Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond’s Next Rotation Is Coming
Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond’s next set will rotate Infinity Evolved out of Standard, taking staples like Odin, Grimnir, Norman, and Maddening Benison with it.
Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond’s eighth set is expected by the end of June. We still do not know what cards will be in it, or even what the set’s main theme will be, but we do know one important thing: its release will rotate out the game’s second set, Infinity Evolved.
Since Anathema’s Gambit introduced the first rotation, Shadowverse has followed a six-set Standard format. That already pushed Legends Rise out of Standard, and now Infinity Evolved is next.
That means a lot of important cards are leaving. You can still play them in Unlimited, of course, but most major official tournaments use Standard. Every class will be affected, some more than others. Here are some of the cards we think will leave the biggest gaps.
Neutral loses two of the set’s most recognizable cards. Odin, Twilit Fate was controversial from the moment it arrived, giving decks a clean banish option that could also hit face. Whether you loved it or hated it, Odin shaped plenty of games. Grimnir, Heavenly Gale also leaves, taking away a flexible 3-drop that could generate a Crest and deal 2 AoE damage.
Swordcraft loses several support pieces, including Prim, Princess’s Picnic, Rose, Princess Knight, and Band of Battle Princesses, whose Enhance effect could terrorize early boards.
Portalcraft might be one of the biggest losers. Artifact Portal recently received buffs, but cards like Artifact Catapult, Karula, Eternal Arts, and Flight of Icarus are all rotating (😢). Unless Set 8 brings new support, the archetype could fall right back out of the format. Other staples, like Zwei, Symphonic Heart, also leave Standard and join Orchid in Unlimited.
Runecraft, especially Earth Rite, will feel very different without cards like Norman, Adamant Alchemist, Lilanthim, Anathema of Edacity, and Melvie, Adoring Witch. Norman has seen a slight drop in usage lately, but for a long time, its ability to heal, draw, or summon a Barrier Golem made it one of the class’s most feared tools.
Abysscraft loses several low-cost pressure cards, including Cultivator of Malice, Ghastly Soiree, and Winged Servants. These were especially important in decks like Milteo, helping the class pressure early while building up Bats and Ghosts.
Dragoncraft players will lose some marine friends because Call of the Megalorca and Neptune, Arbiter of Tides are rotating. Other staples like Fennie, Prismatic Phoenix and Filene, Whitefrost Bloom are also on the way out.
Havencraft loses cards we will try to discuss with a neutral tone, but honestly, Maddening Benison leaving Standard is not something we will miss. The card spent a long time under the radar, then became much stronger once later sets added more Crest support. Its downside rarely mattered once the deck already had the Crests it needed. Luminous Censer also rotates, along with Wilbert, Desolate Paladin, Odin’s favorite target.
Card previewMaddening BenisonSpell / Gold / Infinity Evolved / #10263310Illustrated by Akefumi
Forestcraft feels like the least affected class at the moment. Titania, Queen of Fairies and Fairy Fencer are notable losses, but with the class mostly leaning on Evo Forest and Thestae recently, the current builds may not miss those Fairy tools as much as other classes miss their key cards.
Of course, it is hard to say how much this rotation will actually change until we see Set 8. Some archetypes may disappear, some may survive with replacements, and others could come back in unexpected ways. Artifact Portal already showed how quickly a deck can return with the right buffs. Still, this rotation looks meaningful. Infinity Evolved gave the format a lot of staple cards, and losing them should create space for something new. Hopefully, Set 8 brings fresh keywords, new archetypes, and enough support to make the next format feel different in the best way.