Strixhaven: The Set We Left Behind? | EDHREC'd
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In this episode of EDHRECast, host Joey reflects on the legacy of the original Strixhaven set, questioning why, despite widespread affection for its creative design and flavorful schools, its commanders and cards have seen a significant drop in long-term play. He highlights the paradox of Strixhaven's strong initial hype—exemplified by figures like Osgir the Reconstructor and Varen, the latter of whom once dominated the Red-Blue legend rankings—yet now languish in the rankings, with no original Strixhaven commander surpassing 10,000 decks. Joey attributes this decline to a lack of sustained institutional support, limited reprints, and the set’s multicolor nature reducing card home availability. He contrasts this with more enduring commanders like Omnath or Atraxa, who benefit from consistent new cards in their themes. The new Secrets of Strixhaven set, he argues, feels different—more powerful, less niche, and designed with longevity in mind, aiming to avoid the fate of its predecessor. Ultimately, he concludes that a card’s staying power isn’t guaranteed by design or love, but by player choice and active cultivation. The episode ends with a 'Challenge of Stats' spotlighting the underplayed Charmed Pendant in Grolnok and Glarb decks.
Original Strixhaven commanders like Osgir and Varen had strong starts but lack long-term staying power due to limited institutional support and lack of new synergistic cards.
Commanders with consistent new cards in their theme (e.g., dragons, vampires, angels) maintain popularity better than those in niche or experimental archetypes.
The new Secrets of Strixhaven set feels more powerful and designed for longevity, aiming to avoid the fade-out of its predecessor.
Player choice—not just design or power—is what keeps decks alive; resonance must be actively maintained.
Multicolor sets face inherent challenges in deck popularity due to fewer potential deck homes, even if cards are beloved.
The Hype and the Hangover: Strixhaven’s Legacy
“The story for these professors is not one of them getting tenure because everyone's so excited to take their classes, but rather it's a story of them basically getting budged out of the faculty.”
Data vs. Feeling: The Strixhaven Paradox
Joey analyzes EDHREC data showing that no original Strixhaven commander exceeds 10,000 decks, contrasting this with sets like Kaldheim and Zendikar Rising that maintain high card inclusion.
Why Strixhaven Faded: Friction, Niche Design, and Power
“Getting new cards means that those players are more likely to update their decks more often, which means that those decks will stay refreshed in the EDHREC database...”
The New Strixhaven: Power with Purpose?
“These legends feel to me like they are determined to stick around longer this time and the way that many of them seem to have chosen to do that is through an expression of power.”
The Bigger Picture: Commander as a Lifestyle
Joey reflects on how attention, time, and deck maintenance are limited resources, and that a card’s staying power depends on player commitment, not just design quality.
“If something resonates with you, it does not stick around automatically. It sticks around because you choose to keep it there.”
“The story for these professors is not one of them getting tenure because everyone's so excited to take their classes, but rather it's a story of them basically getting budged out of the faculty.”
“These legends feel to me like they are determined to stick around longer this time and the way that many of them seem to have chosen to do that is through an expression of power.”
Host
Guests
Joey
person
Secrets of Strixhaven
other
Osgir the Reconstructor
other
Original Strixhaven
other
Varen
other
Vayran, Voice of Duality
other
Dina, Soulsteeper
other
EDHREC
product
Patreon
other
Dragon Shield
brand
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