Magic: The Gathering Arena – Strixhaven university’s five colleges explained

Magic: The Gathering Arena’s new card set, Strixhaven, has just been announced. Since Strixhaven is heavily centered around the Strixhaven university, each of the mana colors are being represented by various colleges. In this Harry-Potter-style intercollegiate rivalry, the magic of Strixhaven comes alive.

The lore of MTG Arena ties into the way cards are played. In this lore, magic and sorcery play a huge role. Legendary cards, and even common cards, are derived by the story of each new card set. With the new Strixhaven set, developer Wizards of the Coast wants to showcase the sorcery of MTG Arena. During the company’s press release, the team revealed the world of Strixhaven university, and the five colleges that sit within.

In the image below, you can see a map of the campus. It represents the five colleges, each of which harbors a unique type of magic. In the middle of the map is the library, called the Biblioplex. The Biblioplex is the center of all magical knowledge and the home of the “mystical archive”, which is said to have a copy of every spell that’s ever been cast in MTG.

Five colleges of Strixhaven School of Mages

Each of the five colleges has its own cards, mana, and abilities attached. The colleges were each founded by an elder dragon who follows a particular magical speciality. There’s an apprentice and a commander card for each college. Here’s a breakdown of each of the five colleges, what they represent, and how they fit into the world of Magic: The Gathering Arena Strixhaven.

Lorehold College

Colors: Red and White.
Tagline: Leave no stone unturned.
College of: Archeomancy, the study of history of the world.
Known for: Reviving dead historical figures to learn about the ancient past.
Founder: Velomachus Lorehold, obsessed with archaeology.
Mascot: Spirit creatures.
Commander: Osgir, the Reconstructor. A hero of war.

Prismari College

Colors: Blue and Red.
Tagline: Express yourself with the elements.
College of: Elemental artists.
Known for: Expressing their creativity.
Founder: Galazeth Prismari, speciality in elemental magic, and focused on big expressive demonstrations of magic.
Mascot: Elemental creatures.
Commander: Zaffair, the Thunder Conductor. The first musical conductor who is a legendary creature.

Quandrix College

Colors: Green and Blue.
Tagline: Math is magic.
College of: Numeromancy, the study of mathematical patterns and symmetries.
Known for: Using maths and numbers to study reality and thereby understand the meaning of life itself.
Founder: Tanazir Quandrix.
Mascot: Fractals – creatures made of living mathematical patterns
Commander: Adrix and Nev, Twincasters. Adjunct professors of the college and good at duplicating things.

Silverquill College

Colors: White and Black.
Tagline: Sharp style. Sharper wit.
College of: Eloquents.
Known for: Wielding the magic of the “word”, either spoken or written.
Founder: Shadrix Silverquill, master of inspiring or instilling fear.
Mascot: Inklings – creatures made of living ink.
Commander: Breena, the Demagogue. A bird warlock, a master of both the written and spoken word.

Witherbloom College

Colors: Green and Black.
Tagline: Get your hands dirty.
College of: Biology.
Known for: Creating spells that channel the essence of living things to manipulate the forces of life and death.
Founder: Beledros Witherbloom, obsessed with life and death.
Mascot: Unknown
Commander: Willowdusk, Essence Seek. A Dryad Druid, who lives in a swamp.

Each of the dragon founders believe they hold the fundamental forces of nature in which they study. This new Magic: The Gathering card set is deep, creating a weird and wonderful vibe for Strixhaven. According to Doug Beyer, Principal Game Designer at Wizards of the Coast, the whole development team went to great lengths to create “bizarre characters” that are “wonderous and weird.”