The Sleeper Hits of Strixhaven: Full Set Review, Part 1

In this comprehensive three-part review of the Strixhaven set, hosts David Robertson and Dan Cave deliver an in-depth analysis of the expansion's transformative impact on Modern, Pioneer, and Standard formats. The first part highlights the set's significantly higher power level compared to its predecessor, emphasizing mechanics like Opus, prepared cards, and flashback that unlock new strategic depth. Key cards such as Erode, a versatile one-mana white removal spell targeting Planeswalkers, and Daydream, a powerful blink effect with counter synergy, set the tone for a creatively rich and cohesive set. The charm cycle is praised, with Witherbloom Charm standing out for its efficiency and adaptability, while the self-milling Hedron Crab and the prepared creature Studius First Year open doors for innovative graveyard and combo strategies. The second part dives into under-the-radar sleeper hits, spotlighting Practiced Offense as a game-ending turn-three finisher in Modern, Withering Curse as a flexible, life-gain-enhanced Wrath, and Colorstorm Stallion as a scalable midrange threat. Cards like Ral Zarek and Maelstrom Artisan are critiqued for being outclassed or clunky, but the hosts remain enthusiastic about the set’s overall design and potential. The final segment explores Suspend Aggression, a red-white instant that exiles a permanent and the top library card, enabling powerful disruption and card interaction—especially against reanimation decks—making it a standout for control and midrange builds. The hosts express strong excitement for the creative brews emerging from the set’s synergies and tease further analysis in upcoming episodes.