Bog Times at Witherbloom College

Hello, students! Your campus guide had to step out due to an unfortunate bog-related accident. I'll be your substitute preview author today for Witherbloom college. Before you ask, yes, the bog is fine and expected to have no permanent injuries. And, also, before you ask, no we can't just hang out and play with Pests instead of taking the tour.

You didn't like the Pests? Weird.

We're rapidly approaching the end of previews for the main Strixhaven: School of Mages set, but I hope you haven't mentally checked out into weekend mode just yet. We have a few remaining cards showcasing the finest (read: only) school of essence studies here at the university.

First, what does it mean to be a Witherbloom student? Well, according to the notes I was handed minutes before being assigned to lead this virtual tour group, part of it means living in an extremely rad bog campus.

They're not afraid of getting a little messy in Witherbloom college, and what better way to understand the fundamental forces of life and death than by putting yourself precariously close to things living and dying? With that in mind, please stand a few feet ashore from the primordial forces of the bog. We wouldn't want another bog-related accident, right?

Others look at the bog and see a fierce miasma of vegetation, dangerous megafauna, and decaying goop. But Witherbloom students? Witherbloom students see the truth: an ecosystem can be observed, measured, and made anew.

Here are a few students who have really put that theory in motion:

Dina strikes at the core of what Witherbloom mages are capable of: a mastery over the forces of life and death that slowly and inextricably reduces an opponent to. . .not living. If you choose to enroll, of course, you'll find there's no shortage of Witherbloom spells to slowly and incrementally gain you life and, with just a little homework, create a game-winning strategy.

And if all else fails, represent a lethal attack with that sacrifice ability and go to town. The ecosystem of life and death is all well and good, but sometimes you really just need a big verdant cudgel to get the job done.

You really don't want to get in Dina's way when she has a few Pests with her. If she's leading a trip through the bog with another Witherbloom scholar, you can count on plenty of Pests to be around:

See what we mean? Ecosystem. Life. Death. Sling your spells, gain some life, make a few adorably disgusting and wonderfully powerful creatures, drain some life, sacrifice those critters, and then do it all again—maybe even all in the same combat step experiment. On their own, these cards are maybe just a little icky. But together, things get gross. And excellent. It's both.

Choose the ecosystem. Choose Witherbloom.

Thank you all for joining us on this tour and keep a lookout for more of what Witherbloom offers for prospective students across the Magic community today.

Oh! On your way out, please be sure to sign the get-well-soon card for our bog! It was really touch and goo there for a minute. (The campus tour guide, too, I guess.)