MTG Domain Atraxa decks gain new weapon through Duskmourn Hauntwoods Shrieker

Using the new Magic: The Gathering manifest dread mechanic showcased in Duskmourn House of Horrors, Hauntwoods Shrieker has the potential to impact decks that want to cheat out expensive and powerful creatures.

Face-down creatures have become a common sub-theme within the MTG Standard format. Mechanics like Disguise and Cloak were heavily within the Murders at Karlov Manor set. And through the Duskmourn House of Horrors set, more face-down cards enter the Standard meta through the manifest dread mechanic. Here’s how the MTG mechanic works and why it’s powerful on a creature card like Hauntwoods Shrieker.

What is manifest dread in MTG Duskmourn?

The manifest dread mechanic in Duskmourn allows you to look at the top two cards from your library, putting one onto the battlefield face-down as a 2/2 creature and the other in your graveyard. You can turn over the permanent on the battlefield for its casting cost or through an activated ability cost like on Hauntwoods Shrieker.

Having the option to toss a creature card into the graveyard or on the battlefield is strong, as is opening up flexible play lines within decks that want to cheat out big creatures.

All MTG Duskmourn Hauntwoods Shrieker abilities and stats

Hauntwoods Shrieker is a three-drop Mono Green Beast Mutant with 3/3 baseline stats that uses the new Duskmourn manifest dread mechanic.

• Mana cost: 1GG
• Type: Creature—Beast Mutant
• Rarity: Mythic Rare
• Passive: Trigger manifest dread whenever Hauntwoods Shrieker attacks
• Activated ability: Pay 1G—Reveal a face-down card on the battlefield. Turn a face-down creature face-up if it’s a creature card.
• Stats: 3/3

MTG Duskmourn Hauntwoods Shrieker pros and cons

Hauntwoods Shrieker is a solid Green creature with 3/3 baseline stats and a powerful activation ability. The trick is getting the Beast Mutant to work. Double green pips are a downside outside of four-color Domain Standard decks that play Atraxa, Grand Unifier. And Hauntwoods Shrieker must attack to trigger manifest dread.

Despite the downsides, Hauntwoods Shrieker can significantly impact reanimation decks. The Beast Mutant tosses creatures you want into the graveyard or puts them onto the battlefield face-down as a 2/2 for free. Then, instead of paying its casting cost, you can play it for free if the permanent is a creature, and the activation cost on Hauntwoods Shrieker was paid.

Of all the targets worth cheating onto the battlefield in the Standard format, Atraxa, Grand Unifier is at the top of the list.

Slotting Hauntwoods Shrieker into the best Atraxa Standard Bloomburrow decks

The Bloomburrow Standard meta contains a few Atraxa reanimation builds, with Domain Ramp having the best overall competitive record.

Hauntwoods Shrieker slots into the Domain Ramp build the best, given its double Green pips in the Beast’s casting cost. Instead of relying upon reanimating Atraxa, Grand Unifier from the graveyard (which is hard when playing against decks with graveyard hate), you can flip the Angel face-up through Hauntwoods Shrieker.

The strategy isn’t fool-proof, as an opponent can remove your face-down 2/2 Atraxa with a Cut Down. But it does provide another line of play in a deck that relies upon Atraxa, Grand Unifier hitting the battlefield.

Test out Hauntwoods Shrieker in the existing Standard meta when Duskmourn House of Horrors digitally releases through MTG Arena and MTGO on Sept. 24.