Innistrad Remastered Spoilers and Set Overview

Innistrad Remastered is out in the wild, reprinting fan-favorite cards from across the plane’s history. It draws on sets like the original Innistrad, Dark Ascension, Avacyn Restored, Eldritch Moon, and more. If you’ve never drafted Innistrad before, you may want to check this out. It’s a curated environment meant to evoke the feel of one of Magic’s most beloved planes. And yes, there are plenty of scary monsters, cryptic spells, and powerful creatures lurking around every corner.

Some people aren’t exactly thrilled about certain omissions or reprint decisions, but I guess that’s par for the course with any Remastered set. Let’s break it down piece by piece, from the set’s biggest draws to the communal frustrations and hopes that didn’t quite make the cut.

The Basics

Innistrad Remastered (INR) follows the same formula as earlier Remastered sets. The goal is to create a cohesive Limited environment and bring back classic cards in a single product. It releases on Magic Online January 24, 2025, with paper prerelease scheduled for January 17-19, 2025, and a full paper release also on January 24. The set has 287 cards plus various special treatments. Many older mechanics return—Flashback, Madness, Transform, Meld, and more.

Legality-wise, nothing changes for Standard or Pioneer unless a card was already legal. So if you were hoping to slide Griselbrand into your next Standard brew, sorry to burst that bubble.

Edgar Markov’s First Reprint

One of the biggest headlines here is Edgar Markov finally getting a reprint. He’s got four versions to chase, including the usual variants plus a special “movie poster” version, and there’s also a serialized run out of 500. Seems fancy, if you ask me. Some vampire fans are elated, and others are just relieved that it might be easier to pick up Edgar without shelling out for the original Commander 2017 printing.

Mechanics: A Quick Glance

You’ll see a lot of returning keywords and mechanics:

• Flashback lets you cast spells from the graveyard.
• Madness rewards you for discarding.
• Transform appears on both werewolves and angels (like Archangel Avacyn flipping into Avacyn, the Purifier).
• Miracle offers big effects at a bargain price if you draw them at the right time.
• Emerge, Investigate, Disturb, Meld, Undying, and more show up too.

There’s also a nod to Eminence, though that’s a Commander-only mechanic specifically tied to Edgar Markov. It appears because Edgar’s in the set, but that doesn’t mean you’ll see Eminence anywhere else in Limited.

Products and Pricing

We’re getting two main products: Play Boosters (the new default pack type) and Collector Boosters. Each Play Booster costs around $6.99, and each Collector Booster sits at $29.99. The Collector Boosters give you more guaranteed foils, alt-frames, and a chance at those serialized headliner cards. Some folks love the extra bling. Others say the price is steep.

The Community Chatter

Not everyone is thrilled. If you poke around discussions online, you’ll see repeated mentions of missing staples. Cards like Cavern of Souls are nowhere to be found. Geist of Saint Traft didn’t make the cut, either. People also noticed no Tibalt. Someone joked that “they put Chandra but not Tibalt,” which got a few laughs (and a handful of skull emojis). Another common grumble is the absence of daybound/nightbound werewolves from Midnight Hunt and Crimson Vow. Wizards seems to have skipped those designs, presumably to avoid the clunky tracking issues in a single product reprint.

Others sound underwhelmed by the retro treatments. Slow lands returned, but they didn’t get retro frames or borderless arts this time. Plenty of players really wanted something extra for the duals. And yeah, Parallel Lives was reprinted in 2023’s Wilds of Eldraine set, but that doesn’t stop folks from wanting it here too, especially if we’re celebrating the best of Innistrad.

There’s also some talk about werewolves feeling incomplete. No Immerwolf. Not every iconic werewolf made it in, so certain “tribal synergy” fans are rolling their eyes. They wanted a more robust set of wolves and werewolves. Instead, they’re seeing repeated prints of big angel cards and iconic horrors.

Will You Draft It?

Drafting Innistrad Remastered is probably the main reason to pick up a box, at least in my opinion. The original Innistrad block was beloved for its Draft environment, though this version blends multiple sets and might feel more like a “greatest hits” approach. If you can gather some friends for a weekend of horror-themed Magic, it might be worth it. Some people say “I am whelmed,” but if you enjoy building decks from iconic mechanics like flashback or madness, you’ll likely have a good time.

Final Thoughts

There’s no question that people still love Innistrad’s flavor. The old gothic vibe, the crossovers with creatures like angels, devils, vampires, and werewolves—it’s comfortable yet eerie. Edgar’s reprint is a highlight, and certain other staples, like Griselbrand, Avacyn, and Snapcaster Mage, remain draws for collectors and players alike.

But it’s fair to say that the community’s reaction is mixed. No one is outright calling it unplayable or worthless, but many fans are disappointed that some big-ticket cards were skipped, and that certain reprints don’t have new treatments. Personally, I’m still happy to see retro versions of stuff like Snapcaster Mage, even if some folks say the tombstone plus flip triangle is too much clutter in one spot.

So if you’re into vampires, angels, or just love the spooky vibe of Innistrad, give it a shot. If you’re craving big chase reprints like Cavern of Souls, you may come away let down. Sometimes you can’t get everything you want in one set, but at least we got a handful of strong reprints and some fun drafts ahead. Maybe that’s enough reason to shuffle up the deck and try your luck—especially if you feel like howling at the moon.