Welcome Back to Strixhaven
The halls of the most prestigious magical university in the Multiverse are open once again. Secrets of Strixhaven, releasing on April 24, 2026, brings us back to Arcavios for a story of recovery, discovery, and hidden truths buried deep within the Biblioplex. Whether you're a lore enthusiast, a competitive player, or a Commander fanatic, this set has something for everyone.
But Strixhaven is not the same place we left behind. The scars of the Phyrexian Invasion are everywhere: rebuilt buildings, memorials to fallen faculty and students, newly appointed deans, and an entire university grappling with its place in a Multiverse now connected by Omenpaths. This guide covers the lore, the five colleges, the new mechanics, and the most exciting cards revealed so far.
Watch the Official Presentation
Before diving into the details, watch the official Secrets of Strixhaven presentation from Wizards of the Coast:
The Lore of Arcavios: A Plane Born from Two Worlds
Arcavios has a unique origin. Over 7,000 years ago, two separate demi-planes — Ezroi and Karudis — merged into one, creating five mana dichotomies and mysterious phenomena known as snarls and star arches. The raw energy of this merging gave birth to the five Elder Dragons, each embodying a unique combination of two colors of mana.
For thousands of years during the Blood Age, the humanoid species of Arcavios waged endless wars. It was the Elder Dragons who ended the bloodshed over 700 years ago by founding Strixhaven University, ushering in the Mystic Age — an era where mages replaced armies as the most powerful force in the world.
The Five Colleges and Their Elder Dragons
Each college represents a unique pairing of two colors of mana, a distinct philosophy of magic, and an Elder Dragon founder. In Secrets of Strixhaven, the Elder Dragons return as mythic rare cards.
Silverquill — The College of Eloquence (White/Black)
Founded by Shadrix Silverquill, this college teaches that words are the ultimate weapon. Students master linguistics, political science, law, espionage, and journalism. The magic of Silverquill manifests as calligraphic strokes of ink and light. Their new mechanic is Repartee — abilities that trigger whenever you cast an instant or sorcery targeting a creature.
Prismari — The College of Elemental Arts (Blue/Red)
At Prismari, there is no difference between magic and art. Students express themselves through elemental forces — fire, ice, water, wind, and energy — studying art history, performance arts, philosophy, and psychology. Their mechanic is Opus: whenever you cast an instant or sorcery, creatures with Opus get +1/+1, and if you spent five or more mana, you create a token copy of the creature.
Witherbloom — The College of Essence Studies (Black/Green)
Witherbloom explores the boundary between life and death through alchemy and necromancy. Students brew spells from natural components, studying alchemy, medicine, biomancy, toxicology, and mortuary science. Their mechanic is Infusion — abilities that check whether you've gained life this turn.
Lorehold — The College of Archaeomancy (Red/White)
Lorehold is home to action-oriented scholars who dig through ancient ruins, summon spirits of historical figures, and draw power from forgotten tomes. They study history, archaeology, anthropology, mythology, and theology. Lorehold brings back the fan-favorite mechanic Flashback, letting you cast instants and sorceries from your graveyard.
Quandrix — The College of Numeromancy (Green/Blue)
Quandrix students study the mathematical principles underlying nature itself, working with fractals, symmetry, and patterns to reshape reality. Their fields include applied mathematics, engineering, matter sciences, and environmental design. Their mechanic is Increment: whenever you cast a spell, if the mana spent is greater than the creature's power or toughness, you put a +1/+1 counter on it.
New Mechanics: Prepare, Paradigm, and More
Secrets of Strixhaven introduces several powerful new mechanics alongside returning favorites:
Prepare
The headline mechanic of the set. Creatures with Prepare enter the battlefield with a prepared spell exiled alongside them. You can cast a copy of that spell while the creature remains prepared, after which it becomes unprepared. This creates fascinating decisions about timing and value.
Paradigm
Paradigm appears on a cycle of sorceries with the Lesson subtype. When a Paradigm spell resolves, it's exiled, and at the beginning of each of your first main phases from then on, you may cast a copy without paying its mana cost. This is recurring free value — a truly powerful effect for long games.
Converge
The returning mechanic Converge counts the number of colors of mana used to cast a spell, rewarding multicolor strategies. Combined with the five-color identity of the set, Converge encourages creative mana base building.
Spotlight Cards: Planeswalkers and Power
Two planeswalkers headline Secrets of Strixhaven, each bringing their own twist to the university setting.
Ral Zarek, Guest Lecturer arrives at Strixhaven via the Omenpaths, taking a visiting professor role. His card reflects the intersection of Izzet ingenuity and Strixhaven's scholarly approach to magic.
Professor Dellian Fel is a significant addition — one of the first entirely new planeswalker characters introduced in some time. As a faculty member at Strixhaven, Dellian Fel is deeply connected to the set's story and the secrets hidden within the Biblioplex.
The Rebuilt Biblioplex and the Omenpaths
The Biblioplex, Strixhaven's legendary library and the heart of the university, was severely damaged during the Phyrexian Invasion. It has since been rebuilt, but the reconstruction has unearthed forgotten chambers and sealed archives — the "secrets" at the core of this set's story.
Meanwhile, the emergence of Omenpaths has transformed Strixhaven from an isolated institution into a multiplanar hub. The university established the Path Ward, a committee that approves Omenpath travel, vets multiplanar visitors, and prevents students from wandering into other planes. The inaugural class of off-plane students has been welcomed, alongside visiting professors from other institutions, creating an unofficial rivalry with the Tolarian Academies and Prism University.
The Dragonsguard, an elite group of post-graduate mages, works directly with the Elder Dragons to ensure peace on Arcavios. With the Omenpaths bringing new opportunities — and new threats — their role has never been more important.
Commander Precons and the Mystical Archive
Secrets of Strixhaven comes with five Commander preconstructed decks, one for each college color pair. The return of the Mystical Archive bonus sheet is one of the most exciting aspects of the set — every Play Booster contains one Mystical Archive card, featuring stunning alternate-art reprints of iconic instants and sorceries.
See All the Cards
Ready to explore every card in the set? Check out the full Secrets of Strixhaven Spoilers Gallery to browse all the cards, filter by color, rarity, and type, and start planning your decks!