MTG Completes Command Cycle With Strixhaven Commands

Strixhaven spoilers have started of with a bang – five new cards were previewed, and they complete the cycle of two-color Commands, first printed in Dragons of Tarkir. Each card represents a specific collage from the Strixhaven university. So today we’ll take a look at the Strixhaven Commands.

Commands are cards that offer you four different options and you get to pick two of them. The flexibility they provide is a very big deal. Even though some options might seem weak, when you get the best two out of four, you get really powerful cards.

Lorehold Command

First up, it’s the red-white command, of the Lorehold Collage. It comes with four quite powerful options:

You can make a 3/2 creature, which isn’t spectacular, but combines nicely with the second mode.
You can protect your creatures from mass removal spells, like Doomskar, and you can win combat easily.
Lightning Helix is always a nice option to have.
We haven’t seen sacrifice a permanent, then draw two cards in these colors very often, but it’s a welcome addition, for sure.

The biggest downside of this card is that it cost five mana. At four, it would be at least playable in Standard, but five is really asking you a lot.

Prismari Command

Prismari Command looks like a mirrored Kolaghan’s Command.

Two modes are exactly the same:

Dealing two damage to any target.
Destroying target artifact.

Two modes are more blueish, but still powerful enough:

Draw two, discard two.
Creating a Treasure token.

All in all, we can expect this card to see a lot of play, not only in Standard, but maybe even in the eternal formats. The key here is the cheap cost of only three mana.

Quandrix Command

Next is another Command that costs just two mana, it’s Quandrix Command, which allows you to:

Bounce a creature or planeswalker.
Counter artifact or enchantment spell.
Put two +1/+1 counters on a creature.
Shuffle three cards from a graveyard to the library.

All modes can be incredibly useful, so you can expect this Command to see plenty of play, at least in Standard. Even the last mode, which might look somewhat mediocre, can often come in handy, when playing against graveyard-based decks. Get that Kroxa, Titan of Death’s Hunger out of there.

Witherbloom Command

This is the cheapest of the Strixhaven Commands. Is it any good? Let’s see, you can:

Mill three cards, and get a land back from your graveyard.
Destroy a noncreature, nonland permanent that costs 2 or less.
Give target creature -3/-1.
Drain your opponent for 2.

All in all there’s some absurd value here, for the low cost of two mana. You can probably get a two-for-one out of this card pretty easily. This card might be even better in eternal formats, since they have a bunch of cheap artifacts running around.

Silverquill Command

The last of Strixhaven Commands costs four mana, which can be a bit much, but has some nice effects. You can:

Give target creature +3/+3 and flying
Reanimate your creature that costs two or less.
Draw a card and lose a life. (You can even target your opponent, when they’re at one.)
Make your opponent sacrifice a creature.

Silverquill Command, is still strong, but the four mana is a high price to pay in the current Standard environment, even for such a powerful card. We shall see how playable it is – maybe it’ll shine once the powerful cards from Throne of Eldraine rotate out?