Everything you need to know about MTG Murders at Karlov Manor
Jan. 30, 2024In the library, with the candlestick
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1.What is it?2.Release date3.Products4.Story5.Deals
If you’ve ever thought of yourself as an armchair detective, MTG Murders at Karlov Manor should be right up your street. The next Magic set revolves around crimes most foul, and it takes us back to one of the franchise’s best-loved worlds.
Not sure whether you want to pick up this new addition to one of thebest card games, or just curious about what it entails? We’ve done the detective work for you and pulled together everything you need to know about MTG Murders at Karlov Manor here, including its story and getting the best value on pre-orders.
We’ve also got info on which pre-made decks will better suit your play style, not to mention what the new ‘Play Boosters’ for this set are. The game, as they say, is afoot…
What is MTG Murders at Karlov Manor?
MTG Murders at Karlov Manor is the latest major release for Magic: The Gathering, and that means its cards can be used across a wealth of game types. More specifically, publisher Wizards of the Coast has noted that “cards with the MKM set code are permitted in the Standard, Pioneer, and Modern formats, as well as in Commander and other formats.”
As per usual, you can get this set’s cards via booster packs or premade Commander decks. However, this time there’s something extra being added into the mix – a separate game combining MTG and one of the most iconicclassic board games, Clue.
Cards with the MKM set code are permitted in the Standard, Pioneer, and Modern formats, as well as in Commander and other formats
In terms of its theme, this is MTG’s take on murder mysteries. That means it includes mechanics (which we’ll go into later) built around the whodunit genre – namely ‘Collect Evidence,’ ‘Disguise,’ and the return of ‘Investigate.’ All of these allow you to crack the case or avoid detection in one way or another, so they’re certainly in keeping with cloak-and-dagger action.
Want to see exactly what’s available in this set? You can check out all of the MTG Murders at Karlov Manor spoilers via the official Gatherer sitehere. You can also take a look at specific Commander deck cards on Gathererhere.
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As a mainline MTG set, Murders at Karlov Manor gets the kitchen sink treatment - it offers multiple Commander decks, two kinds of booster packs, a bundle, and a prerelease box for those early to the party. Basically, you’re spoiled for choice regardless of whether you’re an MTG greenhorn or a veteran of many releases.
Wondering what you should pick up, or what’s available? To give you a better idea, we’ve laid out everything included in this set below along with who they’re for.
Best for beginners & casual playThese premade decks are the easiest way to play Magic – they’re ready to go out of the box. That makes them a good fit for newcomers or folks that want to jump right into a match.
As the name would suggest, they’re also for use in the Commander game type, which can be played with multiple people at once. That means you could theoretically have all of these decks being played against each other in a single session.
Blame Game |View at AmazonThis red and white deck is a tricksy one, so players that enjoy causing mischief will particularly enjoy it. Blame Game is all about sowing chaos and making your opponents fight amongst themselves.
Deep Clue Sea |View at AmazonA blue, green, and white deck that emphasizes finding Clues (artifacts you can sacrifice to draw another card) and buffing your creatures. Although undersea detectives might not be what you think of when it comes to the crime genre, it’s a fun twist on the concept.
Revenant Recon |View at AmazonYou’re getting a blue and black lineup with this deck, and it’s fond of resurrecting creatures or surveilling (e.g. looking at the top cards of your deck). Seeing as its face Commander is a vampire, it feels a bit more gothic too.
Deadly Disguise |View at AmazonYou’ll be playing with red, green, and white cards if you choose this deck. It’s very fond of the new Disguise mechanic that allows you to play something face down.
Play Booster Box |View at AmazonAlthough youcanget individual Play Booster packs, they’re a little harder to find at retailers like Amazon. (You’re better off visiting your local game store in person or trying smaller outlets.) The massive boxes featuringloadsof them are another story.
Best for collectorsThese packs contain some of the most sought-after cards in the set, and they also come with exclusive treatments you won’t find anywhere else. As a bonus, you receive more Rares than normal. Much like the average Play Boosters, you can buy these individually or as a bigger Display box that contains 12 packs.
Collector Boosters |View at AmazonIt’s easier to find individual Collector Booster packs, but they can be quite expensive by themselves (they average $20 or so). That makes the full box featuring multiple packs arguably better value for money.
Best for making your own decks
This box is an easier way to set yourself up for making Murders at Karlov Manor decks, or playing Standard/Draft game types. It includes multiple Play Booster packs, a unique dice, and special art.
Bundle |View at AmazonIf you want to kickstart your own MTG Murders at Karlov Manor decks, the Bundle is by far and away the best option. It contains nine Play Booster packs for much less than you’d pay normally.
Best for competitive playersIf you head to your local game store you can pick up the set’s Prerelease box that, much like bundles, will set you up nicely for Murders at Karlov Manor. Alongside a storage box, dice, and multiple Play Boosters, it also provides a code for boosters on MTG Arena.
Best of competitive players |View at WalmartLooking for the best possible start to your MTG Murders at Karlov Manor collection? Alongside Play Boosters, Prerelease packs like this one contain a code for digital versions in MTG Arena. However, they’re a bit harder to find at mainstream retailers like Amazon.
For board game fans
As the name would suggest, this is an MTG-themed spin on Clue (or Cluedo, depending on where you are in the world) that doesn’t actually require a board - it’s all done through the cards. In a fun twist, all of the characters have been given a Ravnica makeover.
Ravnica - Clue Edition |View at AmazonThis standalone spin-off should be widely available at all major retailers and local game stores, but we’re unsure of how long it’ll stay in production.
There’s always an in-depth story chugging away beneath every Magic release, and Murders at Karlov Manor is no exception. As the name would suggest, this is a classic whodunit; a party for society’s best and brightest has been disturbed by grisly killings, and now a band of investigators must find the culprit.
The plot takes place in the planet-wide city of Ravnica, a location seen many times throughout MTG – and even inD&D books. (You can find out more about the setting via our guide oneverything you need to know about Ravnica.) The new head of the Orzhov Syndicate has invited high society to their stately home, but festivities are cut short with the discovery of a corpse. Seeing as the Syndicate are fantasy loansharks that force spirits of the dead to continue serving so they can pay off their debts, there’s plenty of motive for someone to cause trouble.
…she stopped, clapping a hand over her mouth to contain the scream she could feel building in her chest
This attracts the attention of canny investigators like the famous Alquist Proft (who may as well be a cockier, more genial Sherlock Holmes). Seeing as they quickly uncover vampires lurking amongst the crowd, something larger is clearly at play here.
These story elements play into the mechanics of this set. You’ll collect evidence, disguise yourself, investigate clues during matches, and more. It’s one of the best marriages in terms of narrative and theme we’ve had from Magic in a while.
You can catch up on the full plot at theofficial site. Just set aside a bit of time to go through it all; there are 10 short stories in total that are longer than you’d think, though they can be listened to instead in podcast form if you’d prefer. Either way, it’s a surprisingly gripping tale that does a good job of tying into previous sets without being an overwhelming prospect for anyone that’s new to all this. Some aspects may be baffling, sure (what’s a Phyrexian? What does the Orzhov Syndicatedo,exactly?), but you can piece it together quickly enough.
Pre-orders for the new MTG set are well under way, and as always, prices vary between retailers – but youcanget some good discounts if you know where to look. We’ve gone ahead and hunted for the best deals so you don’t have to, and you can see our findings below.
Commander packs are always all over the place in terms of price (usually it varies from box to box), and this set is no different. Just be quick - retailers with the lowest prices seem to be running out of their stock allocation.
The Murders at Karlov Manor Bundle (offering multiple boosters, a dice, and a storage box) is getting the most wide-spread discounts at the moment. Even if it’s only a small saving, we’ve rarely seen it at full price.
Despite being one of the most expensive options when it comes to MTG Murders at Karlov Manor, discounts on the Play Booster Box are pretty consistent. In most cases, you can save at least a few dollars.
The Collector Booster Box is Karlov Manor’s most expensive item at several hundred dollars or pounds, but we’ve seen it enjoying some reductions here and there nonetheless. As an example, we’ve spotted a 34% price cut at Amazon US before now.
This MTG take on Clue (or Cluedo, for UK readers) hasn’t had the biggest of discounts yet but is still available for a little less than normal at the likes of Amazon.
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