Wizards of the Coast has done a good job thus far with the last few sets. I really enjoyed Lorwyn and equally enjoyed Morningtide. Then again, I love Tribal. What isn’t to love about Tribal Decks and Tribal Class Decks? I loved Onslaught before Lorwyn, so it only made sense that I would love Lorwyn and Morningtide.

On the other hand, Shadowmoor has nothing to do with Tribal. In fact, it is the darker side of the Lorwyn we all came to love. Darker themes, evil scarecrows, the Reaper King, Cairns and other Graven places…

Will this set shape up to be a good set?

Today I get to tackle two of my more favorite colors in Magic, the colors that aren’t colors! I’m talking about Lands and Artifacts. Do I have good things to say about our new rare dual land cycle? Or how about that Grim Poppet guy they previewed on MTG.Com? If you must know, you are going to have to click the link above. Or just click here.

This also kicks off First Impression week which would normally start on the Monday after Evil Combo Week. However, given the prerelease from last weekend we didn’t mind overlapping theme weeks. That and we didn’t want to wait too long to give our thoughts and opinions on the new cards.

Besides, First Impression week isn’t an official theme week on MDV.

Tomorrow continues the First Impressions series with Cashew doing Hybrid. All six hundred of them.  I’m glad I only got Lands and Artifacts. I can’t imagine tackling ten times the amount of cards I tackled today. I had no idea writing a First Impression article took so much time.

I was going to talk about how Luthervamplord was originally going to do the Lead In or how there are so many cycles in Shadowmoor and how I don’t mind or even how I can never truly give a first impression on a set given my weekly updates to the spoilers for new sets… but I don’t want to keep you from my tantalizing review of Shadowmoor artifacts and lands. Shall we begin?

NOTE: For obvious reasons, all basic lands get an A+ and won’t be given a review.

Fire-Lit Thicket
Land
T Add 1 to your mana pool.
o(r/g), T Add RR, RG, or GG to your mana pool.

I suppose my first impression doesn't really apply to this card. I knew it was coming. You knew it was coming and I think everyone else that paid attention knew it was coming, along with the other four cards in the cycle thanks to Graven Cairns from Future Sight.

With that said, I like this card a lot. It does a fantastic job of giving you options for a Red-Green deck. That and unlike its predecessor from Odyssey, it can also tap to give you one colorless, should you not need the colored mana.

True that it and its brethren will never be as phenomenal or as useful as the original dual lands, the crazy pay-two-life-or-this-comes-into-play-tapped dual lands from Ravnica or the sack and search lands from Onslaught, but its still a step above some of the other dual land cycles over the course of Magic's history. Phew.

B - Mana filters are always useful. This is superb.

Graven Cairns
Land
T Add 1 to your mana pool.
o(b/r), T Add BB, BR, or RR to your mana pool.

See my rant above and note that I liked the original artwork better.

B - This is no Badlands, but it's still quite amazing.

Leechridden Swamp
Land - Swamp
(T Add B to your mana pool.)
Leechridden Swamp comes into play tapped.
B, T Each opponent loses 1 life. Play this ability only if you control two or more black permanents.

Ooooh! It's a nonbasic Swamp that isn't a dual land of some kind. You don't get to see too many of those. In fact, it’s the only nonbasic Swamp in existence. Even Snow-Covered Swamp is a Basic Snow Land - Swamp. (Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth doesn’t count). This is just another nonbasic land that counts towards your Korlash, Corrupt or Tendrils of Corruption.)

That and it has a fantastic ability with a drawback that doesn't matter much unless you're playing a Domain Deck (one that uses all five colors and plays silly cards from the Invasion block and in some cases Fifth Dawn).

The worst part of this land is that it comes into play tapped. However, the fact that you can ping your opponent for one life a turn for the small amount of one mana renders the worst part moot. I see this as an auto-include in any mono-Black or Shadowmoor-Black deck in at least a quantity of two. Its ability is too good to go any less.

B+ - CORRECTION! It’s going to ping EACH of your OPPONENTS! Even better!!! I’m going to give this an A- instead.

Madblind Mountain
Land - Mountain
(T Add R to your mana pool.)
Madblind Mountain comes into play tapped.
R, T Shuffle your library. Play this ability only if you control two or more red permanents.

Seeing Leechridden Swamp spoiled me a bit. I am very disappointed by this card as its value to a Red deck is lost in its ability. Red is about speed, tempo and burn. Coming into play tapped is a big hurdle for a Red deck to make to include it in the decklist. That is unless, of course, there are cards that don't have an effect unless you've shuffled your library -- similar to cards designed for my follow-up set to Celixia called Powershift.

This leads me to believe we will be seeing a set or block in the near future that has mechanics which care about shuffling your library. It's a great way to 'weather' cards quickly, but with sleeves more common place its not so much an issue anymore. Could we see it? It wouldn't surprise me. In fact, I would bet they will do a shuffling matters set before they do a sixth color like Purple.

D - Am I way off here? Either on the grade or the bit about a shuffling theme?

Mistveil Plains
Land - Plains
(T Add W to your mana pool.)
Mistveil Plains comes into play tapped.
W, T Put target card in your graveyard on the bottom of your library. Play this ability only if you control two or more white permanents.

I am torn on this card. This card has a Soldevi Digger attached to it except the digger has evolved into a very precise and on-the-ball digger that gets to pick a card even if it’s not the top card in your graveyard.

It's a good ability. Not as good as the Black version of this card, but it has its uses. I can see this in a combo deck. I can even see this card in a Rebel deck thanks to Lin Sivvi. Outside of that, this card is on the bad side.

C - If it didn't come into play tapped, it could have been... at least it’s a Plains too.

Moonring Island
Land - Island
(T Add U to your mana pool.)
Moonring Island comes into play tapped.
U, T Look at the top card of target player's library. Play this ability only if you control two or more blue permanents.

Booby Trap much? If Booby Trap and Flooded Strand where in the same deck, I could see this card also being in that deck. It may come into play tapped, but it will help set up that Booby Trap combo where you already know their next card. As long as you have enough mana to cast a counterspell, a land coming into play tapped isn't that big of a deal. Just remember to have at least two Blue permanents in play.

One quick note about these nonbasic Basic Land Type lands: They turn the fetch lands from Onslaught and Mirage into decent tutors. Not so much with the Red one, but with the Blue, White and Black ones you are searching for a possible piece to your combo puzzle. The Black one could be a win condition, the White and Blue ones could be needed combo pieces. And the Green one we will get to soon.

C - It has its uses.

Mystic Gate
Land
T Add 1 to your mana pool.
o(w/u), T Add WW, WU, or UU to your mana pool.

What I said for Graven Cairns applies here, except replace Badlands with Tundra.

B – …and it's better than Skycloud Expanse.

Reflecting Pool
Land
T Add to your mana pool one mana of any type that a land you control could produce.

Quick little rules tip about Reflecting Pool, "If none of your lands can produce mana, or if all of your lands are Reflecting Pools, then your Reflecting Pools can have their abilities played but they will not generate any mana."

A first turn Reflecting Pool isn't so good. However, beyond that and especially in a block with so many dual lands and lands capable of more than one color, this land is a virtually painless City of Brass. This, of course, depends on what lands you have in play but its always going to be on the same side as the colors you are playing.

However, the art on this card is terrible. That's just my opinion.

B+ - Murmuring Bosk likes Reflecting Pool.

Sapseep Forest
Land - Forest
(T Add G to your mana pool.)
Sapseep Forest comes into play tapped.
G, T You gain 1 life. Play this ability only if you control two or more green permanents.

It's a Forest. That's good. It comes into play tapped. That's bad. It can gain you a life for the cost of one small Green mana and the restriction of having two Green permanents in play... Not that good; borderline atrocious.

Overall, I feel this card is garbage. While Ageless Entity likes this card, Ageless Entity doesn't like what it does to its tempo.

D - I'd play a regular Forest over this any day. Why did this have to be a common? Seriously?!

Sunken Ruins
Land
T Add 1 to your mana pool.
o(u/b), T Add UU, UB, or BB to your mana pool.

Of all five superb mana filters, this one has the best art. And thus its grade gets a little boost.

B+ - Because this is also the post-Aurora artwork for Rustic Clachan.

Wooded Bastion
Land
T Add 1 to your mana pool.
o(g/w), T Add GG, GW, or WW to your mana pool.

And the following grade concludes the lands.

B - Good job with this cycle of rare duals, Wizards.

Overall, the lands are decent with a few all-stars like the superb mana filters and the black nonbasic Swamp. I like that the nonbasic basic land type lands turn the fetch lands into good tutors and I really like the superb mana filters for all of their mana versatility.

One thing I want to note about the old Odyssey mana filter lands is that they aren’t strictly worse than the new mana filters. They are just a little less flexible. You see, take Mossfire Valley for reference. But first note the absolutely beautiful artwork.   I've included the image above for your convenience...

Done?

Ok. Where Fire-lit Thicket needs a Green or a Red mana to filter it into one of three different options of mana, the Mossfire Valley only needs one colorless mana to filter it into RG. The Shadowmoor lands can also add one colorless to your mana pool where the Odyssey lands can’t. Which is better? I like Shadowmoor’s lands better. Which do you prefer?

NEWS FLASH: The Land Visual Spoiler reference was recently updated with Shadowmoor cards. Click here to check it out.

Let move on, shall we? I like me some artifacts.

Blazethorn Scarecrow
5
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
3/3
Blazethorn Scarecrow has haste as long as you control a red creature.
Blazethorn Scarecrow has wither as long as you control a green creature. (It deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters.)

The color matters theme of this set really comes out in some of these Scarecrows. I couldn’t help but glance down a bit at some of the other artifacts before commenting on this one and you will be seeing this template on several more cards before I’m done. I’m referring to the “has [keyword] as long as you control a [color] creature…” ability.

I’m not all too thrilled about this card despite it having haste in some situations. It still costs five mana for a 3/3 creature. This is really just limited filler in my opinion.

I hope they don’t let me down with the other Scarecrows. If they are going to expand a creature type (that had two cards in it previously), they had better give me some cards to make a good tribal Scarecrow deck. That means I’m looking for a wide array of Scarecrows to cover all points of the mana curve that also have a variety of keyword and mechanic abilities.

C – The haste ability keeps this card better than a D.

Blight Sickle
2
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 and has wither. (It deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters.)
Equip 2

FINALLY! A mechanic that can battle indestructible creatures via creatures. I like the wither mechanic a lot and this card gives the ability to any creature you choose. What I don’t like is how expensive this is to equip. Giving a creature +1/+0 in addition to wither isn’t worth an overall four mana investment. Maybe two or three at most.

Still, it will find its uses.

C+ - Every time I say Blight Sickle I think of a Popsickle packed with Dread. Its just what it sounds like… call me bizarre.

Cauldron of Souls
5
Artifact
T Choose any number of target creatures. Each of those creatures gains persist until end of turn. (When it's put into a graveyard from play, if it had no -1/-1 counters on it, return it to play under its owner's control with a -1/-1 counter on it.)

Combo, combo combo! That’s all this card is. What Sway of Illusions did for Cowardice and other similar cards, this card will do also. It’s interesting that the card can affect any number of creatures and not a specific number. If there are 100 creatures in play, you can affect all of them. Only two? Same thing.

What this card will see is lots of comes-into-play creatures and mass removal like Wrath of God or mass sacrifice outlets like Carrion Feeder. Combine with an Aether Snap and a creature capable of untapping artifacts and an enchantment that gives haste to all of your creatures… and you could have infinite something!!!

Or it’s just a great way to get around an opponent’s Damnation…

B+ - I’m going to assume the combo option.

Chainbreaker
2
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
3/3
Chainbreaker comes into play with two -1/-1 counters on it.
3, T Remove a -1/-1 counter from target creature.

Let’s pretend for a moment that this card didn’t have any -1/-1 counters on it and its power and toughness were adjusted accordingly. This is a two-mana 1/1 creature that can tap and spend three to remove a -1/-1 counter from a creature…

F – Even with the -1/-1 counters and the possibility to remove them from the Chainbreaker, this card is still very bad.

D – If used in a Scarecrow Tribal deck as a two drop.

Elsewhere Flask
2
Artifact
When Elsewhere Flask comes into play, draw a card.
Sacrifice Elsewhere Flask: Choose a basic land type. Each land you control becomes that type until end of turn.

Aside from having beautiful artwork, this card has some definite possibilities. Cards that care about what lands you have in play, like Flow of Ideas or Corrupt, definitely benefit from this card. You see, you would normally play the aforementioned cards in a color dedicated deck (mono-Black or mono-Blue). Elsewhere Flash gets around that. Having a card like this in a hybrid themed set makes sense.

On another note it works terribly well with cards like Boil and Flashfires if you are playing the land type that one of these cards would kill. Whether you cast it or your opponent casts it, this card will protect those lands that would be affected.

The unfortunate thing is that the card is situational and most deck builders wouldn’t make room for this card in their deck. And if they do it’s probably because they like the pretty art on the card.

C – I really want to like this card but after talking through it … it’s not that good. It still has nice art.

Gnarled Effigy
4
Artifact
4, T Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.

Should this be an artifact-Makeshift Doll? The artwork kind of reminds me of Stuffy Doll. I like that this card has uses in a set so heavy populated with -1/-1 counters. I don’t like that this card costs so much.

Did you know this is a -1/-1 counter version of Dragon Blood? It is.

C+ - It costs too much. Turn it into a creature and have three copies of Heartstone in play – that should make it better than Serrated Arrows…

Grim Poppet
7
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
4/4
Grim Poppet comes into play with three -1/-1 counters on it.
Remove a -1/-1 counter from Grim Poppet: Put a -1/-1 counter on another target creature.

Love it. Love it. Love it. For more information on this card, please check out the MDV Combo Page for Shadowmoor. I’ve already posted a plethora of combos for this card there.

A+ - Good job, Wizards on making a -1/-1 counterpart for my already favorite card in Magic: Triskelion. Awesome!

Heap Doll
1
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
1/1
Sacrifice Heap Doll: Remove target card in a graveyard from the game.

My first impression of this card is that I like it. Not as much as Evil Triskelion Guy from above, but still a lot. It’s a good first turn drop, especially against a deck that wants to do some graveyard shenanigans. It’s also a great first turn drop for a Scarecrow Deck.

A- - Plus it’s a creature capable of doing what Scrabbling Claws and Steamclaw did before it.

Illuminated Folio
5
Artifact
1, T, Reveal two cards from your hand that share a color: Draw a card.

This is better than the age old Jayemdae Tome in the fact that you only have to invest one mana instead of four to draw a card. However, you have to have at least two cards in hand to draw a card and it costs one more to play from your hand.

I’m not sure I like this card. Nor do I think I would put it into any of my decks. It’s a good thing this isn’t a rare.

C – I do like the art and the name. Good job, Creative Team! Folio is a great word. So is Pavilion. I dare you to use that one.

Lockjaw Snapper
4
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
2/2
Wither (This deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters.)
When Lockjaw Snapper is put into a graveyard from play, put a -1/-1 counter on each creature with a -1/-1 counter on it.

If you are playing against a deck utilizing the -1/-1 counter love of Shadowmoor, this is a good card. Otherwise, it’s just a 2/2 for four mana with Wither.

C – It has potential but is situational and limited filler. Cool artwork, though.

Lurebound Scarecrow
3
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
4/4
As Lurebound Scarecrow comes into play, choose a color.
When you control no permanents of the chosen color, sacrifice Lurebound Scarecrow.

If only artifact was a color. This card is decent and if anything it’s a 4/4 for three mana. Just remember to pick a color that matches an enchantment in your deck. Chances are your opponent won’t be packing any enchantment removal.

B- - I like the creativity of the artwork. And PMO’s version of this card was hysterical.

Painter's Servant
2
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
1/3
As Painter's Servant comes into play, choose a color.
All cards that aren't in play, spells, and permanents are the chosen color in addition to their other colors.

Ooooooooohh. Artifacts CAN be a color thanks to this guy. I really like this. It does what Blind Seer couldn’t. Now you can use those color specific hoser cards to nuke your opponents’ plans.

B+ - Comborific and well costed for a tribal Scarecrow deck.

Pili-Pala
2
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
1/1
Flying
2, oQ: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. (oQ is the untap symbol.)

How do you pronounce this? I’ve said it out loud about 20 times and it never flows correctly... PEELY-PALLA? PILLA-PAYLA? Whatever.

It’s Brass Gnat + Prismatic Lens + Q. I like the fact that it can fly and that it’s a two-drop for Scarecrows. Otherwise, it’s just an over costed mana filter during your opponent’s turn.

C – No matter how much they tried to darken this card, the name and artwork are still too cutesy and Lorwyn-esque.

Rattleblaze Scarecrow
6
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
5/3
Rattleblaze Scarecrow has persist as long as you control a black creature. (When this creature is put into a graveyard from play, if it had no -1/-1 counters on it, return it to play under its owner's control with a -1/-1 counter on it.)
Rattleblaze Scarecrow has haste as long as you control a red creature.

In contrast with the first Scarecrow I reviewed in this article, this one is good. It’s a 5/3 to start with the possibility of Haste and/or Persist. All for the original six mana investment.

B – I say, “not bad.”

Reaper King
(2 / W)(2 / U)(2 / B)(2 / R)(2 / G)
Legendary Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
6/6
(o(2/w) can be paid with any two mana or with W. This card's converted mana cost is 10.)
Other Scarecrow creatures you control get +1/+1.
Whenever another Scarecrow comes into play under your control, destroy target permanent.

Talk about a Scarecrow Tribal deck “Lord!” This guy is amazing in all aspects of the word. It is flexible to cast costing you anywhere from five mana to ten. It enables your Scarecrows through two other amazing abilities including giving them +1/+1 and the ability to Vindicate any permanent on the board. Suddenly those D and F Scarecrows above become A’s.

A- -- The unfortunate thing is that the Reaper King himself doesn’t Vindicate anything. His ability only affects other Scarecrows. *sadface*

Revelsong Horn
2
Artifact
1, T, Tap an untapped creature you control: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

This, my friends, is a Q enabler. Weird artwork. Weak ability.

C – But it is a reasonable Q enabler. Not a good one, but reasonable…

Scrapbasket
4
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
3/2
1: Scrapbasket becomes all colors until end of turn.

Scrapbasket, animated by residual rustic magics, is a decent card for limited play and has specific uses in certain decks.

C – Unfortunately I don’t know that I would use him in any of those decks. I believe there are better four drops amongst the Scarecrows of Shadowmoor. EDIT: Yup. There is. Keep reading.

Scuttlemutt
3
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
2/2
T Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
T Target creature becomes the color or colors of your choice until end of turn.

Colors matter. So does adding any color mana to your mana pool. It helps to get out the Reaper King that much faster. Add on a limited bonus with the second ability and you have a decent card.

B – Definitely in…

Tatterkite
3
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
2/1
Flying
Tatterkite can't have counters placed on it.

This is a reasonable card being a 2/1 flying creature. It’s a bonus and a drawback to not get any counters placed on it. But in limited it’s a definite bonus considering all of the -1/-1 counters flying around.

C+ - If you can get Persist on this card he will be an annoying threat that never goes away. Here’s my three drop for my Scarecrow deck.

Thornwatch Scarecrow
6
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
4/4
Thornwatch Scarecrow has wither as long as you control a green creature. (It deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters.)
Thornwatch Scarecrow has vigilance as long as you control a white creature.

Not impressed. Neither ability is game breaking and a 4/4 for six mana is moderate at best.

F – Not a fan of the White variation of this cycle.

Trip Noose
2
Artifact
2, T Tap target creature.

This card, for some reason, reminds me of Cyclopean Snare. Did anyone ever find a decent use for that card? I know I didn’t.

C – Trip Noose is both a Q enabler and a means to tap down an opponent’s creature. Just make sure their creature doesn’t have Q.

Umbral Mantle
3
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature has "3, oQ: This creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn." (oQ is the untap symbol.)
Equip 0

Go infinite! Equip this on Elvish Aberration or Wirewood Channeler or Metalworker or Priest of Titania. As long as the creature is capable of generating three or more mana, you can get infinite power and toughness which you can then use Fling or a similar card to throw the creature at your opponent. Or, if the creature can generate more than three mana you can generate infinite mana and use that to whatever ends you what.

B – Either way this is a great Infinite enabling card that can be manipulated a thousand different ways. Comborific. The art is kind of cool too…

Watchwing Scarecrow
4
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
2/4
Watchwing Scarecrow has vigilance as long as you control a white creature.
Watchwing Scarecrow has flying as long as you control a blue creature.

Vigilance works on this card.

B- - The flying is nice. It’s a bigger version of Zephyr Falcon that’s a scary Scarecrow instead of a cutesy bird… An new option for my old Stasis deck??? A four drop for my Scarecrow deck? Yes.

Wicker Warcrawler
5
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
6/6
Whenever Wicker Warcrawler attacks or blocks, put a -1/-1 counter on it at end of combat.

A 6/6 for five is nothing to scoff at. Unless, of course, it puts -1/-1 counters on itself at the end of combat. Sigh. Not really that good.

D – It is better with the King in play.

Wingrattle Scarecrow
3
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow
2/2
Wingrattle Scarecrow has flying as long as you control a blue creature.
Wingrattle Scarecrow has persist as long as you control a black creature. (When this creature is put into a graveyard from play, if it had no -1/-1 counters on it, return it to play under its owner's control with a -1/-1 counter on it.)

Of all of the cards in this color matters Scarecrow cycle, this is the best. It not only has evasion in the form of flying, but it has Persist too. That’s all assuming you have the appropriate color permanents in play. It has an aggressive cost. Its art is good, and overall I like it.

B – The best of the cycle. And Shadowmoor has plenty of them, not that I mind. Cycles that is.

Well, that concludes the artifacts of Shadowmoor. Overall, I think the artifacts have a good showing. I like that they expanded on a creature type that was under utilized instead of just making all of the Scarecrows as Constructs or Golem. Good job, Creative Team. Keep up the trend. I don’t mind a Golem or a Construct here and there, but develop some of these other artifact creature types. Let me see… Drone, Pest, Masticore, Prism, Triskelavite, Tetravite... okay, so there aren't that many left to develop. Still, good job!

I hope everyone enjoyed my first ever First Impressions articles. Even more so I hope that everyone enjoys next week’s First Impressions where all five colors are reviewed. Look forward to the Hybrid cards on Saturday (tomorrow).

Discuss away in the forum!  I'm sure I was off somewhere up there.  Tear me to shreds or agree with me.  I'll love it either way.

John Streetz
www.magicdeckvortex.com

P.S. Try to guess my player type.  Am I am Spike?  A Timmy?  A Johnny? A Vorthos?  Discuss in the forum. 

You can discuss this article in the MDV forums here.
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Articles Spotlights from 2008:
A Fresh Perspective: Stasis - Part One.
The Apprentice Magician - Part Six.
Design on a Dime: The Lunch Meat Edition!
Fit the Flavor 2008 - FINALE!
The Games People Play - Market & EDH.
Sarpadian Empires, Vol VII: Foreword.
More Evil Than Evil.
Pauper Chronicles: Top O' the Morningtide to You!
Words from the Streetz: Uncommon and Common Magical Treasures.
The Writers Guild: The Inside Scoop.