Magic the Gathering has now been in print for over 30 years. In that time, more than a few of those sets have been dedicated to horror. But which of those sets do horror best?
Duskmourn, Magic the Gathering’s most recent horror plane, is not at the top of the list for me. In that setting, a demon by the name of Valgavoth has enveloped an entire plane in an endless house of horrors. This set was a miss for me for a couple of reasons. For one, the art style of the game has evolved away from Magic’s old school fantasy roots into something more modern and generic, which does not convey horror as reliably. Furthermore, the flavor of cards is a bit more corny, with ham-fisted pop culture references such as “Jumpscare”, “Unwanted Remake” and “Cursed Recording”, as well as the overall 80s aesthetic, breaks my immersion. I’m sure the whimsy and campiness of the set will endear it to many. But I was not particularly alive in the 1980s, which makes many of the cards a miss for me. Even so, there are still a few standout cards, such as “Fear of Surveillance” and Valgavoth itself.
Returning to Magic the Gathering’s older planes, Innistrad offers much tougher competition. Innistrad has gone through many iterations of horror. Though it has gone through many iterations, Innistrad is at its best in the realm of Gothic horror. Its standout cards offer gripping depictions of madness or monstrousness, especially on cards like Docent of Perfection. And unlike Duskmourn, I can feel the terror in nearly every piece of art, even in the pieces depicting soldiers or average people. Even the ordinary folk of Innistrad look haunted. That stays true even in the newer sets.
But the best horror plane of all time, in my opinion, is Phyrexia. The body modification and experimentation that the Phyrexians inflict upon their victims terrifies me, especially in the art of older Phyrexian cards. Nearly every piece of artwork from them is upsetting to look at. Two standout ones for me are “Phyrexian Unlife” and “Gitaxian Probe” which depict the stages of experience just after being turned into a Phyrexian, and the terrifying dissection that precedes it.
What about you? What’s your favorite horror plane in Magic the Gathering? What’s your favorite horror card? Let us know on the Boss Rush Discord.
Featured Image Credit: Wizards of the Coast
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