectly into decks that use Up the Beanstalk and Cabaretti Revels. These decks rely on creatures with high synergy, and this card adds flexibility to the existing structure, especially in combination with pitch Elementals like Fury and Solitude.

With its impending keyword, Overlord can enter as a non-creature enchantment, triggering both Beanstalk and Revels. It creates more options for building the deck, allowing for more variety beyond the core pitch Elementals.

Fear of Missing Out

A two-mana looter that enables delirium, Fear of Missing Out stands out with its ability to provide an additional combat phase. This mechanic is crucial in aggressive strategies and provides an early-game advantage. Its potential lies in its synergy with other graveyard cards like Dragons Rage Channeler and Mishra’s Bauble, making delirium fairly easy to achieve by turn three.

Pyroclasm

While Pyroclasm is a straightforward card, its importance in sideboards is critical, especially against energy decks. It serves as an efficient early-game wipe against fast, aggressive decks in both Timeless and Historic, keeping threats like Goblin Bombardment in check. It is particularly useful for players facing tough matchups that rely on swarming the board early.

Fringe Timeless Cards

Ghost Vacuum

Ghost Vacuum offers a cheaper, more efficient way to deal with graveyard-based strategies. While Unlicensed Hearse provides a similar effect, Ghost Vacuum only costs one mana and fills the battlefield with a permanent threat that can activate every turn. Its main advantage comes in matchups that rely on reanimation or other single-target graveyard strategies.

Maddening Hex

A sideboard staple against decks chaining cheap non-creature spells, Maddening Hex could become a powerful tool. Its ability to punish decks like Underworld Breach and Show and Tell ensures that it will see use when those decks rise in popularity.

Key Cards for Historic

Shardmage’s Rescue & Sheltered by Ghosts

The Auras deck in Historic gains two new tools with Shardmage’s Rescue and Sheltered by Ghosts. Shardmage’s Rescue protects creatures while providing +1/+1, which is invaluable for decks running Light-Paws or Kor Spiritdancer. It triggers key synergies and keeps auras flowing.

Sheltered by Ghosts offers a two-mana Oblivion Ring-like effect, granting lifelink and ward 2 to creatures. Its ability to exile any permanent at such a low cost makes it highly efficient in creature-heavy metagames.

Phantasmal Image

Phantasmal Image has been a solid card in other formats, and it’s finding a home in Historic. It works well in copy decks, offering additional flexibility for strategies that involve cloning key creatures like Geist of Saint Traft or Kor Spiritdancer.

Interesting Historic Additions

Clockwork Percussionist

This card serves as a weaker version of Unlucky Witness but stands out because it's an artifact, making it a good fit for decks that thrive on sacrificing artifacts. Whether in Affinity or Overcooked Anvil strategies, this card provides extra consistency for decks reliant on Shrapnel Blast and similar effects.

Leyline of Resonance

This new Leyline fits well into Heroic and Feather decks. It allows spells that target creatures to be more effective by doubling their effect. However, it’s still unclear if this will push Heroic into the top tier, but it will certainly make the deck faster in games where this card is in the starting hand.

Sideboard Tools

Screaming Nemesis

This creature provides a solution for burn decks against life-gain strategies. Once Screaming Nemesis connects, it locks out any future life gain, making it a better option than Roiling Vortex or Rampaging Ferocidon. Its ability to prevent life gain permanently is key in matchups against decks that rely on Lifegain to stabilise.

Untimely Malfunction

While Untimely Malfunction is not quite as flexible as Abrade, it offers a sideboard solution against decks with high-value artifacts and non-creature spells. It's a card worth considering when facing decks that utilise artifacts, especially slower, more interactive decks.

Summary of Key Cards for Timeless and Historic

Card Name

Format

Key Use

Overlord of the Balemark

Timeless

Synergy with Beanstalk and Revels decks

Fear of Missing Out

Timeless

Enables extra combat phase, perfect for aggro

Pyroclasm

Both

Efficient board wipe against aggro decks

Ghost Vacuum

Timeless

Cheaper graveyard hate

Maddening Hex

Both

Sideboard against spell-heavy decks

Shardmage’s Rescue

Historic

Aura-based protection and synergy

Sheltered by Ghosts

Historic

Lifelink and exiling any permanent

Phantasmal Image

Historic

Clone synergy for key creatures

Clockwork Percussionist

Historic

Artifact synergy for sacrifice decks

Leyline of Resonance

Historic

Speeds up Heroic and Feather decks

Screaming Nemesis

Historic

Stops life gain for burn decks

Untimely Malfunction

Historic

Efficient artifact removal in interactive decks

Conclusion

While Duskmourn may not have a massive impact on Timeless due to the high bar of the format, there are still some cards that can shake up deck-building strategies. On the other hand, Historic sees a broader range of applications from this set, making it a great time to experiment with new builds and sideboard options.

These cards, whether sideboard staples or main-deck options, offer new ways to approach existing strategies and might even give rise to new archetypes.

FAQ

What are the most impactful cards from Duskmourn for Timeless?

Overlord of the Balemark and Fear of Missing Out stand out as key cards for Timeless. Overlord adds versatility to Up the Beanstalk and Cabaretti Revels decks, while Fear of Missing Out enables extra combat phases in aggressive builds.

Which cards should be considered for Historic Auras decks?

Shardmage’s Rescue and Sheltered by Ghosts are powerful additions to Historic Auras decks. They provide protection and synergy with Light-Paws and Kor Spiritdancer, boosting their effectiveness.

Is Pyroclasm a useful card in both formats?

Yes, Pyroclasm is an effective sideboard card in both Timeless and Historic, offering a cheap and efficient way to clear early threats, especially in aggro matchups.

How does Ghost Vacuum compare to Unlicensed Hearse?

Ghost Vacuum offers a cheaper alternative to Unlicensed Hearse, sticking around on the battlefield and continuously disrupting graveyard strategies at a lower cost.

What makes Screaming Nemesis valuable in burn decks?

Screaming Nemesis is effective against life-gain strategies, as it permanently prevents the opponent from gaining life once it connects, making it a key sideboard card for burn decks.

Will Leyline of Resonance push Heroic decks to top tier?

While Leyline of Resonance accelerates Heroic strategies, it's uncertain if this alone will make Heroic top-tier. However, it speeds up the deck's tempo when in the opening hand, making it a worthwhile addition.