Everything you need to know about MTG Murders at Karlov Manor

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 the best 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?

• The first 2024 set for Standard, Commander, and more 
• It's Magic's take on the whodunit genre
• Features a Clue spin-off and new booster type

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 iconic classic board games, Clue.

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.

MTG Murders at Karlov Manor spoilers

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 site here. You can also take a look at specific Commander deck cards on Gatherer here.

MTG Murders at Karlov Manor products

• Features 4 Commander decks
• Has Play & Collector Boosters
• Prerelease & Bundle packs available

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.

Commander decks (x4)

Best for beginners & casual play

These 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 Amazon
This 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 Amazon
A 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 Amazon
You'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 Amazon
You'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 Boosters

Best for experienced players

The classic Set and Draft Boosters are no more; they've been replaced with a new catch-all pack that should hopefully be more straightforward for everyone involved. Used for a variety of game types, each one includes 14 cards with a foil and the chance of multiple Rares. You can get these individually, in a box of three, or as a massive Booster Display containing 504 cards. 

Play Booster Box | View at Amazon
Although you can get 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 featuring loads of them are another story.

Collector Boosters

Best for collectors

These 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 Amazon
It'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.

Bundle

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 Amazon
If 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.

Prerelease

Best for competitive players

If 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 Walmart
Looking 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.

Ravnica - Clue Edition

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 Amazon
This 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.

MTG Murders at Karlov Manor story

• Takes place in a classic MTG setting, Ravnica
• A party at a stately home is interrupted by strange killings
• Investigators must uncover the disguised murderers

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 in D&D books. (You can find out more about the setting via our guide on everything 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.

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 the official 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 Syndicate do, exactly?), but you can piece it together quickly enough.

MTG Murders at Karlov Manor deals

Pre-orders for the new MTG set are well under way, and as always, prices vary between retailers – but you can get 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 Decks

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.

Bundle

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.

Play Booster Box

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.

Collector Boosters

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.

Ravnica: Clue Edition

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.

For recommendations on what to play next, don't miss our guide to the best board games or these must-have board games for adults. If you want something more adventurous, on the other hand, take a look at the best tabletop RPGs.