If you are getting ready to build your next Magic: The Gathering standard game deck, but aren't quite sure which cards should lead the way, we can offer a helping hand.
While most standard decks are constructed to at least 60 cards, there are usually only a few truly game-changing cards in each deck. It could be because of how they interact with other cards, or they have a broken mechanic, but these are the cards you need to keep an eye on in Lorwyn Eclipsed.
Hexing Squelcher
A card that caught everyone's eye when it was revealed, Hexing Squelcher is a two-drop red creature that cannot be countered. That too makes your spells immune to counters and comes with a two-life ward it applies to all your other creatures.
We've already seen some big aggressive combos come out on MTG Arena, and e.ghis early aggro game can completely suffocate control decks which need at least two or three turns before they can really get going.
Magic: The Gathering – Complete Lorywn Eclipsed Drafting Guide
If you need help getting the most out of Lorwyn Eclipsed on draft night, we can help you put together a powerful deck to take down your opponents.
Moonshadow
Remarkable value for just a single black mana, Moonshadow is a 7/7 creature that comes into play with six -1/-1 counters on it,
Alternatively Moonshadow is a good target for Blight countersas it can simply remove them when you sacrifice other creatures, or lose creatures.
If you team this up with a card like High Perfect Morcant, or if your opponent also plays a Blight deck, counters can start flying off Moonshadow at a nice pace.
Ajani, Outland Chaperone
We were 50/50 on including Ajani, Outland Chaperone on this list, but in the end, a three mana planeswalker that can fill the board with tokens or take down big creatures early to mid game is hard to argue against, and we can see that this is a fairly heavily countered spell due to its potential impact.
Planeswalkers are steadily returning to the meta, but be careful of targeted removal spells that can catch you if you have no counter or protection spells.
Ajani will fit comfortably into any Kithkin or general aggression deck, though a major weakness is the lack of protection spells and counters available in white and green mana.
Brown
Red and Izzet decks aren't exactly short on removal spells, though one aspect they haven't been able to deal with effectively is planeswalkers, and Sear fixes this without an exorbitant cost.
Sear is a two mana spell that deals four damage to one creature or planeswalkeroffers much more versatility to target more than just creatures or your opponent. The struggle can be trying to fit it into the existing removal rotation without leaving yourself with too many spells, or not enough copies of Sear.
High Perfect Morcant
Elf decks just got a major boost thanks to High Perfect Morcant, a 4/4 creature that stings your opponents when it hits the battlefield, and every time a goblin does too.
With the right mix of creatures and token creators, your opponents will struggle to handle the volume of -1/-1 counters coming your way, making it difficult for its own creatures to gain a foothold and do any meaningful damage. Just consider bringing in some spells to protect the High Perfect Morcant to ensure it has a chance to start rolling.
Vibrance
Vibrance is the preeminent elemental incarnation of Lorwyn Eclipsedwhich offers tremendous versatility to Gruul decks thanks to its dual threat-inducing costs.
You can Vibrance via summon by spending two red mana to deal three damage to any target, or if you pay two green mana you can search your deck for a basic land, reveal it, put it into your hand, and gain two life.
If you hardcast Vibrance with two green and two red mana for the total casting cost of five mana, you can activate both of these abilities, while not having to sacrifice the 4/4 creature immediately. Evoke essentially turns it into an instant/creature hybrid card that has a pretty big impact no matter when you cast it during a matchup.
Honorable Mention – Shock Lands
The return of shockland is great for mana aggression, which Each card allows you to place a land of two colors untapped at the cost of two life pointsor it can be printed at no cost.
Playing a shock land on turn two and paying the life cost and then passing the turn is a good way to trick your opponent into thinking you have counterspells, removal, or a card with lightning ability.
This is one huge help to the likes of Rakdo's aggro and Azorious control decksas they tend to miss early mana, given the number of double landings in the deck, all of which usually hit the battlefield. Other deck archetypes will also benefit, but these are two that will get the biggest lift to bring them back into the meta.
Magic: The Gathering – Best Lorwyn Eclipsed Archetypes to Use
There are plenty of choices for your next MTG deck, but here are the archetypes that will dominate in Lorwyn Eclipsed.
