On White

This is a great chat not just about what Wizards is doing about White's power level, but also as a look into the design philosophy going into making Magic. I noted that Strixhaven was the first set where Wizards was able to introduce cards to address White's power discrepancy, and this video bears that statement out.

Ari says, near the end of the video, that 'every card we make is for someone, and we hope it finds them' and that's just an amazing way to think about the game. 

My Kingdom Lies Within

First thing's first: run this through the Deckstats analysis. The result: not enough red mana, not a bad curve. So that's easily fixable but my concern is that the power level of BWF&S is clearly out of whack. 

So let's get to work. 

Cuts: Arc Blade, Tenza, Plague Wind, Peat Bog, Kamahl Pit Fighter, Kuldortha Ringleader, Strangling Soot, Barbarian Outcast, and one Mountain and Swamp.

Add in: 4 Embercleave, 3 Fearless Liberator, 3 Eradicator Valkyrie, 2 Bedevil, 3 Mardu Strike Leader, 2 Scorching Dragonfire, 4 Blightstep Pathway and 3 Bloodsoaked Champion.

This is, hopefully, a much more aggressive build that plays to the strengths of attacking for a whole bunch of damage. 

Goldfishing has been interesting, I will say that. There's a very cool interaction between Eradicator Valkyrie and Bloodsoaked Champion and we shall see how that plays out. 

It is at this moment that I realize I've abandoned the thematic elements for a deck-no Death Wind to replace Plague Wind. Hm. Maybe we'll justify the Eradicator Valkyrie as the Black Wind, and Scorching Dragonfire keeps the Fire element. Embercleave nails the Steel part so...I guess I'm still good!

Black Wind, Fire and Steel

 Sometimes, I do silly things based on very silly songs.

3 Tenza, Godo's Maul

3 Shivan Zombie
2 Cyclops Gladiator
1 Kamahl, Pit Fighter
2 Balthor the Stout
4 Keldon Champion
2 Barbarian Outcast
2 Lovisa Coldeyes
1 Kuldotha Ringleader

2 Strangling Soot
3 Sudden Death

6 Swamp
2 Peat Bog
3 Akoum Refuge
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
11 Mountain

5 Arc Blade
3 Plague Wind
4 Chainer's Edict

Lovisa Coldeyes is there to lead the creature charge, and then just stuffing in as many black removal spells as I can get. Plague Wind and Tenza, Godo's Maul for thematic reasons. 

But now Kaldheim is out-there's a host of berserkers to add to the mix, I could substitute Death Wind for Plague Wind to bring casting costs down, and equipment has definitely taken a leap forward since Tenza, Godo's Maul. Also: Peat Bog? Really? Dude, you can do better than that.

 

 

The Retired: Motormaster

Let's build a Memnarch deck, I thought, once, years ago. 

 2 Jayemdae Tome

2 Scepter of Fugue

2 Darksteel Ingot

3 Talisman of Dominance

1 Talisman of Progress

3 Dispeller's Capsule

2 Ethersworn Shieldmage

4 Vedalken Engineer

3 Memnarch

1 Gold Myr

1 Leaden Myr

2 Silver Myr

3 Leonin Abunas

3 Dromar's Charm

4 Cloudpost

3 Seat of the Synod

4 Vault of Whispers

2 Dromar's Cavern

6 Island

4 Silent Clearing

1 Tezzeret the Seeker

4 Thoughtcast

And...I mean I guess it is that. But I'll admit, this deck is one of those 'let's take a Commander concept and try to make it a 60 card deck concept. Which isn't a bad thing, but the execution is really soft. If I'm going to steal everyone's stuff and use it against them, then I should be going all in on this idea. 

This deck does not go all in on this idea. It goes all in on playing artifacts, but those artifacts aren't either a) powerful enough on their own or b) generating an overwhelming synergy my opponents can't stop. 

So; time to find better uses for Leonin Abunas, Tezzeret and heck, even Memnarch. 

The Fearless Fall

After going to only 6 mass removal spells, Sleeping Giant felt very different. Suddenly, games felt desperate. Can I get a removal spell in time? became the main question. 

I wasn't doing terribly but I wasn't feeling comfortable anymore; more doubt settled into my plans for the game. 

In the end, I decided that I would work a very slim margin, cutting one Thundercloud Shaman, adding back the fourth Realm-Cloaked Giant and keeping one Emeria's Call. 

The Call can function as a land, but it also gives me a potential other avenue to victory. It's particularly helpful as a defensive option though, as (and this is weird) there are only two giants in Red/White with reach, and neither of them are great. 

The tests have been good: Thanks to some smart play, I was even able to pull of a victory under a Humility, due to Quakebringer being in the graveyard. Two damage a turn may not be much, but it still represented a clock that I was able to grind a win from.

So I think this deck is in a pretty settled place. With no new giants coming out in Strixhaven, I don't have to worry about something coming along and suddenly upsetting this apple cart. 

4 Boros Signet

4 Chancellor of the Forge

2 Giant Harbinger

3 Thundercloud Shaman

2 Sunrise Sovereign

1 Brion Stoutarm

4 Crystalline Giant

4 Quakebringer

4 Calamity Bearer

4 Revitalize

8 Plains

8 Mountain

4 Ancient Amphitheater

3 Wind-Scarred Crag

4 Realm-Cloaked Giant // Cast Off

1 Emeria's Call // 1 Emeria, Shattered Skyclave

Bulls Roar Loud

Jason was kind enough to knock back a few games with me, playing a mill deck against Sleeping Giant...where he discovered that it's not a good thing to have two Quakebringers in my graveyard while I have a Calamity Bearer out. Eight damage a turn is hard to race, even with him casting Glimpse the Unthinkable in multiples. 

Still, I often felt flooded with cards that I wasn't wanting to play: holding multiple copies of Thundercloud Shaman or Realm-Cloaked Giant seemed wrong.

It was after some extensive games against Noah that we talked about what was happening with Sleeping Giant. Effectively, I was doing my best to get a turn four play online before turn five while also reliably having a turn five board sweep, while also not flooding out on lands. That's a lot, and I was testing a couple copies of Thrill of Possibility to see if they would help. 

Early game, maybe I pitch a Quakebringer to start getting damage from an early Crystalline Giant. Late game, those extra lands become something useful.


Noah had a different take: "Well, why not utilize the lands from Zendikar Rising".

Oh. 

So, this is the part where I remind me that the DFC that have land as one of the two sides are bonkers. That you should acquire them, all of them, whenever you can, because they are incredible enablers for midrange or late game non-control decks to function.

Shatterskull Smashing and Emeria's Call have potential as one ofs, substituting for lands while also being lands. 

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.

Mountain Flames

 

As a funny, Noah played his giant deck against mine.

There is, of course, one problem with all of my removal: it only impacts non-giant creatures. You might imagine how that match went for me.

Still, that wasn't the only deck I played against: turns out that having a lot of mass removal is a pretty good things against most strategies.

But...this dies to Humility. It's hard to be upset about that: most creature oriented decks will die to Humility. 

Despite that, Sleeping Giant put up a good run against that grindy matchup, and I almost pulled it off. Maybe I could've, if I'd played different?  

That said, a card that I wish was doing more than it is is Borderland Behemoth. I hate to say it, but it's just a bomb rare for draft/limited. Because it looks freakin' scary! A card that could be an 8/8 without too much trouble, or worse?!

In reality, however, the war of attrition is such that the Behemoth is most often a 4/4 for seven mana. Opponents have creature removal. One Dark Banishing even a lowly Terror, and the Behemoth is a threat that can be shrugged off.

On the other hand Sunrise Sovereign is a potential "I win" card and costs one less. Even with only one other creature on the table, the cheapest, smallest creatures I have become 5/5s or 5/6s with trample and they get that bonus the turn Sovereign comes into play. Sure, it suffers to removal but what doesn't? Giving my opponents another draw step to find an answer seems like a bad idea and making multiple tramplers is better than having just one. 

The other bonus is that this gives me an extra target for Giant Harbinger. I'm starting to wonder if I've stacked too many board resets and maybe I should trim down. But with two Sunrise Sovereigns in the deck, I definitely want to be able to tutor for one.