Last updated on February 4, 2025
Oona, Queen of the Fae | Illustration by Mila Pesic
For those who weren't already aware, Magic's proposed and confirmed return to Lorwyn was pushed ever-so-slightly back in the release schedule, now planned as the first set of 2026 (thanks for that, Universes Beyond!). However, apparently you don't have to wait that long to get a touch of that great Lorwyn aesthetic, as Magic has showcased a beautiful new Secret Lair drop featuring the original cycle of tribal/typal lands from that set!
Lorwyn Lightboxes
“Lorwyn Lightboxes” is a Secret Liar drop announced on the official SL Twitter/X page on Monday. This drop includes five cards comprising the Lorwyn cycle of 2-color “typal lands.” That cycle includes:
The pictures don't do these justice, but the drop was showcased as a live opening. Of note, Auntie's Hovel and Wanderwine Hub have never been reprinted up until now, and Gilt-Leaf Palace has only been reprinted on one iteration of The List, which for many cards is like not having ever been reprinted at all. Ancient Amphitheater and Secluded Glen have both found their way into various Commander releases.
Secret Lairs also tend to come with an extra bonus card, which can range from an artist sketch version of a card already in the drop to a basic land, though players should expect something thematically tied to the rest of the cards. There aren't any other lands from Lorwyn that would make sense as a bonus card here, but if they wanted to pull something from the same block that fit in thematically, the bonus slot could go to a typal land from Morningtide, like Primal Beyond or Murmuring Bosk. If players are really lucky, it could even be Mutavault.
When and Where?
Though it hasn't appeared on the official website yet, the original post on X states that you can purchase the drop starting at 9:00am PT on February 10. You can do so from MagicSecretLair.com (aka secretlair.wizards.com).
Lorwyn Lightboxes comes as a part of a 2025 Winter Superdrop, which includes other Secret Lair drops like the Arcade Racers, a collection of cards with a super cool arcade game frame, and the six millionth Hatsune Miku Secret Lair for people who just can't get enough of the pop vocaloid sensation in their Pioneer games.
Is the Secret Lair Drop Worth it?
Wanderwine Hub | Illustration by Warren Mahy
Bad news: No, this Secret Lair isn't really worth your money on card value alone, assuming the bonus card isn't some surprise money card. You'd spend about $15 total to buy each of the lands from this drop individually, and the price of a typical Secret Lair tends to be around $30-40, depending on your preference for foils vs. non-foils.
Of course, that $15 is for non-foil prices, and the existing foil versions of cards like Secluded Glen and Gilt-Leaf Palace are closer to the $40 mark. That's a scarcity thing, so don't expect these new prints to hold that sort of value. In fact, these reprints are likely to make the existing foils drop in price. There is a small chance of a price spike when the return-to-Lorwyn set drops next year, but there isn't enough confirmed about that set to really speculate on yet, and this isn't a financial recommendation piece anyway.
There's also the matter of playability. Each of these lands is a perfect fit in 2-color decks built around the creature type in question, but they're just ordinary untapped duals in the best case and literal guildgates at worst. Shoutout to all those Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas players keeping the RW giants dream alive, but the ugly truth is that Ancient Amphitheater isn't that big of a deal in a world full of good, accessible, untapped fixing.
Three factors to consider in favor of buying this Secret Lair:
- Are you getting the entire 2025 Winter Superdrop anyway? Congrats, you're getting Lorwyn Lightboxes regardless.
- Cool factor: Sometimes it's okay to [responsibly] throw money at something that's not “a good investment” just because you like it.
- The artists Hari & Deepti are “papercut artists,” and all of the artwork in this Secret Lair is made out of, well, cut up paper. It's exactly what it sounds like, and it's awesome. You can check out their Instagram for a better idea of what that means.
So what's it gonna be for Lorwyn Lightboxes? Yay or nay on the concept and execution? If not this one, do any of the other upcoming Secret Lairs catch your attention?
Follow Draftsim for awesome articles and set updates:
Add Comment