With release day imminent, is MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed worth getting? Here's everything you need to know

1. Tabletop Gaming
2. Magic: The Gathering

With release day imminent, is MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed worth getting? Here's everything you need to know Features By Benjamin Abbott published 21 January 2026

This new Magic set brings us back to a beloved world

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1. Essential info2. Release date3. Mechanics4. Alt-arts5. Products6. Story7. Deals

2026 is shaping up to be a big year for Magic: The Gathering, and the first set out of the gate is MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed. Dropping at the end of January, this fey-tinged expansion revisits a two-in-one plane where day and night butt up against each other - to often-disastrous effect.

With the set causing such a stir amongst fans, you might be wondering what's so special about MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed... so I've got the lowdown right here. You can get all the details on release date, mechanics, story, and more for this expansion to one of the best card games right here.

If you feel tempted to give it a try, you'll also find the lowest prices for MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed below. That includes everything from the Commander decks to the prerelease box set.

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MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed essential info

A Boggart Ballad | Lorwyn Eclipsed Official Trailer | Magic: The Gathering - YouTube Watch On

• A set all about duality
• Whimsical & fey-inspired
• Returns to an original MTG world

Lorwyn Eclipsed is a mainline set for Magic: The Gathering, meaning it's legal in all game types and offers a wealth of products from Commander decks to bundles and booster packs. The range is available as physical cards or digitally via MTG Arena.

Is MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed Standard-legal?

The new Lorwyn set can be played in Standard matches, and is an official addition to the format.

Which formats can you use MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed in?

The main Lorwyn Eclipsed set (ECL) is legal for all formats. Meanwhile, the Commander (ECC) and Special Guests (SPG) sets can be used in Commander, Legacy, and Vintage.

Are there prerelease events for MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed?

Yes, official prerelease events for the expansion will run between January 16-22, 2026.

Is Lorwyn Eclipsed available for MTG Arena?

Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed will be available to play on MTG Arena from January 20.

Wait, was that a Muppets version of Lorwyn Eclipsed?

Yes - yes, it was. As part of the runup to MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed, the Jim Henson Company released a tongue-in-cheek musical trailer for the set with all the wonderfully weird puppets you could hope for. You can see how it was all made here.

MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed release date

(Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)

MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed is due to launch at the end of January 2026 (January 23, to be precise), and it's the first Magic: The Gathering set of the year. However, as per usual, the release schedule is busier than this would suggest. As an example, a D&D module called Lorwyn: First Light launched on November 18, 2025 to coincide with the set.

Here's a breakdown of what's happening, and when.

• Lorwyn: First Light: November 18, 2025
• Lorwyn Eclipsed stories: December 8–16, 2025
• Lorwyn Eclipsed debut: January 5, 2026
• Full card gallery: January 12, 2026
• Prerelease events: January 16–22, 2026
• Commander Box League: January 16–22, 2026
• MTG Arena release: January 20, 2026
• Tabletop release: January 23, 2026
• Pro Tour Lorwyn Eclipsed: January 30–February 1, 2026
• Magic Spotlight: Eclipsed: February 6–8, 2026

MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed mechanics

(Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)

• Vivid & blight are benefits themed to Lorwyn/Shadowmoor
• Double-sided cards play a large role
• Returning keywords like persist & evoke

As a major new Magic set, it's no surprise that MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed is shaking things up with a few new (and returning) mechanics. These are all intended to enhance or represent the theme of duality in Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, allowing for some intriguing twists on the usual formula.

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Double-sided: While double-sided cards are a regular occurrence in Magic these days, it feels particularly fitting for Lorwyn-Shadowmoor. You can pay to flip these over during your first main phase, transforming the card from its brighter Lorwyn aspect to the dark Shadowmoor variant (and vice versa).

Vivid: This idea represents the fairytale beauty of Lorwyn by rewarding you for fielding a range of mana colors. While the effect varies depending on the card, you'll usually gain a boon (as seen with the Shrinestriker, which allows you to draw a number of cards equal to the number of colors you have amongst your permanents).

Blight: Because it's couched in Shadowmoor, this mechanic is the antithesis of 'vivid.' Rather than providing a color-fuelled boost, you gain benefits by stacking -1/-1 counters on your hapless creatures.

Kindred: A returning idea, this mechanic allows non-creature cards to have a creature type.

Changeling: While it's more flavor than anything else, this mechanic allows cards to be any creature type.

Persist: This is very much a 'nope' card, in that defeated creatures with the keyword return to the battlefield with a -1/-1 token so long as they didn't already have one.

Behold: A few cards may ask you to 'behold' a specific creature type as part of its cost.

Evoke: This ability lets you skip ahead to the good stuff by paying lesxs to take advantage of the enters/leaves effects, albeit at the cost of having to get rid of the card afterward.

Convoke: You can tap creatures to serve as payment for spells.

MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed alt-arts

(Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)

• Fewer alt-art treatments this time
• Lorwyn-Shadowmoor artist Rebecca Guay returns

Although MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed does feature alt-arts, it feels like less of a focus for this set. Chief among them is a serialized, individually-numbered Bitterbloom Bearer card by Rebecca Guay (who played a large part in defining the Plane's signature look).

You can also get your hands on borderless cards featuring either double-sided lands or creatures illustrated by artists known for their work on the Lorwyn Shadowmoor block. If you're a longtime fan of the Plane, this will probably pique your interest most.

Personally speaking, I'm all about the woodcut-effect 'Special Guests' cards that reimagine MTG characters or creatures in the style of Lorwyn-Shadowmoor. It's very moody and the art feels as though it'd be at home in a gothic stained glass window.

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You can only get the above from Collector Boosters, so make a beeline for them if you want something a little different.

MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed products

(Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)

• Usual Boosters & boxes
• Two Commander decks
• New Draft Night box

So, how do you actually get your hands on MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed cards? As per usual for a major set, there's an array of products available to suit different playstyles or needs - though it's worth noting that there isn't quite as big a spread as some previous releases, like MTG Avatar: The Last Airbender. However, we are getting a new Draft Night box to go with the usual pair of Commander decks, prerelease set, boosters, and bundles.

Here's the full list of what's available.

Boosters

Play Boosters | View at AmazonAs with the vast majority of MTG releases, Lorwyn Eclipsed features Play Booster packs sold individually or in a box set of 30 packs. These are designed for use in certain game types (like Draft or Sealed) or for making your own decks.

View Deal

Play Boosters | View at AmazonIf you want the rarest and prettiest cards, you'll need these packs. Sold separately or in a box of 12, these feature Rares, Mythics, Full-Art cards, foils, reversible shock lands, and special alt-arts.

View Deal

Commander decks

Dance of the Elements | View at AmazonIf you prefer to run premade decks or enjoy the multiplayer Commander match type, this is the first of two sets to consider. This features all mana colors and revolves around summoning elementals while sacrificing cards for the greater good.

View Deal

Blight Curse | View at AmazonThis tri-color deck is largely focused on Shadowmoor, and as the name would suggest, it leans hard into the 'blight' mechanic introduced in MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed where you add -1/-1 tokens onto your creatures for benefits.

View Deal

Boxed sets

Bundle | View at AmazonWant to give yourself the best possible start to Lorwyn Eclipsed? This box set is the way to go, because it provides you with 9 Play Boosters, a Traditional Foil alt-art card, 30 Land cards (15 foil, 15 nonfoil), a themed Spindown life counter, a Lorwyn Eclipsed card storage box, and a pair of reference cards.

View Deal

Draft Night | View at AmazonThis box is specifically designed for four-player Draft matches of Lorwyn Eclipsed, so it's a cost-effective choice if you're hoping to set up a game night.

View Deal

Prerelease | View at Magic: The GatheringHit retail stores during prerelease events to pick up this special box set, which includes six Play Boosters, a Traditional foil promo card, a storage box, and a Spindown die themed to Lorwyn Eclipsed.

View Deal

MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed story

Lorwyn Eclipsed | Episode 1: Out of This Wood - YouTube Watch On

• "Eclipsed realms" make their first appearance
• Plot follows Strixhaven students lost in this world

The dual-plane of Lorwyn-Shadowmoor is what would happen if fey and fairy lore vomited all over a Magic: The Gathering setting. Lorwyn basks in eternal day so is a place where elves and whimsical creatures frolic in flower-filled meadows, whereas Shadowmoor enjoys eternal night with dangers around every corner.

When we last visited the plane, these aspects cycled once every 300 years; there would be centuries of light, only to be replaced by decades of darkness. Usually, the environment and everything within it changes to match that new state.

I say "usually" because the pattern has since been broken. These aspects now co-exist - there's Lorwyn on one side and Shadowmoor on the other. The places where they meet form an all-new environment called "eclipsed realms," hence the set's name. Areas can quickly shift between light and dark at a moment's notice too.

Into all this tumble students of the Strixhaven magical academy... quite literally. During a field trip across the Plane we've visited before in both MTG and Dungeons & Dragons, they chase a strange creature through a burrow and into Lorwyn-Shadowmoor. Now the challenge is getting back.

If you want to delve a little deeper, you can catch up with the official story here.

MTG Lorwyn Eclipsed deals

If you're trying to track down cards for the lowest possible price, don't worry; I've set our price-matching software on the job. It'll find and display the most cost-effective offer on each item below, flagging any savings along the way.

Today's best Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box deals $164.70 $150.90Preorder $179.99ViewWe check over 250 million products every day for the best pricesToday's best Lorwyn Eclipsed Collector Booster Box deals $419PreorderWe check over 250 million products every day for the best pricesToday's best Lorwyn Eclipsed Bundle deals $57.99Preorder $59.99ViewWe check over 250 million products every day for the best pricesToday's best Lorwyn Eclipsed Draft Night deals No price informationCheck AmazonWe check over 250 million products every day for the best pricesToday's best Lorwyn Eclipsed Commander Deck - Dance of the Elements deals $49.99 $41.99PreorderWe check over 250 million products every day for the best pricesToday's best Lorwyn Eclipsed Commander Deck - Blight Curse deals $51.94PreorderWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

For more tabletop goodness, be sure to check out the best board games and the best tabletop RPGs.

Benjamin AbbottSocial Links NavigationTabletop & Merch Editor

I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, and now manage GamesRadar+'s tabletop gaming and toy coverage. You'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game reviews to the latest Lego news.

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