Shadowmoor

{{Infobox mtgset |

| Expansion Name = Shadowmoor

| Expansion Symbol = File:Shadowmoor expsym.svg

| Symbol Description = {{mtgcard|Reaper King}}

| Release Date = May 2, 2008

| Mechanics = Hybrid mana,{{cite web |url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=magic/preview/shmpack |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308205351/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=magic/preview/shmpack |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 8, 2008 |title=Shadowmoor Preview Booster Pack |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |date=March 7, 2008 |access-date=March 7, 2008}} −1/−1 counters, untap symbol

| Keywords = Persist, Wither, Conspire

| Size = 301 (80 rare, 80 uncommon, 121 common, 20 basic lands)

| Designers = Mark Rosewater (lead), Sean Fletcher, Mark Gottlieb, Devin Low, Ken Troop

| Developers = Aaron Forsythe (lead), Devin Low, Alexis Janson, Matt Place, Jake Theis, Steve Warner, Doug Beyer

| Development Code = Jelly

| Expansion Code = SHM

| Last Set = Morningtide

| Previous Set = Morningtide

| Next Set = Eventide

| Block Name = Shadowmoor

| Set Position = First

| First Set = Shadowmoor

| Second Set = Eventide

| Third Set =

| Last Block = Lorwyn Block

| Next Block = Alara Block

}}

Shadowmoor is the first set of the Shadowmoor block, which started May 2008. Shadowmoor is the first large expansion to be released in a month other than October since Ice Age’s June 1995 release. The designers of the set are Mark Rosewater (lead), Sean Fletcher, Mark Gottlieb, Devin Low, and Ken Troop; the developers of the set are Aaron Forsythe (lead), Devin Low, Alexis Janson (the winner of The Great Designer Search Contest{{cite web |url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/designersearch/episode7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017003527/http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/designersearch/episode7 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 17, 2007 |last=Rosewater |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Rosewater |title=The Great Designer Search Episode #7 |date=December 22, 2006 |access-date=October 20, 2007}}), Matt Place, Jake Theis, Steve Warner, and Doug Beyer. The Shadowmoor symbol might suggest a bat wing or dead leaf, but is a Jack-o'-lantern lid taken from the art of the card {{mtgcard|Reaper King}}, the King of the scarecrows, a prominent creature type in the set. The set's theme is color, utilizing hybrid (introduced and last seen in the Ravnica block) across the allied color pairs, along with innovations in hybrid mana. A new action is introduced in this set, called "Q", representing the untap symbol; according to Rosewater, this has "never [been] done before."{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/mr323 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318081345/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/mr323 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 18, 2008 |title=Building Blocks |last=Rosewater |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Rosewater |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |date=March 17, 2008 |access-date=March 31, 2008}}{{cite web |url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/mr319 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226011121/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/mr319 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 26, 2008 |last=Rosewater |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Rosewater |title=Innovate Is Enough (Or Is It?) |work=Making Magic |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |date=February 18, 2008 |access-date=February 18, 2008}} Rosewater also stated that "the set plays into the duality theme between Lorwyn and Shadowmoor blocks, both in the art and the mechanics." For example, the same creature types from Lorwyn returned.

The set plays on the same plane as Lorwyn, but due to an event called the Aurora, the plane and its inhabitants are twisted and changed. The art of Shadowmoor's booster packs depicts familiar Lorwyn creatures either during or after a dark change.{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/arcana/1545 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314000614/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/arcana/1545 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 14, 2008 |title=Shadowmoor Booster Packaging |work=Magic Arcana |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |date=March 12, 2008 |access-date=March 31, 2008}} As such, there are a number of mirrors between the Lorwyn and Shadowmoor blocks (For example, Lorwyn focuses on tapping and +1/+1 counters, while Shadowmoor focuses on untapping and −1/−1 counters)

More than 25 cycles have been identified in this set, including a number of "mega-cycles" that include five allied-colored cards from Shadowmoor and five enemy-colored cards from Eventide. Rosewater has noted that the set is a "little cycle heavy".{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/mr330 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505194935/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/mr330 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 5, 2008 |title=Mix & Match, Part II |last=magicthegathering.com |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |access-date=May 12, 2008}} See the "Sootstoke Kindler" card.

Five theme decks were released as part of the set. The preconstructed theme decks are: "Aura Mastery" (White/Blue), "Mortal Coil" (Blue/Black), "Army of Entropy" (Black/Red), "Overkill" (Red/Green), and "Turnabout" (White/Green).{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/arcana/1554 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080329180205/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/arcana/1554 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 29, 2008 |title=Shadowmoor Theme Decks |work=Magic Arcana |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |date=March 25, 2008 |access-date=March 31, 2008}}

Shadowmoor introduced the mechanics conspire, persist, untap and wither.

• Conspire - When you play a spell with conspire, you may tap two creatures that share a color with it to copy the spell, choosing new targets if desired.{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/ss1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409221059/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/ss1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 9, 2008 |title=Blazing a Trail |last=Sadin |first=Steve |work=Limited Information |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |date=April 8, 2008 |access-date=April 8, 2008}}
• Persist - When a creature with persist is put into a graveyard from play, if it had no −1/−1 counters on it, it returns to play under its owner's control with a −1/−1 counter on it.{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/tf82 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080416231454/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/tf82 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 16, 2008 |title=The Death of Wrath |author=The Ferrett |work=Serious Fun |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |date=April 15, 2008 |access-date=August 3, 2008}}
• Untap - The untap keyword action now has a symbolic representation which only appears in costs of activated abilities.{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/dl32 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080412021054/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/dl32 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 12, 2008 |title=The Day the Cards Tapped Backwards |last=Low |first=Devin |work=Latest Developments |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |date=April 11, 2008 |access-date=August 3, 2008}}
• Wither - A creature with wither deals damage to creatures in the form of −1/−1 counters.{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/mr327 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420020721/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/mr327 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 20, 2008 |title=Shadowmoor than Meets The Eye, Part III |last=Rosewater |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Rosewater |work=Making Magic |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |date=April 14, 2008 |access-date=August 3, 2008}}

Shadowmoor also introduced the monocolor hybrid mana symbol, a hybrid symbol displaying a number and a color mana symbol can be paid for with either the number of colorless mana depicted or the colored mana. The converted mana cost of these cards is the highest possible cost that they can be paid for with. Examples of this are shown in a cycle including cards such as {{mtgcard|Tower Above}} and {{mtgcard|Beseech the Queen}}. {{mtgcard|Reaper King}} also has a monocolor hybrid mana in its manacost, but it has one monocolor hybrid mana symbol for each color, making it the only multicolored card with all of the monocolor hybrid symbols.

{{Clear}}

{{Infobox mtgset

| Expansion Name = Eventide

| Expansion Symbol = File:Eventide expsym.svg

| Symbol Description = eclipsed sun

| Release Date = July 25, 2008

| Keywords = Chroma, Retrace

| Mechanics = Hybrid Enemy Colors

| Size = 180 cards (60 Rare, 60 Uncommon, 60 Common)

| Designers = Mark Rosewater (lead), Alexis Janson, Kenneth Nagle, Jake Theis, Brian Tinsman{{cite web |url=http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mr339 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827084059/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mr339 |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 27, 2008 |title=Eventide Pool |last=Rosewater |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Rosewater |work=Making Magic |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |date=June 7, 2008 |access-date = February 2, 2010}}

| Developers = Matt Place (lead), Nate Heiss, Erik Lauer, Kenneth Nagle, Mike Turian

| Development Code = Doughnut

| Expansion Code = EVE

| Last Set = Shadowmoor

| Previous Set = Shadowmoor

| Next Set = Masters Edition II

| Block Name = Shadowmoor

| Set Position = Second

| First Set = Shadowmoor

| Second Set = Eventide

| Third Set =

| Last Block = Lorwyn Block

| Next Block = Alara Block

}}

Five theme decks were released as part of Eventide. The preconstructed theme decks are: "Life Drain" (White/Black), "Sidestep" (Blue/Red), "Death March" (Black/Green), "Battle Blitz" (Red/White), and "Superabundance" (Green/Blue).{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/arcana/1625 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706050431/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/arcana/1625 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 6, 2008 |title=Eventide Theme Decks |work=Magic Arcana |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |date=June 3, 2008 |access-date=June 19, 2008}} The Eventide booster packs also include a rules card/token card in addition to the normal 15 game cards.{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/arcana/1630|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080714032148/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/arcana/1630|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 14, 2008|title=Eventide Tokens |work=Magic Arcana |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |date=June 10, 2008 |access-date=June 19, 2008}}

Eventide continues the block theme of hybrid cards and color matters that Shadowmoor started, as well as further use of the Wither and Persist key words.{{cite web |url=https://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/productarticle.aspx?x=mtg/tcg/eventide/productinfo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080831010339/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/ProductArticle.aspx?x=mtg/tcg/eventide/productinfo|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 31, 2008|title=Eventide Product Information|publisher=Wizards of the Coast |date=June 25, 2008 |access-date=February 20, 2013}} Where Shadowmoor focused on allied color hybrids, Eventide focuses on enemy color hybrid cards. Eventide also introduces two new mechanics:

• Chroma: this ability word makes the number of mana symbols of a particular color a variable which determines the effect of a card. One card from Eventide, {{mtgcard|Phosphorescent Feast}}, had already appeared in Future Sight, but without using the ability word Chroma.
• Retrace: this ability allows one to play a card out of one's graveyard with an added cost of discarding a land.

{{Clear}}

The narrative picks up where the Lorwyn block storyline left off.

During one particular manifestation of the Great Aurora (a recurring tri-centennial event that transform the peaceful inhabitants of Lorwyn into negative versions of themselves, in which they cannot remember their former selves), the Faerie race appear to be unaffected. It is revealed that the queen of the Faerie, Oona, is the one responsible for the dramatic transformation of Lorwyn into Shadowmoor, and vice versa.

In the story of the previous block Time Spiral, there was a much worse cataclysmic event known as the Mending, which had caused rifts in time-space as well as a significant reduction of magic power used by Planeswalkers. The time discontinuity also influences the Lorwyn plane, causing the Aurora to manifest much earlier than expected, out the control of Oona.

As a precaution not to forget her memories, Oona destroys a female elf named Maralen and magically replaces her with a duplicate: this ensures that Oona will not forget her memories and remain the ever-aware queen of Lorwyn. However, the duplicate rebels and begins her own agenda.

With the help of a male elf named Rhys, a fire spirit named Ashling, as well as a duplicitous trio of Faeries, the Maralen duplicate regains her memories and thwarts Oona in the conclusion of the story. Maralen then become the queen of the Faerie.{{cite web|title=LORWYN / SHADOWMOOR|url=http://magic.wizards.com/en/story/planes/lorwynshadowmoor|website=Magic: The Gathering|access-date=March 3, 2017}}

Notable cards from Shadowmoor include {{mtgcard|Kitchen Finks}}, {{mtgcard|Painter's Servant}} and {{mtgcard|Reaper King}}

Notable cards from Eventide include {{mtgcard|Figure of Destiny}} and {{mtgcard|Overbeing of Myth}}.

There were two notable "mega-cycles" from the Shadowmoor block. One of these was the hybrid land cycle ({{mtgcard|Flooded Grove}}), and the other was the liege cycle ({{mtgcard|Creakwood Liege}}).

• [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&set=%5b%22Shadowmoor%22%5d Shadowmoor Spoiler]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080901042149/http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/productarticle.aspx?x=mtg_tcg_eventide_productinfo Official product page]
• [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&set=%5B%22Eventide%22] Eventide Spoiler list]

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