It is that time of year again, and this time we have a new Block format, a new Stand Alone Set, and a brand new world to explore. Hopefully this time around, it is better than the whole Homelands experiment….

As has been the tradition of MDV over the last few sets, we will be breaking down the entire set of Lorwyn, and will have different guest writers chime in with their thoughts and insight on each card as we travel through the cards of the new set.

We are still ironing out the bumps for this series. The guys in the back seem to enjoy writing them up, and the readers seem to enjoy knocking them down, but I think in some strange way, it makes for more fun that way.

So find your bowling ball and get ready to throw – the review is about to begin!

After writing that lead-in, I suddenly had to shake my head and make the music stop.

“… Wanna be on top?!”

That’s right, my woman watches Tyra Banks’ show America’s Next Top Model, and insists that it makes for great, quality family time if I sit and hold the baby for an hour and watch this stupid show with her.

The show always leads off with a recap of what is going on, and immediately afterwards, the show rolls the music and the whole, “Wanna be on top?” thing is the first part of the theme music. Inevitably, I am going to respond with a loud YES, and Veronica is going to look at me and roll her eyes. What can I say; I am a corny guy with nothing else to do at that particular time.

What does this have anything to do with the Lorwyn review?

Not a darn thing. But I felt that if I needed to battle that show’s music, then you had to do the same.

Now then, to the business at hand!

Wizards creates a new Magic set, MDV will then break it down with humor, glamour, high fashion, quirky… gah, can’t shake that show!

We will be breaking down the set into six parts, and over the course of today and next week, we will bring them to you. Here is our roster, and assignments:

Lands, Artifacts, Multi-color: Tynion (that’s me)
White: Death By Aggro (volunteered right away for White, as it made him motivated)
Green: Death_By_Beebles (new writer, not sure if he will work out or not...)
Blue: Amadeus (new to the MDV scene, but has potential)
Black: Micheal_Zeora (he organized the entire show… contact him if you don’t like it)
Red: Death_By_Beebles (who is this guy? motivated isn't he? sheesh!)

Now that the schedule is out of the way, we can get down to the important work at hand, the fun cards!

Ancient Ampitheatre
Land (R)
As Ancient Ampitheatre comes into play, you may reveal a Giant card from your hand. If you don't, Ancient Ampitheatre comes into play tapped.
T: Add R or W to your mana pool.

To start things off, we hit an opposing Dual Land. Does that suck? I don’t think so. Let’s see, I need to reveal a Giant card from my hand in order to have it come into play untapped.

While I would rather just pay two life to make it untapped, I guess this would be a suitable replacement for the Rav-Duals that are rotating out. It does push the creature theme along nicely, and perhaps there will be decent enough Giant cards to help me untap it (I don’t know yet, I haven’t read the rest of the spoiler…).

Assuming that this is a cycle of opposing Dual Lands, I’d say we are out of the gate with a good start.

Grade: A

Auntie's Hovel
Land (R)
As Auntie's Hovel comes into play, you may reveal a Goblin card from your hand. If you don't, Auntie's Hovel comes into play tapped.
T: Add B or R to your mana pool.

Wow, here is a curve ball. I assumed it would be only opposing Duals, and that is not the case.

Who is Auntie anyways? I am assuming it is a character in the storyline (I don’t know, I haven’t read the story either).

Dual Lands usually are smiled upon, right? Mountains usually promote Goblins, right?

Grade: A

Gilt-Leaf Palace
Land (R)
As Gilt-Leaf Palace comes into play, you may reveal an Elf card from your hand. If you don't, Gilt-Leaf Palace comes into play tapped.
T: Add B or G to your mana pool.

Another Dual Land, this time Green and Black. Elves representing Green and Black? Interesting….

Grade: A

Howltooth Hollow
Land (R)
Hideaway (This land comes into play tapped. When it does, look at the top 4 cards in your library, remove one from the game face down, then put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
T: Add B to your mana pool.
B, T: You may play the removed card without paying its mana cost if each player has no cards in hand.

Oh really? So I can put a Damnation in the Hollow, then after forcing a hand flush, I can wipe you out with the hidden Damnation? I’ll take it!

Grade: A-

Mosswort Bridge
Land (R)
Hideaway (This land comes into play tapped. When it does, look at the top 4 cards of your library, remove one from the game face down, then put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
T: Add G to your mana pool.
G, T: You may play the removed card without paying its mana cost if creatures you control have total power 10 or greater.

Hrm, that doesn’t seem so good. I’d think that there are too many Control players out there to allow for you to have 10 power of creatures in play at any one time. I could be wrong, though.

Now that I am thinking about Hideaway, this mechanic works “Grrrr-eat!” with those old-school “reborn” spells that have no casting cost but need to be suspended for 90 turns and then make me swear because Teferi suddenly appears just before they resolve. Cards like Wheel of Fate, Restore Balance, and Living End. Can you imagine being on the receiving end of someone forcing you to discard your last card, and then playing Curse of the Cabal from his or her Howltooth Hollow? You then realize that you only have five permanents in play, and so you need to sacrifice two of them.

I can see potential nasty combos springing out from these lands.

Grade: C, but probably not this one….

Secluded Glen
Land (R)
As Secluded Glen comes into play, you may reveal a Faerie card from your hand. If you don't, it comes into play tapped.
T: Add U or B to your mana pool.

Oh boy! Faeries! As if people didn’t make fun of us before, calling us geeks and nerds, now we have to play with Faeries. What’s next? Rainbow Bright as a Planeswalker?

Grade: A, it’s still a Dual Land.

Shelldock Isle
Land (R)
Hideaway (This land comes into play tapped. When it does, look at the top 4 cards in your library, remove one from the game face down, then put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
T: Add U to your mana pool.
U, T: You may play the removed card without paying its mana cost if a library has 20 or less cards in it.

This one doesn’t look like it would be useful early game. Unless I am expecting to speed through my library, I can’t imagine putting something I truly need now into the Shelldock.

These lands do accomplish the thinning of your library, but… I don’t know. I don’t like the Blue or Green ones so far.

Grade: C, I am not sold on it, but know that when you bet against Blue, you lose.

Shimmering Grotto
Land (C)
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
1, T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Bunnies are not the only denizens of this grotto.

I left the flavor text of this card because I love cards that reference or show bunnies. Take, for example, two of my favorite cards: Illusions of Grandeur and Polymorph. Look at the art on those, and I dare you to not fear bunnies.

Grade: C

Editor's Note: Strange.  It seems Bunnies aren't involved in this card's real flavor text.  Seems Chris just has an obsession for bunnies... or the MTGS spoiler is wrong. ~Streetz~  Kind of funny.

Spinerock Knoll
Land (R)
Hideaway (This land comes into play tapped. When it does, look at the top 4 cards in your library, remove one from the game face down, then put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
T: Add R to your mana pool.
R, T: You may play the removed card without paying its mana cost if an opponent was dealt 7 or more damage this turn.

Ohh, can you imagine the combo you can put up with this Hideaway land? Imagine, you blast your opponent in the head for seven via an Incinerate (R1), a Shock (R), an attack with a Mogg Fanatic, and then sacrificing him for the last point. Then you can pay R and tap this land to put a Bogardan Hellkite into play and BLAM! Your seven damage just ramped up to 12. In case you were not paying attention, that could be accomplished on turn four… is that good?

Grade: A, for “Are you going to Wrath now?”

Vivid Crag
Land (U)
Vivid Crag comes into play tapped with two charge counters on it.
T: Add R to your mana pool.
T, Remove a charge counter from Vivid Crag: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

I remember these lands from way back in the crappy Mercadian Masques days. Boy, could you do some serious stuff with these lands. Ah, but just like anything else that was considered good in the olden days, it was destined to be reprinted sitting with a cup of water. More watered-down crap on a stick.

Sure, I think these are usable, but they are only a tease of what they used to be.

Grade: B

Vivid Creek
Land (U)
Vivid Creek comes into play tapped with two charge counters on it.
T: Add U to your mana pool.
T, Remove a charge counter from Vivid Creek: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

Is it safe to assume there is one per color? I bet there is… Red has been done, now here is Blue.

Grade: B

Vivid Marsh
Land (U)
Vivid Marsh comes into play tapped with two charge counters on it.
T: Add B to your mana pool.
T, Remove a charge counter from Vivid Marsh: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

Ooh, am I good or what? Here is Black’s land.

Grade: B

Vivid Meadow
Land (U)
Vivid Meadow comes into play tapped with two charge counters on it.
T: Add W to your mana pool.
T, Remove a charge counter from Vivid Meadow: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

White, and since I have been paying attention, I would guess Green is next.

Wouldn’t it be cool if they accidentally forgot to give Green one, and it just sat in the corner pouting?

Grade: B

Vivid Thicket
Land (U)
Vivid Thicket comes into play tapped with two charge counters on it.
T: Add G to your mana pool.
T, Remove a charge counter from Vivid Thicket: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

Well, it would have been funny regardless. Here it is folks, in all of its scary might!

Grade: B

Wanderwine Hub
Land (R)
As Wanderwine Hub comes into play, you may reveal a Merfolk card from your hand. If you don't, Wanderwine Hub comes into play tapped.
T: Add W or U to your mana pool.

Considering that Blue/White Duals are always in high demand; I would think this would become a high dollar card; even more so than the other color combinations. Although, the Blue/Black Dual will probably be nice and pri$ey too (I know that there is no “s” in pricey, it was supposed to be funny).

Grade: A+

Windbrisk Heights
Land (R)
Hideaway (This land comes into play tapped. When it does, look at the top 4 cards in your library, remove one from the game face down, then put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
T: Add W to your mana pool.
W, T: You may play the removed card without paying its mana cost if you attacked with three or more creatures this turn.

Being the color of weenie decks everywhere (White, that is), having three creatures to attack with at any one time shouldn't be that hard. I mean, with Sacred Mesa and Mobilization alone, I could have three creatures to attack with. Think about what you could throw into play…

Turn 1, Windrisk Hieghts into play tapped.
Turn 2, Tundra Wolf, Suntail Hawk.
Turn 3, Spark Elemental, attack with all three, pay a W, tap land, put Akroma into play.

Suddenly, this land seems a bit unruly.

Grade: B+

Colfenor's Urn - 3
Artifact (R)
Whenever a creature with toughness 4 or greater is put into a graveyard from play, you may remove it from the game. At the end of turn, if three or more cards have been removed from the game with Colfenor's Urn, sacrifice it. If you do, return those creatures to play under their owner's control.

Sheesh, like Green much? Those fat monsters over there will be weighing the table down all day long, since we won't be able to get them off of it due to this artifact. This requires a counterspell, I'd say.

Grade: A

Deathrender - 4
Artifact - Equipment (R)
Equipped creature gets +2/+2.
When equipped creature is put into a graveyard, you may put a creature card from your hand into play, then attach Deathrender to it.
Equip: 2

Are you kidding me? Why not have it read, “When equipped creature is put into a graveyard, you may put Bogardan Hellkite from your hand, into play, then attach Deathrender to it and punch your opponent in the face.”

Here goes: My 5/4 Troll Ascetic equipped with Deathreander is beating the opponent to a pulp. They draw a Wrath, and finally have a solution to the problem. They cast away with a sigh of relief. The worst thing that could happen is that I put another Troll into play with the ‘Render, right? Nope, I put a Hellkite into play, and blast you for five and then ask if they are done.

The answer is yes, they are.

Grade: A, for “A nasty thing could happen to you from this little artifact.”

NOTE: So far, two good artifacts in a row. Could they be listening to me and have started making good artifacts again?

Dolmen Doorway - 2
Artifact (R)
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to attacking creatures you control.

…

All right, it’s creative, and cute. I’ll give them some credit there. And it is a good card in Limited, as it gives you an advantage.

Grade: B-

Herbal Poultice - 0
Artifact (C)
3, Sacrifice Herbal Poultice: Regenerate target creature.

Umm, it counts towards Dragonstorm?

Grade: C-

Moonglove Extract - 3
Artifact (C)
Sacrifice Moonglove Extract: Moonglove Extract deals 2 damage to target creature or player.

Not too bad. Red can kill a dog-gone Paladin en-Vec. Sacrificing it is not a spell, so the damage is tough to stop.

Grade: B+

Rings of Brighthearth - 3
Artifact (R)
Whenever you play an activated ability, if it isn't a mana ability, you may pay 2. If you do, you may copy that ability. You may choose new targets for that copy.

Oh look, a Mirari, but for activated abilities. Let’s see, what can I copy (off the top of my head)… Arcanis can give me an entire new hand for 2 mana and a tap. I could Incinerate two creatures with Jaya. Wall of Roots could give me GG (wait, I am paying 2 to get a point of Green, that is not good…), Avatar of Woe could kill two Creatures for me...

Remember that this doesn't affect mana abilities.

Grade: A, Holy Crap this is not a Legendary Artifact! I could have three in play and copy Magus of the Coffers’ ability four times and Consume Spirit you for 64!

Runed Stalactite - 1
Artifact - Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and is every creature type.
Equip 2

This would be nice in Limited, but I truly cannot see Tribal being influential in Standard because of the number of creature removal spells available. Even though Wizards said that they were not making so many mass removal spells, they did seem to forget that they are introducing this set at a time where there are two Wrath of God’s in the environment. Heck, Black doesn’t even need White. Damnation, Sudden Death, Cruel Edict, Tendrils of Despair, etc. will be more than sufficient to make Tribal stink just like it did back in the Legions days. Nice try Wizards, but we Control players still dominate you.

That is not to say we might not utilize your Merfolk control options and perhaps mix in a little Tribal on our side, but for the most part, Green and Red tribes are fodder.

Grade: B-

Springleaf Drum - 1
Artifact (C)
T, Tap an untapped creature you control: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

Um… wooo (thinking sounds, don’t think I am crazy). It is a common, and it does make your Tundra Wolves produce Blue mana, so I suppose it could be considered good, but it does nothing if you control zero creatures, and that is a very bad thing.

I am dubious….

Grade: C

Thorn of Amethyst - 2
Artifact (R)
Noncreature spells cost 1 more to play.

Ahh, here we are. Now we are getting somewhere, Wizards. It only took you around 13 years to figure it out, but sorceries and instants wreck creatures more than creatures do. If you can make me wait until turn five to Wrath of God, I am in serious trouble.

Grade: A+

Thousand-Year Elixir - 3
Artifact (R)
You may play activated abilities of creatures you control as though those creatures had haste.
1, T: Untap target creature.

Ha! Now I cannot worry about the “Boy I hope Arcanis survives summoning sickness so I can use him” fear. Not to mention that I can cast him, tap him, get three cards, pay 1, untap him, and draw three more cards.

I like Arcanis, does it show?

Grade: A, not to mention that Elves and Birds don’t need to wait that dreadful turn to do their work.

Twinning Glass - 4
Artifact (R)
1, T: You may play a nonland card from your hand without paying its mana cost if it shares the same name as a spell that was played this turn.

Interesting concept. They seem to have a good number of ways to play spells with alternate methods in this set. The main thing that I noticed is that it doesn’t need me to have cast the initial spell. In a mirror match, if your opponent should play the spell, I can cast that same spell for a single colorless mana. An example would be if my opponent were to cast Teferi at the end of my turn, I could cast Delay, which would hold him aloft for three turns, then, since the artifact only says “played” I can now pay 1 and play my Teferi. And I’d still have plenty of mana available to counter something during your turn too. Nifty!

Grade: A

Wanderer's Twig - 1
Artifact (C)
1, Sacrifice Wanderer's Twig: Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

It is your basic land fetcher that each block seems to have. Nothing more, nothing less. Especially since it almost cripples your initial board position. Think about it, you need to dedicate your first turn to making the artifact. Then, you need to use half of your available mana on turn two to get a land out of your library. A decent Aggro deck is already beginning its assault by turn two, and you are still defenseless. It will probably be all right in a slower environment, perhaps Limited.

I am not sold it is even good there, though.

Grade: D

Brion Stoutarm - 2RW
Legendary Creature - Giant Warrior (R)
Lifelink
R, T, Sacrifice a creature other than Brion Stoutarm: Brion Stoutarm deals damage equal to the sacrificed creature's power to target player.
4/4

How cool is this guy? He throws your dying creatures’ corpses at your opponent, and you gain life for it. He is basically Lightning Helixing your opponent. Very cool. Don’t forget that a 4/4 for 4 is always a good deal.

Grade: A

Doran, the Siege Tower - BGW
Legendary Creature - Treefolk Shaman (R)
Each creature assigns combat damage equal to its toughness rather than its power.
0/5

I can see Walls beating people over the head. Check out Streetz's most recent One Card To Rule Them All for more on Doran.

Grade: A

Gaddock Teeg - GW
Legendary Creature - Kithkin Advisor (R)
Noncreature spells with converted mana cost 4 or greater can't be played.
Noncreature spells with X in their mana costs can't be played.
2/2

Oh boy, maybe I spoke too loud, or Wizards actually reads my articles. Hrm… which 4 cc spells are they trying to block? Hrm, I can’t cast a Wrath or Damnation. I can’t Disintegrate Teeg, and I can’t even play Mystical Teachings to find a solution to this guy. I need to draw into a Sudden Death, and I mean now!

Grade: A+

Horde of Notions - WUBRG
Legendary Creature - Elemental (R)
Haste, vigilance, trample
WUBRG: Return target Elemental creature card from your graveyard to play.
5/5

“To play”? Are you kidding me? Thanks for reprinting Joiner Adept. I guess I won’t need duals to pilot this deck. You know, the one with this, a bunch of other good Elementals from Lorwyn, and Legacy Weapon nuking everything since I can access all the colors of the spectrum.

I love cards that are WUBRG, they are always my favorite.

Grade: A+

Nath of the Gilt-Leaf - 3BG
Legendary Creature - Elf Warrior (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may have target opponent discard a card at random.
Whenever an opponent discards a card, you may put a 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature token into play.
4/4

Oh, I may have you discard at random, ey? Well, I don’t want to be too mean this turn, since you only have one card….

This guy should see some play; he has a stern body, produces creatures and requires Black. What more does he need to do? I am surprised that he is a 5 cc creature, though. I think he could have easily been BG2, and I would not have complained. I would have thought him to be a good Rare.

Grade: A

Sygg, River Guide - WU
Legendary Creature - Merfolk Wizard (R)
Islandwalk
1W: Target Merfolk gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.
2/2

Maybe…. Since I have not seen the other Merfolk yet, I need to leave it as a maybe. He is a 2/2 for 2, and that is good. He does have islandwalk, and can give himself protection from any color. That is also good.

I think he will be good.

Grade: B+

Wort, Boggart Auntie - 2BR
Legendary Creature - Goblin Shaman (R)
Fear
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may return target Goblin card from your graveyard to your hand.
3/3

Having not seen the other Goblins yet, I can only speculate on the first Goblin that I know I would be stuffing into a sleeve right after I put this girl in one. (Is an Auntie in Goblin still a girl? I think I need a judge’s ruling on that… JUDGE!) Siege-Gang Commander.

That is right, every single time I play him, inevitably, he will get Shocked before I can activate him, so I end up paying 5 to get three Goblin tokens. I am not thinking I like that, but each time you Shock him, I can get him back and three more tokens. So keep it up!

Grade: A

Wydwen, the Biting Gale - 2UB
Legendary Creature - Faerie Wizard (R)
Flash
Flying
UB, Pay 1 life: Return Wydwen, the Biting Gale to its owner's hand.
3/3

What? Wow, I thought you were trying to weaken Blue by taking away the counters and board sweeping. Then you give us a win condition?

…Thanks?

Grade: A+

…Can I seriously be contemplating playing a Faerie? What the hell is wrong with me? Just keep playing Teferi and Arcanis, Chris.

Wow, I can’t believe it. I think I liked about 7/8 of the cards I just reviewed. I can only hope that the other guys have as much fun as I did.

These cards are crazy, and as soon as Damnation rotates out, Lorwyn will be a force, as it answered my main question, which was, “How can you get me to play more creatures, when I can just let you guys play more creatures, keep board sweeping and win?”

The answer given was... just watch. And I will. I will continue to watch, and while watching, I will see Control dominate at first, but then I think that the people who want to try out the planewalkers and Tribal spells will take precedence, and maybe, just maybe, creature hate will be overrun by the hordes of neat creatures found in Lorwyn.

Or maybe I was right all along, and those few cards that give creatures the upper hand will just be countered, followed up by a board sweep.

Tune in the rest of First Impression, to be posted all next week, to see the five colors of Lorwyn reviewed and contrasted.

Thanks for reading and supporting our cause.

cpn

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Articles Spotlights from 2007:
Lorwyn Theme Week Intro & Schedule of Events
Blink And Bounce: Timing is Key
Going Blind: XCB Metagaming - A Prolonged Conclusion.
The Science of Magic: Genetic Engineering, Part Two.
Shifting Lineaments: Casual Metagaming (Pt. 2).
The Dungeon Of Malefict: Pure Evil!
Land Week Introduction & Schedule.
Combofusion: Legends Timeshifted.
One Card to Rule Them All: Coastal Piracy
Irrational Love: Chimeras. The Lego's of Magic.