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Secrets of Strixhaven has brought Commander players many new cards and mechanics to build and explore. With the release of a new set, how about we try a new series! Well, maybe a sub-series, but today I'm happy to introduce a new, recurring series where we'll look at some of the strongest cards from the latest set and discuss just how impactful they are to the format!

As mentioned, the latest Strixhaven set has brought Commander players plenty of goodies, from the new prepared mechanicthe new prepared mechanic to the revival of convergeconverge, which I'd bet is a soft launch to future sets leaning more into multicolor strategies.

We'll start looking at which cards are strong or flashy that can catch opponents' attention and thus warping the game to a degree and continue looking at stronger, perhaps flashier cards. The further down the list, the more likely I believe the card(s) to be worth upgrading to Game Changer status. I'll explicitly state whether or not a card is comparable to current Game Changers to avoid insinuating one way or another.

The Paradigm Cycle

• Decorum DissertationDecorum Dissertation
• Echocasting SymposiumEchocasting Symposium
• Germination PracticumGermination Practicum
• Improvisation CapstoneImprovisation Capstone
• Restoration SeminarRestoration Seminar

Big, flashy, "dumb" spells. This cycle is Wizards' attempt to mend their previous go at what the EpicEpic spells introduced, only this time you can still play the game properly.

While a bit technical, the mechanic's intent is fairly intuitive: you'll get a free spell at the beginning of each of your turns, producing various boons and value to you for the low cost of sacrificing a turn for setup.

Although the cycle finds itself at the beginning of this list and thus the least likely I believe to become Game Changers, the paradigm spells are in a sense the most game warping cards on this list as they can be thought of as once-a-turn emblems in most situations. You cast a big spell, it resolves, and for the rest of the game your opponents cannot reasonably interact with you benefitting from free effects at the start of each of your turns.

However, these paradigms aren't that warping beyond the inherent strength that comes from emblem-esque effects. While it's strong to gain the ability to draw three cards or resurrect a nonland permanent every start of your turn, it's not as powerful nor as attention directing as the rest of the list. That is until stronger paradigm spells are printed. Because you know there will be.

The Elder Dragons

• Lorehold, the HistorianLorehold, the Historian
• Prismari, the InspirationPrismari, the Inspiration
• Quandrix, the ProofQuandrix, the Proof
• Silverquill, the DisputantSilverquill, the Disputant
• Witherbloom, the BalancerWitherbloom, the Balancer

There's no denying that granting your instants and sorceries various evergreen effects is very flashy and alluring to Commander players. Especially when said effects are readily found in the command zone.

The Elder Dragons find themselves a bit more likely to be Game Changers than the paradigms due to how much stronger their static abilities are compared to any given paradigm spell (for now). While not emblem-esque and very much interactable, the Dragons enable much stronger turns and can immediately change the course of a game.

Many players may find themselves flooding in a sea of storm triggers they failed to foresee when deck building or miscalculate the strength affinity provides, requiring a skill level the previous five spells don't necessitate nearly as much. Even in higher Bracket games the Dragons demand to be answered readily lest they survive a round, if not a single phase, and decimate their opponents threats, if not outright win, the next turn.

That said, they're expensive spells that require a lot of a deck's resources to fully leverage. If a seven-mana cost Elder Dragon isn't allowed to grant your instants and sorceries storm, at what point can such an effect ever be granted? I don't see these Dragons becoming Game Changers anytime soon, but the work required to becoming Game Changers is smaller than it perhaps ought to be and will only shrink as time passes.

The Emeriti

• Emeritus of AbundanceEmeritus of Abundance
• Emeritus of ConflictEmeritus of Conflict
• Emeritus of IdeationEmeritus of Ideation
• Emeritus of TruceEmeritus of Truce
• Emeritus of WoeEmeritus of Woe

I mean, come on. Of course a card with the actual Ancestral RecallAncestral Recall stapled onto it is worth paying attention to. Same goes for a renewable and abusable Lightning BoltLightning Bolt on a stick.

Now, not all of the Emeriti are created equally. RegrowthRegrowth is laughably underpowered up against Ancestral Recall or Demonic TutorDemonic Tutor. In fact, the Yavimaya BloomsageYavimaya Bloomsage's ChannelChannel would've been a stronger contender, but I can understand Wizards not wanting Channel becoming Standard-legal and thus settling for a weaker spell.

The Emeriti represent the stronger strategies creatures with the prepare mechanic can offer. Blazing FiresingerBlazing Firesinger is a very prominent example of prepared creatures blending spellslinging strategies with creature-based strategies.

I'd like to emphasize that, similar to the previous Dragons, many of these prepared creatures directly warp the game into either dealing with them immediately or suffering devastating consequences come the end of the round.

Additionally, some prepared creatures may not immediately threaten the game like Yavimaya Bloomsage, but a prepared creature with, say, something like Ancestral Recall or Demonic Tutor can easily become game warping, if not ending, with only the slightest effort.

I don't see an immediate need to upgrade any of the prepared creatures to Game Changer status, but they'll require players' and Wizards' constant attention from dominating too many Commander deck lists.

It's important to recognize that Game Changers, even bannings, include the overall Commander meta to a degree. While Golos, Tireless PilgrimGolos, Tireless Pilgrim isn't strong per se, its effect on how players built their decks was ultimately considered too much for the format and thus worthy of banning.

Given how generically strong Ancestral Recall, Demonic Tutor, Channel, etc. are in any Commander decks, it's plausible for some prepared creatures to find themselves Game Changers despite their relative power to other Game Changers.

Bonus Round

Oh, Displacer KittenDisplacer Kitten. While an inherently powerful creature, the introduction of spells on creatures on the battlefield has dramatically recontextualized its power. There's very little I can add to demonstrate why the kitten plus any creature that enters prepared in one wayone way or anotheranother creates a wealth of value with just two cards.

I honestly can see Displacer Kitten being upgraded to a Game Changer if it's played enough. We'll have to wait and see what the stats look like when prepared creatures are given enough time to be digested by Commander players, however the kitty is highly susceptible to Game Changer status if it's played too prevalently.

Additionally, it's likely that more prepared creatures are printed in future non-Commander products and thus create even juicier kitten + prepared creature engines and combos. It seems that, given enough time, the kitty will eventually find itself played too heavily and/or too strong for lower Brackets.

But what do you think? How do you feel about Secrets of Strixhaven's power level? What are your thoughts on prepared creatures starting off as strong as they are? Do you think Displacer KittenDisplacer Kitten is worthy of Game Changer status?

I hope this article was an interesting exploration of Standard's latest addition to Commander. Find me on BlueSky at @ajwicker4.bsky.social, I'd love to hear from you and what your thoughts are.

Tune in next time to continue this deep dive in the Bracket system and more Commander Philosophy!