Secrets of Strixhaven (MTG): Card List, Commander Decks and Boxes

Secrets of Strixhaven sends Magic: The Gathering back to the magic school on Arcavios. The five colleges return, each with its own Commander deck, and the much-loved Mystical Archive is back with 65 iconic instants and sorceries in a new frame. This guide covers the release dates, the card list, the mechanics, the chase cards, the Commander decks and every product.

Secrets of Strixhaven release date

The Secrets of Strixhaven release date for tabletop was April 24, 2026. The set reached MTG Arena on April 21, and prerelease events ran from April 17 to 23. The Pro Tour followed on May 1–3, 2026 at MagicCon: Las Vegas. See the official Secrets of Strixhaven page for every product.

The main set code is SOS. Commander cards use SOC, the Mystical Archive uses SOA, and Special Guests use SPG. It was a global release, with Japanese-language products getting their own Japanese Mystical Archive versions.

Secrets of Strixhaven card list

The main set has 281 cards, according to retailer set lists: 20 mythics, 60 rares, 100 uncommons and 86 commons, plus basic lands. Counting every variant, the full list runs past 400 entries.

Back to the magic school

The first Strixhaven set came out in 2021 and introduced a school of magic with five rival colleges, each built on a pair of colors. It also brought the first Mystical Archive, a bonus sheet of famous spells with Japanese alternate art versions that became some of the most collected cards of that year. This return keeps both ideas and adds new twists, like Prepare and Paradigm.

The five colleges

• Silverquill (white and black)
• Prismari (blue and red)
• Witherbloom (black and green)
• Lorehold (red and white)
• Quandrix (green and blue)

Each college has its own ability word: Repartee for Silverquill, Opus for Prismari, Infusion for Witherbloom and Increment for Quandrix. Lorehold ties into Flashback and the graveyard.

New and returning mechanics

• Prepare: prepared creatures let you cast a copy of a spell attached to them.
• Paradigm: a cycle of sorceries you can recast for free each turn after the first time they resolve.
• Book: a new artifact subtype.
• Returning: Converge, Flashback and the Lesson subtype. Learn does not return.

The Mystical Archive

The Mystical Archive (SOA) has 65 instants and sorceries: 25 uncommons, 25 rares and 15 mythics, all with an updated frame. Every Play Booster has one Mystical Archive card, and every Collector Booster has at least three.

Secrets of Strixhaven chase cards

Emeritus of Ideation

The top chase is the serialized Emeritus of Ideation: a double-rainbow foil in a throwback full-art frame, numbered to 500 copies, with art by Mark Poole. It appears in less than 1% of Collector Boosters and is always English.

Japanese Mystical Archive foils

The Japanese alternate art Silver Scroll foils from the Mystical Archive are some of the most valuable cards in the set. Force of Will and Vampiric Tutor lead the way, and Ad Nauseam, Cyclonic Rift, Akroma’s Will, Awaken the Woods, Flusterstorm, Jeska’s Will and Triumph of the Hordes were among the priciest at launch. Silver Scroll foils are only found in Collector Boosters.

Other chase cards

• Emeritus of Woe, a mythic whose extended-art foil is especially sought after.
• Improvisation Capstone, a mythic Paradigm sorcery.
• Witherbloom, the Balancer, one of five borderless mythic Elder Dragons.
• Sylvan Library, one of 10 Special Guests.

Secrets of Strixhaven Commander decks

There are five Secrets of Strixhaven Commander decks, one for each college. Each has 100 cards: 2 foil borderless commanders and 98 non-foil cards, including 10 new to Magic, plus 10 tokens and a deck box, according to the official collecting article.

• Silverquill Influence (white and black): Killian, Decisive Mentor and Scriv, the Obligator.
• Prismari Artistry (blue and red): Rootha, Mastering the Moment and Muddle, the Ever-Changing.
• Witherbloom Pestilence (black and green): Dina, Essence Brewer and Gorma, the Gullet.
• Lorehold Spirit (red and white): Quintorius, History Chaser and Excava, the Risen Past, a graveyard and Spirit token deck.
• Quandrix Unlimited (green and blue): Zimone, Infinite Analyst and Primo, the Unbounded.

The Lorehold Spirit Commander deck is a great pick if you like graveyard decks and making tokens.

Drafting the set

Play Boosters are made for drafting, and every pack includes a Mystical Archive card, so each draft has a few famous spells to play with. The college ability words give each color pair a clear identity, while Prepare and Paradigm reward careful planning. Draft Night is the easiest way to draft at home, with everything a group of four needs.

Products and boxes

Play Booster box

A Play Booster box holds 30 packs of 14 cards. Each pack has 5 or 6 commons, 3 uncommons, a wildcard, a rare or mythic, a Mystical Archive card, a traditional foil, a land and a token or counter card. Our Secrets of Strixhaven booster box is the best way to draft or open lots of packs.

Secrets of Strixhaven collector booster box

A Secrets of Strixhaven collector booster box holds 12 packs of 15 cards. Each Collector Booster has lots of foils, a Commander card, Booster Fun cards and at least three Mystical Archive cards, including a rare or mythic. This is the only place to find the Japanese Silver Scroll foils and the serialized Emeritus of Ideation.

Bundles and other products

• Bundle: 9 Play Boosters, a foil alternate art Wisdom of Ages promo, 30 basic lands, 2 reference cards, a spindown die and a storage box. See our Secrets of Strixhaven Bundle.
• Codex Bundle: released May 15, 2026, with 6 Play Boosters, 2 Collector Boosters, 20 foil basics, 2 of 6 foil promos (Sol Ring and five Talismans), an oversized spindown and a storage box.
• Prerelease Pack: five college versions, each with 5 Play Boosters and a college booster.
• Draft Night: 12 Play Boosters and 1 Collector Booster for a 4-player “Pick-Two Draft”.
• Theme Decks: 60-card Eerie and Lifegain decks. See our Secrets of Strixhaven Theme Decks.
• Welcome Decks: five mono-color 40-card decks.

• Magic: The Gathering – Secrets of Strixhaven Bundle
• Magic: The Gathering – Secrets of Strixhaven 60-Card Theme Decks (Set of 2)

Which product should you buy?

• To draft or open the most packs: the Play Booster box.
• To chase Silver Scroll foils and the serialized card: the Collector Booster box.
• For a mix of packs and Collector Boosters: the Codex Bundle.
• For Commander: the deck for your favourite college.
• For new players: a Theme Deck or Welcome Deck.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Secrets of Strixhaven release date?

April 24, 2026 for tabletop, with MTG Arena on April 21 and prereleases from April 17.

How many cards are in the Secrets of Strixhaven card list?

281 in the main set, plus the 65-card Mystical Archive, Special Guests and variants.

Which Secrets of Strixhaven Commander deck should I buy?

Pick the college whose colors and style you like best. Lorehold Spirit is a strong choice if you enjoy graveyard strategies and tokens.

Is the Mystical Archive back?

Yes. It has 65 spells, with one in every Play Booster and at least three in every Collector Booster.

More Magic guides

The set before this one was Lorwyn Eclipsed. For more ready-made decks, read our guide to the best MTG Commander decks.