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The first planeswalkers
What this set is
Lorwyn is the set that introduced the planeswalker card type. Its five planeswalkers, Ajani Goldmane, Jace Beleren, Liliana Vess, Chandra Nalaar and Garruk Wildspeaker, were the first cards that put Magic's planeswalker characters on the battlefield, and planeswalkers have been in nearly every set since.
The rest of the set is tribal. Lorwyn is a sunlit plane of Kithkin, Merfolk, Faeries, Elves, Goblins, Giants, Elementals and Treefolk, and 31 cards carry the Tribal type (now called Kindred) so that spells can share creature types. Changeling, on 19 cards, makes a card every creature type; evoke lets a creature be cast cheaply for its enters effect; clash and champion round out the mechanics, and the five hideaway lands are still played.
Commander players use Ponder (banned in Modern), Austere Command, Mulldrifter, Springleaf Drum and the hideaway lands, and its legends include Doran, the Siege Tower, Horde of Notions and Brion Stoutarm. Lorwyn Eclipsed returned to the plane in 2026.
Themes
Every mechanic in Lorwyn
Planeswalkers
A card type with loyalty. Activate one loyalty ability per turn at sorcery speed, adding or removing loyalty counters; creatures can attack a planeswalker, and damage to it removes loyalty.
Changeling
This card is every creature type, in every zone, so it counts for any tribe.
Evoke
You may cast the creature for its evoke cost instead; if you do, it is sacrificed when it enters, so you keep only its enters effect.
Clash, champion and hideaway
Clash has each player reveal the top card of their library and rewards the higher mana value. Champion exiles another creature of a type until the champion leaves. Hideaway lands exile a card face down to cast for free later.
Where You Can Play It
Format legality
Lorwyn is a single code with one Modern ban.
Not Standard-legal, and never Pioneer-legal: Pioneer starts at Return to Ravnica (October 2012). Everything here is legal in Modern, Legacy, Vintage and Commander unless a ban list says otherwise. Modern bans Ponder, and Vintage restricts Thorn of Amethyst. Nothing is banned in Legacy or Commander. Commons from any set are Pauper-legal; that isn't listed per set here.
Commanders
The most played commanders from Lorwyn
The legends this set is best known for. Tap one for its printings and what it costs.
Boosters, precons and singles from Lorwyn are on TCGplayer.
FAQ
Common questions
Where can I play Lorwyn cards?
In Modern, Legacy, Vintage and Commander, minus the cards each format bans. Lorwyn left Standard long ago and was never in Pioneer, which starts in 2012. Modern bans Ponder.
Did planeswalkers start in Lorwyn?
Yes. Lorwyn printed the first five: Ajani Goldmane, Jace Beleren, Liliana Vess, Chandra Nalaar and Garruk Wildspeaker.
Which tribes are in Lorwyn?
Kithkin, Merfolk, Faeries, Elves, Goblins, Giants, Elementals and Treefolk, with changelings that count as all of them.
Is Lorwyn Eclipsed the same plane?
Yes. Lorwyn Eclipsed returned to Lorwyn in 2026.
All card names, art, and mechanics belong to Wizards of the Coast. Lorwyn released on Oct 12, 2007; details reflect the set as published. Sources: Wizards of the Coast set pages and release notes, Draftsim, Untapped.gg.
Playing Lorwyn in Commander?
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