Here is my Set Review for Strixhaven and Pauper, this looks to be a fun set and whilst the cards do not look overly powerful, they look like they could provide some strong play experiences.

I’ll cover each of the colours and then the multi coloured cards sorted by college.

Colleges

I will also be looking at doing a brew for each college featuring several new cards in a future article but as an aside here is an idea of their flavour.

Lorehold College Graveyard shenanigans

Prismari College Funky spells matter

Quandrix College I’ll let you know when I do as it is very confusing

Silverquill College Counters

Witherbloom College Life gain

This is great, we have five schools with established colour pairings but are focused in entirely different areas, well maybe not Quandrix, compared to the Guilds of Ravnica making them very interesting.

Land

Archway Commons

This is effectively a reprint of Rupture Spire, Gateway Plaza etc so will not see play.

Campus Land

Each college has a campus, they are all interesting and feel like when on colour they are worth a slot for the late game, we have had some great dual lands recently and these certainly add to the available choices. The interesting part is the naming system, will we see an allied version of Strixhaven in a few years to complete the cycle?

Colourless

We have a mix of artifacts and colourless cards this set. The colourless lessons are all useful and will answer a need, the issue will mainly be that most colours would have a more optimal card for main decks or sideboards.

Environmental Sciences

Colourless mana fixing feels good and no worse than say a Sylvan Ranger. The 2 life may also matter.

Expanded Anatomy

This certainly has potential but looks like it would need a specific deck built around counters.

Introduction to Annihilation

This is a colourless catch all removal, I feel this is going to be worth a slot in mono coloured decks sideboards as you can break the colour pie for removal.

Introduction to Prophecy

Colourless card drawing with a Scry to potentially fix that draw feels like it has potential.

Biblioplex Assistant

Wow, a colourless blink target that returns spells to the top of the library. Feels like it could be very strong, especially as we have colourless card draw from eggs and Bonders Ornament.

Campus Guide

Looks like a very poor man’s Skittering Surveyor and unplayable.

Cogwork Archivist

I’m flummoxed by this one, it looks interesting and fun but with so many good flicker options putting cards back in the library to be tutored is slow.

Excavated Wall

A self-milling defender, I can’t see a deck that will benefit from this.

Letter of Acceptance

Looks like a firmly limited mana rock.

White

Ageless Guardian

Just a vanilla dude.

Beaming Defiance

An interesting card as any white creature gets Hexproof, an upgrade on Karametra’s Blessing?

Combat Professor

Lovely name, and then love is gone. Feels quite a way of playable.

Defend the Campus

So, we have an all in one Smite the Monstrous or Charge, sorry not feeling the love here.

Eager First-Year

Now this guy looks interesting, as a bear he is quite weak but as he gets bigger with Magecraft could there be a Lorehold Heroic/Prowess option for this guy.

Expel

Looks really nice, the target being tapped will be an issue but it is removal in white. More likely a fringe card

Pilgrim of the Ages

A really interesting card with white mana ramp potential, my Heliod Commander deck likes this card so much, not sure how good it is in Pauper.

Pillardrop Rescuer

There is some really good mana value 3 or less cards, e.g., Spellstutter Sprite and Crypt Rats springing to mind so this may even see play.

Star Pupil

I really like this guy and it will add to the White Weenie deck, the best thing is the wording that it moves all counters upon death, don’t forget the ability counters from Ikoria as these would move too.

Stonerise Spirit

This has an outside chance of being on the fringe of being playable, making other creatures have flying is great.

Study Break

A harsh lesson will be learnt if you use this outside of limited formats.

Blue

Arcane Subtraction

Blue now has removal so even as a lesson tutor it isn’t that good.

Burrog Befuddler

Creatures like this have been printed quite regularly recently and not sure if we need a Frog Wizard?

Bury in Books

Feels like a poor Chittering Rats, the floor can be found in the cellar.

Curate

I would like to think this could be useful but the bar is high to dislodge the three musketeers Brainstorm, Ponder and Preordain.

Frost Trickster

This looks really fun and a Bird Wizard feels okay as creature types. Is a flying Frost Lynx relevant in the format though?

Pop Quiz

The name is actually quite fun, draw a card and search a lesson from your sideboard seems strong, the issue is the amount of quality lessons. Maybe Mono blue might like Introduction to Annihilation.

Reject

A marginal mana leak upgrade but unlikely to be enough of an upgrade.

Resculpt

So, do we just trade off one threat of yours for another or do we two for one ourselves only to see opponent kill our elemental too. I feel I need to stay away from this card.

Serpentine Curve

Gulp, this could be amazing and will probably be amazing, even ifl someone pops off a Tormod’s Crypt etc in response to the casting to give you still get the x/x as oddly for a common counts cards in exile and graveyard.

Soothsayer Adept

I think I will give another looter a miss.

Vortex Runner

Looks like a fun card but eight lands to be unblockable feels like a lot., with all the cascade ramp it could become a sweet finisher.

Waterfall Aerialist

A flying 3/1 is marginal, adding Ward offers little as we don’t see Soul of the Rapids in the format.

Black

Arrogant Poet

I feel this could just be too expensive to gain a flyer.

Crushing Disappointment

Well, this card lives up to its name, a mana value of four feels way too slow.

Essence Infusion

In a deck that wants counters this could be phenomenal; would Unexpected Fangs though be better with less counters but mixing in lifelink for better overall performance?

Hunt for Specimens

It is a reasonable enabler but need something decent to search.

Lash of Malice

A pleasant surprise, it is unlikely to replace Defile but late game it could be better than Disfigure pumping one of your own guys with high toughness.

Leech Fanatic

Blood Burglar in name only, unlikely to see play,

Mage Hunter’s Onslaught

I was ready to discount this as another expensive removal, the key is going to be how useful is the life loss is for stopping blocking.

Novice Dissector

There has been an upsurge in sacrifice decks like Cat / Food. The effect is sorcery speed so unlikely to make an impact.

Professor’s Warning

Well, this could be a thing! Indestructible and long term gets a counter for a permanent increase in stats puts it within brewing range.

Promising Duskmage

A promising card but not one that looks like it will deliver on that promise, too many hoops to jump through.

Specter of the Fens

My first thoughts are this is unplayable but it could be played in Mono Black as a late game mana sink.

Unwilling Ingredient

I really like this little dude, so they have Menace which aids Ninjitsu and once they die, they can replace themselves with another card. Feels like a really nice one drop.

Red

Blood Age General

Spirits are a great tribe, though normally in white and blue so not sure where this guy fits in as ability isn’t static.

Dragon’s Approach

Whoa! This looks so much fun to brew with but probably a glass cannon. Burn to the face and then Lightning Shrieker feels fun but probably too slow.

Enthusiastic Study

Feels a bit expensive as a pump spell and will tie up too much mana to utilise whatever lesson you learn.

First Day of Class

Crikey this looks stacked, I can see this in say Boros Bully, flashback battle screech, prowess trigger on Seeker of the Way and swing for lots. However, their is neat interaction with creatures with Persist, when they would return the -1/-1 counter and +1/+1 counter would both be removed allowing for a potential infinite combo situation.

Fuming Effigy

I thought this was awesome until I saw one or more cards, so each trigger is only ever going to be 1 damage means it will be a bit part player at best.

Heated Debate

Three mana is quite a lot for removal but when it can’t be countered and deals 4 damage, I can see some sideboard play for this. Shame it wasn’t five damage to deal with Gurmag Angler.

Illustrious Historian

Well, this may replace itself later, I’m really on the fence whether either part is useful enough.

Pigment Storm

Red removal with pseudo trample does look tempting but this could be too expensive to be useful.

Pillardrop Warden

Not really impressed with this, there are better cards to return instants and sorceries.

Sudden Breakthrough

Do we really need a treasure, is the pump worth it, looks like two effects that are merely average?

Time Shredder

I don’t feel the love here, having to tap the creature to get counters feels counter intuitive.

Twinscroll Shaman

I’m sure I’ve seen this before and a functional reprint of a card that doesn’t see play.

Green

Bayou Groff

I see the forums losing their minds over this card, sure it works brilliantly with Young Wolf but it is still prone to removal and being card disadvantage. The ceiling though is really high and it does synergise with Unearth too, I expect this to see play.

Big Play

I rather like the design space here, a pump and adds a counter, feels like a fun card.

Charge Through

A cantrip that gives trample. Can green link up with a prowess colour?

Field Trip

We have so many better options for mana ramp, I can’t see the lesson being worth it.

Leyline Invocation

I’m sure we have seen better token creatures, by the time you can cast it there are much better options available.

Mage Duel

Green has so many fight effects that this may find the competition just too strong.

Professor of Zoomancy

This looks like a fun card but it is facing off against Penumbra Spider and Sarulf’s Packmate, unfortunately it comes up short.

Reckless Amplimancer

Well, if we can get enough tokens on this guy then upgrading the stats could be worth it.

Scurrid Colony

I like this card but then I always liked Sylvan Advocate too. Feels more of a limited card though.

Spined Karok

For a crocodile this lacks teeth.

Springmane Cervin

Another mediocre reprint with a new name.

Tangletrap

Oh, flying removal and artifact hate, I suppose it could see sideboard acting for its flexibility.

Lorehold

Lorehold Pledgemage

Looks like this guy has legs but Magecraft is not as good as Prowess in this case.

Make Your Mark

A hybrid pump spell and replaces a slain creature looks good.

Relic Sloth

Reasonable stats with Vigilance and Menace, most creatures tend to be better but it might be worth brewing around.

Spirit Summoning

A pretty boring looking creature.

Stonebound Mentor

Looks to be a really fun card and in a spells deck plenty of cards will enter the graveyard.

Thrilling Discovery

Looks as unplayable as Thrill of Possibility even with Lorehold graveyard interactions.

Prismari

Elemental Masterpiece

I cannot see this making a difference

Elemental Summoning

I am not feeling the love here either.

Oggyar Battle-Seer

This looks like a solid playable in limited, probably not enough bang for your buck in Pauper.

Prismari Pledgemage

At first glance it looks like a poor Nivix Cyclops, however, it is a two drop which may make a difference.

Spectacle Mage

Well, this looks like it needs a deck to flourish but not sure we have enough high-cost playable cards.

Teach by Example

A fine card that is being looked over to see if it can be abused. Having a hybrid cost will allow it to be played in multiple strategies.

Quandrix

Biomathematician

If we have enough other Fractal creatures this could make an impact but I’m struggling to see the potential with only three other Fractal spells

Eureka Moment

Feels like a souped-up Growth Spiral that does not really see play either.

Fractal Summoning

Well, it is a lesson and can creature a creature but similar cards don’t see play.

Needlethorn Drake

Oh, we have an interesting card. Maybe the colour combination will help it see play.

Quandrix Pledgemage

This looks like a fun card and is likely to find itself with another college or guild where the hybrid UU cost can be deployed.

Square Up

This sounds like a really fun card, reminds me of when we Mutate onto a Stonecoil Serpent in Standard.

Silverquill

Exhilarating Elocution

A sweet pump spell but could be a little bit over costed, a black white tokens strategy has always been underwhelming but maybe we are seeing progress.

Inkling Summoning

Sorcery speed and not great stats, we can probably find better.

Owlin Shieldmage

Although this looks nice, it is very similar to Grasping Thrull which has failed to make its mark.

Rise of Extus

Over costed for Pauper but could be worth a shot in Limited.

Silverquill Pledgemage

I feel this could be so much better but then it is a common.

Spiteful Squad

I rather like this card, it’s another pseudo modular effect for all counters on it.

Witherbloom

Blood Researcher

Holy cow, we’ve an Ajani’s Pridemate! I’m stoked for this and will be brewing around this!

Cram Session

Whilst this does have synergy with Blood Researcher the colour combination already has better versions of anything you would want to retrieve as a lesson.

Infuse with Vitality

Effects like this are quite fun in Pauper, returning a Blood Researcher would be spicy.

Moldering Karok

I just love the look of this card, Witherbloom life gain looks to have potential.

Pest Summoning

Looks like this could be a handy way to hold the board and gain a tad of life.

Witherbloom Pledgemage

A really interesting creature, we have some great spells that could synergise with Blood Researcher. Reminds me of being similar to Epicure of Blood.

Mechanics

The mechanics in the set are interesting but do they run deep enough.

Magecraft

We have a Pledgemage for each college and white has an extra creature but this just feels like a rather poor version of prowess at common.

Lesson’s

Learn and Lesson look great, draft boosters include a lesson in each draft booster, this means supply will be great and Wizards are keenly pushing this mechanic. The question is? Will the cards be better sideboard options than we currently have and make a wish board useful?

So, these are the Lessons available at common. We have a token generation for all the colleges and the colourless spells, the colourless spells feel like the ones that may be worth playing.

Elemental Summoning
Fractal Summoning
Inkling Summoning
Pest Summoning
Spirit Summoning

Environmental Sciences
Expanded Anatomy
Introduction to Annihilation
Introduction to Prophecy

Conclusion

When I first heard about Strixhaven I decided to ignore all the Harry Potter references and treat it like any other magic set so I could have more objectivity.

The difference between College and Guild flavour is significant, I’m keen to look at builds revolving around Silverquill and Witherbloom so Wizards has done something right with the flavour. I am sure others are identifying with other colleges.

With the issues around FIRE design in Magic I was expecting to see a return to fewer playable cards in Pauper from a Standard legal set.

I would have liked to see a few more Hybrid spells, the last time we had a fully enemy set was Eventide, we could have pushed the envelope more e.g., Star Pupil being in Silverquill colours would have been interesting. As each college has a summon token and a Pledgemage the depth at common is low, a few more options for variety would have been spot on.

My initial feelings are the set is average to above average for Pauper but hopeful I will be proven wrong.

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