Strixhaven Analysis – Part 3
Hello everyone, welcome back for the third part of our Strixhaven Analysis!
As a member of the Witherbloom College, I’m glad to present you all the Black and Witherbloom-themed cards while using a 0-5 scale for each of them.
BLACK
ARROGANT POET: a good two mana drop for aggressive decks. In the early game can attack and have a good trade, but in the middle-long game can steal some damages.
Limited 2.0
BALEFUL MASTERY: a solid removal for four mana, but when you think that, in Kaldheim, we had Feed the Serpent as a common, it doesn’t look that strong for being a rare.
Limited 3.0
BRACKISH TRUDGE: in late game its ability could be very hard to beat in a 4-power body as it can trades with most of the creatures in play. Not the best top deck if you need a blocker but a
solid creature for middle/late game.
Limited 2.5
CALLOUS BLOODMAGE: I like cards that give you more options. Callous Bloodmage could add a blocker or countrip itself loosing one life (the third option is less relevant in limited). All this options look cool for an early drop.
Limited 2.5
CONFRONT THE PAST: this is the type of rare that you don’t want to open in your sealed pool. Sometimes you can board in after sideboard if your opponent has a powerful planeswalker.
Limited 0.5
CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT: an expensive Divination that can be played in aggressive decks to take advantage also from the two life loss.
Limited 1.5
ESSENCE INFUSION: could’ve been a nice combat trick but it is a sorcery, so I’ll probably pass on this one.
Limited 1.0
EYETWITCH: definitely not the biggest body in the world, but for one mana, a creature that can give you some card selection (or let you take a Lesson card from your sideboard) doesn’t look that bad.
Limited 2.5
FLUNK: a good removal for middle/late game where most of the times it gives -4/-4 or better.
Limited 3.0
GO BLANK: you read Go Blank, I’ve read Mind Rot. Remember to side in this card against slow decks.
Limited 1.5
HUNT FOR SPECIMENS: like almost every card with Learn , it looks more than playable.
Limited 2.0
LASH OF MALICE:most of the times it will be a Disfigure, but you can also use it as a pump spell to win the game and in that moment you will feel like the king of the hill.
Limited 3.0
LEECH FANATIC: it’s a fine two mana drop that makes you happy when you succesfully trade it while you’re attacking.
Limited 2.0
MAGE HUNTER: it has a good body and its ability can deals the final damages you need to win.
Limited 3.0
MAGE HUNTERS’ ONSLAUGHT: remember what I said about Baleful Mastery? At the same cost, this card is a great common and one of the best removal for aggressive strategies.
Limited 3.5
NECROTIC FUMES: it looks a pretty good removal in a deck that generates lot of tokens. If you have many cards with Learn, you can consider to play it as a Lesson and not in your main deck.
Limited 3.0
NOVICE DISSECTOR: a new version of Canyon Minotaur with a little upgrade. Unfortunately, its ability can be used only as a sorcery and this the reason why you probably won’t play this card.
Limited 1.5
ORIQ LOREMAGE: I like the idea that Oriq can remove a land card from your deck every turn in late game. Sometimes it can trade for some action if you need a bigger body.
Limited 3.0
PLUMB THE FORBIDDEN: if you have enough pests generator you can consider to play it but, most of the times, it’s just not good enough to get a slot in our deck.
Limited 1.5
POET’S QUILL: a cheap equipment that gives lifelink and +1/+1. A great card that can be lethal with some evasive creatures.
Limited 4.0
PROFESSOR ONYX: a great mythic rare that I want in my pool. Her loyalty is high and thanks to her ability you can draw some cards or kill some big creatures. The magecraft ability
can be a strong addition to this planeswalker.
Limited 4.5
PROFESSOR’S WARNING: as I said about Callous Bloodmage, i like cards that give you more than one option. I suggest to play it in a creature-heavy deck.
Limited 2.0
PROMISING DUSKMAGE: a little filler that, if you don’t have many ways to put some counters on, will probably remains in the sideboard.
Limited 1.0
SEDGEMOOR WITCH: it looks a very good card. A 3 mana 3/2 menace creature looks OK, but with both, Ward and Megacraft abilities, this card looks great for just three mana.
Limited 4.0
SPECTER OF THE FENS: this flyer can be a little bit expensive, but probably there will be some spots in late game where its ability to drain life can win some games.
Limited 2.0
TENURED INKCASTER: 5 mana for a 3/3 or a 2/2 that gives a +1/+1 looks a little bit too much. However, if your deck can easily deploy more creatures with counters, it could be devastating.
Limited 2.5
UMBRAL JUKE: we already had some Diabolic Edict effects for three mana and all of us know that they aren’t great. In this case, thanks to the opportunity to choose also for the 2/1 mana flyers, this cards looks more than playable.
Limited 3.0
UNWILLING INGREDIENT: probably the best picture in a black card. Beside that, it looks just an expensive-to-cycle card.
Limited 1.5
WITHERBLOOM
BELEDROS WITHERBLOOM: after Koma, Cosmos Serpent that creates a 3/3 serpent every turn, the ability to make a Pest in every upkeep doens’t look insane, but it’s still a great flyer that creates a ton of blockers. I can’t wait to have it in my pool.
Limited 4.5
BLOOD RESEARCHER: in a format full of Pests it’s a 2/2 that can easly become a 4/4.
Limited 2.5
CRAM SESSION: I said that almost every card with Learn is playable and this one is an exception.
Limited 0.5
CULLING RITUAL: it doesn’t look a good removal for Limited. Using 4 mana to destroy some peanuts is not what we want to do.
It can be playable in Constructed, especially in Modern.
Limited 1.0
DAEMOGOTH TITAN: this guy can be your captain! In a normal deck is totally unplayable but when you have a deck that maximize the number of pests, it can be a nightmare for your opponent.
Limited 2.0
DAEMOGOTH WOE-EATER: another card that can fits greatly in a deck that generates tons of Pests. If you can’t or don’t want to sacrifice another creature, its effect is still good.
Limited 3.0
DEADLY BREW: finally an Diabolic Edict effect with a side benefit. It’s a good way to sacrifice your worst creature and take back your best one from the graveyard (remember that it can gets back any kind of permanent, not just a creature).
Limited 3.0
DINA, SOUL STEEPER: in a Witherbloom deck with a lot of pests token it can shine.
Limited 2.5
HARNESS INFINITY: probably not the best mythic rare ever. Seven mana without any impact on the board looks a little bit overcosted but in very long games could be a nice way for win the match.
I hope there will be a Constructed deck with this card that can break the format!
Limited 1.5
INFUSE WITH VITALITY: usually I’m a huge fan of this kind of combat tricks but I like them better when they also increase the power of the targetted creature like Demonic Gifts.
Limited 2.0
MOLDERING KAROK: a Canyon Minotaur with trample and lifelink. A perfect target when you have to play some pump spell.
Limited 2.5
MORTALITY SPEAR: one of the best removal spell in the format. It can deal with most types of permanents and, as for Witherbloom to gain life doesn’t look a problem, you will probably cast it for two mana most of the times.
Limited 4.0
PEST SUMMONING: to spend three mana for two pets looks perfect for a deck that will try to maximize all the Witherbloom’s mechanics.
Limited 2.5
RUSHED REBIRTH: this is that kind of spells that never work as everyone imagines. If you have some powerful creature with a small mana value, it can do some tricks though.
Limited 1.5
TEND THE PESTS: to make this spell worth you have to sacrifice a big creature, but it’s a good way to turn one of your opponent’s removal spell into something good.
Limited 2.0
WITHERBLOOM APPRENTICE: a pretty solid turn-two creature that can scary your opponent enough to kill it with one of their removal.
Limited 2.5
WITHERBLOOM COMMAND: four options but none of these is really strong. Still a flexible card with not a big impact on the board.
Limited 2.5
WITHERBLOOM PLEDGEMAGE: finally, a big guy with an appropriate mana value. It looks like the evolution of Grizzled Outrider.
Limited 3.0
BLEX, VEXING PEST // SEARCH FOR BLEX: the creature part can be huge if you’re playing a lot of token generators as it basically works as a lord effect.
The sorcery part can be good, especially in long games, although you’re not going to play it that often.
LIMITED 3.5
PESTILENT CAULDRON // RESTORATIVE BURST: both parts work better in sealed than they does in draft, but the artifact part can be a good token generator that can fix your bad draws when you’re in late game.
The sorcery side is good to get back some of your value from your graveyard.
LIMITED 2.5
VALENTIN, DEA OF THE VEIN // LISETTE, DEAN OF THE ROOT: this card is incredibly strong. Both sides are good and the fact that you can choose which side to play based on what you need the most, makes it even better.
LIMITED 4.0
Witherblooms, and black in general, both need some specific synergies to have a good perform and I can wait to draft this upcoming set to find some spicy interactions.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the third part of our Strixhaven Analysis, be sure to stay around for the next parts!
That’s all for today, I’ll see you next week with another article, here on 95mtg.com!
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