Everyone who knows me knows that I love Secret Lairs. I have no idea why this type of product has a chokehold on my wallet, but it does. From Universes Beyond to wacky art treatments, I can’t help but adore that shooting star set symbol.
2022 was a great year for Secret Lairs, which makes me wonder what 2023 will hold. With that, let’s speculate wildly with pieces I would love to see this year.
1. Tokens We Never Made
Okay, so this one technically wasn’t my idea. In fact, it was an idea one of my regulars in chat had. I know people complain about tokens being included in a Secret Lair, but what about a Secret Lair made entirely of tokens Wizards of the Coast (WotC) hasn’t printed yet?
Hear me out on this one. We need Unicorns for Blessed Sanctuary, Bananas for Kibo, a Zeppelin for Lita, Graveborn for Sek’Kuar, Kaldra for the Kaldra Equipment pieces, and so many more. Are these incredibly niche? Yes, but they also fulfill a hole in the market that I know many players are desperate for. People were feral for the black Snake token for Ophiomancer and snatched them up when Commander Collection: Black was released. I know it’s far-fetched, but I do hope we see this sometime soon.
2. Swords of Secret Lair
This one is probably a long shot, mostly because the cycle isn’t even complete, but I can’t help but dream. When I first started playing Magic, I always thought of the Swords as these elusive, expensive pieces I would never own. Imagine seeing them crop up in two affordable Lairs with unique art? I mean, heck, we could even see the unreleased Sword of Feast and Famine art finally find a home.
Personally I don’t think this Lair will happen until the cycle is finished, however, we are only missing two of them: Dimir and Gruul. Soon. Soooooon, my precious.
3. Cheerios
I can’t get over the novelty of a zero-drop-dedicated Secret Lair. I know that we already had a cereal-themed Secret Lair with Just Add Milk, but how cute would a Cheerios-themed Lair be with cereal-themed art? Imagine seeing a Mishra’s Bauble, Mox Amber, Paradise Mantle, and an Ornithopter with cute marshmallow-y art. I know that Mox Amber just got a reprint, but dang it, the people want more! Silly spellcaster, Cheerios are for Magic players!
4. Modern Horizons 2 Elementals
This might be a big ask, but it doesn’t hurt to manifest. Angel numbers and all that jazz. Anyway, I would love to see reprints of these pricey Elementals. As someone who got extremely lucky and pulled a Fury in Modern Horizons 2, there is a thrill to these cards. They’re beautiful, powerful, and fun…and they cost so much money. Many Secret Lairs have been hallmarked as deals for reprints, and I see no exception when it comes to this.
5. Star Wars
Listen, if we can have The Lord of the Rings, Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, Warhammer, Transformers, Fortnite, and Doctor Who, then we can definitely get Star Wars. I am on my hands and knees begging for this. I don’t even care what cards they are. They could be lightsaber reskins of the Swords cycle, Brave the Sands featuring that funny Anakin quote, or cards featuring Jar Jar Binks. I don’t care. All I know is that I need it. Please. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.
6. Fetchlands, Again
I know, I know, I know. You’re saying that we’ve already seen fetchlands in a Secret Lair before. And you’re right. We have, but let’s face it: we need more. Whether you like it or not, fetchlands have become commonplace in commander decks of all power levels. It should also be noted that WotC did not finish the complete cycle of fetchlands in their Ultimate Edition. We are still missing Bloodstained Mire, Flooded Strand, Polluted Delta, Windswept Heath, and Wooded Foothills. It’s not over! We need to at least finish the cycle! I am begging you, WotC!
7. The More, the Merrier
Here’s another wishful thinking Secret Lair. Token doublers are some of Magic’s most frequently played and yet priciest pieces. Why not slap them all together in a Secret Lair? This drop would definitely break the Internet. Anointed Procession, Doubling Season, Parallel Lives, and Second Harvest would be the perfect pieces for this amazing concept. I know what you’re thinking. “Chase! You’re a genius.” I know. You’re right for thinking this.
8. Artist Series: Rebecca Guay
Out of all the Lairs on this list, this is the most subjective one because it’s an artist Lair. Typically, the artist is able to choose which cards they illustrate for their artist series Lair. That being said, I couldn’t care less what these cards are. Rebecca Guay could draw a paper bag and I would fall in love with it. She could make a Lair of only Stax pieces (which I hate) and I would still buy it. I am a sucker for her art, and we’ve already seen glimpses of it in previous Lairs. That means it’s possible! Please please please please!
9. It’s a Bit Foggy
At this point, this article is becoming a super-secret shopping list for the folks at WotC to pick from. Hint, hint, nudge, nudge. Anyway, why not make a Secret Lair full of iconic “Fog” pieces? Fog, Constant Mists, Comeuppance, Obscuring Haze, Inkshield, you name it! I mean, we’ve seen weirder themes, right? We had a Secret Lair dedicated to Serum Visions and Thalia, Guardian of Thraben. We had entire Lairs dedicated to one card. Surely we can get an entire Lair dedicated to one quirky theme!
10. Sagas
I don’t think this is a stretch so much as it hasn’t been done yet. We have yet to see any Sagas featured in Secret Lair drops. I think the reason why is card formatting and how that hasn’t really been explored in this type of product yet. Secret Lairs break the art and card formatting rules time and time again, and Sagas are very carefully formatted. Personally, I would love to see Urza’s Saga, Fable of the Mirror-Breaker, Phyrexian Scriptures, and Elspeth Conquers Death featured in a Secret Lair. I think this is a very doable Lair, and I hope we see something like this in 2023.
Show Me the Drops
I know Secret Lairs are somewhat of a hot-button topic due to their frequent drops. And I get it. In 2022, there was a massive wave of Secret Lair drops that felt, at times, overwhelming. That being said, this is by far my favorite product WotC has ever released, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to see what they do for 2023. Let me know what types of Lairs you’d like to see in the coming year, and maybe we will see if any of my hopes/predictions are validated in the near future. Happy brewing, deckbuilders.
