Ideally, we would need about 13 commander decks to represent each race and class from the first two sets, and at least 10 for single hybrid mana symbol containing exactly two colors. Obviously, ain’t no way we get that many, so just two will do it this time.
The Lorwyn side went for a 5 colors commander for its Elementals. Considering that Merfolk (not necessary in Azorius), Faeries and Elves have already gotten precons before, it’s certainly a whatever choice considering Goblins and Kithkins are right here.
And then on the Shadowmoor side, we get a second Jund precon in a row (granted this row took 6 months, too long by current Magic standards), I can’t believe I’m saying that. Hey, we do get a Goblin here.
Overall, it’s certainly a selection of all time. People buy themes, people don’t buy colors.
Each deck has two commanders, one being the typical gold card, the other being a “more creative” way about a gold card, abeit in ways you’ve already seen before: Red card asking for a WUBRG cost, or whatever the Tarkir draft cards did with twobrid. All save for one have two stages of a value engine, and all save for a different one is about copying stuff to put them on the board. It’s such a typical collection of commander design traits at this point, and all of that leaves a single line of flavor text for all four cards in total.
Character wise, the creative mana costs are where you’ll find returning characters. Ashling is the questionable one among these I feel, I look at the artwork and I’m telling you: you could label that as anyone else since Ashling needs a skirt.
Now onto the rares, you should have a refresher that commander precons now have 10 rares instead of the typical 8. How do the two decks used these slots?
| Deck | B | 1M | G | 2M | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lorwyn | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| (5C) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| Jund | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| (BRG) | 4 | 1* | 3 | 3 |
The Lorwyn side went with first off, a cycle! These are five more single devotion Incarnations with a decent arrival trigger and the ability to encore for more mana at two devotions for basically three of that arrival triggers and a lot of damage. The words chosen for this cycle’s names are definitely on the crazy side at this point in time, “Subterfuge” being the best example.
And then we also get two green cards about what you expect, tokens and colors. And for the biggest surprise of this set, in addition to the two Simic lands to complete the cycles the EOC decks started to realize they need to complete, there’s also a third land that’s basically a Changeling version of the Sliver Hive that got a new version just recently I think. So that’s how the two new slots have been used this time, they’ll balance out in the end.
Meanwhile, the Jund deck is really big into black with a little less favor for Green. Which culminates in them getting yet another Golgari card, I swear this has happened recently, I think with a dragon or something. The keywords to find with these cards is counters or dies, how surprising. This deck’s new manabase piece is, of all things, a 3 drop mana rock. Sure, this one can produce 2/2s as a mana sink, but still, 3 drop mana rock.
So, here’s how the two decks totals to. Black and Green are biggest eaters this time.
| Color | W | U | B | R | G | BG | GU | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ability | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Art | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9* |
Each deck shares their staple trio. Just that this time there’re a few interesting twists, especially with the artifacts. Arcane Signet, for one, have both flavor texts using the same structure:
<Orzhov commander’s side> adherents invoke its blessings with <something>. Where there is <noun>, there is the <time star and a noun it gives>.
Admittedly, the last part isn’t exactly the same, one has the almighty “of the”, the other is an owner relationship. Now look at the Sol Rings, we have just as connected a pair of flavor texts:
“<Fancy word plural> <verb> in <rhymy place> And <nature’s thing> <verb> where <Orzhov commander’s side> lies.” —Verselet of <form of this plane>
Not just that, the artwork of these two rings came from the same artist, where each ring is divided at basically the exact same angle so if you cut along that angle, you can mix the two rings together to form new ones. I wonder who would dare to that in real life. The rest obviously aren’t shared.
The Lorwyn deck has a blue draw spell, a rare that likes colors, a kindred land and get this, two of the five MH2 pitch Incarnations. Not all five, considering the white one is still commanding a two digits price. But tell anyone a few years back and I truly doubt they would have believed.