<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mathemagics" href="#" target="_blank">Mathemagics</a> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/liiga" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Liiga Smilshkalne</a>
Magic’s upcoming <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/sos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Secrets of Strixhaven</a> 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 <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lorehold, the Historian" href="#" target="_blank">Lorehold, the Historian</a> and an intriguing (and amusingly named) sorcery called <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mathemagics" href="#" target="_blank">Mathemagics</a>.
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<h2>Know Your Arithmetic</h2>
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?
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Exponential Growth"></div></div>
First off, it’s the first Magic spell ever to make use of exponents in its text box. Though <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exponential Growth" href="#" target="_blank">Exponential Growth</a> 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.
<h2>Blue Card Draw Continues</h2>
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 <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Braingeyser" href="#" target="_blank">Braingeyser</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prosperity" href="#" target="_blank">Prosperity</a> (in <a href="https://blog.cardsphere.com/15-most-valuable-visions-cards/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visions</a>) and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stroke of Genius" href="#" target="_blank">Stroke of Genius</a>, found in <a href="https://blog.cardsphere.com/15-most-valuable-urzas-saga-cards/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Urza’s Saga</a>.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Braingeyser"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prosperity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stroke of Genius"></div></div>
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 <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cadaverous Bloom" href="#" target="_blank">Cadaverous Bloom</a> to fuel a massive <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drain Life" href="#" target="_blank">Drain Life</a>.
Stroke of Genius, on the other hand, was the preferred finisher for Artifact decks from Urza’s block boasting iconic cards such as <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tolarian Academy" href="#" target="_blank">Tolarian Academy</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Monolith" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Monolith</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voltaic Key" href="#" target="_blank">Voltaic Key</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Metalworker" href="#" target="_blank">Metalworker</a>.
But does Mathemagics live up to that gilded lineage?
<h2>Mathemagics = Exponentially Powerful Card Draw?</h2>
On paper, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mathemagics" href="#" target="_blank">Mathemagics</a> 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.)
<h2>The Big Finish…?</h2>
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.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Finale of Revelation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enter the Infinite"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sea Gate Restoration"></div></div>
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 <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Finale of Revelation" href="#" target="_blank">Finale of Revelation</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enter the Infinite" href="#" target="_blank">Enter the Infinite</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sea Gate Restoration" href="#" target="_blank">Sea Gate Restoration</a> all contain.
Sure, the idea is that you’ve already played something like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Proft&#039;s Eidetic Memory" href="#" target="_blank">Proft&#039;s Eidetic Memory</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reliquary Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Reliquary Tower</a>, or even <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Graceful Adept" href="#" target="_blank">Graceful Adept</a> before firing off a titanic Mathemagics, but is the juice really worth the squeeze (especially if <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Squeeze" href="#" target="_blank">Squeeze</a> is on the battlefield)?
Truly, why would you play a pricey, clunky and inefficient card draw spell?
<h2>Blue Needed a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fireball" href="#" target="_blank">Fireball</a></h2>
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, <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/simic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Simic</a> () 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.
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While Simic ramp might be the ideal place to slot this nifty new tool into, this spell will also go beautifully in an Izzet <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/spellslinger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spellslinger</a> 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).
<h2>Best Commanders for <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mathemagics" href="#" target="_blank">Mathemagics</a></h2>
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.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magus Lucea Kane"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zaxara, the Exemplary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eluge, the Shoreless Sea"></div></div>
<h3><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magus Lucea Kane" href="#" target="_blank">Magus Lucea Kane</a></h3>
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.
<h3><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zaxara, the Exemplary" href="#" target="_blank">Zaxara, the Exemplary</a></h3>
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.
<h3><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eluge, the Shoreless Sea" href="#" target="_blank">Eluge, the Shoreless Sea</a></h3>
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 <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindsplice Apparatus" href="#" target="_blank">Mindsplice Apparatus</a> for an even quicker clock.
<h2>Other Use Cases for Mathemagics</h2>
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.
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Furthermore, pairing this with <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zimone, All-Questioning" href="#" target="_blank">Zimone, All-Questioning</a> from Duskmourn: House of Horror and her partner spell <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zimone&#039;s Hypothesis" href="#" target="_blank">Zimone&#039;s Hypothesis</a>, you’ve got the makings of a truly enjoyable math-themed Commander deck (if you’re into that sort of thing).
<h2>It’s for Blockers</h2>
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 <a href="https://edhrec.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EDHREC</a> for more news and updates for all of Magic’s upcoming releases in 2026 and beyond.

mathemagics

Is Mathemagics a Good Card?