Just like that, the first MTG preview season of 2026 is at an end. While we got to see all of Lorwyn Eclipsed very quickly, the set has still managed to make a big impression. A ton of the newcomers here look excellent, with applications across many different Magic formats. This makes today’s task, breaking down the very best new cards in Lorwyn Eclipsed, a tricky one indeed.
That said, it’s a task we’ll be taking on regardless. As a quick disclaimer, we’ll only be considering cards from the main set here, and not the Commander precons or Special Guests. We’ll also be picking cards based on their broad playability, so cards like Mirrorform, which are unlikely to see use outside of Commander, won’t earn slots here. With all of that said, let’s dive into the best MTG cards in Lorwyn Eclipsed!
5 | Bitterbloom Bearer
As the Headliner card for Lorwyn Eclipsed, Bitterbloom Bearer has had eyes on it since long before previews began. While there’s been some debate as to whether Bitterblossom is better on a body or not, I personally think the card is an upgrade, and one that will see use in various formats.
In Commander, Bitterblossom tends to see play mainly in Aristocrats decks, as a way to generate extra sacrifice fodder. In this regard, Bitterbloom Bearer is even better, since it provides one more body up front. While it’s more vulnerable to removal than Bitterblossom, it’s also much more accessible, through both reanimation and tutor effects. I expect the card to become a new staple in decks like Teysa Karlov and Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER from here on out.
Outside of Commander, Bitterbloom Bearer also seems like a slam-dunk addition to Dimir Midrange in Standard. Thanks to Flash, you can hold it up alongside disruption like Tishana’s Tidebinder and Shoot the Sheriff, to maximize your value. A steady stream of Flying bodies is perfect for the deck, too, since it helps power your core draw engines of Enduring Curiosity and Kaito, Bane of Nightmares. While it’s very vulnerable to cards like Iroh’s Demonstration, I expect Dimir Midrange players to find slots for this one regardless.
4 | Vibrance
All five of the Evoke Elementals from Lorwyn Eclipsed are interesting cards, but Vibrance is by far the best of them. Both of the two-mana “modes” here are hugely relevant, especially the green land tutor effect. This isn’t something we see every day, especially not at this rate, so by itself this is pretty exciting. It gives green decks in Commander a way to nab their key lands, like Gaea’s Cradle, without dedicating a full card slot to doing so.
The Lightning Bolt effect here may be heavily overcosted at double red, but it’s also what gives Vibrance a real shot in constructed formats. Three damage is enough to deal with most early threats in Standard, and being able to use Vibrance like this avoids the issue of your five-mana creature languishing in your hand all game. On the other hand, thanks to powerful ramp tools like Badgermole Cub, it’s not unreasonable at all to drop Vibrance for full price on turn three or four. At that point, it’s an easy three-for-one that can totally swing the game in your favor.
While it lacks the raw abusability of the original Evoke Elementals, Vibrance is still generically good enough that I expect it to see a ton of play. We’ll probably see it in Standard soon, and we’ll definitely see it in Commander.
3 | Formidable Speaker
Formidable Speaker was one of the very first cards we saw from Lorwyn Eclipsed, and it made a heck of a good impression. We all know by now how good creature tutors are in Magic, and Speaker provides a very exciting new option in that category. Unlike Fauna Shaman and Survival of the Fittest, Speaker doesn’t demand that you trade a creature for another creature. You can discard anything you want to this, which opens things up enormously.
The trade-off is that Speaker’s tutor effect isn’t repeatable, but it more than makes up for that with its activated ability. Untapping any permanent has a dazzling array of uses, from netting you extra card draw with The One Ring to setting up combos with Gaea’s Cradle and friends. The fact that it’s an Elf is a nice upside as well, unlocking synergies with cards like Wirewood Lodge.
Formidable Speaker will probably do the bulk of its work in Commander, where tutors, while controversial, are at their best. I could also see it branching out beyond that into formats like Modern, however, where it has a lot to offer in Yawgmoth decks. Searching up your key combo pieces is great, and the untap effect can provide a burst of mana or an extra Agatha’s Soul Cauldron activation as needed.
2 | Meek Attack
Meek Attack may look like a heavily nerfed Sneak Attack at first, but the lower mana cost here is incredibly important. This lets you reliably start cheating in overcosted creatures sooner, potentially dropping two on turn four, when Sneak Attack would only just be coming online. The potential for shenanigans here is huge as a result, in Standard in particular.
Players have already clocked the absurd interaction between Meek Attack and Famished Worldsire, where you drop a Hasty 12/12 on turn four, while dumping every land in the top 12 cards of your deck into play. Paired with Spelunking, this allows for some incredible mana bursts, and several game-ending combos. With Prime Speaker Zegana in the mix as another great card to cheat out, this strategy could have serious legs.
Beyond Standard, Meek Attack has plenty of potential in other formats. In Pioneer, Agent of Treachery alone could be enough to get a deck going, since stealing opposing lands on turn four is backbreaking. In Commander, the card will largely be overshadowed by original Sneak Attack, but decks that want redundancy on the effect will probably run both. Time and again we’ve been taught the sheer power of mana cheating effects in Magic, and Meek Attack is an excellent new example.
1 | Hexing Squelcher
As soon as we set eyes on Hexing Squelcher, it was clear it was going to be one of the best cards in Lorwyn Eclipsed. The community uproar following its reveal, alone, was a strong indicator of that. Now that the dust has settled somewhat, I’m confident in my prediction this little Goblin will be the most impactful new card from the set.
A lot of the discussion around this card so far has centered on its potential in cEDH, and it will absolutely do work there. Spider-Punk never quite managed to find a niche in the format, but the fact that Squelcher’s effect is one-sided is a massive difference. It lets you execute your own combos worry-free, while also interacting with opponents’ combos easier as well. In a format defined mainly by huge counterspell stack wars, this is an absolute game-changer.
Outside of cEDH, I think Hexing Squelcher has serious eternal format potential as well. Spider-Punk managed to see play in a number of Legacy and Modern decks, and Squelcher is just better in most cases. Combo decks like Legacy Storm and Modern Mono-Red Belcher will likely find slots for the card as a result.
Even in Standard, where counterspells aren’t super-common, I think there are homes for Squelcher. It makes a very solid sideboard card in Mono-Red Aggro, for example, and it could even see play in Izzet Lessons as tech for the Jeskai Control matchup.
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