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A bald moster with red eyes and white face and hair hanging upsidedown and yelling with claws extended in Duskmourn MTG set
Image via WotC

Best MTG Duskmourn combat tricks for Draft and Prerelease

Trick your opponent.

Gain an advantage over your opponent at Duskmourn: House of Horror Prerelease events with spooky Magic: The Gathering combat tricks. Combat tricks in MTG are spells you can cast at Instant speed, disrupting combat through either a buff to power or toughness, or by Flashing a creature into play.

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Wizards of the Coast devs continued to expand upon staple spells through Duskmourn: House of Horrors, adding abilities that push combat trick power levels. Here are the best Duskmourn combat tricks for Draft and Sealed.

The best combat tricks for Duskmourn MTG Draft and Prerelease

Floodpits Drowner

Giant water monster with furniture floating and door of house in Duskmourn MTG set
Tap down opponents. Image via WotC

Floodpits Drowner is what I like to call a defensive combat trick. The Merfolk can enter before combat to tap down a creature or during combat as a chump blocker. The activated ability is good for tempo.

Growing Dread

Man with reddish brown hair walking through haunted house with flashlight
Flash in a 2/2. Image via WotC

Much like Floodpits Drowner, Growing Dread is a defensive combat trick if you want to play it that way. And if your manifested dread creature survives, it will still have the counter on it when it flips face-up.

Horrid Vigor

monster with horns and three long fingers holding an axe in MTG Duskmourn set
Surprise your opponent during combat. Image via WotC

Two mana for a combat trick is slightly pricey, but I like what Horrid Vigor has to offer in Green. Indestructible for two mana at Instant speed is a decent value. Add Deathtouch into the mix and your opponent is going to regret blocking.

Jump Scare

A bald moster with red eyes and white face and hair hanging upsidedown and yelling with claws extended in Duskmourn MTG set
Oh, the horror. Image via WotC

Jump Scare is a typical White combat trick for one-mana, granting a boost in stats and Flying. But the Instant stands apart from previous variations in that it becomes a Horror Enchantment creature in addition to its other types. This is huge in an enchantment-themed set like Duskmourn, potentially triggering Eerie and enabling other abilities.

Shardmage’s Rescue

Nashi watching Niko use gold magic to defeat monster in MTG Duskmourn set
Enchant and protect. Image via WotC

I tend to stay away from Enchantment Auras, even if they are a one-drop. Sharmage’s Rescue is different, though, as it’s a protection spell for that turn and an Aura. The Enchantment will see plenty of Limited play and may even creep into Standard.

Turn Inside Out

A clown monster with belly that opens into teeth and another creature inside with red eyes while spewing blue magic out in MTG Duskmourn set
Gain power. Image via WotC

Turn Inside Out looks like a staple Red combat trick that boosts power but not toughness. The Common has an alternate option too, if you should want your creature to die. Upon death that turn only, you can Manifest Dread, which is a big deal since the standard casting cost for the mechanic is two mana.

Untimely Malfunction

Man with tall black hair vacuming ghost particles in MTG Duskmourn set
Holy options for two mana. Image via WotC

Untimely Malfunction is a modal two-drop Instant in Red. The most interesting mode is “change the target of target spell or ability with a single target.” It doesn’t come up often and I have no idea how good the Uncommon will be but it is a neat design addition and I’m excited to see how much Untimely Malfunction gets played.

Violent Urge

Human gaining monstrous powers and glowing red with red eyes and mouth in Dukmourn MTG set
Gain an advantage. Image via WotC

Violent Urge taps into the Delirium synergies in Duskmourn as a one-drop combat trick in Red. At face value, the Instant pumps power and grants First Strike. But with Delirium activated, the creature now gains Double Strike until the end of the turn.

All Duskmourn: House of Horrors combat tricks can get tested out when the MTG set drops for Prerelease weekend on Sept. 20. Prepare for the new set by checking out the best Rares in Duskmourn, and how Toy creatures rank.


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Danny Forster
Danny has been writing for Dot Esports for over five years, first as a freelancer and now as a staff writer. He is the lead beat writer for Magic: The Gathering and Teamfight Tactics. Danny is also a solid Monopoly GO player, having beaten every main event without spending a dime. When Danny isn't writing or gaming, he's chilling by the water in Spacecoast Florida with his family and friends. He's always got a tan, because touching grass is important, and loves playing strategic digital and tabletop games. Past outlets Danny has written for include TheGamer and ScreenRant.