MathemagicsMathemagics | Art by Liiga Smilshkalne

Magic’s upcoming Secrets of Strixhaven sees players return to the “school of mages” that first debuted in that selfsame set from 2021. With enjoyable mechanics and fun interactions based around the “schools,” which are tied to various color pairs, it’s no surprise that Wizards of the Coast is revisiting this environment in 2026.

Though details are scarce this early in the preview process, two cards were revealed: a legendary Boros () Elder Dragon called Lorehold, the HistorianLorehold, the Historian and an intriguing (and amusingly named) sorcery called MathemagicsMathemagics.

Know Your Arithmetic

So, what’s the deal with this dual--wielding blue spell with a name that sounds like it was lifted from a cheesy learning module found in elementary school classrooms?

First off, it’s the first Magic spell ever to make use of exponents in its text box. Though Exponential GrowthExponential Growth from the first Strixhaven set has that word in its name, it doesn’t actually have one in its text box – though the effect is admittedly similar, just for powering up a creature rather than drawing cards.

Blue Card Draw Continues

Blue is no stranger to spells that allow for a tremendous number of cards to be drawn. Three of the earliest such spells were Alpha’s BraingeyserBraingeyser, ProsperityProsperity (in Visions) and Stroke of GeniusStroke of Genius, found in Urza’s Saga.

Prosperity and Stroke of Genius were notable finishers for various competitive decks in their heyday – with Prosperity being one-half of the eponymous “ProsBloom” deck that won in an extremely finicky fashion by drawing tons of cards, then pitching them to Cadaverous BloomCadaverous Bloom to fuel a massive Drain LifeDrain Life.

Stroke of Genius, on the other hand, was the preferred finisher for Artifact decks from Urza’s block boasting iconic cards such as Tolarian AcademyTolarian Academy, Grim MonolithGrim Monolith, Voltaic KeyVoltaic Key, and MetalworkerMetalworker.

But does Mathemagics live up to that gilded lineage?

Mathemagics = Exponentially Powerful Card Draw?

On paper, MathemagicsMathemagics looks like a terrific way to spend dozens of mana, as its rate improves dramatically the more you invest in its dual- casting cost.

However, how often are you really going to want to pay upwards of to draw a decent number of cards? To this writer’s mind, the answer is “not often.”

Say that = on Mathemagics. You’ll be getting a fairly below-rate four cards for , which is far from impressive in the world of Commander. In fact, it’s the exact same rate that Braingeyser provides – a card that is now well over 30 years old.

While bumping it to = means you’re now drawing eight cards for (a little more on-rate), wouldn’t you prefer to spend your hard-earned mana doing more interesting and more potent things than that, especially in blue – one of the best colors in the color wheel? (I will brook no argument on that matter.)

The Big Finish…?

Ultimately, the goal with Mathemagics is to invest a whopping amount of mana into it so that you’re able to draw more than half of your deck with a single spell (for instance, a Mathemagics for nets you a staggering 64 cards) and then, hopefully, win the game on the spot.

Of course, this new sorcery doesn’t really aid you in that endeavor, especially because it lacks the critical text of “no maximum hand size” that other similar spells, such as Finale of RevelationFinale of Revelation, Enter the InfiniteEnter the Infinite, and Sea Gate RestorationSea Gate Restoration all contain.

Sure, the idea is that you’ve already played something like Proft's Eidetic MemoryProft's Eidetic Memory, Reliquary TowerReliquary Tower, or even Graceful AdeptGraceful Adept before firing off a titanic Mathemagics, but is the juice really worth the squeeze (especially if SqueezeSqueeze is on the battlefield)?

Truly, why would you play a pricey, clunky and inefficient card draw spell?

Blue Needed a FireballFireball

That’s right, while Mathemagics might not be an efficient spell for you to cast on yourself to help you draw cards, that little tweak that says “Target player draws 2ˣ cards” means this spell acts as a premier sorcery-speed finisher for blue decks of all stripes: mill shells, control piles or, preferably, Simic () ramp decks that can cast a Mathemagics to the dome with ease – forcing a foe to immediately draw their entire deck (that would be 128 cards, by the way) and die on the spot.

While Simic ramp might be the ideal place to slot this nifty new tool into, this spell will also go beautifully in an Izzet Spellslinger build that is all about delivering value based on the spells you’re casting, often leading to a big combo finish (something Mathemagics would be happy to oblige).

Best Commanders for MathemagicsMathemagics

While Mathemagics might turn into the new go-to “kill” spell for blue mages, there are a select few commanders that would love to have this spell in their toolbox.

Magus Lucea KaneMagus Lucea Kane

This Temur () Human Tyranid Wizard from Warhammer 40,000 Commander would love to finish off a game a turn early by tapping for and copying Mathemagics, meaning you’d only have to access a measly 12 mana to end the game for one player.

Child’s play in a dedicated Temur ramp build.

Zaxara, the ExemplaryZaxara, the Exemplary

This Sultai () Nightmare Hydra definitely wants you to defeat an opponent with a massive Mathemagics so it can gift you a hefty Hydra token to help in your quest to defeat the other players at the table.

Eluge, the Shoreless SeaEluge, the Shoreless Sea

If you’re hoping to go mono-blue with your Mathemagics game plan, Eluge would be a prudent choice as your commander, as it will begin to whittle down the amount of mana needed to “cardburn” your opponent out every time it attacks. Pair with Mindsplice ApparatusMindsplice Apparatus for an even quicker clock.

Other Use Cases for Mathemagics

Beyond acting as blue’s newest game-ending combo spell, playing this card for = can actually be a boon in some scenarios, or even in a pinch if you have no other way to draw that desperately needed second card to help win you the game.

Furthermore, pairing this with Zimone, All-QuestioningZimone, All-Questioning from Duskmourn: House of Horror and her partner spell Zimone's HypothesisZimone's Hypothesis, you’ve got the makings of a truly enjoyable math-themed Commander deck (if you’re into that sort of thing).

It’s for Blockers

And there you have it. While not a preeminent card draw spell in the early-to-mid-game for you to cast on yourself, Mathemagics might end up being an extremely powerful (and amazingly flavorful) game-ender for blue mages in Commander and Standard.

With only two cards revealed from Secrets of Strixhaven so far, Mathemagics sets the bar high for the set – on style points alone. This writer frankly can’t wait to see what else Wizards has cooked up for the return to Strixhaven’s classrooms.

Keep it locked to EDHREC for more news and updates for all of Magic’s upcoming releases in 2026 and beyond.