Some Magic: The Gathering (MTG) sets are more like mechanical experiments, while others are more like homes. Lorwyn Eclipse sits firmly in the second camp.

Wizards of the Coast returns players to one of Magic: The Gathering’s most visually distinctive and emotionally resonant planes, blending the eternal daylight of Lorwyn and the creeping twilight of Shadowmoor in a way that feels both nostalgic and fresh.

Judging by early reactions, the return to the original, story-rich plane is exactly what many longtime players have been waiting for. Launched at Pre-Release and already available on MTG Arena, Lorwyn Eclipse will hit tabletops worldwide on January 23rd. Lorwyn Eclipse isn’t just a revisit, it’s a dreamlike re-imagining.

A world where day and night intersect

Lorwyn and Shadowmoor were once two sides of the same coin, moving endlessly between sunlit wonder and moonlit menace. That balance has been disrupted.

Magic: The Gathering: Lorwyn Eclipse blends those aspects together. Bright pastel colors sit next to disturbing shadows. A gentle folktale aesthetic collides with a harsher, twisted form of magic. It’s a colorful, surreal, and very beautiful set.

Narratively, the set follows four first-year students from Strixhaven as they stumble through the Omenpath into this broken world, with Ajani and Liliana right behind them. This is a smart way to allow new and returning players to experience Lorwyn Shadowmoor with fresh eyes, while bridging Magic’s wider multiverse with its most beloved standalone planes.

Mechanisms that reflect the dual nature of airplanes

Mechanically, Lorwyn Eclipse leans into the idea that nothing exists without its opposite. There are a number of core mechanics in this set.

• Vivid – Rewards players who embrace color diversity, with abilities expanding based on the number of colors they control. It’s flexible, expressive, and very thematic for an airplane that refuses to be one thing.
• Blight – One of the most interesting new keyword actions in recent sets. Use -1/-1 counters not only as punishment but also as a resource. You may feel that weakening your creatures is the wrong thing to do. And you realize how many cards are designed to remove those counters to gain additional upside. It’s a mechanic that asks players to think one step ahead, and it fits perfectly with Shadowmoor’s philosophy.
• Changeling and Kindred – Two fan-favorite mechanics return in a way that feels purposeful rather than nostalgic. Changeling once again allows creatures to be everything at once, and Kindred extends creature typing to non-creature cards, opening up some really fun deck-building options for tribal players.
• Double-Faced Cards – Non-modal double-sided cards beautifully capture the transition between Lorwyn and Shadowmoor. These are not “choose your mode” cards. Instead, they evolve, reflecting how the characters and locations change as the plane itself changes.

Commander’s Choice: Light or Shadow?

Naturally, MTG Lorwyn Eclipse comes with two Commander decks that reflect the divided nature of this plane.

• Ashling’s Dance of the Elements focuses on harmony, color, and elemental synergy.
• Auntie Ool’s Blight Curse involves corruption, counters, and calculated self-sacrifice.

Two commanders, two philosophies, and a very clear invitation to choose a side. Or you can get both and have them clash on your next Commander’s Night. I know which one I want!

Artwork that looks like a picture book (and gallery)

Visually, Lorwyn Eclipse is stunning.

The pastel palette, quirky character designs, and storybook composition immediately distinguish it from the darker, more metallic modern sets. It’s expressive without being noisy, and it’s nostalgic without feeling old.

The main contents are as follows.

• Rebecca Guay is back, lending her signature style to the serialized Bitterbloom Bearer. Only available in Collector Boosters.
• A fable frame card that looks like it was cut out of a fairy tale anthology.
• The Japan Showcase card has been reimagined by Japan’s Booster Fan Team with bold framing and fracture foil treatment.
• Special guest card. It features woodblock-style artwork that feels handmade by the plane’s residents.
• Borderless shock land. Reversible to display both Lorwyn and Shadowmoor on one card.
• Full-art basic lands with day and night themes perfect for players who value the beauty of their decks as much as their power.

For collectors, artists, and players who value visual identity, this set does a lot of things right.

A love letter to the world of original magic

Perhaps the most important thing Magic: The Gathering’s Lorwyn Eclipse does is remind players why the original planes of Magic matter.

This is not a crossover. It’s not a gimmick. It’s a richly imaginative world with its own rules, its own aesthetics, and mechanics that exist not in spite of, but because of where they originate.

For OG players, it feels like returning to something familiar yet evolved. For new players, this is an invitation to one of Magic’s most distinctive settings. And for others, it’s proof that there’s still plenty of magic left in Magic’s original world.

Lorwyn is back, brighter, darker, and shadowier than ever. Check out Magic: The Gathering and get play boosters, collector boosters, commander decks, or bundles. Find a store near you on our websiteor check Amazon.