<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismari, the Inspiration|sos|285" href="#" target="_blank">Prismari, the Inspiration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.waynereynolds.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wayne Reynolds</a></em></p>
<p><em>Magic</em>'s most broken mechanic is storm, a triggered ability that creates a copy of a spell for each spell cast before it - by any player - that turn. It's such a notorious, busted effect that it has spawned competitive decks in pretty much every format in which it appears.</p>
<p>Now, <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/sos" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Secrets of Strixhaven </em></a>has just given Commander a legendary creature that gives every single instant and sorcery spell you cast storm. Does it have what it takes for cEDH? Let's dig in to this deck tech for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismari, the Inspiration" href="#" target="_blank">Prismari, the Inspiration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to find out.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prismari, the Inspiration|sos|285"></div></div>
<h2>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismari, the Inspiration" href="#" target="_blank">Prismari, the Inspiration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</h2>
<p>Prismari, the Inspiration is a 7/7 legendary Elder Dragon creature for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-5" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> with flying, ward - pay 5 life, and the monstrous effect of "Instant and sorcery spells you cast have storm."</p>
<p>Prismari isn't complicated or nuanced, but it is certainly terrifying: once resolved, spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Bolt" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Bolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> quickly become lethal sources of damage, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brainstorm" href="#" target="_blank">Brainstorm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> becomes better at drawing cards than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Recall" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Recall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rite of Flame" href="#" target="_blank">Rite of Flame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> starts to add far more mana than it was ever intended to.</p>
<p>The only problem is that <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-5" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> is a lot to get to, especially considering the blow-out that can happen if Prismari gets countered or removed quickly.</p>
<p>This all paints a pretty clear picture of how the deck wants to operate. First, focus turns one and two on churning out as much mana as possible. By turn three, be set up to cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismari, the Inspiration" href="#" target="_blank">Prismari, the Inspiration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, hopefully with some sort of backup. Turn four's your chance to steal the show; set off a flurry of storm spells and end the game in one fell swoop.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismari, the Inspiration" href="#" target="_blank">Prismari, the Inspiration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<h3>Mana Accelerants</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mana Vault"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grim Monolith"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Treasonous Ogre"></div></div>
<p>This first package is pretty standard across any and every cEDH deck, and that's a suite of cards designed to ramp you ahead. What makes them unique here, however, is that this deck is afforded the opportunity to run a lot more colorless mana producing ramp than most other decks, as all we need to do is hit that <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-5" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> in Prismari's mana cost and then we're off to the races.</p>
<p>To that end <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Monolith" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Monolith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are auto includes, as is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Treasonous Ogre" href="#" target="_blank">Treasonous Ogre</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which can also cover as much <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> as we could ever dream of.</p>
<p>Additional picks include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="________ Goblin" href="#" target="_blank">________ Goblin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ("Name Sticker" Goblin), as well as using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond" href="#" target="_blank">Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a pseudo <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeweled Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Jeweled Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h3>Spells for Storm</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lightning Bolt"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brainstorm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rite of Flame"></div></div>
<p>This next section combines plenty of the traditionally-good cEDH Izzet suite (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gamble" href="#" target="_blank">Gamble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pyretic Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Pyretic Ritual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, etc.) with some extra spellslinger juice from dedicated Storm decks, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Bolt" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Bolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galvanic Blast" href="#" target="_blank">Galvanic Blast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for damage, plus <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brainstorm" href="#" target="_blank">Brainstorm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ponder" href="#" target="_blank">Ponder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for card draw.</p>
<h3>How Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismari, the Inspiration" href="#" target="_blank">Prismari, the Inspiration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Win?</h3>
<h3>Storm</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Past in Flames"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wheel of Fortune"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Galvanic Blast"></div></div>
<p>This mechanic is the name of the game in Prismari and will be responsible for most of the deck's wins. Best of all, it doesn't actually require a specific suite of cards; between rituals, wheels, and a recursion effect such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Past in Flames" href="#" target="_blank">Past in Flames</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it's pretty easy to go from resolving Prismari the previous turn to casting fifteen or more spells shortly thereafter, finishing off the table with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galvanic Blast" href="#" target="_blank">Galvanic Blast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Bolt" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Bolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h3>Underworld Breach</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Underworld Breach"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brain Freeze"></div></div>
<p>This deck is already running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for value and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond" href="#" target="_blank">Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a ramp piece, and the only other card this combo requires is also a potential way to kill the table through a natural storm loop (Prismari gives <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brain Freeze" href="#" target="_blank">Brain Freeze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> a second instance of storm and each triggers separately), so of course we'll run it and complete the Breach Package.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismari, the Inspiration" href="#" target="_blank">Prismari, the Inspiration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> cEDH Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Prismari, the Inspiration cEDH" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Prismari, the Inspiration
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Basalt Monolith
*1 Chrome Mox
*1 Defense Grid
*1 Grim Monolith
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Jeweled Amulet
*1 Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond
*1 Lotus Petal
*1 Mana Vault
*1 Mox Amber
*1 Mox Diamond
*1 Mox Opal
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Creativity
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 &quot;Name Sticker&quot; Goblin
*1 Archmage Emeritus
*1 Birgi, God of Storytelling // Harnfel, Horn of Bounty
*1 Dragon&#039;s Rage Channeler
*1 Electro, Assaulting Battery
*1 Hexing Squelcher
*1 Krark, the Thumbless
*1 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
*1 Simian Spirit Guide
*1 Storm-Kiln Artist
*1 Treasonous Ogre
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Anticipate
*1 Borne Upon a Wind
*1 Brain Freeze
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Deflecting Swat
*1 Desperate Ritual
*1 Expedite
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Flashback
*1 Flusterstorm
*1 Force of Will
*1 Galvanic Blast
*1 Gut Shot
*1 Lightning Bolt
*1 Mana Drain
*1 Mental Misstep
*1 Mindbreak Trap
*1 Mystical Tutor
*1 Pact of Negation
*1 Play with Fire
*1 Pyretic Ritual
*1 Pyroblast
*1 Red Elemental Blast
*1 Redirect Lightning
*1 Seething Song
*1 Submerge
*1 Swan Song
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Copy Artifact
*1 Mystic Remora
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Underworld Breach
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Boomerang Basics
*1 End the Festivities
*1 Gamble
*1 Gitaxian Probe
*1 Jeska&#039;s Will
*1 Light Up the Stage
*1 Past in Flames
*1 Ponder
*1 Rite of Flame
*1 Strike It Rich
*1 Timetwister
*1 Wheel of Fortune
*1 Wheel of Misfortune
*1 Will of the Jeskai
*1 Windfall
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Ancient Tomb
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 City of Brass
*1 City of Traitors
*1 Command Tower
*1 Crystal Vein
*1 Emergence Zone
*1 Fiery Islet
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Gemstone Caverns
*1 Island
*1 Mana Confluence
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Mountain
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Sandstone Needle
*1 Saprazzan Skerry
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Tarnished Citadel
*1 Training Center
*1 Volcanic Island
*1 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Wrap Up</h2>
<p>Spellslinger decks have been picking up traction in cEDH over the past year or so, but we haven't yet seen a deck truly dedicated to the storm mechanic. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismari, the Inspiration" href="#" target="_blank">Prismari, the Inspiration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might just change that.</p>


Building Prismari, the Inspiration for cEDH

https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Copy-of-THE-BEST-BULK-FROM-4.png

The Best Commons and Uncommons from Secrets of Strixhaven

<p><em>Prismari Artistry</em> is a new Commander preconstructed deck releasing with <em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em>. What's in the deck, who are the commanders, and is it a worthwhile buy?</p>
<p>Let's find out.</p>


https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SOSPrismariheader.png

<p>The <i>Secrets of Strixhaven</i> Commander decks contains the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>1 Ready-to-play 100-card Commander deck</li>
<li>1 Traditional foil face commander with borderless art</li>
<li>1 Traditional foil featured commander with borderless art</li>
<li>98 Non-foil cards, including 10 new-to-Magic cards</li>
<li>10 Double-sided tokens</li>
<li>1 Reference card</li>
<li>1 Deck box</li>
</ul>


<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rootha, Mastering the Moment" href="#" target="_blank">Rootha, Mastering the Moment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rootha, Mastering the Moment"></div></div>
<p>Like her fellow preconstructed deck leaders from <em>Secrets of Strixhaven, </em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rootha, Mercurial Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Rootha&#039;s making a return with a glow-up</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Rootha is a 3/4 Orc Sorcerer. At the beginning of combat on your turn, if you’ve cast an instant or sorcery spell this turn, she creates an X/X blue and red Elemental creature token with flying and haste, where X is the greatest mana value among instant and sorcery spells you’ve cast this turn.</p>
<p>This encourages you to save your biggest, flashiest spells for your own turn, as Rootha doesn't trigger on opponents' turns, as well as encourages you to cast these spells in your first main phase so you can attack with the hasty tokens.</p>
<p>It may not be the most interesting ability - cast a big thing, get a big creature token - but the nature of big, expensive spells is that they tend to be impactful, so adding a hasty, evasive token that might be upward of 6+ power? That's nothing to sneeze at.</p>


<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Muddle, the Ever-Changing" href="#" target="_blank">Muddle, the Ever-Changing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Muddle, the Ever-Changing"></div></div>
<p>Where Rootha's a more bread-and-butter Commander, Muddle's the avocado toast.</p>
<p>A 3/3 Elemental Otter Shapeshifter for four mana, Muddle brings to the table a very interesting ability. Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery (<em>any </em>instant or sorcery, like even an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Opt" href="#" target="_blank">Opt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), Muddle becomes any other nonlegendary creature you control until end of turn. <em>And </em>gets myriad, to boot.</p>
<p>Granted, for this ability to be impactful, you have to have a creature for Muddle to become, as it can only shapeshift into creatures you control. But there are plenty of very good creatures that could benefit you by being imitated by an Otter and split into multiple copies thanks to myriad. Even something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mulldrifter" href="#" target="_blank">Mulldrifter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> springs to mind, drawing you six cards for the cost of one cast instant/sorcery.</p>
<p>Muddle's good in <em>Prismari Artistry, </em>but it'll really find a home as players begin crafting decks specifically for it.</p>


<p>Here's the deck list for <em>Prismari Artistry</em>:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Prismari" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Rootha, Mastering the Moment
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*1 Archmage Emeritus
*1 Brazen Borrower // Petty Theft
*1 Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer
*1 Curiosity Crafter
*1 Dirgur Focusmage // Braingeyser
*1 Faerie Mastermind
*1 Galazeth Prismari
*1 Goldspan Dragon
*1 Harmonic Prodigy
*1 Inspired Skypainter // Maestro&#039;s Gift
*1 Leitmotif Composer
*1 Manaform Hellkite
*1 Mirrorwing Dragon
*1 Muddle, the Ever-Changing
*1 Plargg and Nassari
*1 Prismari Pianist
*1 Redoubled Stormsinger
*1 Renegade Bull
*1 Rionya, Fire Dancer
*1 Rootha, Mercurial Artist
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Storm-Kiln Artist
*1 Stormcatch Mentor
*1 Thunderclap Drake
*1 Veyran, Voice of Duality
[/Creature]
[Sorcery]
*1 Abstract Performance
*1 Aether Gale
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Chain Reaction
*1 Creative Technique
*1 Dance with Calamity
*1 Deep Analysis
*1 Expressive Iteration
*1 Furygale Flocking
*1 Mana Geyser
*1 Replication Technique
*1 Rite of Replication
*1 Rousing Refrain
*1 Surge to Victory
*1 Throes of Chaos
*1 Treasure Cruise
*1 Twinflame
*1 Volcanic Salvo
*1 Volcanic Torrent
[/Sorcery]
[Enchantment]
*1 Determined Iteration
[/Enchantment]
[Instant]
*1 Abrade
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Big Score
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Dig Through Time
*1 Magma Opus
*1 Prismari Charm
*1 Prismari Command
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Resculpt
[/Instant]
[Artifact]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Cursed Mirror
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Creativity
[/Artifact]
[Lands]
*1 Cascade Bluffs
*1 Coastal Peak
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fabled Passage
*1 Ferrous Lake
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*1 Hall of Oracles
*8 Island
*1 Molten Tributary
*7 Mountain
*1 Mystic Sanctuary
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Prismari Campus
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Restless Spire
*1 Scorched Geyser
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Spectacle Summit
*1 Study Hall
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Turbulent Springs
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abstract Performance" href="#" target="_blank">Abstract Performance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abstract Performance"></div></div>
<p>It's fitting that we're kicking off the analysis of <em>Prismari Artistry's </em>10 new cards with a flashy, expensive sorcery.</p>
<p>For six mana, we're making two piles - one face-down from the first four cards of our library, and the second face-down with the next four cards. An opponent picks one to go to the graveyard, and we can cast a spell from the other pile for free, keeping the remaining three cards from that pile for our hand.</p>
<p>At worst, you're drawing four cards for six mana, which is an average rate - think <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Opportunity" href="#" target="_blank">Opportunity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Worst case scenario is the face-up pile is four lands, but hopefully that won't happen <em>too </em>often. Abstract Performance will be better when the opponent's choice is an illusion; think of it like a graveyard enabler that occasionally hits a spell you cast for free.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dirgur Focusmage" href="#" target="_blank">Dirgur Focusmage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dirgur Focusmage"></div></div>
<p>Our first prepared creature of the <em>Prismari Artistry </em>deck brings along with it the classic <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Braingeyser" href="#" target="_blank">Braingeyser</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - not a bad spell to just have at your beck and call.</p>
<p>A 1/4 for three mana, Dirgur Focusmage provides a static <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> discount to your spells, which on its own is fine but not particularly exciting. We want to be casting a bunch of Braingeysers, and to do that, Dirgur Focusmage must prepare by seeing you cast instants or sorceries of mana value five or more <em>from your hand</em>. Sadly, this means casting huge Braingeysers won't chain prepare.</p>
<p>Unlike some prepared creatures, this one's tricky to continually prepare<em>, </em>since there's going to be a finite number of 5+-cost spells you'll have access to.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Furygale Flocking" href="#" target="_blank">Furygale Flocking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Furygale Flocking"></div></div>
<p>Speaking of high-cost spells, here's another one, though with a built-in discount code.</p>
<p>Starting at 10 mana but reducing itself by <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> for every instant/sorcery in your graveyard, Furygale Flocking provides two 3/3 blue and red Elementals for each opponent you have. They've got flying, haste, and have to attack, assuming you cast this on your first main phase, as Rootha requests.</p>
<p>Best case scenario in a normal Commander game, that's 18 points of power for as little as two mana, which is a rate you can't easily beat. To note, unlike many spells of this sort, these tokens don't exile themselves at the end of turn.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inspired Skypainter" href="#" target="_blank">Inspired Skypainter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inspired Skypainter"></div></div>
<p>This time, we're preparing Maestro's Gift, a new spell that, for five mana, makes a token copy of any of your creatures, giving that token haste as well.</p>
<p>Like we saw with Muddle above, these effects are only as good as the creatures they're able to clone. However, unlike Muddle, Maestro's Gift can make a token copy of the creature "casting" it, in Inspired Skypainter.</p>
<p>As long as you've got the mana, you can just keep making more and more Inspired Skypainters, with each one beyond the original preparing itself if they do combat damage to a player. Is that the best use of this Lizard Wizard? Probably not, but it's a neat interaction nonetheless.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leitmotif Composer" href="#" target="_blank">Leitmotif Composer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Leitmotif Composer"></div></div>
<p>Speaking of making exponentially more token copies of a creature you control, here's Leitmotif Composer. Despite what feels like a Quandrix domain, an instant or sorcery of mana value five or greater doubles the number of Leitmotif Composers you have.</p>
<p>However, as mentioned, there's going to be a finite number of spells of that cost, but one thing Leitmotif Composer has in its favor is that these spells don't have to be cast from your hand, specifically.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismari Pianist" href="#" target="_blank">Prismari Pianist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prismari Pianist"></div></div>
<p>Following the big spell leitmotif is Prismari Pianist, who does its best <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Young Pyromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Young Pyromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> impression with an additional twist.</p>
<p>Whenever you cast an instant/sorcery of any cost, you're getting a 1/1, but if that spell is mana value five or more, you're getting three tokens instead of one. That's a pretty good deal, and Prismari Pianist will probably find a home in big-spell decks that want to do more with the token generation.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Renegade Bull" href="#" target="_blank">Renegade Bull</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Renegade Bull"></div></div>
<p>It's always interesting to see a zero-power creature come with trample.</p>
<p>Yes, this Ox provides a way to make that zero turn into a crooked number whenever you cast a spell, but its real power is being able to recast your massive spells from the graveyard for free whenever it attacks. That will get out of control quick, which is appropriate for a renegade bull.</p>
<p>If this survives to attack, it could win a game on its own - provided your graveyard is well-stocked with ammunition.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Turbulent Springs" href="#" target="_blank">Turbulent Springs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Turbulent Springs"></div></div>
<p>Every one of the five <em>Secrets of Strixhaven </em>preconstructed decks get the color-appropriate "Turbulent" land, and for <em>Prismari Artistry, </em>that's the Springs.</p>
<p>Each have the relevant basic land types, which make them fetchable, and all of them have the same condition for entering untapped.</p>
<p>In a standard game of Commander, opponents collectively will control eight lands on the third turn if you went third or fourth in turn order, or turn four if you were first or second.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scorched Geyser" href="#" target="_blank">Scorched Geyser</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scorched Geyser"></div></div>
<p>Each preconstructed deck this time around also gets its own version of the "Battle Lands." This cycle of lands is so named because the cycle debuted in <em>Battle for Zendikar </em>more than a decade ago. We're finally seeing the closing of that loop.</p>
<p>Battle Lands are a mainstay as a more budget-friendly option for your mana base. They reward playing plenty of basics, and they're fetchable. There are much worse dual-color land cycles out there.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coastal Peak" href="#" target="_blank">Coastal Peak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Coastal Peak"></div></div>
<p>The Battle Lands cycle isn't the only one getting a new addition here.</p>
<p>We also have Coastal Peak, which is the first time a blue/red land has appeared in the "Bicycle Lands" cycle that started with 2017's <em>Amonkhet. </em>Unlike the Battle Lands, though, these will always enter tapped.</p>
<p>However, the cycling ability can be a huge boon in the late game, so these lands will always be useful.</p>


<p><em>Prismari Artistry </em>is the kind of preconstructed deck where you'll win by stomping opponents with a bunch of 8/8 Elemental tokens one game, or by casually creating a dozen copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldspan Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Goldspan Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> another game.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, the deck's looking to do two things: make tokens and cast giant spells. And with Rootha, doing the latter feeds into the former.</p>
<p>In total, there are 21 spells in the list that have a mana value of five or greater. There are only three cards - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dirgur Focusmage" href="#" target="_blank">Dirgur Focusmage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismari Pianist" href="#" target="_blank">Prismari Pianist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leitmotif Composer" href="#" target="_blank">Leitmotif Composer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - who ask for that as a specific qualifier, and a few other cards just want to see you cast the biggest stuff you possibly can.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Manaform Hellkite"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Surge to Victory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Renegade Bull"></div></div>
<p>Really, it's Rootha herself driving the bus when it comes to maximizing mana values. If she's at the lead of the 99, the goal is to make the biggest Elemental token possible every turn, and turn it sideways.</p>
<p>Thankfully, in a deck with very little in the way of traditional ramp, many of those expensive spells come with their own built-in discounts, like old favorites <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dig Through Time" href="#" target="_blank">Dig Through Time</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Treasure Cruise" href="#" target="_blank">Treasure Cruise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Granted, that last one doesn't really help the Rootha plan.</p>
<p>We've also got ways to make spells cheaper to cast via cost reducers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stormcatch Mentor" href="#" target="_blank">Stormcatch Mentor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunderclap Drake" href="#" target="_blank">Thunderclap Drake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galazeth Prismari" href="#" target="_blank">Galazeth Prismari</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, in a way.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stormcatch Mentor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunderclap Drake"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Galazeth Prismari"></div></div>
<p>Just note that if you're looking to go the route of making Dragon Illusions with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Manaform Hellkite" href="#" target="_blank">Manaform Hellkite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it cares only about how much you actually spend, not the mana value of the spell itself, so cost reducers actually work against you here.</p>
<p>The other primary route to an unforgettable performance is one a little more difficult to chart, and that's pure randomness.</p>
<p>Yes, there are spells that discount themselves, and permanents that provide a reduction in cost, but there are also a few ways to just randomly cast things for free - and there's no better cost than free.</p>
<p>Let's look at <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abstract Performance" href="#" target="_blank">Abstract Performance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Throes of Chaos" href="#" target="_blank">Throes of Chaos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Surge to Victory" href="#" target="_blank">Surge to Victory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dance with Calamity" href="#" target="_blank">Dance with Calamity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Renegade Bull" href="#" target="_blank">Renegade Bull</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plargg and Nassari" href="#" target="_blank">Plargg and Nassari</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abstract Performance"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Throes of Chaos"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Surge to Victory"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dance with Calamity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Renegade Bull"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Plargg and Nassari"></div></div>
<p>For a deck ostensibly so centered on casting instants or sorceries, however, all these meandering routes eventually just connect to a real path to victory, which is via combat damage. Everything you do will funnel toward the aim of making the biggest tokens, or the most tokens, or the most biggest tokens.</p>
<p>Sure, it's very good at that, and it's a way to play that many people enjoy, but it's what you're getting.</p>


<p>As is expected, there are no true combos in <em>Prismari Artistry </em>right out of the box. But it would be very easy to rectify that, should we choose to do so.</p>
<p>However, while it's easy to throw a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Repercussion" href="#" target="_blank">Repercussion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in there to combo with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Combat Celebrant" href="#" target="_blank">Combat Celebrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to go infinite with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rionya, Fire Dancer" href="#" target="_blank">Rionya, Fire Dancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we should at least keep to the spirit of what the deck is doing.</p>
<p>Thanks to Commander Spellbook and their handy "Find My Combos" tool, we see that there are a number of much more on-brand combos we could include.</p>
<p>If you want to get complicated, we could add a combo that sees <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Veyran, Voice of Duality" href="#" target="_blank">Veyran, Voice of Duality</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> team up with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storm-Kiln Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Storm-Kiln Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to create infinite creature tokens using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Twinflame" href="#" target="_blank">Twinflame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ardent Elementalist" href="#" target="_blank">Ardent Elementalist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We'd just need to add the Elementalist, which seems perfect since "Elemental" is right there in the name.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Veyran, Voice of Duality"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Storm-Kiln Artist"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Twinflame"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ardent Elementalist"></div></div>
<div id="1235-2239-4280-5195" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
<script id="1235-2239-4280-5195" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Veyran%2C%20Voice%20of%20Duality%22%2C%22Twinflame%22%2C%22Storm-Kiln%20Artist%22%2C%22Ardent%20Elementalist%22%5D&requires=%5B%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20creature%20tokens%20with%20haste%22%2C%22Infinite%20ETB%22%2C%22Infinitely%20large%20creature%20until%20end%20of%20turn%22%2C%22Infinite%20magecraft%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20storm%20count%22%5D&id=1235-2239-4280-5195&color=UR&extraRequirementCount=0"></script></div>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="." width="0" height="0"></iframe><br />
Can't get much more Prismari than that performance, right?</p>


<p><em>Prismari Artistry </em>has 38 lands, which is probably needed considering the focus on higher-cost spells. But even more so, those higher-cost spells don't really do what we want them to do unless we've got our engine online, which also takes reliable mana.</p>
<p>Of those lands, most are there to make blue mana, red mana, or both, but there are still a few utility pieces in there, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystic Sanctuary" href="#" target="_blank">Mystic Sanctuary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hall of Oracles" href="#" target="_blank">Hall of Oracles</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mystic Sanctuary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hall of Oracles"></div></div>
<p>However, the vast majority of those 38 lands are there to ensure we hit our colors when we need to, and that's a good thing.</p>
<p>As for mana rocks, <em>Prismari Artistry </em>comes with the standard suite of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Talisman of Creativity" href="#" target="_blank">Talisman of Creativity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but there's at least one interesting inclusion beyond those in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cursed Mirror" href="#" target="_blank">Cursed Mirror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cursed Mirror"></div></div>
<p>It's the perfect fit for the deck, as the temporary copy will often be even more appreciated than the mana rock it leaves behind.</p>


<p>There are a ton of excellent reprints in all of the <em>Secrets of Strixhaven </em>preconstructed decks, and <em>Prismari Artistry </em>didn't miss out on that front.</p>
<p>With an MSRP of $49.99, the deck's 100 cards are currently valued at approximately $350. Don't forget, though, that that number is inflated due to the preorder price frenzy that all new cards see. For example, Rootha, Mastering the Moment is priced at $30 by itself, which is not sustainable.</p>
<p>If we toss out the new cards, we're left with around $170. Still not terrible.</p>
<p>Where you see most of that value is in a few stellar reprints:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faerie Mastermind" href="#" target="_blank">Faerie Mastermind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harmonic Prodigy" href="#" target="_blank">Harmonic Prodigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldspan Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Goldspan Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunderclap Drake" href="#" target="_blank">Thunderclap Drake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Veyran, Voice of Duality" href="#" target="_blank">Veyran, Voice of Duality</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Faerie Mastermind"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harmonic Prodigy"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goldspan Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunderclap Drake"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Veyran, Voice of Duality"></div></div>
<p>These are your top five reprints, and at current prices, just from Faerie Mastermind and Harmonic Prodigy, you're getting that $49.99 MSRP in value back. The other 98 cards are gravy.</p>


<p>If your goal is to wow the table with massive spells, then you're squarely in the Prismari side of Strixhaven. And that's exactly what <em>Prismari Artistry </em>looks to illustrate, with flashy sorceries feeding into an ever-growing horde of tokens ready to overrun the table.</p>
<p>For what it is, it's a great deck. If you're looking for something a little more nuanced out of your red/blue decks, there are better options. But Prismari aren't known for nuance, anyway.</p>
<p>Overall, the deck scores a B+.</p>


<p>If you're looking for the best cards to upgrade your <em>Prismari Artistry </em>precon, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/prismari-artistry-precon-upgrade">check out our Upgrade Guide here</a>.</p>


Prismari Artistry - Secrets of Strixhaven Precon Guide

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spectacular Skywhale" href="#" target="_blank">Spectacular Skywhale</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CSerena+Malyon%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Serena Malyon</a></em></p>
<p><em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em>'s preview season is well underway, and Wizards of the Coast is doing something interesting this time around. Because Strixhaven University contains five different academic houses, Wizards has split each house's previews up to reveal them one house per day. Yesterday, Wizards' content creators and Ambassadors revealed Prismari's artists and performers. Today, the same was done for Lorehold. In this recap, we'll look at all of them! Read on for more!</p>
<h2>April 2nd: Prismari (Outlets and Content Creators)</h2>
<p>The content creators and media outlets credited with bringing the Prismari previews to the public are the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>@4GamerNews</li>
<li><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@benbatemanmtg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Bateman</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/evynfong/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evyn Fong</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/fellbrinkmtg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fellbrinkmtg</a></li>
<li>Good Games Morley</li>
<li><a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/story" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>Magic Story</i></a></li>
<li>ScreenHub</li>
<li>Star City Games</li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/zbexx/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zbexx</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Feel free to click the content creators' links and check out their work!</p>
<h2>Prismari Reveals for <em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em></h2>
<p>The Prismari cards in <em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em> seem pretty great. These artisans and performers, all encapsulated within (and simultaneously encapsulating) the blue-red color identity, are going to be explosive in Limited formats, including Prerelease. (That starts on April 17th, for those not yet in the know!)</p>
<p>But let's look at those cards now, and be enraptured by the swirling colors and stunning attention to detail!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Landscape Painter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Steal the Show"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Muse Seeker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Campus Composer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zaffai and the Tempests"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Resonating Lute"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Traumatic Critique"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Orysa, Tide Choreographer"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Artistic Process"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Splatter Technique"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deluge Virtuoso"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mana Sculpt"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spectacular Skywhale"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunderdrum Soloist"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Expressive Firedancer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Muse&#039;s Encouragement"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rapturous Moment"></div></div>
<h2>April 3rd: Lorehold (Outlets and Content Creators)</h2>
<p>The content creators and media outlets credited with bringing the Lorehold previews to the public are the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>@mtgjp</li>
<li>@TokyoMTG</li>
<li><a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/story" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>Magic Story</i></a></li>
<li><i>Magic: The Gathering</i> Social Media</li>
<li>MTGGoldfish</li>
<li>TopDeck</li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/toriofthevast/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tori of the Vast</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/wllkln/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Will Klein</a></li>
<li>YSS</li>
</ul>
<p>Feel free to click the content creators' links and check out their work!</p>
<h2>Lorehold Reveals for <em>MTGSOS</em></h2>
<p>Lorehold House's white-red color identity lends itself remarkably well to history and preservation. These cards, not unlike Prismari's show-stopping cards, will be fantastic in Limited, but I surmise they'll also find several homes in Constructed.</p>
<p>Before we go on with these previews, I must reiterate from preview seasons past that I will not be sharing cards that don't have a confirmed English name yet. As such, the "Capstone" card from the Lorehold previews will not be in this article. However, having said that, let's look at all the rest of the cards!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Group Project"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Garrison Excavator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flashback"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Borrowed Knowledge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Suspend Aggression"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emeritus of Conflict"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Erode"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Practiced Scrollsmith"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Daydream"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spiritcall Enthusiast"></div></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>And now, let's open the floor to you, dear readers! Are you excited about <em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em>? Are these academic houses' new cards ones that you'd want to use in any decks you own or plan to make? What's your favorite Strixhaven University house? Sound off in the comments below!</p>


Secrets of Strixhaven Preview Recap: Prismari and Lorehold

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldspan Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Goldspan Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.andrewkmar.com/">Andrew Mar</a></em></p>
<p>Welcome back to <em>60 to 100</em>, a series where I take beloved decks from 60-card formats and convert them to Commander.</p>
<p>I loved the first <em>Strixhaven</em> set, and it feels incredibly recent in my memory. When it was announced that we would be returning to Strixhaven with <em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em> this year, I was pleasantly surprised. It seemed a little early; after all, it was only a couple years ago. As it turns out, <em>Strixhaven: School of Mages</em> released in April 2021, with almost exactly five years between it and <em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em>. I feel like an ancient relic.</p>
<p>For this installment of <em>60 to </em><em>100</em>, I'm going to revisit my favorite deck from <em>Strixhaven</em>'s stint in Standard: <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/izzet">Izzet</a> (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) Dragons. Let's have a look at the source material.</p>
<h2>The Source Material</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Izzet Dragons by Ross Merriam" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Instants]
*4 Frost Bite
*4 Magma Opus
*2 Mystical Dispute
*3 Saw It Coming
[/Instants]
[Creatures]
*4 Bonecrusher Giant // Stomp
*3 Brazen Borrower // Petty Theft
*3 Galazeth Prismari
*4 Goldspan Dragon
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*4 Alrund&#039;s Epiphany
*3 Expressive Iteration
*1 Shatterskull Smashing // Shatterskull, the Hammer Pass
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*4 Fabled Passage
*4 Faceless Haven
*4 Riverglide Pathway // Lavaglide Pathway
*5 Snow-Covered Island
*4 Snow-Covered Mountain
*4 Volatile Fjord
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goldspan Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Alrund&#039;s Epiphany"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magma Opus"></div></div>
<p>Izzet Dragons is the ultimate <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/spellslinger">Spellslinger</a> deck. The plan is fairly simple: fend off the opponent in the early game, run out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Treasure" href="#" target="_blank">Treasure</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-generating Dragons, and then begin slamming haymaker after haymaker with the abundance of mana those Dragons generate. In this case, those Dragons are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galazeth Prismari" href="#" target="_blank">Galazeth Prismari</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldspan Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Goldspan Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and the haymakers are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alrund&#039;s Epiphany" href="#" target="_blank">Alrund&#039;s Epiphany</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magma Opus" href="#" target="_blank">Magma Opus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>Choosing a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Galazeth Prismari"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galazeth Prismari" href="#" target="_blank">Galazeth Prismari</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the clear choice to helm this deck. He reminds me a lot of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cormela, Glamour Thief" href="#" target="_blank">Cormela, Glamour Thief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, in that Galazeth is a solid ramp spell that can easily be cast on turn three or four to set up a big, splashy instant or sorcery to cast on the next turn. The Treasure that he makes when he enters can ideally be used to protect him and ensure he survives the turn cycle.</p>
<p>On top of all that, who would be a better choice to represent an Izzet deck from <em>Strixhaven</em> Standard than the Prismari Elder Dragon himself?</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Izzet Dragons</h2>
<h3>Artifact Generation</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="April O&#039;Neil, Human Element"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Storm-Kiln Artist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goldspan Dragon"></div></div>
<p>The key to reaching a state where this deck can fire off huge spells one after the other is generating a lot of artifacts for Galazeth to tap for mana. In that way, he's a lot like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza, Lord High Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Urza, Lord High Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="April O&#039;Neil, Human Element" href="#" target="_blank">April O&#039;Neil, Human Element</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a new card that may very well be the best option for the kind of token generation this deck is looking for. Getting an artifact token off of every artifact, instant, or sorcery that <em>any</em> player casts is a big game. April is a superior play on turn three after a turn-two ramp spell than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galazeth Prismari" href="#" target="_blank">Galazeth Prismari</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as even two or three triggers will set the stage for Galazeth to hit the board and get more immediate value.</p>
<p>Similarly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storm-Kiln Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Storm-Kiln Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a perfect Treasure-generator for this strategy. Because the Treasures don't need to be sacrificed for mana with Galazeth Prismari in play, one-mana instants and sorceries are turned into zero-mana ramp spells. It's possible to squeeze additional value out of with the handful of copy-enablers that I'll get to later.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldspan Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Goldspan Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the three Dragons in the 99, and just like in Standard, it is one of the best cards in the deck at producing copious amounts of mana. Getting a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Treasure" href="#" target="_blank">Treasure</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> token on attack is fantastic, as is gaining the option to sacrifice Treasures for two mana. The ability that ties it all together is Goldspan's ability to generate extra Treasures when targeted. Not only does it make opponents' removal spells feel awful, it also offers opportunities to turn my own spells into rituals by targeting Goldspan Dragon. When playing against Goldspan Dragon, there are few worse feelings than pointing a removal spell at it, giving the opponent a Treasure, and then getting blown out by an Essence Flux, stopping the removal spell and granting the opponent yet another Treasure.</p>
<h3>Haymakers</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Soulfire Eruption"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mnemonic Deluge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rite of Replication"></div></div>
<p>There are 17 cards in the deck that cost six or more mana, along with a couple spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rite of Replication" href="#" target="_blank">Rite of Replication</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that can soak up similar amounts of mana. None of them serve mission-critical purposes beyond being good spells to cast after making a bunch of mana with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galazeth Prismari" href="#" target="_blank">Galazeth Prismari</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and friends. With that said, let's look at a few of my favorites.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soulfire Eruption" href="#" target="_blank">Soulfire Eruption</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is my candidate for the biggest, splashiest spell a deck in these colors can cast. In a deck with an average mana value of around four, and in a deck that can copy spells with relative ease, this sorcery can be any combination of a board wipe, a burn spell, and a draw spell.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mnemonic Deluge" href="#" target="_blank">Mnemonic Deluge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another huge sorcery that acts as a solid recursion spell that gets a lot better in a deck with such a high density of high-mana-value spells. Sneakily, Mnemonic Deluge can also exile and copy an instant or sorcery from an opposing graveyard. With the right pod of opposing decks, Mnemonic Deluge could nab someone's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Breach the Multiverse" href="#" target="_blank">Breach the Multiverse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rite of Replication" href="#" target="_blank">Rite of Replication</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an incredibly flexible spell. A kicked Rite of Replication can very easily win a game, there are no shortage of creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terror of the Peaks" href="#" target="_blank">Terror of the Peaks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that win the game on the spot when five copies hit the board all at once. My personal best Rite of Replication so far has been making five copies of my opponent's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blightsteel Colossus" href="#" target="_blank">Blightsteel Colossus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Galvanic Iteration"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cursed Recording"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ral, Storm Conduit"></div></div>
<p>What's better than one <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hit the Mother Lode" href="#" target="_blank">Hit the Mother Lode</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Two, of course. When <em>Innistrad: Midnight Hunt</em> hit Standard, it gifted Izzet Dragons <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galvanic Iteration" href="#" target="_blank">Galvanic Iteration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It didn't take long for players to work out that the most effective way to close out a game of <em>Magic</em> is two copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alrund&#039;s Epiphany" href="#" target="_blank">Alrund&#039;s Epiphany</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magma Opus" href="#" target="_blank">Magma Opus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cursed Recording" href="#" target="_blank">Cursed Recording</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is my new favorite amplifier for the big-spells-focused Spellslinger archetype. A four-mana artifact that has a floor of being tapped for mana by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galazeth Prismari" href="#" target="_blank">Galazeth Prismari</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the ceiling of generating an extra nine mana of value off of copying <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soulfire Eruption" href="#" target="_blank">Soulfire Eruption</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The "downside" of Cursed Recording is mostly a lie. In several months of regularly casting this artifact, I have never taken damage from it. It's trivially easy to point a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismari Command" href="#" target="_blank">Prismari Command</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chaos Warp" href="#" target="_blank">Chaos Warp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at it when the time comes.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ral, Storm Conduit" href="#" target="_blank">Ral, Storm Conduit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a planeswalker that serves the same purpose as Cursed Recording. Four mana is the most I'd ever want to pay to copy a spell, and Ral is a totally fine way to do it. Using his +2 ability to smooth out the deck's draws happens more often than I expected, and the fact that he enters at four loyalty and immediately upticks to six means that he rarely dies before getting value. On top of all that, Ral's passive ability can be a surprisingly effective way to chip away at opposing life totals.</p>
<h2>How Does This Izzet Dragons Deck Win the Game?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mizzix&#039;s Mastery"></div></div>
<p>Mizzix's Mastery is the ultimate finisher in a deck that will often have a graveyard with huge selection of expensive instants and sorceries in it by the later stages of the game. I've yet to actually have anyone allow me to resolve Mizzix's Mastery as paying the eight mana and placing it on the stack usually prompts everyone to concede. This is the Spellslinger version of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hellkite Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Hellkite Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hellkite Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Hellkite Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a Dragon that's fairly easy to find thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magda, Brazen Outlaw" href="#" target="_blank">Magda, Brazen Outlaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sarkhan&#039;s Triumph" href="#" target="_blank">Sarkhan&#039;s Triumph</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While being a little more vulnerable to sorcery-speed removal than I'd like, this Dragon is very capable of ruining a fellow artifact player's day and winning the game afterwards. Due to the deck's absurd ability to generate artifact tokens, Hellkite Tyrant will often be able to win the game even without stealing anyone's artifacts.</p>
<h2>Izzet Dragons Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="60 to 100 - Izzet Dragons" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Galazeth Prismari
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Academy Manufactor
*1 April O&#039;Neil, Human Element
*1 Archmage Emeritus
*1 Cavern-Hoard Dragon
*1 Chrome Host Seedshark
*1 Donatello, the Brains
*1 Dragonologist
*1 Goldspan Dragon
*1 Hellkite Tyrant
*1 Magda, Brazen Outlaw
*1 Pinnacle Monk
*1 Sin Prodder
*1 Storm-Kiln Artist
*1 The Mechanist, Aerial Artisan
*1 Third Path Iconoclast
*1 Toggo, Goblin Weaponsmith
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Cursed Recording
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Howling Mine
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Orb of Dragonkind
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Star Compass
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Thought Vessel
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Big Score
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Brainsurge
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Dig Through Time
*1 Draconic Lore
*1 Essence Flux
*1 Galvanic Iteration
*1 Magma Opus
*1 Memory Deluge
*1 Mental Journey
*1 Misdirection
*1 Prismari Command
*1 Redirect Lightning
*1 Rush of Inspiration
*1 Sarkhan&#039;s Triumph
*1 Stern Lesson
*1 Storm King&#039;s Thunder
*1 Sublime Epiphany
*1 Untimely Malfunction
*1 Whir of Invention
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Aminatou&#039;s Augury
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Brass&#039;s Bounty
*1 Call Forth the Tempest
*1 Expressive Iteration
*1 Gitaxian Probe
*1 Hit the Mother Lode
*1 Insurrection
*1 Lórien Revealed
*1 Mizzium Mortars
*1 Mizzix&#039;s Mastery
*1 Mnemonic Deluge
*1 Ponder
*1 Rite of Replication
*1 Sea Gate Restoration
*1 Soulfire Eruption
*1 Stock Up
*1 Sundering Eruption
*1 Volcanic Vision
[/Sorceries]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Ral, Storm Conduit
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Archway of Innovation
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Cascade Bluffs
*1 Command Tower
*1 Fiery Islet
*1 Flooded Strand
*4 Island
*1 Mistrise Village
*1 Misty Rainforest
*3 Mountain
*1 Mystic Sanctuary
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Riverglide Pathway
*1 Riverpyre Verge
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Thundering Falls
*1 Training Center
*1 Treasure Vault
*1 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>This deck was a great outlet for my growing anticipation leading up to <em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em>. Where <em>Lorwyn Eclipsed</em> felt like it was targeting the players that have been around a little longer than I have, <em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em> seems to be aimed right at my generation of <em>Magic</em> players and I couldn't be more excited.</p>
<p>Going in, there were two drafts of this deck I had to pick between for this article. I firmly believe that this <a href="https://edhrec.com/guides/edhrec-guide-to-commander-brackets">Bracket</a> 2 (Core) or 3 (Upgraded) oriented version is much more fun than the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, extra turns chaining variant I cooked up. I reasoned that most people that would be into that kind of deck would likely rather just be playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza, Lord High Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Urza, Lord High Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> anyways.</p>


Building Strixhaven Standard's Izzet Dragons in Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismari Command" href="#" target="_blank">Prismari Command</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/algenpfleger">Johannes Voss</a></em></p>
<p>Last month we had a first look at the upcoming <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/sos" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em></a> set. We got to <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/secrets-of-strixhaven-and-marvel-super-heroes-products-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">see the entire product line-up</a>, including the five Commander preconstructed decks and their respective face commanders.</p>
<p>This week, I'll be covering a deck tech on the leader of the <em>Prismari Artistry</em> deck, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rootha, Mastering the Moment" href="#" target="_blank">Rootha, Mastering the Moment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rootha, Mastering the Moment" href="#" target="_blank">Rootha, Mastering the Moment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</h2>
<p>You can read all about Rootha's backstory <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Rootha_Squallheart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. True to her character, she delayed her graduation to reach the perfection she long sought. A <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magma Opus" href="#" target="_blank">Magma Opus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you might say.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rootha, Mastering the Moment"></div></div>
<p>Much like the Prismari back in the original <em>Strixhaven: School of Mages</em> set, we're not casting a billion spells, ramping up to storm off. Instead, we're going with the big spells, and this version of Rootha rewards us by creating a hasty, flying token that can smack opponents for some big damage.</p>
<p>All of this is well and good, but what kind of big spells are we talking about here?</p>
<h2>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rootha, Mastering the Moment" href="#" target="_blank">Rootha, Mastering the Moment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<h3>Artistic Performance</h3>
<p>While we could look through all of the <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/spellslinger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spellslinger</a> options we have, Rootha needs us to run something different from the norm. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Creative Technique" href="#" target="_blank">Creative Technique</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are valuable because, at worst, we're getting a 5/5 Elemental. However, we could always hit one of our bigger spells instead, which is even better.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Into the Story|eld|50"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Creative Outburst"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Creative Technique"></div></div>
<p>In the case of both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Creative Outburst" href="#" target="_blank">Creative Outburst</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the aforementioned Magma Opus, we can discard these to get a Treasure token, but being able to cast them for free is simply divine.</p>
<p>Even better, though, are the spells that can discount themselves.</p>
<p>For example, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Into the Story" href="#" target="_blank">Into the Story</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could be cast for two mana. However, Rootha checks for the mana value of the card, not how much you paid into the spell. So, you technically get a 7/7 for just two mana! Sadly, I must point out that Rootha does not work with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> because Rootha triggers at the start of combat, but she'll die before then - unless you find a way to protect her.</p>
<p>That said, there aren't many cards that are worthwhile in the deck. Maybe more will come out, but we'll make do with what we have.</p>
<h3>A Token Performance</h3>
<p>You might be asking what the big idea is behind this section. Well, considering that we make only one of those Elementals during our turn (assuming we've cast an instant or sorcery), it'll mean the game plan will be slow, and easily hindered in a multiplayer setting. The bad news is that, at the time of writing, there aren't too many ways we can make multiple tokens that can attack that turn.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curiosity Crafter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Full Throttle"></div></div>
<p>However, the good news is that we have a few ways to get things going. We have our usual suspects, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Talrand, Sky Summoner" href="#" target="_blank">Talrand, Sky Summoner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but there's also <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ovika, Enigma Goliath" href="#" target="_blank">Ovika, Enigma Goliath</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who will make an army of these tokens. Though, we also have options like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Twinflame" href="#" target="_blank">Twinflame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that can make copies of a given card.</p>
<p>Beware, though, because Rootha only triggers during combat, and a lot of these spells are sorcery-speed. The key player in all of this is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer" href="#" target="_blank">Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It'll turn every token we have into the same Elemental we make, plus make a token of its own. Here's hoping that we have more ways to make Rootha's ability work sooner or later.</p>
<p>It's at this point that it makes sense to protect the token we create as best as we can. That way, when it comes back to our turn, we can use red's various cloning effects to copy the token.</p>
<p>This is especially true when we take into account the key suite of cards that make Rootha tick: extra combat steps! The more combats we get, the more Rootha triggers we'll get. Plus, these tokens will have haste, so they can attack right away. Our prime example is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Full Throttle" href="#" target="_blank">Full Throttle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will give us a bunch of extra combat steps, meaning more tokens to swing with.</p>
<h2>How to Win With <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rootha, Mastering the Moment" href="#" target="_blank">Rootha, Mastering the Moment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p>Our ways to win are not much different from the average Spellslinger deck. That said, in our case, we have to go big or go home.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crackle with Power"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shark Typhoon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Surge to Victory"></div></div>
<p>Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Surge to Victory" href="#" target="_blank">Surge to Victory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> pumps our board, and creates a copy of whatever spell we pick when we cast it. While Rootha won't see the copied spell, she will see the Surge, giving us a 6/6 token, perhaps more with an extra combat spell.</p>
<p>Speaking of tokens, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shark Typhoon" href="#" target="_blank">Shark Typhoon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (aka "sharknado") will make plenty of tokens, including big ones we can copy. However, the main token will not have haste, making Brudiclad even more important.</p>
<p>Otherwise, we can rely on the Old Faithful method of using big spells, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rite of Replication" href="#" target="_blank">Rite of Replication</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crackle with Power" href="#" target="_blank">Crackle with Power</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The X-spells in the deck will ensure that we'll always have a giant token to use. That said, I would not advise <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Epic Experiment" href="#" target="_blank">Epic Experiment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> if you load up on those. X will be zero every time, and the cards would basically do nothing.</p>
<h2>Rootha, Mastering the Moment Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Mastering the Moment with Rootha" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Rootha, Mastering the Moment
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Primal Amulet // Primal Wellspring
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Big Score
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Consider
*1 Creative Outburst
*1 Dig Through Time
*1 Frantic Search
*1 Galvanic Iteration
*1 Into the Story
*1 Invert Polarity
*1 Magma Opus
*1 Opt
*1 Prismari Command
*1 Savage Beating
*1 Seething Song
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Crackle with Power
*1 Creative Technique
*1 Dance with Calamity
*1 Deep Analysis
*1 Expressive Iteration
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Full Throttle
*1 Fury of the Horde
*1 Mana Geyser
*1 Mizzix&#039;s Mastery
*1 Ponder
*1 Preordain
*1 Relentless Assault
*1 Seize the Day
*1 Surge to Victory
*1 Treasure Cruise
*1 Volcanic Salvo
*1 Volcanic Vision
*1 World at War
[/Sorceries]
[Creatures]
*1 Archmage Emeritus
*1 Archmage of Runes
*1 Balmor, Battlemage Captain
*1 Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer
*1 Coruscation Mage
*1 Curiosity Crafter
*1 Firebrand Archer
*1 Goblin Electromancer
*1 Goldspan Dragon
*1 Guttersnipe
*1 Haughty Djinn
*1 Kessig Flamebreather
*1 Mizzix of the Izmagnus
*1 Ovika, Enigma Goliath
*1 Storm-Kiln Artist
*1 Stormcatch Mentor
*1 Third Path Iconoclast
*1 Thunderclap Drake
*1 Young Pyromancer
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Case of the Ransacked Lab
*1 Determined Iteration
*1 Shark Typhoon
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Cascade Bluffs
*1 Command Tower
*1 Fabled Passage
*1 Ferrous Lake
*1 Fiery Islet
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*11 Island
*11 Mountain
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Riverpyre Verge
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Thundering Falls
*1 Training Center
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Aaaaand, Scene!</h2>
<p>And that is just one of the five face commanders from <em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em>. Rootha does seem dull, but built and/or played right, she can be taken into a path within the archetype that can be rather unique. She just simply needs a bit more support to push her over the edge (or the Edge, you might say).</p>
<p>Now, I would like to hear from you. Which of those face commanders gets your attention? Are you looking forward to going back to <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Arcavios" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arcavios</a>? Either way, be sure to come back next time, where I hopefully (more like finally!) begin one of the two new series I have planned for you.</p>


prismari

Building Prismari, the Inspiration for cEDH

The Best Commons and Uncommons from Secrets of Strixhaven

Prismari Artistry - Secrets of Strixhaven Precon Guide

Secrets of Strixhaven Preview Recap: Prismari and Lorehold

Building Strixhaven Standard's Izzet Dragons in Commander

Mastering the Moment With Rootha in Commander

Revisiting the Top Ten Commanders from Strixhaven