Umbral ExpanseUmbral Expanse | Art by Florian Herold

Back to school, back to school, to prove to Jace that I'm not a fool...

Secrets of Strixhaven isn't the artifact set of the year (that was almost certainly Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, despite the hate), but it does have a couple of fun ones. That said, it might just be the cheap landbase set of the year, which is a smaller, even more coveted trophy.

But enough hypothetical awards, let's dig into the lands and artifacts (and colorless cards) of Secrets of Strixhaven!

The Dawning ArchaicThe Dawning Archaic

So here's the glaring hurdle for The Dawning ArchaicThe Dawning Archaic: there are only around 25 colorless instants and sorceries in existence, and most of them are terrible. In other words? It might still be a minute before this is a decent commander anywhere but in bracket 1.

Setting the command zone to the side, then, how will The Dawning Archaic do in the 99 of decks playing a few colors? Well, I think. Whether it be spellslinger or self-mill decks, there's a home for this big fella. Affinity is still an amazing mechanic, even if it's not named, and a big body on the cheap that won't die in combat but will get you a spell back each turn is going to be welcome in a lot of decks.

Ark of HungerArk of Hunger

The Lorehold theme of "cards leaving the graveyard" returns in Secrets of Strixhaven, and one of the best new tools for the various QuintoriusQuintorius decks of the world is Ark of HungerArk of Hunger. Four mana for a payoff card is on the steep side, but it coming stapled to a means to both mill and play cards more than makes up for it.

As for what commanders want this, outside of our favorite Elephant pal? A perusal of all the commanders that directly care about cards leaving your graveyard essentially just brings up QuintoriusQuintorius, the new KirolKirol, and Tormod, the DesecratorTormod, the Desecrator. If you expand your search out to include Boros-plus commanders that do things with the graveyard, however, there is a bounty to be found, starting with Alesha, Who Smiles at DeathAlesha, Who Smiles at Death, Celes, Rune KnightCeles, Rune Knight, and the toast of town from the last Lorehold set, Osgir, the ReconstructorOsgir, the Reconstructor.

Brass InfiniscopeBrass Infiniscope

It's rare that I get through one of these artifact reviews without ending up talking about a three-mana rock with upside, but it looks like for Secrets of Strixhaven, we decided to go the four-mana route instead!

The four-mana rock with upside isn't exactly new territory, but it is a lot less well-defined than the three-mana space. Brass InfiniscopeBrass Infiniscope's design is interesting in that it doesn't mirror the other four-mana options, like Hedron ArchiveHedron Archive, Stonespeaker CrystalStonespeaker Crystal, and Sarevok's TomeSarevok's Tome, in having a completely separate ability. Instead, it buries the upside within its "add " ability, allowing you to draw a card and gain some life when you cast an X spell.

And that X spell space is getting pretty large, with the addition of Secrets of Strixhaven caring about them. Zimone, Infinite AnalystZimone, Infinite Analyst provides a new Simic option from the Commander decks, and between that deck and the rest of the set, we got 25 new options for the strategy. To put it succinctly? X spell decks are eating well this set. Brass Infiniscope is probably the biggest reason why.

Cauldron of EssenceCauldron of Essence

Ten points to Witherbloom! The rare two-color artifact cycle continues with Cauldron of EssenceCauldron of Essence, which might just be the best of the bunch. It comes standard with a Zulaport CutthroatZulaport Cutthroat effect for three mana, which is only slightly above-rate for a harder-to-remove option, and then they went ahead and tacked on one of the most efficient repeatable ReanimateReanimate effects in the game to it. And that's it. There's some synergy between the two effects, in that you can sacrifice a creature to bring back another creature each turn, triggering the drain, but the takeaway here is simple: this card is incredibly efficient, and provides two effects that a ton of decks are looking for. If you're in Golgari Witherbloom, chances are you're playing it unless you've gone very out of your way to not have Aristocrats tendencies.

Coastal PeakCoastal Peak and Umbral ExpanseUmbral Expanse

After seeing the Boros, Golgari, and Simic portions of the enemy-colored cycling duals in Edge of Eternities, the Secrets of Strixhaven Commander decks are finishing off the cycle with the Izzet and Orzhov entries. With all ten cycling duals now available alongside the Triomes and a plethora of mono-colored and colorless options, there are now 47 land cycling options available, well past the mark of the 36 lands that most Commander decks sport. In my five-color cycling deck, I've been having to be choosy about which cycling lands to include for a while now, but it's getting to the point that even the three- and two-color decks are now starting to have so many options that actual decisions beyond "well, the Deserts aren't good enough, obviously" are having to be made.

For my money, though, as a cycling enthusiast? The duals are where its at. Two colorless to cycle, so they're free with FluctuatorFluctuator, and that fact puts them way over the Triomes despite their lesser mana fixing.

Eclipsed SteppeEclipsed Steppe and Scorched GeyserScorched Geyser

As if the Fetches weren't already good enough, though, we got the Izzet and Orzhov portions of the Battle Lands that sport a basic land type as well. The Battle Lands are never going to keep up with the Shocks, of course, but they do provide a great second or cheaper option. The other thing they do is expand horizons for decks that care about a specific land type that aren't mono-color. I went through a whole cycle of finding all the cards that care about each basic land type, and in the 7 years since those articles came out, we've added such a plethora of dual options with basic land types that you can now do a full four- or five-color deck that sports all one kind of basic land type without even needing to include the actual basic in question.

In other words? Maybe its time for that truly on-theme Sol'kanar the Swamp KingSol'kanar the Swamp King deck.

Great Hall of the BiblioplexGreat Hall of the Biblioplex

It's been a while since a man-land made a splash in the Commander format. Honestly, if you're not going out of your way to build a deck full of Restless AnchorageRestless Anchorage's, you're probably not playing any man-lands at all these days. The Great Hall of the BiblioplexGreat Hall of the Biblioplex brings something else to the table, however: meaningful color-fixing that doesn't enter tapped for spell decks, that also provides a backup win condition.

Now, are you or your opponents likely to want to go through the rigmarole of storming off for three turns in a row so that they can die to your 44/4 Wizard land? No. But with the entry cost here being essentially zero in most spell decks that will want this just for the fixing, it will be an option available to you.

Petrified HamletPetrified Hamlet

The immediate thought everyone had when they first saw Petrified HamletPetrified Hamlet was "Finally, an answer for CradleCradle!" Then, we all reread it, and realized that no, this doesn't stop mana abilities, and therefore doesn't stop Cradle or any other landother land that makes a million manamakes a million mana.

Instead, this is a silver bullet against land's other activated abilities. So, if we're going to figure out if this card is good, we have to look at the various utility lands of the world, and which ones this stops. Seems like a job for the Utility Lands page, and an excuse for a top ten list!

Top Ten Utility Lands with Non-Mana Activated Abilities

1. Rogue's PassageRogue's Passage
2. Boseiju, Who EnduresBoseiju, Who Endures
3. Otawara, Soaring CityOtawara, Soaring City
4. Urza's SagaUrza's Saga (Not the part that everyone wants to stop, though)
5. War RoomWar Room
6. Command BeaconCommand Beacon
7. Mosswort BridgeMosswort Bridge
8. Buried RuinBuried Ruin
9. Karn's BastionKarn's Bastion
10. Takenuma, Abandoned MireTakenuma, Abandoned Mire

Honestly, this list doesn't really impress me. Turning off someone's Mosswort BridgeMosswort Bridge seems like it would be memorable, but that doesn't really make it good enough for a land slot. The more interesting portion of the list is the various Channel lands in Boseiju, Who EnduresBoseiju, Who Endures, Otawara, Soaring CityOtawara, Soaring City, and so on. These lands' removal abilities are usually unstoppable, needing a StifleStifle or a Deflecting SwatDeflecting Swat to do anything about them, so having an option to not have to worry about them is interesting. With that said, the glaring issue is that you'd have to name the lands blind, not knowing that your opponent has them in their hand, so the only place I could see this really being a thing worth doing is in Competitive EDH, where you know a given deck is probably on that specific removal piece, and you also know it's the only thing that can get around your SilenceSilence effect. That seems pretty narrow, even if it might also catch the odd Shifting WoodlandShifting Woodland or Inventors' FairInventors' Fair along the way.

The other thing worth mentioning is that this does shut off a Gaea's CradleGaea's Cradle. Just not the Gaea's Cradle. Petrified Hamlet turns off the Planet lands' ability to station, meaning if you get it down before Evendo, Waking HavenEvendo, Waking Haven or Uthros, Titanic GodcoreUthros, Titanic Godcore count to 12, you can name them and make it so they never come online.

Now, does all of that add up to taking up a land slot in your deck? Probably not, for most decks. If you're light on colors, however, and any of these specific lands are ruining your day, it is an option!

Resonating LuteResonating Lute

The Prismari entry to the Strixhaven School Artifact Fair is no slouch, either, although I wouldn't give it nearly as high marks as I did Cauldron of EssenceCauldron of Essence. That said, the amount of mana this thing can give a spellslinger deck is insane, often without having to even wait to untap all your lands if you ritualedritualed it out. Two mana per land for your instants and sorceries is just an unfair amount of mana, and if you manage to use that mana to draw a whole bunch of cards? Well, the Lute can tack one on to boot. In short? This is probably kicking Primal AmuletPrimal Amulet out of a bunch of decks.

Together as OneTogether as One

I must admit, setting aside a portion of the multi-color set for colorless spells that care about how many colors you're sporting was a pretty cool move by Wizards. It was mostly for Limited, of course, but there's no question that Together as OneTogether as One will see more play in Commander, and not just because it's a rare you're less likely to see in the average draft pack. In fact, I would go so far as to say this is a fixed Last StandLast Stand, a spell Battlecruiser fans have been cramming into their five-color decks since the format was invented. That said? Battlecruiser is probably where this one stays. Drawing five cards and removing a threat is great, but you probably have better things to be doing in the average five-color good stuff deck folks bring to a Bracket 3 or even Bracket 2 table.

Turbulent Lands

So, the Turbulent lands are yet another dual with types, continuing to leave us spoiled for choice when it comes to the fetches, Nature's LoreNature's Lores, FarseekFarseeks, and TitheTithes of the world. So when folks ask why you're playing the SlowER lands, there's your explanation. That said, their hypothetical critique is accurate. Most games, you're not going to see these enter untapped until around turn four, a full turn slower than the Slow Lands.

Colossus of the Blood AgeColossus of the Blood Age

Colossus of the Blood AgeColossus of the Blood Age is an interesting one. Half Phlage, Titan of Fire's FuryPhlage, Titan of Fire's Fury, half Ruin GrinderRuin Grinder, there's a lot of utility here for a single artifact creature. The only issue is, it's half of half of each of those cards. Where Phlage lets you Lightning HelixLightning Helix any target, the Colossus only deals the damage to your opponents. Where Ruin Grinder Wheel of FortuneWheel of Fortunes the table for a full seven cards, the Colossus only has you discard, and only replaces itself from a card advantage perspective.

Put all that together? You've got an okay six-mana Construct that will find its niche in some very specific deck, but overall is going to get left on the outside looking in.

Diary of DreamsDiary of Dreams

No Javert gifs for Diary of DreamsDiary of Dreams, however! At two mana, this comes down early, and will just get discounted as you go through the game, until it's just drawing you a card every turn for free. While its main home will be spellslinger decks, this will also see some light play around higher-powered control brews where it's not breaking the bank, and you're playing enough interaction that this will get to be fairly cheap fairly quickly.

Tablet of DiscoveryTablet of Discovery

Lorehold brings us a sort of new face on the old mechanic of impulse draw, letting us play a card we've milled, rather than one we've exiled. Combine that card draw on a three-mana rock with it also situationally adding two mana instead of one, and I think this one hits quite nicely on several fronts. The new "cards leaving the graveyard" strategy is obviously the intended home here, but I think this one will actually see quite a bit of play in spellslinger decks, and decks that want to mill themselves, as well.

Page, Loose LeafPage, Loose Leaf

It would be fairly easy to gloss over this common that was obviously intended for 60-card play, but there's two reasons not to: one, this is a commander, meaning you can play a ManakinManakin in the command zone. Obviously that's not new in the green arena, where two-mana dorks in the command zone are a dime a dozen, but it is new in the colorless world, and will be an opportunity I think folks will take up. Why? Well, because of reason number two: Page, Loose LeafPage, Loose Leaf is the cutest card in the set. You'd be crazy not to build it.

Over all, there was a lot more excitement within the colleges than there was here in the "leftovers" categories. With that said, there are some playable cards here, both in general and in some specific niches (lookin' at you, X spells and spellslinger). From a ton of new lands to the cycle of school pride artifacts, you'll be seeing some of these for a long time to come, even if you might scratch your head a bit about what set they came from.

What will be memorable, however? That PagePage deck you're building, obviously! I mean, just look at that little guy. How could you not?