MTG Arena Announcements, April 14, 2021
Classes begin April 15! Available on all platforms, Strixhaven: School of Mages introduces a new plane, new mechanics, and the Biblioplex, packed with new spells to master. Get a rundown on the mechanics and cards you should know about in the Strixhaven on MTG Arena release notes.
How will you make your mark? Start by picking your college. Are you a researcher or an artist? Do you shape spells like precise equations or freeform poems? Whatever your arcane stylings, Strixhaven has a college that will help you channel your talents.
Take the Strixhaven Quiz, Get Your College Sleeves
Be sure to take the Strixhaven University quiz. It'll do two things for you:
- Tell you which college you are well suited for (don't like the results? Just retake the quiz).
- Give you the code for your college-themed MTG Arena card sleeves!
When you complete the quiz, the administration will send you an acceptance letter with your results. It will also include the code you can use to get your college sleeves in MTG Arena, so look for it when the acceptance letter arrives!
The College Cup Is Coming
A few weeks after Strixhaven: School of Mages launches, we'll introduce the College Cup to MTG Arena. This series of events will pit students from each college against opposing colleges. You represent your college by earning points—and one way is using your college sleeves! Find out more about the College Cup in the State of the Game article.
7-Card Sideboard Change in Best-of-One
After Strixhaven: School of Mages launches tomorrow, your sideboard in Best-of-One matches will be seven cards instead of fifteen. You can still use the same deck for both types of matches, but in Best-of-One matches, only seven cards will be available in the sideboard.
The deck builder will clearly identify which cards in the sideboard can be used in each type of match, as shown here:
If you have existing Best-of-One decks that use the sideboard, check to make sure the desired 7-card sideboard is in place before playing.
Bring Your A-Game to the Standard Metagame Challenge
This is where you'll really show off your Standard chops. From April 24–27, bring your best Strixhaven Standard deck and play Best-of-Three matches. The more matches you win, the bigger your rewards grow in gold and packs—multiplicatively, as you Quandrix scholars might call it.
Make it a sweep of seven games, and you'll walk away with 5,000 gold and 30 Strixhaven: School of Mages Store Packs.
Things are about to get interesting in the quad!
Additions to Banned List for Historic Brawl
We're adding a few Mystical Archive cards to the Historic Brawl banned list:
Those Mystical Archive cards banned in Historic (specifically: Counterspell, Dark Ritual, Lightning Bolt, and Swords to Plowshares) remain legal in Historic Brawl.
Store Updates
New bundles will be available tomorrow, April 15, including stickers, sleeves, and a cute little pup. There are borderless planeswalkers, borderless Elder Dragons, and even Strixhaven: School of Mages stickers featuring Will, Rowan, and the inscrutable Professor Onyx.
The Japanese alternate-art Mystical Archive Card Style bundles will also be available, as well as the Forbidden Volumes bundle featuring the card styles for Mystical Archive cards that will be banned in Historic.
Claim Your Thopter Pet
If you haven't claimed yours yet, don't forget to log in to MTG Arena on your Android or iOS device to pick up your free Thopter pet. You must log in on an Android or iOS device to add it to your collection, but you can use the pet when playing on a PC or Mac.
Upcoming Events
FNM @ Home
- April 16: No in-game FNM event, but play in any MTG Arena event and submit your event screenshot to your local game store for a code.
- April 23: New Player Preconstructed Decks
Quick Draft
- April 16–30: Kaldheim
- April 30–May 14: Strixhaven: School of Mages
Arena Cube Draft
- April 2–15: Best-of-One
- April 2–15: Best-of-Three
- More info here
Strixhaven: School of Mages Launch Events
- April 15: Until Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Release: Premier Draft
- April 15–July 2021: Traditional Draft
- April 15–May 8: Strixhaven: School of Mages Sealed
- April 15–May 8: Strixhaven: School of Mages Traditional Sealed