Innistrad Remastered spoiler season starts today, and the contents have not disappointed. Between some expected reprints showcasing Innistrad denizens and some incredible cards that have nothing to do with the plane, there are certainly some unexpected surprises arriving in Innistrad Remastered this month.
You’ll find fallen heroes, tons of Vampires, a little bit of Madness, and a particularly problematic kill-on-sight card that you never want to see across a Commander table.
Hermit Druid!?
Hermit Druid is not a card from any Innistrad set. Instead, it is a card that fits the theme and mechanics of Innistrad, so it has appeared in Innistrad Remastered. While many Commander players may hate this card with a passion, it is a very good reprint. Hermit Druid only has two printings so far. One is from 1998’s Stronghold, while the other is a Judge Foil, which is incredibly limited in supply. As a result, Hermit Druid retails for $20 and $100, respectively.
Hermit Druid is known to end games as soon as it can activate its ability. It’s rather easy to build Commander decks without basic lands, allowing Hermit Druid to flip your entire deck. From there, ending the game is trivial but often involves some combination of Dread Return and Thassa’s Oracle. Because this card is essentially a one-card death combo, many fear Hermit Druid for good reason.
Craterhoof Behemoth
Craterhoof Behemoth is another very welcome Commander staple reprint. This literal 5/5 behemoth has ended an untold number of Commander games with its disgustingly powerful triggered ability. $35 seems to be the average asking price for this card, and it’s definitely worth it.
Unfortunately, Craterhoof Behemoth is going to be trickier to find in Innistrad Remastered than you may expect. While many players will likely be after the Retro Frame version of this card, you can’t find Craterhoof Behemoth with a normal border. The foil Retro Frame exclusive cards can only be found in Collector Boosters. Nonfoil ones can be found in play boosters, but they are likely difficult to open. For reference, Snapcaster Mage and Liliana of the Veil are two other exclusive cards that we currently know about.
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
Avacyn, Angel of Hope was not a part of the Weekly MTG reveal kicking off the Innistrad Remastered spoiler season. It was, however, revealed in an MTG email. Notably, Avacyn was revealed in the Retro Frame treatment, and was confirmed in the Weekly MTG stream to be a Collector Booster exclusive. The card will only be available in the Movie Poster and Retro Frame showcase styles. Since this is one of the set’s most relevant secondary market reprintings, it makes sense.
EDIT: We now know that nonfoil retro cards are available in Play Boosters, which includes Avacyn, Angel of Hope.
Regarding secondary market value, Avacyn, Angel of Hope is expensive. The card generally hovers around $40, but the printings from Innistrad Remastered will likely be a premium above that. Many MTG players love making their entire boards indestructible, and Avacyn is one of the most influential and straightforward ways to do that.
Noteworthy Vampires
Captivating Vampire may not seem like a big reprint, but Vampire fans know this particular card is a bit more expensive than expected. None of Captivating Vampire’s printings are widely available. Seeing print in Core Set 2011, Commander 2016, and on The List, Captivating Vampire was overdue a reprint. The card is only worth about $12, but anyone building Vampire Commander decks direly wants this card.
On top of being a lord for Vampires, Captivating Vampire can start taking control of creatures with ease. Considering how much easier it will be to find Edgar Markov after Innistrad Remastered hits shelves Captivating Vampire may see a lot of demand. The card is particularly deadly in an Edgar Commander deck thanks to Markov’s Eminence ability. Getting to five Vampires isn’t difficult when Edgar creates an additional Vampire whenever you cast one.
In a similar vein, Bloodline Keeper is getting a reprint in Innistrad Remastered. Notably, the card is being upshifted to a Mythic Rare because of how powerful it is in a Limited setting. Another Vampire that sees lots of demand thanks to Vampire Typal Commander decks, this card is also worth about $18 thanks to the card seeing print in sets that are not widely available.
Planeswalkers!
Three iconic Planeswalkers were revealed during the Innistrad Remasted spoiler season kickoff stream. The most notable of these is Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord. Known for plunging Pioneer into a Vampire-infested hell, the card was eventually banned from the format.
Nowadays, Sorin mostly sees play in Commander but sees some occasional Modern and Timeless play, too. Considering that Sorin is a big part of Vampire Commander decks, the card will likely see some demand upon the release of Innistrad Remastered.
Notably, Sorin only has one printing prior to Innistrad Remastered. Released in Core Set 2020, Sorin is really only playable alongside Vampire creatures. The card has a secondary market value of about $12, and there’s a good chance that this card release will cause those prices to drop.
Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord will have a borderless, normal, and Retro Frame variant.
The second Planeswalker to note is Tamiyo, Field Researcher. While the card does not have a noteworthy secondary market value, it does have a disgustingly powerful Ultimate ability. Granting yourself an Omniscience emblem is an absurdly flashy way to end games.
Finally, Arlinn Kord is returning in Innistrad Remastered. Another Planeswalker with a mediocre secondary market value, this was the first double-sided Planeswalker in MTG history. Notably, Kord will be receiving a booster fun treatment alongside her normal variant.
Through the Breach
Through the Breach is another card that isn’t really a part of Innistrad Remastered, but Emrakul eventually appears on the plane, allowing a connection to be made between the set and this card.
Through the Breach is gaining popularity thanks to the card’s recent success in Modern. This is a rather timely reprint of the card. According to the Weekly MTG stream, there will be some cards you may actually want to use Through the Breach with appearing in this set, allowing the card to have some Limited potential. There are no other Arcane spells in this set, however.
Despite Through the Breach’s uptick in popularity, the card is only worth about $3 for its cheapest variant on the secondary market. This is one of the less impressive Mythic Rare cards to find in Innistrad Remastered.
The Gitrog Monster
An unquestionably iconic Innistrad character, The Gitrog Monster returns in Innistrad Remastered as a Mythic Rare. Boasting a $4 secondary market value, this is a rather difficult Commander to handle in the right hands. Endlessly confusing thanks to bizarre Dredge mechanics, The Gitrog Monster will have you cowering in fear and scratching your head simultaneously.
A Surprisingly Short Season
This isn’t all of the Innistrad Remastered spoilers shown off during the Weekly MTG Stream, but it is most of the highlights. There are some cheaper goodies like Thing in the Ice and Faithless Looting getting reprints, so be sure to check that out if there’s something particular you hope to see get reprinted.
Innistrad Remastered spoilers will continue, but the season should be wrapped up by the end of the week. The full set should be up on the ninth, with spoilers hitting the internet over the next two days. While this spoiler season appears to be a quick one, Aetherdrift spoilers will be coming soon, as they start on the 21st.
