A new Magic: The Gathering Strixhaven reveal stream has shed light on a few more Mystical Archive cards, and they are major draws for collectors and players alike due to their blend of aesthetic and tournament playability. Magic: The Gathering has been seeing steady growth in spite of challenging conditions to its tabletop environment, thanks in part due to its increased focus on collectible paper card variants and its digital offerings in Magic Arena and Magic: The Gathering Online.
MTG Strixhaven alternate art cards were revealed earlier in the build-up to more information on the upcoming set, and have already been well-received. Strixhaven Mystical Archive cards will be available in two different art variants, with a Japanese language-only offering available in all Japanese boosters and all languages of Collector boosters. The more standard Mystical Archive art for cards will be available in every Draft and Set booster in their respective languages, with at least three guaranteed in Collector boosters. The differences in art style and card layout have made both Mystical Archive variants early favorites of many, and the demand for them both is expected to be quite high.
The newest MTG Strixhaven reveal stream reinforced the believe that Mystical Archive cards will be sought after items. During the stream, the cards Lightning Bolt, Duress, and Time Warp were all revealed. Lightning Bolt is perhaps the most striking inclusion due to its mix of history - it has been present in Magic: The Gathering since the game's very first set - and tournament viability, where it regularly features into decks in each format it is legal in. Both Mystical Archive treatments of the card also feature new art that displays the card in ways it hasn't really been showcased before, so it will help players have the kind of art they want in a card that's ubiquitous in MTG.
Duress and Time Warp are also immensely popular cards, with Duress being the kind of unsung hero staple card that regularly sees play in decks ranging from Standard to Legacy. Time Warp is one of the most powerful effects in MTG, allowing players to take extra turns, and on top of its tournament viability, its a beloved kind of effect in Commander.
While the MTG Strixhaven reveals of Lightning Bolt, Duress, and Time Warp are exciting just because they look so intriguing, they're also appealing because they indicate a philosophy behind the Mystical Archive's components that should make players quite happy. The Mystical Archive cards shown so far are all played across different formats and encompass different power levels of cards, which means the range of the collection should be pretty wide - but it will also include Rare and Mythic cards, which means those hoping for some of their most powerful spells to get a makeover might not have to wait longer than Magic: The Gathering's Strixhaven spoiler season to get their wish.