Card Review Innistrad: Midnight Hunt

Welcome to Innistrad: Midnight Hunt! Like many recent Standard sets, there are not a lot of cards that directly impact Legacy. There are a couple of unique cards that in the right environment could be considered in protection or engine slots. The set also provides red decks with an anti Storm hate piece option that is not likely to see play. Most of these cards are interesting enough to keep in mind for future metagames.

Engines & Tutors

[[Lier, Disciple of the Drowned|]]
[[Moonsilver Key|]]

[[Lier, Disciple of the Drowned]] is an interesting callback to [[Past in Flames]]. Once it is in play and in the context of combo, all spells being uncounterable is quite nice. Unlike [[Past in Flames]], [[Lier, Disciple of the Drowned]] dodges [[Force of Negation]] and cards that enter the graveyard after [[Lier, Disciple of the Drowned]] hits play also have the ability to be flashed back. This is similar to how [[Underworld Breach]] works, with the same draw back of all of the spells losing flashback if [[Lier, Disciple of the Drowned]] leaves play. A five mana blue legend is quite easy to remove in this format between [[Karakas]], [[Pyroblast]], and [[Swords to Plowshares]]. Putting this into play for two blue mana and having additional mana left over to win the game is a big ask. An interesting application of this card is in a Tin Fins shell. Casting [[Entomb]] and a [[Reanimate]] effect on [[Lier, Disciple of the Drowned]] allows the [[Entomb]] and the [[Reanimate]] to be flashed back, giving protection and an engine if drawing a bunch of cards with [[Griselbrand]] is not enough.[[Moonsilver Key]] has such a unique effect. Being able to find an artifact with a mana ability (read [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]]) is what a lot of Legacy decks want to do. Despite looking a little expensive, it has the exact same rate as [[Wishclaw Talisman]]. In a build that is more all in on [[Echo of Eons]], [[Moonsilver Key]] can be another way to enable flashing back [[Echo of Eons]]. Other relevant artifacts it can find are artifact lands, [[Grim Monolith]], and any moxen. In a pinch, it can even find a basic land!

Protection

[[Malevolent Hermit|]]
[[Curse of Silence|]]

[[Malevolent Hermit]] reads kind of like a [[Defense Grid]]. It can sit as a [[Mana Leak]] for noncreature spells in play and once it gets used, the Disturb cost can be payed for a solid piece of protection. The problem with this card is that so many things have to go right for it to be a successful protection piece. It costs about six mana to get the flipped side into play. If the front half resolves, not having a blue mana up against any of the white decks can be disastrous. It is just too easy to remove between [[Swords to Plowshares]], [[Lightning Bolt]], and [[Pyroblast]]. It also costs too much mana to be a relevant protection piece.Another card similar to [[Defense Grid]], [[Curse of Silence]] could be an excellent permanent piece of protection. In the current metagame, it runs into the same problem as [[Cabal Therapy]]: naming [[Force of Will]] and then when the opponent has [[Force of Negation]] is game losing. Making a [[Force of Will]] cost an extra two mana is also a lot less than three mana, especially in a world of [[Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer]]. [[Curse of Silence]] drawing a card is a reasonable fail state if an opponent fights over something like a [[Wishclaw Talisman]]. Notably, the card that one can name with [[Curse of Silence]] is not restricted. This can be extremely relevant in non blue match ups where naming [[Thalia, Guardian of Thraben]], [[Sphere of Resistance]], or [[Chalice of the Void]] can buy enough time to win the game before those cards can come down. If there is ever a metagame without multiple different [[Force of Will]] effects, [[Curse of Silence]] could be a powerful piece of disruption.

Opposing Cards

[[Curse of Shaken Faith|]]
[[Consider|]]

[[Curse of Shaken Faith]] is another installment of permanents that need to be removed before one wins the game. It has a specific line of text mentioning copying spells. This means casting [[Tendrils of Agony]] will kill the caster before any of the copies can resolve. Unlike a card like [[Eidolon of the Great Revel]], [[Curse of Shaken Faith]] does not affect the first spell that enchanted player plays. Cantrips and removal for it can be cast without taking damage. This card seems unlikely to be played, unless someone wants the ninth [[Pyrostatic Pillar]] effect.As the only card from Innistrad: Midnight Hunt that is guaranteed to see Legacy play, [[Consider]] changes the [[Doomsday]] matchup. Combined with [[Deep Analysis]], it can create many piles that win the game one the same turn. This makes a bad match up worse as [[Doomsday]] gets faster and is something that TES pilots should be aware of.