Hey folks, Code again with another spoiler wave for Secrets of Strixhaven, last time around we got the 5 elder dragons each representing each College, and really good hitters and some unexpected reprints, we are due for another round of spoilers just to recap what they are cooking for this set, let’s deep dive into more Secrets of Strixhaven.
So… let’s start with a review of this strongly Jeskai oriented spoiler wave, plenty of Lorehold and Prismari cards are present here, starting off with Erode is basically an strictly better Path to Exile as it can target a Planeswalker but is a Destroy effect, so the strictly better part is debatible, I really don’t like this card as is a powercreep with an already good card like Path to Exile readily available I think this is a curve ball to MTG in overall, but hey to each his own I guess.
We now know more about Prepared as a mechanic, Creatures becomes prepared as they attack, or have effect that directly prepared them, once prepared they have access to cast their spell, and do so as normal spell to enter the cast, respect spell speed and mana costs to be introduced into the stack and resolve accordingly, with that said let’s review our first prepared card of the day Spiritcall Enthusiast, a 3/3 for 3 mana, whenever one or more tokens you control eneter, this creature becomes prepared. this card is designed with tokens creatures in mind, create tokens and this creature becomes prepared and can cast Scrollboost for 2 mana one or two target creatures each get +2/+2 until end of turn. so it makes excellent use for a creature tokens deck as it can be used multiple times during a turn if you succed in preparing this creature many times successfully.
Daydream is basically a cheap blink that will trigger a creature ETB effects plus a +1/+1 counter on it, at sorcery speed almost loses the intention of blinking effects as you want to either protect or trigger its ETB effects, but still solid for only 1 mana and a later flashback of 3 mana.
Practiced Scrollsmith 3 mana 3/2 First strike, on ETB effect exile target non-creature, non-land card from your graveyard, until the end of your next turn, you may cast that card, what this creature intends to do is repurpose what is on the graveyard lands and creatures excluded, spells, artifacts, enchantments, and planeswalkers are a go, so it might get played in standard.
2 Seconds After Opening the Tuna Can, what the name suggests is to get two 2/2 cat tokens in play and if it plays from anywhere else, be it exile or graveyard spirit creatures get +1/+1.
Now for a big hitter that further expands into the Emeritus cycle Emeritus of Conflict, which gives you a hint into the cycle of the alpha cards that deal in 3’s, we had Ancestral Recall, now we have Lightning Bolt, for 2 mana 2/2 First Strixke, Whenever you cast your third spell each turn, this creature prepares. this basically means this creature will incentivize spell play, hardly on the early turns, but definitely on an Izzet archetype casting spells for a Lightning Bolt setup on 4th spell.
Suspend Aggression this card brings a neat option to either remove a piece of the board either yours or the opponents and force to be recasted or gain the option for another ETB or Cast effect while also topdecking an additional option for next turn, this will be ideally played during opponents turn.
Borrowed Knowledge 4 mana sorcery, Choose one effect, both discard your hand, you either draw cards by opponents hand card amount or either the amount that was discarded this way, I don’t really like this card is quite costly for its effects and at sorcery could leave you open for attacks or the opponents to further enhance their tactics while you are trying to go for card advantage.
Splatter Technique on the other hand is a good modal sorcery for 5 mana, draw 4 cards, or hit the board and planeswalkers for 4 damage.
Rapturous Moment a big sorcery spell for 6 mana, draw three cards discard two cards and add BBRRR, overall this card is good I will say, quite costly but with good effects even by discarding 2 cards you should be enough to get new cards and still spellslinging your way into winning, what I like about this card is the Opus sinergy as it is costly will definitively trigger the Opus abilities from creatures.
Steal the Show I like this card, modal sorcery spell to discard and draw cards and deal damage based on number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard to target creature or planeswalker.
Maelstrom Artisan 3/2 for 3 haste and enters prepared, with Rocket Volley for 2 mana sorcery Destroy target nonbasic land. I think the meta needs some of land destroying effects, specially against control decks, diminishing their mana fixing options and land effects as possible.
Flashback instant 1 red mana target instant and sorcery gains flashback by its mana cost. simple and effective this card will get played a lot.
Mana Sculpt An strictly better Cancel, I hate it when there is a counterspell better than Cancel it changes a lot of control play, since Swan Song was a thing, everything afterwards was just a trial and error for WoTC to introduce new forms on Counterspell ways, now regarding this card if you control a Wizard add mana equal to the spell that was countered in your next main phase, yes, right more mana for the control player.
Wrapping Up
Ladies, Gentlemen, and Kavus that’s up for todays review for Secrets of Strixhaven, we are fairly introduced by now, next time we should be now due for a more Jund oriented spoilers into Green and Black cards, this set is really impressing me to have more value on creatures with Prepared mechanics as you get to use more spells directly from the table, I think this mechanic has some potential to be reused in other sets aswell, on the downsides I don’t like powercreeping effects just for the sake making the product more appealling as a way to please Hasbro shareholder’s, hoping that I am wrong, this set will shape to be a great limited experience, good for drafting and having good times with the Pod, flavor wise having another in universe set is much needed for the fanbase.
Well fellas, until the next one be around the site for more news, meta changes and more!
