Now that the excitement of MTG's return to the plane of Lorwyn after more than a decade has truly settled in, it's time to look at what lurks in the shadows of the Lorwyn Eclipsed expansion, arriving on January 16. If you plan to participate in our Prerelease, there's a strategic aspect you can't ignore: how to build an effective deck in an environment where synergy reigns supreme?
Changelings at the Heart of Your Strategy
The great strength of this set is the massive return of Changelings. For those new to the mechanic, these creatures possess all creature types at all times.
The Strategic Stakes
In a format heavily focused on Kindred (formerly Tribal), Changelings are your best allies. They allow you to trigger your "ETB" (Enters the Battlefield) abilities and benefit from bonuses, regardless of the faction you're playing.
The challenge of the Limited format
Building in Sealed or Draft on Lorwyn is a real puzzle. If you don't have enough Changelings to bridge your various synergies (Kithkins, Faeries, Elementals), your deck risks lacking fluidity. It's this tactical depth that makes in-store events so exciting: every deck-building choice counts! It's therefore important to only play your cards (hehe) if you have the cards in hand. And to build a Plan B with other mechanics.
Other mechanics
The return of Hybrid Mana:
This guarantees you'll never be color-screwed and allows you to splash powerful cards more easily. Expect to see many players take advantage of this since the Vivid ability considers both colors as being in play!
The versatility of Evoke
Will you cast your creature for its reduced Evoke cost to benefit only from its enter-the-battlefield effect, or wait until you have enough mana to keep it on the board? This is often what will make the difference in the late game.
Industrial -1/-1
The Wither mechanic makes a comeback, dealing -1/-1 damage to creatures it touches. Make sure you always have removal in hand to counter these creatures if you don't want to lose everything in the following turns.
The Staple Hunt in Typal
For those scouring their binders for future gems, Lorwyn Eclipsed brings some key pieces, especially for Commander.
Utility Lands
Keep an eye out for lands that interact with specific creature types. These kinds of cards maintain a very stable value because they are essential for optimizing mana bases in eternal formats.
What's on in store this week?
We're holding the Lorwyn Eclipsed prerelease this Friday, January 16th at 6 PM. Don't miss it, spots are filling up fast!
Prizes
2 playbooster packs for entry + 1 pack per round won. And store credits for the winner of the evening!
Question of the week: Which Lorwyn Eclipsed card do you think will completely redefine your Commander deck this year?
See you soon around a gaming mat!