New D&D Book Coming Based On Magic: The Gathering’s Lorwyn–Shadowmoor
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Recently at the annual MagicCon Chicago, Wizards of the Coast announced that a new official Dungeons & Dragons campaign sourcebook is in development based on the Magic: The Gathering’s Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, a world that first appeared in several sets of cards released almost 20 years ago.
It’s a unique setting that contains two mirrored planes of existence: one an idyllic land inhabited by mischievous fairytale creatures and the other a dark realm of malevolence and fear. It’s a far cry from many of the traditional fantasy settings of most Dungeons & Dragons settings, and like many other Magic: The Gathering worlds there’s a ton of narrative and mechanical potential.
So just what can fans of both MtG and D&D expect in this upcoming crossover? Below, we deal out all the details.
What is the D&D Lorwyn-Shadowmoor book about?
So far, Wizards of the Coast hasn’t provided much info about the contents of the book, although it’s likely we’ll see new species, subclasses, spells and magic items. They also have not confirmed the official release dates or the price, although given the current DnD book release schedule, it likely won’t be hitting shelves or D&D Beyond until sometime in 2026.
Wizards of the Coast did, however, reveal a new piece of promotional art for the book by Danish illustrator Jesper Ejsing, who has contributed a significant amount of work to previous Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons products. Ejsing’s new art and a social media announcement from WotC can both be found via the official D&D Instagram account.
What is the Lorwyn-Shadowmoor setting in Magic: The Gathering?
Lorwyn–Shadowmoor is a dual-plane for the Magic: The Gathering setting that consists of two worlds: The first is Lorwyn, a bright, idyllic plane filled with perpetual daylight and mischievous fairytale-inspired creatures, including elves and goblins, alongside more unusual species like flamekin and treefolk. At night, however, the world is transformed into Shadowmoor, a dark and desolate plane of endless twilight and paranoia, where the bright beings of Lorwyn lose their memories and become monstrous and hostile.
The setting was introduced in the Lorwyn expansion block in 2007 and followed up with the Shadowmoor block in 2008. Both were generally well received by Magic: The Gathering fans at the time, although it was largely overshadowed by larger sets in subsequent years. Mechanically, the Lorwyn block cards focused on tribal synergies, emphasizing creature types, while Shadowmoor introduced hybrid mana and a more aggressive style of play.
What other D&D x Magic: The Gathering crossover books exist?
The upcoming Lorwyn-Shadowmoor book will actually mark the fourth major Magic: The Gathering setting to receive its own Dungeons & Dragons product. The others are as follows:
- Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica (2018): Set on a planet-sized city ruled by ten powerful guilds, the D&D sourcebook introduced the playable species of the Loxodon and Vedalken, as well as the Domain of Order Cleric subclass and several steampunk-style magic items.
- Mythic Odysseys of Theros (2020): Based on a world inspired by the gods and heroes of Greek mythology, the book introduced the Leonin playable species, as well as several new subclasses, including the Oath of Glory Paladin and College of Eloquence Bard.
- Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos (2021): Set in a magical university where students study the arcane arts, the book introduced the new Owlkin species, along with a variety of new feats, spells, magic items and character rules for academic progression.
Final Thoughts
It’s interesting to see that Wizards of the Coast is continuing to mine Magic: The Gathering for new Dungeons & Dragons material, and while the setting of Lorwyn-Shadowmoor isn’t the most popular or well-known of the card game’s various planes of existence, it does have a ton of potential. It remains to be seen, however, just what the D&D design team does with it.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story in the days ahead and will update this page with new information as it’s made available.
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Ollie Delano is a Staff Writer who lives in Chicago, Illinois where he majored in Journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He’s been playing Dungeons & Dragons for over 10 years and currently plays in a weekly game group where he rolls way too many natural 1s and chugs way too much Mountain Dew. His favorite D&D campaign setting is Eberron and his favorite character to play was a Tiefling rogue named Draxiss who enjoys both literal and figurative backstabbing.
