Last updated on October 10, 2024
Oblivious Bookworm | Illustration by Josh Newton
Ah, Prerelease! My favorite time of the year, which is handy as we get five or so a year now! Duskmourn is Magic’s foray into ‘80’s style horror tropes, so expect haunted houses, weird technology, and more!
What can you expect from an MTG Prerelease event? Let’s sneak a peek, shall we?
What Is the Duskmourn Prerelease?
Unnerving Grasp | Illustration by Jeremy Wilson
Duskmourn Prerelease is a series of Sealed events that take place the weekend before the release of the set. Duskmourn: House of Horror is themed around “modern horror” but seems to be predominantly focused on tropes that generally appeared in the ‘80s horror movies that are now cult classics. This is different from other horror-themed planes and sets, such as Innistrad, which is based more on Gothic horror like werewolves and vampires. You’re going to be looking at throwbacks to movies such as Scream, The Haunting, and even a little bit of Ghostbusters!
What Format Is Prerelease?
Prerelease is Sealed format, which means you don’t need to bring your own Magic deck. You’re given a Prerelease pack, which contains six Play boosters, plus an extra promo rare. You then build a minimum 40-card deck using the cards you open, plus basic lands that you can borrow from the store at which you’re playing. You then play 1v1 games against a series of opponents and hopefully come away the winner! It’s usually a super casual event, so if you haven’t been to a local game store (LGS) before, it’s a great reason to make your first trip.
Here are Duskmourn‘s ten draft archetypes:
Duskmourn Draft/Sealed archetypes
What Comes in a Prerelease Kit?
A Duskmourn Prerelease kit contains:
- 6 Duskmourn: House of Horror Play boosters,
- 1 Traditional foil year-stamped rare or mythic rare,
- 1 Deck box,
- 1 Spindown die – this is a D20 that you can use to track your life, and it will have the set symbol on it in place of the 20.
In some regions, you may also get a code card for MTG Arena.
You can keep all of this, even the box the kit comes in to use for storage or to keep a deck in (although it usually isn’t big enough for a Commander deck).
When Is Prerelease Week?
Prerelease week is always the week leading up to set's general release. For Duskmourn, this is from Friday, September 20, 2024 until Thursday the 26th. However, most events take place on the first weekend of that week.
Where Is the Prerelease?
Prerelease takes place at an LGS near you! Most stores taking part in the WPN program hold at least one, with some holding four or more! If you want to find your nearest event, my best suggestion is to check Wizards’ Event Locator or just ask at your friendly local game store.
Who Goes to Prereleases?
Prerelease is for everyone!
Newbies, old hands, kids, adults, the lot! I always say that if you understand enough of Magic to know how a turn works, you know enough to come to Prerelease. It’s also a time where people come out of the woodwork, so if you’ve been playing for a while, you’ll likely see people you haven’t seen for a while, too!
It's also one of the only times you can play sanctioned Two-Headed Giant events, if you're itching to play with a close friend.
Is Going to Prerelease Worth It?
From a totally unbiased perspective, Prerelease is absolutely worth it. However, if you want to look at the numbers, we can do that, too. Prereleases in the US generally cost $35-$40. For this, you’ll get the prerelease pack (6 Play boosters plus other goodies), some potential prizes, and at least four hours of playing with the latest Magic set. Of course, this last bit’s value is subjective, but playing Magic is the best part of Magic!
Just looking at the product you get, it’s a pretty good deal if you’re wanting to sample the new set, and many stores can be generous with prizing. It works out cheaper than a Bundle or even a Booster Box, on a booster-to-booster price.
- Chamber: Each card has two halves, 'doors', unlocking abilities on the battlefield
- Pending: Cast creature spells with time counters, revealing true form later
- Manifest Fear: Choose a card face down, reveal for terror
- Eerie Abilities: Trigger on enchantment entry or Room unlock
- Endure: Abilities trigger when tapped in the second main phase
Do I Need to Prepare for Prerelease?
You absolutely don’t need to prepare for Prerelease, but it can be useful to take a look at the set before you go along so you know what to expect. Of course, you could look at our Limited guide or even build some practice Sealed pools right here on Draftsim's Sealed Simulator!
It’s entirely up to you, though, and plenty of people purposefully avoid looking at the spoilers as they enjoy the experience of being surprised at the event.
Wrap Up
Winter's Intervention | Illustration by Cristi Balanescu
Duskmourn is proving to be a very hyped set, and Prerelease will no doubt be as popular as ever. Whether it’s your first or 15th Prerelease, I’m sure you’ll have a good time.
What are you most looking forward to in the set? Are there any decks you’re excited to build, or cards you’re looking forward to opening?
Let me know down in the comments or on Draftsim's Discord, and… I hope you make it out of the House… alive….
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