As the evenings grow dark and the nights get long, people everywhere begin to feel a shiver crawling up their spine. Halloween is only a week away, and we here at Master of Magics are excited to get our creep on. So, to celebrate the season of frights we are going to have look at our top 8 Creepiest Magic the Gathering cards. Why top 8? Well as all Magic players know, 9th and 10th just don’t make the cut. The witching hour is approaching, so let’s not waste any more time and get right to the good stuff.
8) Bump in the Night
You are asleep in your bed when suddenly your startled awake. Your eye’s scan your bedroom, but they haven’t yet adjusted to the darkness. Your heart rate quickens as you have the uneasy feeling that someone else is in your room. But this is your safe space. You shouldn’t need to fear for your safety here. Yet, there is the undeniable sense you not alone. Kev Walker brilliantly captures the feeling of dread that you get when you think someone, or something is watching you while you sleep. Using a pallet of blacks and whites allows the artist to make you, the player, feel as though they are the one in bed locking eyes the malevolent being wishing to cause you harm.
7) Thought Scour
Operations can be a terrifying experience for someone to go though. You are at your most vulnerable, willing placing yourself in the care of another while they cut into your flesh. But at least your heavily sedated while all this is going on. Right? For this unlucky soul, his surgery doesn’t appear to follow conventional wisdom. Not only does he have to remain awake during this creepy procedure, but I don’t even think those tools have even been sterilised. If you weren’t already scared of hospitals, now you should be.
6) Creepy Doll
We all have that elderly Grandma or Auntie who has a collection of dolls. The collection always gives you the creeps when you go to visit, as you swear the dolls eyes are following you around the room. The elderly relative is always happy to see you, but is very clear that you must never touch her collection. You assume that it is to prevent you from damaging them, as you are told that they are priceless, one of a kind. But what if it is not the dolls that she is worried about getting broken? Maybe they really are watching you.
5) Plagiarize
Anyone who has had the joy of attending an institute of higher learning will know the ‘pleasure’ of writing a dissertation. Pouring over pages of text books in an effort to source the right quotes and statements to support your thesis can drive anyone to the brink. For some the pressure can be too much, and the temptation to find a short cut can be all too strong. Our tutors warn us not to Plagiarize other authors. Is this because it is against the rules? Or is it because we face an inconceivable fate should we take credit for the work of others. If Jeremy Jarvis is to be believed, maybe we should take heed of these warnings, lest we befall a similar fate.
4) Macabre Waltz
Dancing with your partner is a lovely experience. Holding one another as you move across the floor to the beat of the music, caressing each other as you look into each other’s eyes, right before you plunge your finger right into their eye socket. What, is that just me? Jim Murray’s art for Macabre Waltz is truly a gruesome sceptical. The image of two beings embraced in a pool of blood is disturbing enough, but it’s when you notice the finger in the eye, and screams of agony coming from the lead dancer that you get that feel uneasy in the pit of your stomach.
3) Horror of Horrors
With a title like Horror of Horrors, you would expect something wonderfully bizarre. But I don’t even think R&D would have expected the creep factor to be dialled up to eleven. Looking like a nightmarish cross between the works of H.R. Giger and Picasso, Mark Tedin gives you something that looks familiar, yet alien. Every time you gaze upon this image of madness you feel a little bit more of your mind slipping away. Just don’t stare too long, lest you lose yourself forever.
2) The Fallen
This may only be a portrait of a simple zombie, but the art for The Fallen makes you sink right down in your seat. The dark pallet and shading give you the sense that this being is not quite right, but its red sunken eyes that makes you sure that this creature means you nothing but harm. Sometimes a cards art doesn’t have to be gory or feature another being’s suffering to be scary. Sometimes all you need is the sinister smile of malicious creature to send a shiver down your spine. Wait, did she just blink?
1) Diabolic Vision
The best scares don’t come from the pages of a novel, or the gruesome images of a movie. No, the greatest horrors come from the deep dark recesses of one’s own mind. Show someone a picture of a monster coming to eat them, and you might get a cheap scare. But show them a glimpse of something hiding in the shadows, just out of sight, and you will give them a sense of dread that they will not be able to shake. Anthony Waters captures this feeling perfectly in the art for Diabolic Vision, giving you only a hint of the evils waiting outside your window.
And there you have it, our take on the creepiest Magic cards of all time. We hope we haven’t scared you too much, and that you have enjoyed todays article. Over the next week or so we will be diving deeper into the darker side of our favourite trading card game, so like and subscribe to keep up to date on the latest articles from us here at Master of Magics. If you think we have over looked one of your favourite creepy cards then drop us a message in the chat below and share your picks with the community. But until next time remember, Good Fright and Good Night.
