As the Magic The Gathering: Lorwyn Eclipsed pre release races towards us, players are preparing to embrace a mechanic that will allow them newer and more creative ways to torture their opponents.

I’m talking about Blight and Wither, two mechanics that deal damage in the form of -1/-1 counters, depending on which mechanic you’re using and which creature you’re going after.

Notice I didn’t say target, because the blight effects doesn’t essentially target anything. Although there is bound to be some confusion in some playgroups over this.

But wither does. And that’s way I got Spinerock Tyrant as the art on this post. And this 6/6 flying dragon is a nasty customer, which allows you to take an instant or sorcery, make a copy of it, and deal combat damage in wither (or -1/-1) counters. This bad boy will find a home in my dragon deck.

Then you’ve got blight, and given how intricate the game has gotten, players won’t blink to deal blight to creatures they don’t like to gain the benefits of the rewarding effects. I’m still amazed at how quickly players will sacrifice their own life totals for certain effects, if they think it can help them win.

If life is a resource, then certainly counters have to be the same. Right?

While I’m normally at the front of the “no more new mechanics parade” in Magic The Gathering, a simple effect like this one, and the enthusiasm from players over deploying it’s effects, makes it hard to root against.

Another reason many of us will be at the LGS this weekend to play Lorwyn Eclipsed.

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