Strixhaven Analysis – Part 6
Hello everyone and welcome back to our sixth and final part of our Strixhaven Analysis!
Today we’re going to review non-college themed multicolor card, Artifacts and the cards from Mystical Archives, right on time for the Strixhaven release on Arena!
MULTICOLOR
EXTUS, ORIQ OVERLORD // AWAKEN THE BLOOD AVATAR: both sides are really strong. With all the token generators in the format will be easy to cast the Blood Avatar for a lower cost.
Limited 4.0
ARTIFACT
BIBLIOPLEX ASSISTANT: a playable card, especially in Magecraft archetype decks. Even if it’s colorless, the weak body stops me from giving it a higher vote.
Limited 2.0
CAMPUS GUIDE: you will probably this card all the time. Not an higher vote just because, in late game it’s just a 2/1 vanilla creature for two mana.
Limited 2.0
CODIE, VOCIFEROUS CODEX: probably unplayable in limited where you need permanents to win the game. It can be good in some Magecraft deck but you have to set a great board before cast this one and even then it will be just a win-more.
Limited 1.0
COGWORK ARCHIVIST: not bad at all, but not an higher pick. It can be more useful in sealed.
Limited 2.0/2.5
EXCAVATED WALL: in decks that want to play longer games can use this one to block in the early turns, but definitely a card you’d like to have in every deck.
Limited 1.5
LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE: a good fixer that can make you draw a card if needed. I would say that it’s a good 5/6th pick.
Limited 2.5
REFLECTIVE GOLEM: a playable card in a deck with a lot of combat tricks. As it has a decent body, you can play it even if you won’t be enthusiast.
Limited 2.0
SPELL SATCHEL: a good card, especially in Magecraft decks where its ability can be exploited at its best.
Limited 2.0/2.5
STRIXHAVEN STADIUM: a weird card. I think that, if you’re able to get that 10th counter, you’d be already in a good spot.
Looking at your Opponent’s face after removing the 10th counter will be fun for sure!
Limited 1.0
TEAM PENNANT: a cheap equipment that you’ll always be happy to play.
Limited 2.5
ZEPHYR BOOTS: cheap equipment that makes one of your creature evasive. The fact that it makes you draw and discard a card is awesome! I can see it being your first pick in a pack without a good rare.
Limited 3.5
MYSTICAL ARCHIVES
As many of the following ones are strong and cheap spells, is hard to rate them as you’re likely going to play most of them as they are good to trigger Magecraft.
ABUNDANT HARVEST: a good spell with a lot of versatility. Decks with Magecraft can easily abuse of this card but you’ll always play it if you’re playing green.
Limited 3
ADVENTUROUS IMPULSE: not strong as the previous one as it doesn’t provide what you’re looking for 100% of the time. The fact that makes you choose between three cards can be more relevant sometimes.
Limited 2.5
AGONIZING REMORSE: you can consider to play it in your sideboard if you know that your opponent has some bomb that you can’t easily handle.
Limited 1.5
APPROACH OF THE SECOND SUN: a nice win condition for slower decks that can make the game longer, or you can do like me and snap pick it and build your deck around it.
Limited 2.0/4.0
BLUE SUN’S ZENITH: the other piece of the combo with Approach of the Second Sun. You will happily play it even without Approach.
Limited 2.5
BRAINSTORM: even without any Fetchland effect you can play it but it’s not that enthusiastic.
Limited 2.0
CHANNEL: no Eldrazi and just one Fireball at mythic in the format, so I think you can’t really make a good use of it.
Limited 0.5
CHAOS WARP: weird removal that you can play but sometimes it can make your situation even worse.
Limited 2.5
CLAIM THE FIRSTBORN: if you’re in a really aggressive Magecraft deck, you can consider to use it.
Limited 1.5
COMPULSIVE RESEARCH: a nice draw spell for midrange and control strategies.
Limited 2.5
COUNTERSPELL: I won’t rate this card higher just because you’d need to have it at the right time. Although, you’re likely going to play it all the time.
Limited 2.5
CRUX OF FATE: no need to say that mass removals in limited formats are quite powerful. You can adapt your game plan accordingly if you have it in your opening hand.
Limited 4.0
CULTIVATE: stronger in sealed, still good in draft. Best ramp spell always.
Limited 2.5
DARK RITUAL: tempting, charming, but not that much in Limited.
Limited 1.5
DAY OF JUDGMENT: one mana less than Crux of Fate and no restrictions.
Limited 4.5
DEFIANT STRIKE: good in aggressive Magecraft decks. Unlike Claim the Firstborn, you can always play it.
Limited 2.0
DEMONIC TUTOR: good if you have some good bomb that can win games by itself.
Limited 3.0
DESPARK: nice card for sideboard that you can consider to main deck it.
Limited 2.0
DIVINE GAMBIT: good removal for late game but terrible in early. I think I won’t have the courage to play it.
Limited 1.5
DOOM BLADE: it will be easy to splash it and only rarely you won’t find any target for this one.
Limited 3.0
DURESS: the card that you always need to have in your sideboard.
Limited 1.5
ELECTROLYZE: it could be good in every other limited format, but in this one I think it will be amazing.
Limited 3.5
ELIMINATE: a bit worse than Doomblade in terms of restrictions, but still good.
Limited 2.5
EPHEMERATE: a good spell to keep your threats safe. A high pick for Magecraft archetypes.
Limited 2.5
FAITHLESS LOOTING: you can play it to trigger Magecraft but can be good to provide for some good card quality.
Limited 2.0/2.5
GIFT OF ESTATES: I won’t take the risk of play a card that you can’t cast. However, in the right spot, it can be very strong
Limited 1.5
GODS OF WILLING: in my opinion, it can be collocated in the top 10 of Limited Tricks ever.
Limited 3.0
GRAPESHOT: I don’t think you can make a good use of the Storm ability in limited, but can be quite useful against tokens.
Limited 1.0
GROWTH SPIRAL: a very good ramp spell.
Limited 2.5
HARMONIZE: a good draw spell in a color that usually doesn’t have that pleasure.
Limited 2.5
INCREASING VENGEANCE: if you’re heavily on Magecraft, this one can be one of your most important spell. Although, I think it will be just mediocre most of the times.
Limited 2.0/3.5
INFURIATE: nice combat trick, not quite as good as a Giant Growth.
Limited 2.0
INQUISITION OF KOZILEK: you could consider to play this one if you’re short on spells, but I wouldn’t be that enthusiastic.
Limited 1.5
KROSAN GRIP: probably last pick, especially if you have access to cards like Containment Breach.
Limited 1.0
LIGHTNING BOLT: the best finisher since always. You can also consider to use it on a creature.
Limited 4.0
LIGHTNING HELIX: kind of a strongest Lightning Bolt that commit you to play two specific colors. Can be nuts if you’re already on Loreholds.
Limited 3.5/4.0
MANA TITHE: you can consider to play it but it won’t have the same impact after Game 1.
Limited 1.0
MEMORY LAPSE: I would prefer to play better solutions in my deck.
Limited 1.0
MIND’S DESIRE: I’m going to be honest. I would easily build my deck around it if I opened this one in my pack 1.
Limited 1.0
MIZZIX’S MASTERY: you will hardly cast this one for its Overlord cost, but it can still be played as it could be game changing.
Limited 3.0/3.5
NATURAL ORDER: if you’d like to be sure to have your Tanazir Quandrix on the battlefield, you can consider playing it.
Limited 1.5
NEGATE: you probably won’t play this one unless you’ll see my Approach of the Second Sun on game 1.
Limited 1.0
OPT: pretty good in this format, a very nice Magecraft trigger.
Limited 3.0
PRIMAL COMMAND: a more versatile Natural Order to search for your Tanazir Quandrix as it you’ll always be able to take some advantage from its cast.
Limited 3.0
PUTREFY: one of the best removal spells in the format.
Limited 3.5
REGROWTH: I’m not a huge fan of Regrowth effects. You can consider to play it to take your Tanazir Quandrix back!
Limited 1.0
REVITALIZE: you really have to be short on spells to want to play this card. Although, it’s one of the best counter for Opponent’s Lightning Bolt.
Limited 1.0
SHOCK: there won’t be a limited format where you won’t play Shock.
Limited 2.5
SIGN IN BLOOD: hard to splash but can be strong on turn two.
Limited 2.5
SNAKESKIN VEIL: good trick that you’ll always play.
Limited 2.0
STONE RAIN: unplayable in limited. You won’t spend your turn three to destroy one of your opponent’s land.
Limited 0.0
STRATEGIC PLANNING: a good sorcery to provide for some card quality.
Limited 2.5
SWORDS TO PLOWSHARES: the drawback of gaining life prevents this card from getting a higher vote.
Limited 3.5
TAINTED PACT: unplayable.
Limited 0.0
TEFERI’S PROTECTION: a situational trick, you can consider to play it in some spots.
Limited 1.5
TENDRILS OF AGONY: not easy to trigger Storm in Limited and pay 4 mana to drain 2/4 life is not that good.
Limited 1.0
TEZZERET’S GAMBIT: can be really good in a +1/+1 counters Quandrix deck, but it’s also playable in other decks.
Limited 2.0/2.5
THRILL OF POSSIBILITY: a better Tormenting Voice as it’s instant. I’ve always played card like this one.
Limited 2.5
TIME WARP: can be the MVP if casted on the right spot, but it’s not a card that let you come back from nothing.
Limited 2.5/3.5
URZA’S RAGE: to expensive to be considered as a win condition, although it is a good burn spell.
Limited 3.0
VILLAGE RITES: good card, especially if you’re on a token strategy. Will be hard for the opponent to read this one when they want to cast a removal spell on one of your creature.
Limited 2.5
WEATHER THE STORM: can be good to have it in your sideboard.
Limited 1.0
WHIRLWIND DENIAL: I can’t see this one having a huge impact in Limited, but still playable.
Limited 1.0
By the time you’re reading this, you’d probably already had the chance to try some Strixhaven Limited match, so you’d be able to confirm my thought: Magecraft is the best archetype in the format and most of these Mystical Archives cards are inrcedibly strong in this archetype.
Alright folks, this was the last part of 95mtg‘s Strixhaven Analysis, now it’s time to play!
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