Dundoolin WeaverDundoolin Weaver | Art by Olivier Bernard

In the fall of 2007, Wizards of the Coast released its forty-third expansion for Magic: Lorwyn. For the past nearly-nineteen years, I have heard nothing but positive remarks about this set, and even though I wasn't playing in 2007, I was interested to see how Wizards would handle the return to such an immensely popular plane in Lorwyn Eclipsed.

This set seems t0 have been received very positively, but I have heard some whispers about missed opportunities.

What Is Lorwyn Eclipsed Lacking?

Kithkin and Treefolk

The first thing I expected when returning to Lorwyn was some support for famously under-supported creature types, specifically Kithkin and Treefolk. There has been nearly twenty years to come up with some new flavor for these creature types, but unfortunately, Lorwyn Eclipsed didn't add much. The new Brigid, Clachan's HeartBrigid, Clachan's Heart creates Kithkin tokens, but isn't specifically a "Kithkin Commander."

Are there other cool creatures in Lorwyn Eclipsed that happen to have the Kithkin or Treefolk creature types? Yes, (see Sinister GnarlbarkSinister Gnarlbark) but there's nothing that makes you go, "Wow, I can finally build a Kithkin/Treefolk Kindred deck!" Sure, Wizards isn't only focused on commander, but the fact that they have made cool legends for other obscure creature types (looking at you, Aphelia, Viper WhispererAphelia, Viper Whisperer), shows that they can do it.

Ignoring two of Lorwyn's big creature types seems like a huge missed opportunity, especially since they gave new commanders for already heavily supported creature types: Elf and Elemental. Ashling, the LimitlessAshling, the Limitless and High Perfect MorcantHigh Perfect Morcant are cool new takes on their creature types, but it's not like the community has been yelling for a new Golgari Elves commander.

Speaking of Elves, Maralen, Fae AscendantMaralen, Fae Ascendant confuses me. On one hand, I'm excited to finally have a commander for Sultai Elves (Rest In Peace, Leovold, Emissary of TrestLeovold, Emissary of Trest), but on the other hand, it also cares about Faeries for some reason? They missed an opportunity to really lean in one direction, as I think having the text "Elf or Faerie" makes it feel a bit like a cop out. Her abilities are very "Faerie-esque," so I can understand why it would care about Faeries, but why add Elves?

Merfolk

My biggest "missed opportunity" from Lorwyn Eclipsed comes from something the Professor of Tolarian Community College has been asking for for a long, long time: a Bant Merfolk commander.

Tuvasa the SunlitTuvasa the Sunlit exists, but it only cares about enchantments. You could Rule 0 Prof's "unknown event" card, The Scholar of Seas (see below), but this set felt like the perfect opportunity to print a proper Bant Merfolk commander. The new Sygg, Wanderwine WisdomSygg, Wanderwine Wisdom is cool and I know he isn't canonically "green-aligned," but this could have been a cool hybrid-mana opportunity for Merfolk.

Lorwyn as a plane doesn't really have green Merfolk, so I understand why they didn't take this opportunity, but this felt like a lay-up that they just missed.

Sygg, Wanderwine WisdomSygg, Wanderwine Wisdom is a part of a new "transform" cycle of legends that is sweet. So sweet, in fact, that I'm kind of confused why they didn't make at least one of the precon commanders a flip card, or one that cares about flip cards. Isn't the whole point of the lore that they show the thematic differences between Lorwyn and Shadowmoor? That would have been a huge flavor win!

That Incredible Trailer

Remember that Jim Henson trailer for this set? Are you just as bummed as I am that those two characters from A Boggar Balad aren't playable cards?

I want Squen and Cragg as playable characters! Just think of how fun that would be!

Bring Back Blocks!

Lastly, a huge missed opportunity (the biggest in my opinion) is waiting nearly twenty years to return to Lorwyn, only to have a single standalone set. To come back to a place that is so special to so many and not explore it as an entire block feels like a disservice to such a rich, loved plane. Gone are the days of blocks, but if any plane deserved one, it was this one.

Maybe this hits harder because we are constantly bouncing between vastly different sets with vastly different feels at the rate of, what feels like, every month. There's no denying that going from Lorwyn Eclipsed to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is jarring. Above all, it's nice to have an in-universe set that feels like Magic.

I want to hold on to this feeling for as long as I can. Heck, I'm still holding on to the joy I got from Tarkir: Dragonstorm.

With all that criticism aside, this set did a lot right. This is the most fun I've had with a set in a long time, and I'm so glad to see that Wizards of the Coast still has a set like this in them.