Dungeons & DragonsandMagic: The Gatheringare crossing over once again, with a new product focused on the idyllic plane of Lorwyn-Shadowmoor. Wizards of the Coast announced that anupcomingDnDproductwould focus on the plane of Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, likely in conjunction with Magic: The Gathering’s upcoming Q1 2026 set also returning to that plane. No further details were announced about the product, but it’s likely anew campaign-setting bookin a similar vein toGuildmaster’s Guide to RavnicaorStrixhaven: Cirriculum of Chaos.
While we don’t know much about the actualDnD/Magic: The Gatheringcrossover product, we do know a bit about Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, a strange and idyllic world rooted in Celtic mythology. The plane underwent some seismic changes several years ago, butthe aftermath of those changes haven’t yet been explored in a fullMagic: The Gatheringset.ADnDcampaign setting book could thus help fully flesh out the new status quo of the setting while also tying into a fullMTGset.
Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, D&D’s Next Setting Explained
Lorwyn Is A Plane Of Eternal Day, While Shadowmoor Is Shrouded In Eternal Dusk
Historically, Lorwyn-Shadowmoor was a single plane with two distinct aspects split by either eternal day or eternal dusk, with the plane switching forms every 300 years.Lorwyn was the aspect of eternal day,filled with peaceful plains and somewhat peaceful co-existence between the nine Tribes who populate the world. Shadowmoor is the nighttime aspect of the plane, with the entire plane covered in an eternal dusk. While in Shadowmoor, the plane becomes much more dangerous and filled with monsters that emerge from the shadows.
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As part of this day/night cycle,the creatures and inhabitants of the realm radically shift personalities and motivations based on what aspect the plane is in. The elves are vainglorious and feared in Lorwyn, but they are humble and focused on survival in Shadowmoor. The kithkin are friendly and hospitable to all in Lorwyn, but in Shadowmoor they become isolated and xenophobic. The flamekin, creatures made of flame and stone, become walking skeletons robbed of their flames, seeking revenge on those who wronged them.
The Lorwyn-Shadowmoor cycle was caused by the Great Aurora, a magical originating from Oona, queen of the faeries of that realm.Oona was one of the few creatures who remembers life in both planes.In a series of novels, a group of adventurers defeated Oona, essentially merging the two planes into one. However, the extent of these changes are still unclear and have yet to be explored in anyMagic: The Gatheringset.
Possible Mechanics Explored in New Lorwyn-Shadowmoor Book
The Day/Night Cycle Is A Particularly Intriguing Mechanic
Another notable aspect of the plane is that there are no humans that naturally live there. There are nine Tribes, each of which consists of a different race/species. In addition to the elves, kithkin, and flamekin, there are also merrows, changelings, boggarts, treefolk, giants and faeries.A newDnDsetting book could contain rules on any of these species,with the kithkin, flamekin, and boggarts all likely candidates for new species rules. Faeries and changelings already have rules in otherDnDbooks, but they could receive updates as well, since they haven’t been translated for the revised fifth edition yet.
Another major possible mechanic to explore is the day/night cycle of the plane. We don’t know how day and night affect Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, but if it occurs frequently, there could be some interesting mechanics to explore.Players might have certain feats or abilities that only activate during a specific part of the day/night cycle, which would create some cool newDnDmechanics to explore while in the plane.DnDdoesn’t have a ton of universal rules that cause players to be impacted by their environment, and it would be interesting to see howDnDtackles that kind of design work.
What Past D&D/MTG Crossovers Have Looked Like
New Species Rules, New Spells, & Adventure Content
While we obviously don’t know that this new Lorwyn-Shadowmoor product will be a full campaign-setting book, theDnDdesign team has leaned into these products as a natural crossover product. The Ravnica, Theros, andStrixhavenDnDbookswere all campaign-setting books with adventure content, player content, and a general guide to the plane.
All three past campaign setting books contained at least one new subclass, a full bestiary of monsters to use in campaigns, adventure prompts, and some new spells, magic items, or mechanics for players. There will likely be at least a mini-campaign or the broad strokes of a campaign in this book as well.
TheDnD/MTGcrossover projects were generally well-written and didn’t require any knowledge or understanding ofMagic: The Gatheringto enjoy. Because the lore of these planes tend to be fleshed out,the campaign-setting books felt alive in a very natural way that didn’t make the books feel like a gimmick. I’m hoping that Lorwyn-Shadowmoor continues this trend, as the setting itself feels very different from any otherDungeons & Dragonssetting currently available to explore in the multiverse.
Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons is a popular tabletop game originally invented in 1974 by Ernest Gary Gygax and David Arneson. The fantasy role-playing game brings together players for a campaign with various components, including abilities, races, character classes, monsters, and treasures. The game has drastically expanded since the ’70s, with numerous updated box sets and expansions.
