Abundant CountrysideAbundant Countryside | Art by Iris Compiet | Eclipsed RealmsEclipsed Realms | Art by Alayna Danner

Lorwyn Eclipsed is all about changelings and kindred, with a healthy revisit to the Kithkin, Merfolk, Elves, Goblins, Faeries, Treefolk, and Flamekin (Elementals) that populate both the day and night sides of Lorwyn. Wait, doesn't it feel like we're forgetting about something, there?

Oh, right. Scarecrows. Let's take a look at the best artifacts of Lorwyn Eclipsed. And, why not? We'll see if there's any new lands worth playing, too.

The Reaper, King No MoreThe Reaper, King No More

There is some slight cEDH buzz around The Reaper, King No MoreThe Reaper, King No More, but I wouldn't worry too much if you're a -1/-1 counter fan. Provided you aren't looking to Birthing PodBirthing Pod this old Scarecrow king into an instant win or an Etali, Primal ConquerorEtali, Primal Conqueror, most folks are just going to assume that you're doing fair things with it. And it turns out that Lorwyn Eclipsed has brought in quite a few new toys with which to do fair things with when it comes to Reaper and -1/-1 counters.

While the EDHREC page is still catching up, I can report that the number of cards featuring -1/-1 counters has gone from 130 to 158 (actually 240 to 296 if you include mechanics like persist, wither, and infect) with the addition of the new set, but more importantly, the quality of those cards has gone up substantially.

While mainstays like Yawgmoth, Thran PhysicianYawgmoth, Thran Physician, Devoted DruidDevoted Druid, and Black Sun's ZenithBlack Sun's Zenith will still absolutely pull their weight, they're now going to be joined with the likes of Sinister GnarlbarkSinister Gnarlbark, Oft-Nabbed GoatOft-Nabbed Goat, Aberrant ReturnAberrant Return, Bristlebane BattlerBristlebane Battler, and MoonshadowMoonshadow.

In other words? Life looks good for the Reaper, even if it doesn't look as good as Scarecrow fans would like it to.

Dread TillerDread Tiller

The card I didn't just mention in the above list of new -1/-1 counter toys is one of the best ones: Dread TillerDread Tiller. While it's not a windmill slam into anything doing wither or blight shenanigans, as it does require a bit of building around, any -1/-1 counter deck featuring a mana base full of fetch landsfetch lands will not struggle to abuse it.

Chronicle of VictoryChronicle of Victory

As for the true artifacts that don't need any of those pesky pips or colors, the one I've seen the most excitement about is Chronicle of VictoryChronicle of Victory. A mana more than an OverrunOverrun for a power and toughness short of what we're used to there, Chronicle will be an epic finisher for kindred decks that go wide.

Even if you don't end the game right there and then, however, it brings a few more tricks to the table. First strike isn't used as much as it used to be, so a lot of folks will have forgotten how horrific it makes combat for those swinging into you. Combine that with some boilerplate kindred-card-draw-on-cast, and what you have here is a card that will have folks rethinking whether Coat of ArmsCoat of Arms is the auto-include it once was.

Check out this article Jeremy wrote all about Chronicle of Victory.

Wickersmith's ToolsWickersmith's Tools

The one shout-out to Scarecrows in the whole set, so long as you don't count The Reaper, King No MoreThe Reaper, King No More and Dread TillerDread Tiller's type lines, Wickersmith's ToolsWickersmith's Tools is the latest in a long line of "are three-mana rocks good if we do this?" cards.

To answer the question for this one: It's fine, specifically in -1/-1 counter decks. You will absolutely be able to stack counters on it in that strategy. Five mana to sacrifice it, however, means that a lot of the time, it will sit there and garner counters and never actually get popped. When there are games that are ended after a Black Sun's ZenithBlack Sun's Zenith wipes the board and then Tools' owner untaps and plops down 15 Scarecrows, however, this will be worth all the downside of it being an extra mana.

Gathering StoneGathering Stone

Gathering StoneGathering Stone presents the question of whether you'd pay an extra mana for Herald's HornHerald's Horn to get its upkeep trigger immediately, and I think for a lot of folks, the answer will be yes. Not because they're swapping the two out, but simply because now there's a second Herald's Horn.

That's a little bit dismissive, though, because there is a new line of text in the upkeep and enters trigger of Gathering Stone. Even in a dedicated kindred deck, you'll see more whiffs with Herald's Horn than you will draws. Stone fixes that problem by letting you put the whiffs in the graveyard rather than back on top of your deck.

And that top-deck manipulation, more than anything else, will be the reason that you'll actually see some folks go for the full replacement rather than just playing both.

Mirrormind CrownMirrormind Crown

If Brudiclad, Telchor EngineerBrudiclad, Telchor Engineer has taught us anything, it's that making multiple copies of a card that's not supposed to have multiple copies of it can be absolutely game-breaking. Well, if Brudiclad decks are looking for a backup commander, they've found one in Mirrormind CrownMirrormind Crown. It's unfortunately the same six-mana cost to both cast and equip, but once you do, it will start pumping out copies as fast as your token deck can go.

All that said, I don't think that copy decks are necessarily the way to go with Crown. Don't get me wrong, you can do all the broken things you can do with DoppelgangDoppelgang, Orthion, Hero of LavabrinkOrthion, Hero of Lavabrink, and Saheeli, the Sun's BrillianceSaheeli, the Sun's Brilliance with Crown (well, all the creature things, anyhow), but with Crown being colorless, it gives you access to a whole different kind of deck: Just... tokens.

Your most generic Selesnya () Tokens deck will play dozens of creatures that make tokens, and all of those creatures go nuts with Crown. Sure, the "first time each turn" rider will keep things from getting too ridiculous, but throwing Crown onto an Avenger of ZendikarAvenger of Zendikar will still make a splash by making Avengers equal to your land count, which will then all make Plants equal to your land count times your land count.

Even if you're less ambitious than spending six mana to throw Crown onto a seven-mana creature, however, there are still plenty of options:

Top 10 Cheap, Non-Legendary Creatures That Can Make Lots of Tokens (per EDHREC Score)

1. Loyal ApprenticeLoyal Apprentice
2. Young PyromancerYoung Pyromancer
3. Springheart NantukoSpringheart Nantuko
4. Charismatic ConquerorCharismatic Conqueror
5. Third Path IconoclastThird Path Iconoclast
6. Ocelot PrideOcelot Pride
7. Dragonmaster OutcastDragonmaster Outcast
8. Gala GreetersGala Greeters
9. Elvish WarmasterElvish Warmaster
10. Twitching DollTwitching Doll

Some of these may seem like non-bos at first glance, such as Loyal ApprenticeLoyal Apprentice and Dragonmaster OutcastDragonmaster Outcast. After all, why would you want a 2/1 when you could have a flier, or a 1/1 when you could have a 5/5 flier? Keep in mind, however, that Crown only affects the creature that it's attached to, meaning that after you make another copy of the original creature, the copies will still function normally.

In other words, a Dragonmaster OutcastDragonmaster Outcast with Crown on it will first make a copy of itself, then on the next upkeep, you will make another copy of Outcast with Crown, and then the copy will make a Dragon.

Finally, the biggest thing to keep in mind here is that while Crown has a once-a-turn restriction, the creatures do not. In other words, if you can copy Charismatic ConquerorCharismatic Conqueror, the first time they trigger each turn, you will make a copy of Conqueror and a Vampire. The second time? You'll make three Vampires, as both copies and the original will all make Vampires.

Also, it's every turn, not just yours. So pay attention to creatures like Tendershoot DryadTendershoot Dryad and Koma, Cosmos SerpentKoma, Cosmos Serpent that make tokens on opponents' turns.

Firdoch CoreFirdoch Core

There is some low-key excitement around this card in cEDH, specifically with Magda, Brazen OutlawMagda, Brazen Outlaw, so if you have an interest there make sure to tune into our cEDH Set Review (Spoiler: It's an artifact "Dwarf" that isn't actually a creature, but can still make infinite Treasures with Magda and Clock of OmensClock of Omens).

For our more mundane purposes, however, this is the second instance in this set of a three-mana rock that's asking if it's worth playing over the more efficient two-mana options. And to be honest? I think this one hits the mark a little better than Wickersmith's ToolsWickersmith's Tools.

Being all creature types but not actually a creature is something that's going to be useful in a lot more places than just Magda. Combine that with the fact that in most Kindred decks, this is probably going to end up costing two mana somewhere along the way as the cost reducers proliferate, and what we have is a rock that a lot of decks would consider even before knowing that it can turn into a 4/4 if you have some mana laying around.

Stalactite DaggerStalactite Dagger

Stalactite DaggerStalactite Dagger provides something for four mana in two installments that you'd otherwise have to pay four mana outrightfour mana outright for: two Changelings. In other words, this is a layaway plan. And if you can't get behind that in this economy, then when will you ever?

Jokes aside, Stalactite Dagger is absolutely going to see play in the same places that changelings as a whole do. Kindred decks that don't share all one creature type, or that simply don't have enough decent cards printed in their specific creature type to fill a deck.

Decks that specifically will be looking for this over another standard two-mana changeling, however, will be those helmed by commanders that aren't the creature type of the deck they lead (like The Scarab GodThe Scarab God, Atla Palani, Nest TenderAtla Palani, Nest Tender, Jinnie Fay, Jetmir's SecondJinnie Fay, Jetmir's Second, or every Saproling commander), or those featuring expensive creature types like Dragons and Angels that just want to get down some cheap examples early to get the ball rolling.

Abundant CountrysideAbundant Countryside

Ancient ZigguratAncient Ziggurat, we hardly knew ye. It doesn't take you long as a content creator to abandon the words "strictly better" entirely, but I am tempted to utter them here. Abundant CountrysideAbundant Countryside seems to be a strict upgrade over the previously expensive Ziggurat, not only allowing you to tap for colorless mana that can be used for anything, but also coming with an additional ability on top of it.

Now, am I blown away by the ability to tie up seven lands to create a 1/1 token? No. Can I imagine a scenario where it would be useful? Yes.

As for what decks will want this, well, our work has pretty much been done for us, hasn't it? Visiting Ancient Ziggurat's EDHREC page, we see that - shocker - the main decks that would want Abundant Countryside are creature decks, notably including Sliver decks.

Basically, if you play a ton of creatures, and also a ton of colors, this thing is your new best friend.

Eclipsed RealmsEclipsed Realms

Is this just a second, worse copy of Secluded CourtyardSecluded Courtyard? In most situations, yes. There are those decks that care about more than one creature type, however, and if this long list of nonsense happens to hit on a couple of those for your specific deck, then you'd be silly not to take advantage.

Simic Cycling and Slow Lands

Edge of Eternities brought us the cyclingcycling and "SlowSlow" or "BattleBattle" duals for GolgariGolgari and BorosBoros, and apparently we're slowing the trend down a bit with Lorwyn Eclipsed.

Odds are that we will see the final Orzhov and Izzet lands to complete the cycle in Secrets of Strixhaven in April of this year. But for now, let's revel in having the Simic ones to work with going forward!

All in all, if you're an artifact, or even a land lover, Lorwyn Eclipsed probably just wasn't for you. There are a few neat tools in here, but things are very focused elsewhere. That said, if you are the target audience, kindred decks are getting all the boons possible in this set, from the lands on down.

I know for me, I've got an Abundant CountrysideAbundant Countryside to add alongside my Ancient ZigguratAncient Ziggurat in my Oops, All Creatures deck and another cycling dual to add to my Cycling deck. I imagine that similar to you, however, the real prizes for my decks weren't found here in artifacts and lands, but rather in the rest of the set, where kindred and changeling things have added quite the bulk of options to my Kindred deck of choice.

More Lorwyn Eclipsed: