Strixhaven Overview Appendix

Once again, the full spoiler set is here. Also, there's a cool article on the Mothership describing the thought process that went into the schools, as well as one about the schools specifically so that might help with some context for what I'm about to talk about. Now let's wrap things up with...

Multicolored

As with the multicolored-focused sets, here's the space where there's a lot to unpack. One thing I want to do is talk about how well each school executes on their themes using the founding Elder Dragon and Deans as a guide. Schools don't have to strictly adhere to just those ideas but if these are the faces of their respective schools: what else should they promote then the mechanics within?

U/R (Prismari) feels like it wants to be part of a 'big mana' strategy, but using Treasures to get there. It also is offering the largest token creatures of the tokens generated in this set, which is definitely unusual-usually G/x gets this. I guess that's meant to exhibit the 'big show' element of the school and pulling off big spells certainly does that. Galazeth Prismari promotes this, oddly though, via artifact mana (which the rest of the school doesn't push or seems to have much connection to), and the Deans want to help/reward the casting of spells. Oddly, Uvilda wants players to exchange time for cost, and Nassari pushes players playing their opponent's spells?   

Yes, they're flashy effects but how do they exhibit the 'big spell generator' theme? The big spells themselves are things you cycle away to make treasure tokens so...you are really banking on getting a second copy? I think I would have liked to see Nassari make treasure tokens to help fit the themes. 

Prismari: B

W/B (Sliverquill) looks like a 'go wide' with tokens, and I'm not sure that it's ever done that before. (B/W tokens has been a deck since Innistrad, but not like this). There's also a +1/+1 counter vibe but I don't think it's promoted enough-this school wants to do two things instead of one. Shadrix Silverquill and the Deans are part of this problem; the Deans are all about the 1/1 counters-but where is the token support? 

Also, I'm just not seeing the kind of emphasis on wordsmithing that I would've hoped from this school. I actually think that more controlling elements would've helped; more discard (like Humiliate) or 'no you can't play that spell yet' (Elite Spellbinder, Academic Probation-cards unaffiliated with a school!). For example: Why is Revel in Silence the flip side of Flamescroll Celebrant? They even watermark it as a Lorehold card but teaching oratory skills is very much a Sliverquill feel. 

Since they wanted to do an aggressive school, I suppose control elements weren't thematically appropriate, but the representatives of this school don't exhibit what they do want to do, in my opinion.

Sliverquill: C

U/G (Quandrix) has the most familiar vibe so far, making big creatures, putting land drops in and cloning. I don't hate that, but I can't say I'm excited either; Strixhaven was supposed to draw ideas from where the colors opposed themselves philosophically and I don't really pick up something new here, these cards could be slotted into a Ravnica set and I don't think anyone would notice. 

That said: I think this has more to do with how people have been playing U/G than anything else: Green ramps into lands, Blue keeps the hand full; Simic cared mostly about manipulation of +1/+1 counters, but players cared about ramping into big stuff and winning. Perception is a difficult thing to overcome, though.

The Deans of the school do something cool and different but they don't connect to the school's mechanics of making things bigger or mutating things, while Tanazir Quandrix just does that, adding counters and transforming creatures. Where does this emphasis on Fractal tokens come from? Kianne, Dean of Substance is the only card to mention them, with a study counter mechanic stapled on to tie to her flip side, while Imbraham seems detached from the themes entirely-no cloning, copying, or creature manipulation, just study counters.

And this is a huge missed opportunity, in my opinion. If you're at a school, why aren't you studying? All the schools should have study counters to interact with. Oh well...maybe when they come back.

Quandrix: C-

R/W (Lorehold) is trying to use Spirits to represent the 'research into the past' but there's also a bit of library manipulation and plenty of ways to use spells put in the graveyard. Perhaps I was too hard on Fervent Mastery? I will say that it's using the colors in a new way so I'm pleased to see that. It's an interesting take on how that study would work.  

But the Deans of that school have very little to do with the other themes, either; nothing from the graveyard is interacted with, and that's also true of the founder, Velomachus. There's support for graveyard filling, and token generation but only one ability on Plargg promotes it? You could say that Augusta supports the spirits, but how does she support the students? It's subtle I suppose, but I can't throw my support behind it. These characters should somehow exemplify the school's mechanics. Velomachus should be the Prismari representative-casting spells of 5 mana value for free is a big splashy thing!  

Lorehold: C+

Finally, B/G (Witherbloom) possibly has the best execution of theme of the schools: biology, life into death into life via small token creatures and a sacrifice theme. Is it going to be good? Hard to say, but at least thematically, it leans into its school better than the others, and separates itself from the typical B/G sets by having a death theme, not a graveyard one.

Dean Valentin makes tokens and gains you life, which is what Beledros Witherbloom wants too, while Beledros also gives you something to do with that life. Dean Lisette is the odd one out here: she does something when you gain life, but nothing when something dies (or when something is born, that would be cool!) That doesn't mean she doesn't do something cool (all the Deans do neat things) but why is she teaching here? 

Witherbloom: A-

All in all, I like this set. My grades on the school are about thematic execution, not 'is it cool/good' so grain of salt 'em. Overall, I think Strixhaven does an admirable job of trying to explore new philosophical space, puts a lighter feel into the game and has potential that may be overlooked. And when things are overlooked, that means there's stuff to explore which I always like.

Strixhaven Overview

 The spoiler list can be found here.

I'm not sure how I feel about this set on first viewing. But what I want to say is that people are underestimating Strixhaven: plenty of the takes I'm seeing are about how this is a power step down from what has been, admittedly a heck of a ramp up year. 

From where I'm standing though, that big casual Legacy cardpool, this set effectively introduces storm/prowess benefits to every color. With so many cheap creatures giving you benefits for playing any non-permanent spell, I'm looking at these cards and thinking that in those bigger formats a splash will be made. 

In a smaller environment like Standard, the impact will probably be just right. But in Commander or Legacy? Whooooooo, I think we're in for a surprise. 

I don't believe that to be a bad thing though: I am not of the mind that eternal formats should be, somehow, unchanging for years, with only one or two cards every other year sneaking their way into the scene. I don't believe in the kind of turnover that the past two years have had but they shouldn't be as languid as they are. 

Even now; the dominant deck is a U/x Delver one. I see it in every weekly update...

But I'm getting off topic. My point is that I believe Strixhaven will open up some doors in formats for colors that didn't have them, and I think that's pretty cool. I also believe the focus on instants and sorceries is long overdue, and I'm hoping that players who gravitate away from creature-centric builds find some gold.

Mechanics:

Magecraft is the nuts. This is the thing I'm thinking will ripple out into other formats-I've already seen a combo deck using Witherbloom Apprentice so right out of the gate, we know there's something happening. Some Magecraft cards are better than others of course, and I believe they're all attached to creatures which have the 'creature problem' but that's where you get good deckbuilding tension. 

Learn is a fine riff on the cantrip mechanic. Some of the strength of Learn will depend on how good the Lessons are, but I think the Lessons don't suck. The tutor capability gives us access to some great things on demand and when you run out of Lessons you just draw a card. Both of these things are good-and the cards that Learn is on aren't overcosted. 

Speaking of the Lessons: the colorless ones are some dicey territory. To Wizards' credit, they're sorcery speed and none of them seem too cheap, so that's good. But a year after telling us that they were going to do more artifacts with color in the mana value to keep balance in check, this seems weird. 

Ward is not bad. It's a tempered version of Hexproof and that means that WotC can play around more with the raw strength of the creature. Sometimes, a fine thing is fine. 

Finally, Double Faced Cards pull a lot of weight in Strixhaven-it's even reasonable to say that the set wouldn't be possible without them. Sets need a certain density of creatures for limited formats, yet this set wants to focus on instants and sorceries. DFCs allow for the flexibility needed to provide that focus. 

All my objections remain, as does my approval since Kaldheim. It is the way it is; let's just have fun. 

Finally, I'm seeing more 'downside' spells in Strixhaven (spells that have a drawback for you or give a bonus to your opponent) than I have in some time and I'm happy to see those return. It's been an area that has been left fallow for a long time and deserves some attention.

White

I'm looking at this set as though it's the first of the 'OK, we know, you think White sucks.' response. All the hits are here: tiny creatures that can get huge (Clever Lumimancer), rules making spells (Academic Probation), exile level removal (Expel), massive boardwipes (Devastating Mastery), etc. etc. It's likely that White got the best of the 'drawback' cycle of spells, too.

I'm not mad at it. There's some interesting mechanical space being explored with Elite Spellbinder and Mavinda, Students' Advocate, so we'll see if there's an expansion on those themes. 

Grade: A

Blue

Given that this is the spell set, I would expect Blue to get some goodies and Resculpt is probably as goody as it gets. That card should almost certainly not be in Blue and it's got an internal clash in it as well: things that are resculpted aren't sent into some kind of nether realm: they're remade. What I'm saying is that the permanent should've died, not been exiled.

Test of Talents, though, seems like a fantastic anti-x card. Good to sideboard in against decks that use a key card to win-like Life From The Loam. Sure, they get 4 cards-who cares? Their engine is gone. (You can also abuse it yourself with Dragon's Approach, so maybe there's a deck there).

Otherwise, I don't see anything that sticks out, but a nice solid run.

Grade: B- (I'm dinging it for Resculpt)

Black

I'll admit, I was hoping for something different from Black in this set-especially as part of Silverquill. I think I got it, too; a heavier focus on life gain for the Witherbloom crossover, and +1 counters for the white part. 

But the cards themselves aren't so amazing. Tenured Inkcaster could probably use another point of power or toughness, maybe both, for it's mana value. Poet's Quill feels like it's in the wrong house-why doesn't it put a +1/+1 counter on the creature instead, so it would play into that school's themes? Finally, there are multiple cards that want you to sacrifice a permanent to get the effect and while that plays into the house, that's also more expensive than the effect warrants. Basically: cards that depend on other cards to be good are often lackluster.

I don't hate it, but it doesn't pop.

Grade: B

Red

I don't understand why Fervent Mastery is as bad as it is. Perhaps there's a graveyard focused set coming up soon (Innistrad has interacted with that zone in the past so it's not impossible) so that you can play the card without caring that you're losing what you've tried to find. Otherwise it might as well just read: "Pay 5, put 3 cards into your graveyard".

That said, there does seem to be more graveyard interaction overall, with Illuminate History and Illustrious Historian utilizing the zone in ways Red typically does not. I could be overlooking something.

Dragon's Approach is interesting in that I can't remember a non-creature spell being able to break the 4-of rule before.

Very much a 'we shall see' feeling here. 

Grade: B+

Green

Borrowing a little from Black's 'lifegain does a thing' gives green a little place to play around with, and there's a bit more lifegain overall, too. Also, Ecological Appreciation is putting cards back into the library (possibly) from the graveyard and that's a rare ability for Green. 

Verdant Mastery is likely a card that wouldn't have been considered without the digital version of Magic: giving your opponent a land IS rare and can create some weirdness in paper Magic. 

But again, nothing popping, nothing outright terrible. 

Grade: B

Artifacts and Lands

I consider this to be the weakest part of the set and that's perfectly fine since a) these cards aren't what Strixhaven is meant to spotlight and b) we've had plenty of sets lately with great lands and artifacts. 

I'll say I'm disappointed that they couldn't do better than Codie as a name for what is a pretty cool Commander card, Strixhaven Stadium is one of the neater alternative win conditions they've produced in awhile and Reflective Golem is juuuuuust interesting enough that I'll probably play it in a deck a little longer than I should.

The lands are mostly functional this time around; commons good for that late game mana sink in Commander, the rares completing a cycle that I always thought was fine but never set the game on fire. However, budget players need dual lands too and this gives them that option, so I approve. 

The other lands are doing some basic 'neat stuff', excepting Archway Commons, because we absolutely did not need a fourth version of Transguild Promenade. Looking forward to getting a copy of the Commons each of my Commander decks, you bet.

Grade: pass, with a strong side eye at Archway Commons.

This has gone long so let's do Multicolored stuff next post.

Upcoming Changes

Converted Mana Cost is now going to become Mana Value, as I saw via Forsythe's Twitter.

Which...ugh. Because from what I can tell, it appears that they just announced the change but without any reason for said change.

And honestly, I am tired of changes made 'because reasons'. I see it all the time in design interfaces, with 'upgrades' being done, frequently without any concern for or justification to the end user. We're always being told how exciting the changes are, but almost never how those changes benefit us. Blogger has done this, Gmail has done this, it goes on and on and on. 

Magic is no different, especially lately: For example, there have been a lot more changes to the visual design of cards over the past few years than there ever was, and often they aren't discussed. These aren't automatically bad but are they good?

Remember when people often forgot that Questing Beast wasn't legendary, and WotC said: Well we thought the boarder would help make that clear! But we made an error (because it really doesn't convey as much information as they presumed it would.)

Now, it may be part of how I first saw the information: Twitter is known for a lot of things, being a desert of nuance possibly in the top five.

Nevertheless, putting it out there that way just has me insisting: OK, you made this change, WHY? What benefit does it give to the end user?

Do I think it's bad? Not inherently, but it would be nice if they talked about why it was good. Told us why it helped us, or helped them make a better game for us. 

Instead we just get a stupid meme and so OF COURSE you have some players responding badly. Nobody understands why this change is made! And yes, people will complain anyway, no matter what they do, but putting it out there like that feels more funny-asshole than funny-clever. 

Is it a big deal? Quite probably not, but I'm certainly not going to argue with people who think this is an unnecessary change that is a pain in the ass, because there isn't anything to justify why making this change helps make the game better.