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The 10 best new cards in Magic Duels: Shadows Over Innistrad

The massive new expansion for your favourite mobile TCG

The 10 best new cards in Magic Duels: Shadows Over Innistrad
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As you may have heard, Magic Duels has just received a massive new expansion that adds all new story content based on the Shadows Over Innistrad set. So you can expect a horror themed plot full of vampires, werewolves, and mad scientists.

However, on a more exciting note over 300 unique new cards were added to the game - that's a lot.

To help you sift through them all for the best, we decided to run down the top 10 for you, with help from Wizards of the Coast themselves.

10. Archangel Avacyn/Avacyn The Purifier



If you've played Magic before, you'll recognise angel Avacyn as one of the most iconic characters, but if you're new to Magic Duels, you're about to discover that this heavenly body isn't quite what she seems…

During gameplay, Avacyn can transform - literally and metaphorically - from a beautiful cherubic creature into a blood-stained menace!

So what does this mean in Magic Duels? Well it means things are about to get real! Avacyn The Purifier can deal three damage to each creature and each opponent on the battlefield, which is a great game-winning manoeuvre!

9. Sorin, Grim Nemesis

We reckon that digital card games don't feature enough dudes with swords. Luckily, Magic Duels has addressed that issue by including Sorin, Grim Nemesis in the recent Shadows Over Innistrad update.

This powerful Planeswalker card costs a hefty six mana to cast, but has three awesome abilities.

If you're looking to completely destroy your opponent the 'Put a number Vampire Knight creature tokens onto the battlefield equal to the highest life total among all players' ability will do exactly that - and rub a little salt in the wounds as well.

8. Arlinn Kord

Arlinn is a new Planeswalker in Magic Duels. She also features on one of the exciting new double-sided 'Transform' cards. Oh, and she's also a werewolf. And she looks a bit like Sigourney Weaver.

But those aren't the only reasons why this card is so cool! For just four mana, you can take advantage of five different card abilities - including a stats-boosting +1/+1 to all your creatures and gaining trample until the end of turn.

7. Anguished Unmaking

The new Story Mode in Magic Duels focuses on the plane of Innistrad - a place that was once a safe haven and has now become a twisted nightmare due to some unseen force.

Anguished Unmaking is a card that really shows off this story, as the vampire Sorin has to destroy the angelic masterpiece he once created.

As well as having a bad ass back story, Anguished Unmaking is also a great 'Instant' card - one that you can play at any time in the game - allowing you to exile that annoying creature or spell that is causing you grief!

6. Jace, Unraveler of Secrets

Planeswalker cards are some of the most powerful in Magic Duels, and Jace, Unraveler of Secrets is no different. With three different abilities focused around Jace's 'mindsculpting' skills (read: this kid is psychic), this is one card that is super fun to play in both solo and multiplayer modes.

The artwork also features Jace looking angsty, which is a common theme for this character throughout the Magic Duels story.

5. Fiery Temper

If you thought strategy games were all funny goblins and cute unicorns, Magic Duels destroys that twee mental imagery with a card known as Fiery Temper.

In the Shadows Over Innistrad update, you discover that the kindly angels that protected the plane of Innistrad have gone absolutely crazy and started destroying everything. With fire.

This 'Instant' card deals three damage to your opponent or one of their creatures, bringing you one step closer to victory and earning some more sweet, sweet in-game Coins.

4. Tamiyo's Journal

The Shadows Over Innistrad update is all about unravelling the mystery behind the chaos on Innistrad, and collecting clues to do so. One of those clues comes in the form of the Tamiyo's Journal card.

Not only is this one of those cool cards that gives you an extra glimpse into the Magic Duels story as you play, but it also has the 'Investigate' mechanic, enabling you to put Clue tokens on to the battlefield which can later be sacrificed so you can draw more cards.

If your strategy involves getting creatures onto the battlefield as quickly and efficiently as possible, do not pass up putting this card into your deck!

3. From Under the Floorboards

Have you ever seen a more metal card?! Part Slayer album cover and part game-changing spell, From Under the Floorboards is an awesome black card that every player should have in their Magic Duels collection.

This 'Sorcery' card allows you to generate 2/2 zombie tokens and gives you a boost of three life. But that's not all!

It also comes with the signature Shadows Over Innistrad 'Madness' mechanic which allows you to make use of your exile pile and graveyard to cause even more chaos on the battlefield!

2. Twins of Maurer Estate

What is scarier than one vampire child dripping with blood? How about TWO vampire children dripping with blood? As well as being totally horrifying, these creepy kids also come with the 'Madness' mechanic and a decent three damage and five toughness level.

Twins of Maurer Estate is one of those cards that makes you appreciate the amazing artwork in Magic Duels.

Gruesome yet beautiful, this Creature card also features one of the most unsettling flavour texts ever - "Children, where are your parents?" - Reig, wandering monk. Last words.

1. Emissary of the Sleepless

Playing white in Magic Duels means you get the ability to generate tokens - a way to get more cards on the battlefield quickly! So a white spirit card not only gives you creature tokens, but it also gives you 'Flying' too.

Difficult to block and a solid attacker, Emissary of the Sleepless is a beautiful card with devastating mechanics. It's also one of those cards that your opponent won't see coming, so is unlikely to have anything worthwhile to counter it.

Tempted by all the new cards? You should be. Head on over to the App Store right now to check out Magic Duels: Shadows Over Innistrad.