Secret RendezvousSecret Rendezvous | Art by Manuel Castañón

Secrets of Strixhaven is releasing on April 24, 2026. That makes now the perfect time to look back at our first visit to Arcavios, 2021's Strixhaven: School of Mages, to find out which cards from that spellslinger's dream of a set see the most play in Commander!

For more flashback content related to our upcoming visit to Strixhaven, check out my recent article on the most played converge cards, since that multicolor mechanic will be returning to booster packs later this month. Now, let's dive right in!

10. Wandering ArchaicWandering Archaic - 109,690 decks

Archaic may be colorless instead of white, 4/4 instead of 2/2, and it may cost five instead of two, but this is basically a "hate bear" in the lineage of Leonin ArbiterLeonin Arbiter and Grand AbolisherGrand Abolisher. It's even better in the sense that you can run it in any deck, which explains why it appears in over 100,000 decks.

You could also think of it as a Smothering TitheSmothering Tithe or Rhystic StudyRhystic Study that's easier to remove. Whatever helps you sleep at night after putting this card in your deck.

9. Prismari CommandPrismari Command - 109,690 decks

AbradeAbrade and Izzet CharmIzzet Charm are already both great and widely played, so why not tack on an extra mana and concoct a combination of the two?

Prismari CommandPrismari Command is that card, and in many cases it's better, specifically when you can destroy an artifact and a small creature with it. The other two modes provide a surprising amount of utility in different decks. Discard and graveyard strategies led by Captain Howler, Sea ScourgeCaptain Howler, Sea Scourge and Admiral Brass, UnsinkableAdmiral Brass, Unsinkable, respectively, will prioritize this over other removal options because of how it can snipe down one threat while advancing their game plan.

Likewise, its flexibility has it seeing play in over 50% of decks led by Riku of Many PathsRiku of Many Paths, Galazeth PrismariGalazeth Prismari, and Lilah, Undefeated SlickshotLilah, Undefeated Slickshot.

8. Expressive IterationExpressive Iteration - 129,983 decks

Last year, this landed in the top half of my most played Izzet () cards in Commander list. As long as you're just a little careful, you can draw two cards for just two mana, and being able to choose the best two cards out of three makes it even more powerful.

You'll want to put a bunch of cheap spells in your deck to turn this from a Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning into a cheaper DivinationDivination, but decks playing blue and red are going to do that anyway.

I wrote this in 2025 and I'll do it again: Play this card in your Izzet decks, people!

7. Solve the EquationSolve the Equation - 135,562 decks

How expensive does a tutor have to be before it's bad? The answer isn't three; that we know for sure. For starters, you can Solve for Approach of the Second SunApproach of the Second Sun after casting the latter and win on the same turn if we have 17 mana available, which is something we can't do with Mystical TutorMystical Tutor or Personal TutorPersonal Tutor (without another variable in the equation):

Spellslinger decks also run cost reducers like Goblin ElectromancerGoblin Electromancer and Stormcatch MentorStormcatch Mentor, so you're probably not even paying full price for this. It sets up combos, it keeps Balmor, Battlemage CaptainBalmor, Battlemage Captain and Niv-Mizzet, ParunNiv-Mizzet, Parun chains going, and it's fantastic to copy with Veyran, Voice of DualityVeyran, Voice of Duality.

6. ResculptResculpt - 147,104 decks

The way I see it, ResculptResculpt has two main drawbacks. First, it costs two mana in a format where there are some excellent one-mana removal spells like Swords to PlowsharesSwords to Plowshares, Fatal PushFatal Push, and Lightning BoltLightning Bolt, as conditional as a couple of them may be. Second — and I think this is the less painful drawback by a lot — it leaves your opponent with a 4/4.

The truth is, in Commander, a vanilla attacker doesn't mean much. More importantly, blue is hard up for cards that permanently deal with opposing threats, hence PongifyPongify and Rapid HybridizationRapid Hybridization appearing in a total of over 850,000 decks. In many situations, these cards are actually better than Push and Bolt, because they answer more cards.

Being the third best removal spell in a color still means Resculpt is a powerhouse in Commander, though Reality ShiftReality Shift may be better if you're a lucksack.

5. Culling RitualCulling Ritual - 188,938 decks

This ritual adds insult to injury by giving the caster potentially a landslide of and/or after it blows up all the Sol RingSol Rings, Arcane SignetArcane Signets, Birds of ParadiseBirds of Paradise, and other utility creatures on the battlefield. Not to mention artifact tokens likes Treasures.

You can even turn this into an assured mini-Plague WindPlague Wind by doing what Arnaud Gompertz did and building a deck with no nonland permanents! Even if some of your own stuff gets caught in the crossfire, you're probably happy with that because it gives you more experience counters for Meren of Clan Nel TothMeren of Clan Nel Toth and lets you cast more stuff off the top of your deck with Glarb, Calamity's AugurGlarb, Calamity's Augur.

4. Access TunnelAccess Tunnel - 195,834 decks

Not every card in Strixhaven supports Spellslinger archetypes! Access TunnelAccess Tunnel is a great utility land in a wide range of decks: those that feature small attackers with big attack triggers, like Arabella, Abandoned DollArabella, Abandoned Doll or Frodo, Adventurous HobbitFrodo, Adventurous Hobbit, toughness-matters and defenders decks led by Felothar the SteadfastFelothar the Steadfast or Arcades, the StrategistArcades, the Strategist, and Ninja lists helmed by Yuriko, the Tiger's ShadowYuriko, the Tiger's Shadow.

3. Archmage EmeritusArchmage Emeritus - 328,317 decks

Strixhaven was a great set for Commander, eh? In 2024, this was already the most played mono-blue creature in the format amidst a sea of instants and sorceries. That's fitting, because a spells deck is exactly where Archmage feels most at home. If it survives more than a turn cycle, you'll often end up drawing a ton of cards.

You can even turn the advantage up to 11 with several combos, like this one with Fury StormFury Storm:

At worst, this will eat a removal spell, but surely you cast this with more mana available to net some value before it hits the graveyard!

2. Storm-Kiln ArtistStorm-Kiln Artist - 369,751 decks

This is one of those cards that goes infinite when paired with a ham sandwich. Check out Artist's Commander Spellbook page for all the busted things you can do with it, including this two-card combo that wins the game in combat:

In an aggressive or combo-oriented deck running a lot of one-mana spells, you can essentially get rebates off cantrips like PonderPonder and PreordainPreordain with the Treasure token. In the process, you're triggering all the good stuff like Third Path IconoclastThird Path Iconoclast, Coruscation MageCoruscation Mage, and Kuja, Genome SorcererKuja, Genome Sorcerer and 0/1 Wizard tokens.

Artist sees play in over 70% of decks led by Storm, Force of NatureStorm, Force of Nature, Feather, the RedeemedFeather, the Redeemed, and Stella Lee, Wild CardStella Lee, Wild Card, making the 2/2 as close to an auto-include as exists in the format.

1. The Snarls

• Frostboil SnarlFrostboil Snarl
• Furycalm SnarlFurycalm Snarl
• Shineshadow SnarlShineshadow Snarl
• Vineglimmer SnarlVineglimmer Snarl
• Necroblossom SnarlNecroblossom Snarl

If a modern set features a cycle of dual lands, chances are they'll be among the most played cards in Commander from there. This is especially true for the Snarls; taken together, they appear in around a million decks!

You'd think these would be difficult to get into play untapped in decks playing more than two colors, but remember, lands with basic types are pretty common in the format. Steam VentsSteam Vents and other Shock lands get the job done, as do the Canopy VistaCanopy Vista cycle and the two- and three-color lands with cycling: Ziatora's Proving GroundZiatora's Proving Ground and Scattered GrovesScattered Groves are examples.

Unlike other lands that come into play untapped automatically like Shivan ReefShivan Reef and its ilk, the Snarls do require planning ahead and sequencing properly, but I think the game is more fun the more you have to think. They're good enough to make Tyler Bucks' list of budget duals in the Commander.

I've Heard EnoughI've Heard Enough

Who knew that the spells-matter set would bestow upon Commander a ton of super sweet Spellslinger rewards and setup cards! The Secrets of Strixhaven previews I've seen tell me that we're going to see more of this, and that makes me very excited.

What's your favorite Strixhaven: School of Mages card that didn't make the list? Let us know!