The Magic: The Gathering Strixhaven alt art cards are making waves among collectors and players alike for their unique design, and they’re arguably the best iteration of these variants in the game’s long history. MTG alt art cards aren’t particularly new by this point – there was a time when the practice was rarer earlier in the game’s history, but now each Standard set tends to have at least one or two versions of rare cards available, while reprints of exciting older cards come in the form of variants like Zendikar Rising‘s Expeditions or the Showcase art cards.

Luckily for the many fans who enjoy having options for card art, Strixhaven is set to continue the practice of giving players more choices. The MTG Strixhaven alt art cards were revealed alongside more intricate details of the upcoming set for the first time. There’s excitement among fans regarding Strixhaven colleges and the overall direction of the set, which will continue experimenting with Modal Double-Faced Cards (MDFCs) after successful implementations of the mechanic from Zendikar Rising and Kaldheim.

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However, the show-stealer from the first round of Strixhaven news is the new Magic: The Gathering alt art cards, called the Mystical Archive. The Mystical Archive will print 63 spells into new alternate art variants, and three have already been revealed: Swords to Plowshares, Opt, and Demonic Tutor. Those are three important cards across several different formats, and it’s created a lot of anticipation for the Mystical Archive when it releases. Here’s why that excitement is justified, and why the MTG Strixhaven alt art cards are the best iteration of the practice yet.

Strixhaven’s Mystical Archive Gives Players Even More Options

The Mystical Archive presents two different aesthetics to players. While most boosters will have more Western high fantasy art styles available, Japanese boosters – and Collector Boosters worldwide – will have a second Mystical Archive aesthetic available, this time in a more traditional Japanese art style. The latter option is an incredible departure from what Magic: The Gathering alt art cards usually look like, and the dramatic difference in visuals will no doubt attract plenty of players to try to acquire them on their own.

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Both Mystical Archive reprint options give players more choice, however, which is something that MTG has been leaning heavily into over the past few years and will be continuing in Strixhaven. The difference here is that Mystical Archive feels markedly different in its offerings, which adds a secondary level of card choice customization that will resonate with players looking to infuse their own interests and art preferences into their favorite decks.

Strixhaven Alt Art Cards Are Accessible

Some alternate art cards have been difficult to acquire in the past, and rightfully so – they were often Expeditions or Masterpieces, and as a result, reprints of some extremely powerful and hard-to-find cards. MTG Strixhaven Mystical Archive cards don’t lack for power based on what’s already been revealed, but they’re also cards that will be more accessible in their alt art variants. Mystical Archive cards will be included in every Strixhaven pack – Draft, Set, and Collector Boosters – with the latter getting a guaranteed three per pack.

That means players looking to acquire some sweet new art for their favorite Magic: The Gathering cards aren’t going to run into an availability issue. This will also likely help keep the price of these cards down, and even if they do fetch a premium, it won’t be a wholly unreasonable one. Even the Japanese-themed Mystical Archive cards, which are mostly available only in Japanese booster packs, will be included in Collector Boosters of all languages. It’s a great way to ensure an influx of these Strixhaven alt art cards are availably globally, and should make for happy MTG players overall.

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Cody Gravelle
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Cody is Screen Rant’s Game Reviews Editor. He joined the team in 2018 and has been reporting on games pretty well every day since – except on weekends, where he’s typically playing them instead. Despite being in a field ostensibly about critiquing and enjoying quality games, his most played game of 2019 was Fate/Grand Order – something unlikely to change in 2020 and beyond.

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