Steve Sunu and Chris Peeler previewed five new Commands from Strixhaven: School of Mages and three cards coming in the Mystical Archive addition on today’s episode of Weekly MTG.
Sunu and Peeler introduced the five colleges that make up the school of Strixhaven, each named after the founding elder dragon. While the elder dragons were not introduced in this episode, the colleges were, along with art and a card from each, showing off the college’s watermark as well. The five colleges are: Witherbloom, Lorehold, Silverquill, Prismari, and Quandrix. Learn more about each one below.
Witherbloom
Witherbloom is made up of the goth, bio-majors of the school, focused on enhancing nature or exploiting it. They pick herbs and hang out in their swamp.
Check out Witherbloom Command!
Lorehold
Lorehold students are researchers and daring adventures focused on archaeology and summoning long-dead spirits.
Look at Lorehold Command!
Silverquill
Silverquill is the school for word mages, born leaders known for battle poetry, their sharp wit, and charisma.
Feast your eyes on Silverquill Command!
Prismari
Prismari pupils are the theater kids who use magic as a form of expression. They see the world as a stage and cast spells that are spectacles of creativity.
Here is Prismari Command!
Quandrix
Quandrix is the college for ingenious math mages, who are keen puzzle solvers and wielders of math magic.
Check out Quandrix Command!
Mystical Archive
After the pair previewed the five Commands, they introduced the upcoming Mystical Archive — a collection of alternate art spells through space and time that will be appearing in booster packs but won’t be legal in Standard. The Mystical Archive cards aren’t quite like expeditions or masterpieces, as they will show up much more often and at multiple rarities. They will appear frequently in Limited and be introduced to Historic on Arena, though some cards will not be legal in Historic due to power-level reasons.
The library of reprinted spells will consist of 63 instants and sorceries with one in each draft booster, theme booster, and set booster. Collector boosters will have more than one card from the Mystical Archive, and will be the only way to obtain the special foil etched versions of the cards. Other boosters will contain non-foil and foil versions of the cards.
The three cards from the Mystical Archive previewed today were Opt, Swords to Plowshares, and Demonic Tutor. Check them out below!
There will also be a version of the Mystical Archive in Japanese with alternative art variants inspired by traditional Japanese paintings. Check out the first three below.
Strixhaven Updates
With the introduction of Strixhaven comes two new wording updates. Converted mana cost will now be called mana value as seen on Witherbloom Command. Additionally, the words “shuffle your library” will not just be referred to as “shuffle” as seen on the Mystical Archive version of Demonic Tutor.
Strixhaven Packaging
Sunu and Peeler also previewed the packaging for the new set showing off all kinds of boosters and their associated art.
Notably, the Kenrith twins from Throne of Eldraine appear on the draft booster box and the bundle.
Commander 2021
The next Commander edition will include five preconstructed decks, representing each college of Strixhaven. Not much was previewed for them other than the names of the decks.
- Silverquill Statement
- Prismari Performance
- Witherbloom Witchcraft
- Lorehold Legacies
- Quantum Quandrix
Sunu and Peeler didn’t give a date for the start of Strixhaven preview season, but did note that next week’s Weekly MTG will be focused on Time Spiral Remastered. Read the Strixhaven preview article from Wizards of the Coast.