{"id":45578,"date":"2026-04-19T00:16:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T16:16:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=45578"},"modified":"2026-04-19T00:16:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T16:16:10","slug":"heres-every-mechanic-in-mtgs-secrets-of-strixhaven-set-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=45578","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s Every Mechanic in MTG\u2019s Secrets of Strixhaven Set, Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><u>Magic: The Gathering<\/u> is leaving New York City behind (again), as it moves from Turtles to wizarding schools (no, not that one) with its return to <u>Strixhaven<\/u>.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The new set is packed with fresh cards and five Commander precons, but it also includes a bunch of fresh mechanics. Here\u2019s our rundown of each one, including each College\u2019s own trademark keyword.<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">Prepare<\/h2>\n<p><output class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-313219616\"><span><img alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" decoding=\"async\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image article-image article-image-full-size jsx-1809694635 jsx-2338608387\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/span><\/figure>\n<p><\/output><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Prepare is the big new mechanic in this set, because it essentially gives players access to powerful cards like Ancestral Recall or Swords to Plowshares by tying them to a creature.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Once a creature is \u2018prepared\u2019 (which requires a variety of conditions to be met), you\u2019ll be able to fire off an instant or sorcery that\u2019s tied to one of these creature cards, like Emeritus of Ideation being able to use Ancestral Recall, or Stensian Sanguinist having the option to use Exsanguinate.<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">College Keywords<\/h2>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><strong>Repartee (Silverquill)<\/strong> &#8211; Repartee triggers additional effects when you play instants or sorceries, like Conciliator\u2019s Duelist being able to exile a creature.<\/p>\n<p><output class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-313219616\"><span><img alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" decoding=\"async\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image article-image article-image-full-size jsx-1809694635 jsx-2338608387\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/span><\/figure>\n<p><\/output><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><strong>Opus (Prismari) <\/strong>&#8211; Cards like Colorstorm Stallion with the Opus keyword will gain +1\/+1 counters until end of turn when instant and sorcery cards are played, with additional effects for larger spells.<\/p>\n<p><output class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-313219616\"><span><img alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" decoding=\"async\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image article-image article-image-full-size jsx-1809694635 jsx-2338608387\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/span><\/figure>\n<p><\/output><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><strong>Infusion (Witherbloom)<\/strong> &#8211; If you\u2019ve gained life in a turn, you\u2019ll trigger the Infusion keyword. On something like Old-Growth Educator, it\u2019ll gain two +1\/+1 counters.<\/p>\n<p><output class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-313219616\"><span><img alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" decoding=\"async\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image article-image article-image-full-size jsx-1809694635 jsx-2338608387\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/span><\/figure>\n<p><\/output><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><strong>Flashback (Lorehold) <\/strong>&#8211; Cards with Flashback can be played from the graveyard for its Flashback cost rather than its mana cost, like Molten Note. Once this happens, the card is exiled.<\/p>\n<p><output class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-313219616\"><span><img alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" decoding=\"async\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image article-image article-image-full-size jsx-1809694635 jsx-2338608387\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/span><\/figure>\n<p><\/output><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><strong>Increment (Quandrix)<\/strong> &#8211; If a card has Increment, like Cuboid Colony, you put a +1\/+1 counter on a creature if the mana value of a spell you cast is greater than it.<\/p>\n<p><output class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-313219616\"><span><img alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" decoding=\"async\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image article-image article-image-full-size jsx-1809694635 jsx-2338608387\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/span><\/figure>\n<p><\/output><\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">Converge<\/h2>\n<p><output class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-313219616\"><span><img alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" decoding=\"async\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image article-image article-image-full-size jsx-1809694635 jsx-2338608387\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/span><\/figure>\n<p><\/output><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">If you cast a creature with Converge, it\u2019ll arrive with additional effects based on the number of colored mana used to cast it.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Rancorous Archaic, for example, is a five-cost card. Cast it with all red mana, and it\u2019ll enter as a standard 3\/3 with Trample and Reach thanks to a single +1\/+1 counter. Spend all five colors, however, and it\u2019ll enter as a 7\/7 thanks to five of those counters;<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">Book<\/h2>\n<p><output class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-313219616\"><span><img alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" decoding=\"async\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image article-image article-image-full-size jsx-1809694635 jsx-2338608387\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/span><\/figure>\n<p><\/output><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Books, like Diary of Dreams, are a new Artifact type that gains page counters which can then be spent to trigger other effects.<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">Paradigm<\/h2>\n<p><output class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-313219616\"><span><img alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" decoding=\"async\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image article-image article-image-full-size jsx-1809694635 jsx-2338608387\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/span><\/figure>\n<p><\/output><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Still with us? It\u2019s a busy set, keyword-wise, but Paradigm is really neat. It\u2019s found on sorceries like Improvisation Capstone, triggering them once when initially played. Paradigm spells are then exiled and available on your first main phase as a copy that can be played without its mana cost.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Expect these to be in demand, given the power they could potentially give you. Even if your initial spell is countered, your Paradigm persists!<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He&#8217;s a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife&#8217;s dismay.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/magics-secrets-of-strixhaven-study-guide-all-of-the-sets-new-mechanics-explained\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Magic: The Gathering is leaving New York City behind (again), as it moves from Turtles to wizarding schools (no, not that one) with its return&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45579,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[2867,932,11385,8101,1725,1814,18979],"class_list":["post-45578","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech-gadgets-reviews","tag-explained","tag-heres","tag-mechanic","tag-mtgs","tag-secrets","tag-set","tag-strixhaven","wpcat-32-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45578","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=45578"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45578\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/45579"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=45578"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=45578"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=45578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}