Lorwyn Eclipsed (ECL) Limited Set Review: Blue

It has almost been 20 years since the original Lorwyn release, and I can still remember playing that prerelease! Crazy how time flies when you’re playing Magic! There’s some fun new mechanics, as well as a return to some well-supported Typal (Tribal) archetypes. Let’s jump right on in!

5.0: Disgustingly powerful and basically unbeatable. Either answer it the turn it comes down or just pack up your cards. (Gruff Triplets, Virtue of Persistence, The Eternal Wanderer)

4.5: Incredible bomb that still gives your opponent a slim chance. (Virtue of Loyalty, Imodane's Recruiter, Realm-Scorcher Hellkite)

4.0: Great rare or the absolute best uncommons and removal. (Faunsbane Troll, Gumdrop Poisoner, Talion’s Messenger)

3.5: Great role filler or removal that you never cut. (Candy Grapple, Hearth Elemental, Torch the Tower)

3.0: Good playable that I’m basically never cutting. (Shrouded Shepherd, Spellscorn Coven, Sharae of Numbing Depths)

2.5: Decent playable and the bar I hope nearly every card in my deck to reach. (Evolving Wilds, Archon's Glory, Flick a Coin)

2.0: Mediocre filler that normally is your 20-23rd card(s). (Mintstrosity, Ice Out, Grabby Giant)

1.5: Replaceable, overall bad filler. Could also be decent sideboard cards. (Titanic Growth, Scarecrow Guide, Territorial Witchstalker)

1.0: Bad filler. Gets cut most of the time. (Dark Tutelage, Kindled Heroism, Impact Tremors)

0.5: Very unhappy to main deck this, but maybe it has fringe sideboard applications. Cards that “could” be situationally decent, but bad in most situations. (Smothering Tithe, Rhystic Study, Mana Flare)

0.0: Unplayable in every possible situation. They rarely print cards this bad these days. (Hew the Entwood, One with Nothing)

Aquitect’s Defenses

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

A serviceable trick that can protect against removal and double as a pump spell.

Blossombind

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

This is potentially Blue’s best common. A cheap and efficient piece of removal.

Champions of the Shoal

Rating: 4.0 // 5.0

This can easily win most games if left unanswered.

Disruptor of Currents

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

This is a very versatile card, providing tons of viable options. The ability to be tapped out on mana, and still cast this, makes it incredibly difficult to play around.

Flitterwing Nuisance

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

This will likely be a 1/1 flyer for several turns, as you want to get multiple triggers off of it. Outside of that, it will still feel good to activate this on turn 3, even if it means drawing one card.

Glamer Gifter

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

This reminds me a bit of Faerie Duelist, which was a surprisingly powerful card. This one doesn’t have the ability to solo x/1’s, but when paired with another creature, you can attack/block with impunity (more or less).

Glamermite

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

This seems like a solid Wind Drake, that provides a good amount of flexibility with controlling combat steps.

Glen Elendra Guardian

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

This will likely perform as a flash 2/3 flyer until the late game. Once you can keep up the 2 mana, it makes your opponents attempts of answering your threats very cumbersome.

Glen Elendra’s Answer

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

This is mostly a 4 mana counter that provides a 1/1 flyer. It’s a bit difficult to keep up 4 mana for a counter, but it can work fine in some decks.

Gravelgill Scoundrel

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

I’m not a big fan of this creature. It shouldn’t be played outside some decks with serious synergy.

Harmonized Crescendo

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

If this can reliably draw 3, this seems like a good draw spell. If your deck has less than 50% of a common creature type/shapeshifter, I’d be cautious about running it.

Illusion Spinners

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This doesn’t seem too powerful, but could be an alright top-end threat for evasive decks.

Kulrath Mystic

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

This is replaceable in most decks, though it can be a good defender for more late-game oriented builds.

Loch Mare

Rating: 4.0 // 5.0

This takes a while to get going, but provides a ton of value the longer the game goes. Optimally, you want to just draw 3 cards off of this, but the second option can be useful as well. This also pairs very nicely with Blight cards, turning the -1/-1 counters into cards.

Lofty Dreams

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

This can be an incredibly powerful trick. You can win combats, or create flying threats while drawing a card to replace itself. Just be careful playing this into open mana!

Mirrorform

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

This card has a big window of variance, with a very low floor, and a very high ceiling. If you have a decent board of creatures, this can win you a lot of games outright.

Noggle the Mind

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

This is a decent, instant speed removal spell.

Oko, Lorwyn Liege // Oko, Shadowmoor Scion

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

This planeswalker doesn’t do all that much if you can’t flip it. The general play pattern will likely be +1 to protect himself, flip the following turn -3 for two 3/3 elks and he has done his job.

Omni-Changeling

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This is a little better than previous uncommon vversions of Clone, due to the shapeshifter creature type, and convoke. It’s playable, but not too exciting.

Pestered Wellguard

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

I’m not a big believer of the Wellguard. The stat-line of 3/2 on a 4 drop, means it likely won’t ever be able to attack profitably. If you have oodles of convoke/tap synergies, you could talk me into it.

Rime Chill

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

The breakpoint for this card being bad/good is how cheaply you can cast it. If you have enough split cards to reliably cast this for 4, it’s really good. If it will likely cost 5+, I would be far less excited about playing it.

Rimefire Torque

Rating: 0.5 // 5.0

I’m hesitant to say this is completely unplayable. If your deck has close to 100% of the same creature type, and some potent spells – you could justify running it.

Rimekin Recluse

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

Man-o'-War has been working out. A very powerful creature for any Blue deck.

Run Away Together

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

There have been sets where this carrd is premium (looking at you, Throne of Eldraine). I don’t see this being too strong in this set.

Shinestriker

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

As long as this draws 2+ cards, it seems like a fine top-end creature for most decks.

Silvergill Mentor

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

This isn’t terribly exciting, but does work as a nice 2 drop if you have other merfolk.

Silvergill Peddler

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

I’m not a big fan of this “psuedo-looter”.

Spell Snare

Rating: SB // 5.0

This can be a decent sideboard option when you are on the draw (assuming your opponent has a sufficient amount of 2 drops).

Stratosoarer

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

The creature half of this card is sub-par, but combined with the basic landcycling, it makes for a fine inclusion.

Summit Sentinel

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This thing seems fine as an early speedbump, or pairs nicely with Blight cards.

Sunderflock

Rating: 4.0 // 5.0

This card also has some high variance, but assuming you have a good amount of elementals/shapeshifters, you should end up on top more often than not. The optimal play would be playing an elemental/shapeshifter 4 drop on turn 4, following up with this on turn 5.

Swat Away

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

An efficient piece of removal that can double as a late game Memory Lapse.

Sygg, Wanderwine Wisdom // Sygg, Wanderbrine Shield

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

This can be incredibly powerful, especially if you have a 1 drop to attack with the turn he comes down. Then you can alternate between protecting himself/drawing a card every other turn.

Tanufel Rimespeaker

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

This is a pretty slow draw-engine. I’d like to put it in decks that want to go late, or bring it in from the sideboard for slower matchups.

Temporal Cleansing

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

This is a reprint from March of the Machines, and seems like it will perform just as powerfully.

Thirst for Identity

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

A cool take on Thirst for Knowledge, though likely worse in limited – still seems like an alright draw spell.

Unexpected Assistance

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

I think this is a better draw spell than Thirst for Identity, mostly due to it’s casting cost being much more flexible.

Unwelcome Sprite

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

Not only are Vampire Interloper‘s typically strong in limited, Surveil 2, is incredibly powerful – even if you only get to trigger it once.

Wanderwine Distracter

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

I’m not going to write this guy off completely, as it can do some cool stuff in combat with instant speed Convoke.

Wanderwine Farewell

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

Sorcery speed really makes this card pretty weak. You will likely need to tap a lot of your creatures to cast it, which stops you from even getting an attack in.

Wild Unraveling

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

If you have some good Blight synergies, this gets much better. Outside of that, it’s Cancel.

Top 3 Blue Commons:

Temporal Cleansing Blossombind Unexpected Assistance

Blue looks like a good mix of powerful mid-late game creatures and spells. It also has a surprisingly high count of bomb rares, with only a couple of them not being great for limited. With the solid removal at common, it looks like a pretty powerful color overall. I’ll be breaking down Black next, stay tuned!

Lose and Learn, Learn and Win!