Strixhaven, which is the latest set in the Magic: The Gathering trading card game, introduces us to five distinct colleges, each with its unique mascot. These mascots represent key aspects of their respective college's identity and values, serving as symbols of pride and unity for students and faculty alike. First, we have Lorehold College, whose mascot is a fiery spirit named Oric, the voracious reader. Oric embodies the college's focus on history, archaeology, and the pursuit of knowledge. Its fiery nature reflects the passion and enthusiasm shared by Lorehold students as they delve into the past to uncover forgotten truths. Next is Prismari College, represented by the energetic and colorful dragon mascot, Galazeth Prismari.

Magic: The Gathering's Strixhaven Preview Week Kicks Off Today

Magic: The Gathering has begun its preview season today for Strixhaven: School of Mages, their next upcoming expansion set, and we are very excited to show you just a few things that were revealed! Strixhaven is a magical university set on the plane of existence called Arcavios. We don't know much about Arcavios just yet beyond the school and its five colleges, but what we do know is quite cool. Let's get oriented!

Promotional art for Strixhaven: School of Mages, an upcoming set for Magic: The Gathering. Art by Lindsey Look.

To give you a few points of reference:

• There are five colleges of magic within the university of Strixhaven. Each one specializes in an enemy-colored pair of magical studies.
• Lorehold, the white-red college, specializes in history and has Spirit mascots who are literally ghosts of past historical figures in-world. These spirits teach students about the history surrounding events in the world, possibly even the Multiverse at large.
• Prismari, the blue-red college, focuses on the visual and performing arts and has very brightly-colored Elemental mascots. The Prismari students are quite exuberant in most everything, erring towards the flashy extra-ness reminiscent of real-world art and its artists.
• Quandrix, the blue-green college, is a math-oriented college. Their Fractal mascots are literally made of math, and their motto is "Math is Magic", which seems pretty fair considering how practically everything is magic in the Magic Multiverse.
• Witherbloom is the black-green college, and has been described as a collective of "goth Biology students". Their mascots are known as Pests, and their motto, "Get your hands dirty," makes sense as the students learn to utilize the essence of the soul to power their spells.
• Finally, Silverquill, the black-white college, is a college of writers, poets, and most likely future bureaucrats. Their mascots are diminutive ink-based elementals, and as a college, they are known both for a sharp style and a sharper wit.

In addition to the five colleges, Strixhaven has a massive library, featuring what people claim is every spell ever cast. Furthermore, there is a stadium on campus that houses tournaments between the colleges of a game known as Mage Tower. Therein, players will attempt to steal the opposing side's mascot and bring it to their side of the field, using any number of spells, so long as they do not cause harm to the target. Everything else is fair game!

Strixhaven was founded by five Elder Dragons, who we as players know very little about so far. However, while we don't know much about these founders, we know a bit about some of the university faculty. Some of these faces may be familiar from Gavin Verhey's more recent videos on YouTube, but we have the card information here for you now!

Adrix and Nev, Twincasters, the professors from the "Quantum Quandrix" Commander 2021 deck. Art by Andrew Mar. Breena, the Demagogue, the professor from the "Silverquill Statement" Commander 2021 deck. Art by Simon Dominic. Osgir, the Reconstructor, the professor from the "Lorehold Legacies" Commander 2021 deck. Art by Victor Adame Minguez. Willowdusk, Essence Seer, the professor from the "Witherbloom Witchcraft" Commander 2021 deck. Art by Jesper Ejsing. Zaffai, Thunder Conductor, the professor from the "Prismari Performance" Commander 2021 deck. Art by Dmitry Burmak.

Another huge aspect of the Strixhaven set is the introduction of the Mystical Archives. In every booster product (draft, set, and collector), there will be at least one Mystical Archive card included as part of the pack. There's always one in Draft Boosters or Set Boosters (foils notwithstanding), but multiple in Collector Booster packs. They will be available as uncommons, rares, and mythic rares, with the uncommon cards being within the current Standard season (but rotating with the most recent non-Mystical Archive printing).

Time Warp, a card from the Mystical Archives. Art by Dominik Mayer.

In addition, there will be an alternate-art version of every card in the Mystical Archives, solely found in Japanese booster packs of any kind (at a 50/50 pull rate) and in Collector Boosters everywhere (with one guaranteed and the potential to pull more in a pack). These cards' artworks are mainly based on traditional Japanese art.

The Japanese alternate art of Duress, a card within the Mystical Archives of Strixhaven. Art by romiy.

All in all, this new Magic: The Gathering set looks to be remarkable in what it can do both for new players and die-hard collectors alike. Do you agree? Are you excited for this set? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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Next is Prismari College, represented by the energetic and colorful dragon mascot, Galazeth Prismari. As the embodiment of artistic expression and creativity, Galazeth symbolizes Prismari's focus on arts, theater, performance, and elemental manipulation. Its vibrant and dynamic presence echoes the college's emphasis on exploring imagination and pushing boundaries.

About Joshua Nelson

Josh Nelson is a Magic: The Gathering deckbuilding savant, a self-proclaimed scholar of all things Sweeney Todd, and, of course, a writer for Bleeding Cool. In their downtime, Josh can be found painting models, playing Magic, or possibly preaching about the horrors and merits of anthropophagy. You can find them on Twitter at @Burning_Inquiry for all your burning inquiries.

Can Strixhaven students join two colleges?

So, in Strixhaven: Curriculum of Chaos, it's mentioned that characters choose to join one of the five Colleges during their second year. However, it's possible for characters to have abilities themed for more than one of the colleges, and one of the adventuring locations in the first adventure is a hall dedicated for faculty that belonged to more than one College. As such, is it possible for a PC to join multiple colleges - essentially getting a "dual major" university degree? For instance, could a Wildfire Druid who conjures both elemental and "fractal" bestial spirits (though not the special familiars granted by the Strixhaven Mascot feat, aside from potentially summoning 8 Art Elemental Mascots with the Conjure Minor Elementals spell) with their spells and class features join both Prismari and Quadrix colleges?

\$\begingroup\$ No idea within the D&D set, but it was definitely a thing in the cards. Focusing on one color, say Black, with some cards from both enemies, in this case White and Green, was totally a thing. Though admittedly, non-Strixhaven cards helped a lot with getting the necessary mana. \$\endgroup\$

\$\begingroup\$ @KRyan I don't think building a deck with different colors really has anything to do with the question. a "character with a dual major" would be more like a single card that subscribes to multiple colleges. I don't think that's really done in the MTG game. \$\endgroup\$

\$\begingroup\$ @DarthPseudonym is correct - decks are rarely built by players with lore in mind (the rare Vorthos excepted) but with power, consistency and utility in mind. Yes there were a lot of Lorehold/Prismari or Witherbloom/Silverquill decks played, particularly in limited, but no card in them represented both colleges at once. \$\endgroup\$

For Quandrix College, the mathematical prowess is personified by an insightful owl bear called Affectionate Indrik. This intelligent and analytical creature embodies Quandrix's dedication to logic, problem-solving, and the study of patterns. Affectionate Indrik reminds Quandrix students that their strength lies in their ability to approach challenges with a rational and calculated mindset. The mascot for Silverquill College is the imposing and elegant dragon, Simic Leyline. Simic embodies Silverquill's emphasis on eloquence, persuasion, and the power of words. With its sophisticated presence and regal demeanor, this dragon encapsulates the art of rhetoric and the mastery of language that Silverquill students strive to achieve. Finally, Witherbloom College's mascot is a gnarled and sinister-looking elder dragon named Gurgi. Gurgi symbolizes the college's focus on life and death, healing and decay, and the interconnectedness of nature and the supernatural. Its eerie and enigmatic aura reflects Witherbloom's mystical and unconventional approach to studying the healing arts and the power of decay. These mascots, through their respective colleges, inspire students to embrace their identities and to pursue knowledge and growth within their chosen disciplines. They foster a sense of belonging and unity, serving as reminders of the college's values and goals. Whether it is Oric's passionate pursuit of history or Affectionate Indrik's analytical approach to problem-solving, Strixhaven's mascots capture the essence of each college and celebrate the diversity of learning within the magical world of Strixhaven..

Reviews for "Unleash your Inner Magician with Strixhaven's Mascot-inspired Fashion"

1. John - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with the Strixhaven mascots. They lacked the charm and appeal that I've come to expect from previous Magic sets. The designs felt generic and uninspired, and I didn't feel any connection to them. They didn't have the same level of personality or uniqueness that other mascots have had, and they just felt like an afterthought. Overall, I found them forgettable and underwhelming.

2. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I found the Strixhaven mascots to be boring and unmemorable. None of them stood out to me or left a lasting impression. The designs seemed rushed and lacked creativity. They didn't have the same level of whimsy or charm that I've seen in other Magic mascots, and I was left feeling disappointed. The mascots felt like missed opportunities to add some fun and excitement to the set, and I wish more thought had been put into their designs.

3. Michael - 1/5 stars - I really didn't like the Strixhaven mascots at all. They felt forced and unnecessary, like they were added simply because every Magic set needs mascots. The designs were uninspired and lacked personality. It felt like the creators didn't put much effort into making them unique or interesting. Overall, I found the mascots to be a forgettable aspect of the set and I would have preferred to see more attention given to other elements of Strixhaven.

Exploring the Unique Personalities of Strixhaven's Mascots