Shadowmoor

Shadowmoor

 

Theme decks

 

Shadowmoor
[[File:{{#setmainimage:SHM logo.jpg}}|250px]]
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description	The Reaper King's Crown.
Design	Mark Rosewater (lead) Sean Fletcher Mark Gottlieb Devin Low Ken Troop
Development	Aaron Forsythe (lead) Devin Low Alexis Janson Matt Place Jake Theis Steve Warner Doug Beyer
Art direction	Jeremy Jarvis
Release date	May 2, 2008
Plane	Shadowmoor
Themes and mechanics	Hybrid mana, Untapping, -1/-1 counters
Keywords/​ability words	Conspire, Persist, Wither
Set size	301 cards (121 commons, 80 uncommons, 80 rares, 20 basic lands)
Expansion code	SHM
Development codename	Jelly
Shadowmoor block
Shadowmoor Eventide N/A
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Morningtide Shadowmoor Eventide

This page is about the set. For the plane, see Shadowmoor (plane). For other uses, see Shadowmoor (disambiguation).

Shadowmoor is the forty-fifth Magic expansion and was released in May 2008 as the first set in the Shadowmoor block. Prerelease tournaments were held April 19–20, 2008. Release events were held May 2–4, 2008.

Set details

Shadowmoor contains 301 cards (80 rare, 80 uncommon, 121 common, and 20 basic lands). It is the first set of a so-called mini-block, the second being Eventide. It is also a large expansion released in May when usually a small expansion is released. Together with the previous Lorwyn block, they formed a four-set mega-block.

Shadowmoor takes place on the plane of the same name, which is a reflection of Lorwyn, the setting of the previous block. Shadowmoor does not continue any mechanics or themes from Lorwyn and often inverts them. For example, while Lorwyn had a sub-theme involving +1/+1 counters, Shadowmoor uses -1/-1 counters instead. While Lorwyn contained only a few multicolored cards and Morningtide none, Shadowmoor contains many multicolored cards. The races native to Lorwyn also appear in Shadowmoor, but some switch color alignment. Additionally, a race of artifact creatures called Scarecrows is introduced.

The strongest theme of Shadowmoor is the usage of Hybrid mana which can be paid with mana of either of two colors. This mechanic was first introduced in the Ravnica block but is heavily expanded in this and the following set, Eventide. Shadowmoor focuses on Allied pairs.

Every basic land in Shadowmoor is part of a two-card diptych. The expansion symbol of Shadowmoor is alternately interpreted as a bat wing, a dead leaf or the Jack-o'-lantern lid from the Reaper King, the King of the scarecrows. The latter is the official reading.

Flavor and storyline

Shadowmoor was once the world of Lorwyn — in fact, in a sense, it still is. But thanks to the Great Aurora, everything's changed. Where it was once constantly sunny, now it is always night, steeped in gloom and fog, with only cold moonlight to light the skies. Once-clear waters have turned brackish and chill. The howling wind creaks the brittle branches of rotting trees. Life, once abundant, either struggles to survive or is twisted into something vicious and cruel. This is not a world of despair but of oppressive terror and constant death.

Except for Faeries, each of the major races has its main colors changed:

• Flamekins: Mono- → / (Cinders)
• Elves: / → /
• Giants: / → /
• Goblins: / → /
• Kithkin: / → /
• Merfolk: / → /
• Treefolk: // → /

Marketing

Shadowmoor was sold in 75-card tournament decks, 16-card booster packs, five preconstructed theme decks and a fat pack. All products except the boosters contained a random Pro Tour Player Card. The booster packs featured artwork from Murderous Redcap, Grief Tyrant, Ashenmoor Gouger, Reaper King and Faerie Macabre. Starting with Shadowmoor, the fat pack was redesigned to include one storage box rather than two, and eight boosters rather than six. The panorama art piece that wraps the contents is 2¼" shorter as a result. The promotional prerelease cards for Shadowmoor was Demigod of Revenge with alternate art. The promotional release card for Shadowmoor was Vexing Shusher. The set was accompanied by the anthology of the same name, consisting of stories written by Cory J. Herndon, Scott McGough and others.

Like Morningtide boosters before them, boosters of Shadowmoor come with a bonus sixteenth card that is either a "rules card" or a creature token. One face of the Shadowmoor bonus card has one of six different rules tips or one of twelve different creature tokens. The other face has one of six advertisements for organized play programs, Gleemax, fat packs, and Eventide.

Tips & Tricks

The tips & tricks cards are

• Rules Tip: is the Untap Symbol
• Rules Tip: +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters
• Rules Tip: and Are Hybrid Mana Symbols
• Rules Tip: Conspire
• Rules Tip: Persist
• Rules Tip: Wither

Tokens

The Shadowmoor tokens are:

• 1/1 Kithkin Soldier produced by Repel Intruders
• 1/1 Spirit with flying produced by Spectral Procession
• 1/1 Rat produced by Plague of Vermin
• 1/1 Elemental produced by Elemental Mastery
• 1/1 Elf Warrior produced by Flourishing Defenses and Presence of Gond
• 1/2 Spider with reach produced by Gloomwidow's Feast
• 2/2 Wolf produced by Howl of the Night Pack
• 1/1 Faerie Rogue with flying produced by Oona, Queen of the Fae
• 5/5 Elemental produced by Din of the Fireherd
• 4/4 Giant Warrior with haste produced by Giantbaiting
• 1/1 Goblin Warrior produced by Wort, the Raidmother
• 1/1 Elf Warrior produced by Mercy Killing and Rhys the Redeemed

Misprints

• Reflecting Pool — the white mana symbol was mistakenly inserted into the foil treatment of the text box of the premium version of the card, as it was carried over from the premium Mistveil Plains.

Mechanics

Shadowmoor expands on its hybrid theme with the introduction of mono-colored hybrid mana. This mana cost can be paid by either one mana of a specified color, or by two mana of any color. The converted mana cost of these cards is the highest possible.

Another new feature was the untap symbol which is used as a cost allowing a permanent to be untapped to produce some effect as listed on the card. The card must be tapped to use that ability, just as cards with must be untapped. This ability appeared primarily in white and blue.

Further, the set includes a cycle of lands that have basic land types, despite not being basic lands. To prevent them from being strictly better than basic lands, these enter the battlefield tapped. However, they can also be used for a specific, somewhat weak effect, if its controller also controls at least two permanents of the appropriate color.

Shadowmoor introduced the following keyword mechanics:

• Conspire — As you play this spell, you may tap two untapped creatures you control that share a color with it. When you do, copy it.
• Persist — When this creature is put into the 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.
• Wither — This deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters. Primarily in red, black, and green.

Cycles

Shadowmoor has 26 cycles. Seven of them are part of the Shadowmoor block mega cycles. The remaining 19 cycles are:

Cycle name
Allied-color self-boosting creatures	Rune-Cervin Rider	Parapet Watchers	Loch Korrigan	Blistering Dieflyn	Foxfire Oak
	Each of these common monocolored creatures has an activated ability with a hybrid mana cost that boosts one or both of its stats.
Basic land count spells	Armored Ascension	Flow of Ideas	Corrupt	Jaws of Stone	Howl of the Night Pack
	Each of these uncommon spells gains more power for the more basic lands of the appropriate type you control.
Cohorts	Ballynock Cohort	Briarberry Cohort	Ashenmoor Cohort	Mudbrawler Cohort	Crabapple Cohort
	Each of these common creatures gets +1/+1 as long as you control another creature of its color.
Colored permanent count creatures	Kithkin Rabble	Faerie Swarm	Crowd of Cinders	Horde of Boggarts	Drove of Elves
	Each of these uncommon creatures costs M and has P/T each equal to the number of permanents of their color you control.
Hate-enhanced spells	Inquisitor's Snare	Consign to Dream	Gloomlance	Ember Gale	Gloomwidow's Feast
	Each of these common spells has a greater effect against enemy colors.
Hideaway creatures	Windbrisk Raptor	Isleback Spawn	Hollowborn Barghest	Knollspine Dragon	Mossbridge Troll
	Each of these 7-mana rare creatures is the awakened form of one of the hideaway lands from Lorwyn, and has an ability that mirrors its land-form.
Initiates	Apothecary Initiate	Drowner Initiate	Smolder Initiate	Intimidator Initiate	Nurturer Initiate
	Each of these common 1/1 creatures allows you to pay whenever a spell of its color is cast to gain an effect.
Mentors	Resplendent Mentor	Deepchannel Mentor	Corrosive Mentor	Bloodmark Mentor	Roughshod Mentor
	Each of these uncommon creatures grants an ability to all creatures you control of their color.
Monocolor conspire sorceries	Mine Excavation	Ghastly Discovery	Disturbing Plot	Burn Trail	Gleeful Sabotage
	Each of these common sorceries has conspire and has art depicting members of races new to Shadowmoor or Eventide.
Monocolor hybrids	Spectral Procession	Advice from the Fae	Beseech the Queen	Flame Javelin	Tower Above
	Each of these uncommon spells has a mana cost of {/M}{/M}{/M}. The reminder text on these cards reads "{2/M} can be paid with any two mana or with M. This card's converted mana cost is 6."
Rare persist creatures	Twilight Shepherd	River Kelpie	Puppeteer Clique	Furystoke Giant	Woodfall Primus
	Each of these rare creatures with persist has a powerful comes-into-play ability.
Reflections	Boon Reflection (life gained)	Thought Reflection (cards drawn)	Wound Reflection (damage dealt)	Rage Reflection (attacks)	Mana Reflection (mana)
	Each of these rare enchantments doubles a common event, and each is illustrated by the sister/brother team of Terese Nielsen and Ron Spencer.
Utility lands	Mistveil Plains	Moonring Island	Leechridden Swamp	Madblind Mountain	Sapseep Forest
	Each of these uncommon lands has a basic land type, comes into play tapped, and can be tapped for one mana of its respective color in addition to another ability that can only be played if you control two or more permanents of the proper color.
Wisps	Niveous Wisps	Cerulean Wisps	Aphotic Wisps	Crimson Wisps	Viridescent Wisps
	Each of these common cantrips changes a creature's color until the end of turn.
Cycle name
Color-aligned scarecrows	Watchwing Scarecrow	Wingrattle Scarecrow	Rattleblaze Scarecrow	Blazethorn Scarecrow	Thornwatch Scarecrow
	Each of these common Scarecrow artifact creatures is matched with an allied pair of colors, gaining an ability if you control a creature of a specific color.
Witches	Mistmeadow Witch	Inkfathom Witch	Spiteflame Witch	Tattermunge Witch	Seedcradle Witch
	Each of these uncommon hybrid creatures has an ability that requires MN to play, where M and N are its colors.
Duos	Thistledown Duo	Gravelgill Duo	Emberstrike Duo	Tattermunge Duo	Safehold Duo
	Each of these common hybrid creatures has one race and two classes each, and gains a bonus until the end of turn whenever you play a spell of one of its colors.
Hybrid conspire spells	Æthertow	Memory Sluice	Traitor's Roar	Giantbaiting	Barkshell Blessing
	Each of these common spells has conspire and has art depicting members of races introduced in Lorwyn.
Unblockable hybrid creatures	Barrenton Cragtreads	Wanderbrine Rootcutters	Sootwalkers	Mudbrawler Raiders	Raven's Run Dragoon
	Each of these common 3/3 creatures has a casting cost of HH, where H is an allied-color hybrid mana. They can't be blocked by creatures of their colors' shared enemy color.

Mega Cycles

Shadowmoor has seven mega cycles as part of the Shadowmoor block mega cycles. The allied colored set in Shadowmoor are:

Cycle name
Lieges	Thistledown liege	Glen Elendra Liege	Ashenmoor Liege	Boartusk Liege	Wilt-Leaf Liege
	Each of these creatures has a mana cost of nHHH, where H is a hybrid mana symbol and n is an integer of generic mana. Each liege holds two separate abilities that provide a +1/+1 bonus to a creature that matches either color, which stacks for those that match both, and each has an ability or effect appropriate for its colors. The lieges from Shadowmoor have allied-color costs and the Knight creature type.
Demigods	Godhead of Awe	Ghastlord of Fugue	Demigod of Revenge	Deus of Calamity	Oversoul of Dusk
	Each of these Spirit Avatar creatures has a converted mana cost of 5, made up entirely of hybrid mana symbols.
Demigod auras	Steel of the Godhead	Helm of the Ghastlord	Fists of the Demigod	Runes of the Deus	Shield of the Oversoul
	These auras grant +1/+1 and one of two bonuses to a creature if it matches one of its colors, or +2/+2 and both bonuses if it matches both.
Common hybrid one-drops	Zealous Guardian	Oona's Gatewarden	Manaforge Cinder	Scuzzback Scrapper	Elvish Hexhunter
	Each of these common creatures has a mana cost of one hybrid mana.
Hybrid filter lands	Mystic Gate	Sunken Ruins	Graven Cairns	Fire-Lit Thicket	Wooded Bastion
	Each of these rare lands can be tapped for mana. They also have the ability "M/N, : Add MM, MN, or NN." where M and N are two different colors.
Hybrid three-drops	Plumeveil	Wasp Lancer	Ashenmoor Gouger	Boggart Ram-Gang	Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
	Each of these uncommon creatures has a converted mana cost of , made up entirely of hybrid mana.
Hybrid modal spells	Repel Intruders	River's Grasp	Torrent of Souls	Firespout	Dawnglow Infusion
	Each of these uncommon hybrid spells has different effects depending on which of two colors were used to play it.

Reprinted cards

• Corrupt, first printed in Urza's Saga, last seen in Seventh Edition
• Flow of Ideas, first printed in Ravnica: City of Guilds
• Graven Cairns, first printed in Future Sight
• Last Breath, first printed in Mercadian Masques
• Mistmeadow Skulk, first printed in Future Sight
• Reflecting Pool, first printed in Tempest
• Torture, first printed in Homelands, last seen in 5th Edition

Colorshifted

• Power of Fire, red colorshifted version of Hermetic Study (Urza's Saga)

Reflections

Several cards from Shadowmoor were designed to reflect cards printed in Lorwyn and Morningtide, playing up the set's theme as a dark reflection of the world of Lorwyn:

Mechanical Reflections:

• Boggart Arsonists is a reflection of Boggart Loggers.
• Torture is a reflection of Daily Regimen.
• Hollowsage is a reflection of Fallowsage.
• Incremental Blight is a reflection of Incremental Growth.
• Kithkin Shielddare is a reflection of Kithkin Daggerdare.
• Kinscaer Harpoonist is a reflection of Kinsbaile Balloonist. Magicthegathering.com's Wallpaper of the Week featured a wallpaper of the two artworks together on May 30, 2008.

Flavor Reflections:

• Mistmeadow Skulk is a reflection of Goldmeadow Dodger.
• Rhys the Redeemed is a reflection of Rhys the Exiled.
• Sygg, River Cutthroat is a reflection of Sygg, River Guide.
• Wort, the Raidmother is a reflection of Wort, Boggart Auntie.
• Graven Cairns is a reflection of Ancient Amphitheater.
• Fire-Lit Thicket is a reflection of Auntie's Hovel.
• Sunken Ruins is a reflection of both Wanderwine Hub and Rustic Clachan.
• Wooded Bastion is a reflection of Gilt-Leaf Palace.

Notable cards

• Fossil Find is the last card to refer to graveyard order; it only does so as other forms of randomly taken from the graveyard are less practical than shuffling face-down.
• Kitchen Finks was a key midrange card, with Persist and lifegain, it stifled burn-based aggressive decks.
• Painter's Servant is infamous for being part of a two-card combo with Grindstone.
• Reflecting Pool, a famous reprint, enabled five-color mana bases in combination with the Vivid Lands from Lorwyn.
• Runed Halo is the first card to grant Protection to a player rather than a creature.
• Safewright Quest is the first land tutor with a casting cost of and searches for either a Forest or Plains specifically.
• Savor the Moment has the cheapest casting cost "take an extra turn" spell since Alpha's Time Walk, at but has the drawback of skipping the untap step of that turn.
• Swans of Bryn Argoll was used in a few combo decks which would deal a large amount of damage to the Swans to draw a lot of cards and turn those cards into damage to the opponent, such as with Seismic Assault or Chain of Plasma.
• Wheel of Sun and Moon can be used to combat an opponent who is reliant on their graveyard by enchanting them or combatting an opponent with a mill strategy by enchanting oneself.
• Vexing Shusher and Guttural Response have seen play as an annoyance to blue control decks.
• Devoted Druid has proven to be a consistent combo enabler when combined with any way to prevent -1/-1 counters from being placed on it
• Fulminator Mage was a common answer in the early age of Modern sideboards for problematic nonbasic lands
• Smash to Smithereens is a sideboard favorite in burn decks in multiple formats
• Manamorphose is an important part of spell-based combo decks like Storm and Arclight Phoenix in Modern, Legacy, and Pauper, as an essentially "free spell" that refunds both mana and cards, especially when combined with cost reduction to turn it into a ritual
• Savor the Moment is a notably cheap extra turn spell for the Modern era, balanced by turning off the extra turn's untap step

Misprint

• All printed versions of the foil Reflecting Pool have a white mana symbol behind the text.

Preconstructed decks

Shadowmoor features five two-colored, allied-colored theme decks.

Theme deck name	Colors Included
Aura Mastery	W	U
Mortal Coil		U	B
Army of Entropy			B	R
Overkill				R	G
Turnabout	W				G

External links

• Mark Rosewater (March 21, 2023). "Lesson Learned, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.