Secrets of Strixhaven (SOS)

In figures

• 582,914 games analysed
• On the play: 58.0% wins, against 52.8% on the draw
• A game lasts 9.3 turns on average

What players think

The format is seen as removal-heavy and creature-light, with fairly long games, where fixing is scarce and pushes you to commit to one color pair. Aggressive white decks are set against the value piles, and the edge goes to the player who attacks while keeping mana up. Lorehold Graveyard is ranked first, then Silverquill Repartee, Spells and Opus in the middle, Fractals and Increment next and Life and Pests last, though some find the latter consistent and powerful. Our games confirm the lead of the and decks, at the top. They put Fractals and Increment third, Life and Pests in the middle (fifth of seven), although it is ranked last in that order, and Spells and Opus toward the bottom (sixth).

Colour pairs

Win rate of the decks of each pair, from real games of online draft players.

Pair	Share of games	Win rate	Strong players	Over time
Lorehold Graveyard	20.6 %	57.7 %	56.3 %	58.4 → 57.2 → 56.1
Spells and Opus	18.8 %	54.4 %	54.2 %	54.9 → 54.2 → 53.3
Silverquill Repartee	17.2 %	57.7 %	56.5 %	57.9 → 57.4 → 57.5
Life and Pests	12.6 %	54.5 %	52.8 %	54.8 → 54.5 → 53.6
Fractals and Increment	9.6 %	55.1 %	54.1 %	55.5 → 54.8 → 54.0
	0.1 %	55.0 %	—	57.5 → 54.0 → —
	0.1 %	50.4 %	—	48.2 → — → —

Archetypes: the gold uncommons

• Lorehold Graveyard

  57.7 % win rate20.6 % of games
  • 

    117. Kirol, History Buff // Pack a Punch

    5.8
  • 

    105. Startled Relic Sloth

    6.0
  • 

    134. Lorehold Charm

    5.6

• Spells and Opus

  54.4 % win rate18.8 % of games

  Opus

  • 

    236. Spectacular Skywhale

    3.9
  • 

    67. Vibrant Outburst

    6.6
  • 

    48. Stress Dream

    7.0

• Silverquill Repartee

  57.7 % win rate17.2 % of games

  Repartee

  • 

    39. Scolding Administrator

    7.1
  • 

    30. Silverquill Charm

    7.4
  • 

    121. Snooping Page

    5.8

• Life and Pests

  54.5 % win rate12.6 % of games

  Infusion

  • 

    150. Teacher's Pest

    5.4
  • 

    189. Old-Growth Educator

    4.8
  • 

    72. Essenceknit Scholar

    6.4

• Fractals and Increment

  55.1 % win rate9.6 % of games

  Increment

  • 

    129. Cuboid Colony

    5.6
  • 

    208. Fractal Tender

    4.4
  • 

    253. Growth Curve

    2.0

Mechanics of the set

• Prepared

  A prepared creature lets you cast a copy of its spell, shown under the "//" on the card; doing so unprepares it.

• Repartee

  An effect whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell that targets a creature.

• Infusion

  A bonus if you gained life this turn.

• Opus

  An effect whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, and a stronger one if five or more mana was spent on that spell.

• Increment

  Whenever you cast a spell, if the mana you spent is greater than this creature's power or toughness, it gets a +1/+1 counter.

• Converge

  The effect depends on the number of colours of mana spent to cast the spell.

The best cards

By colour

Rank by our rating, then rank by win rate when the card is in hand.

To remember

• Take instants and sorceries without hesitation: a hundred cards are one, and both Repartee and Opus depend on them.
• Look for the common two-colour lands (Fields of Strife, Spectacle Summit, Forum of Amity, Paradox Gardens, Titan's Grave): they enter tapped but can surveil 1 for four mana.
• Repartee needs spells that target a creature: twelve cards in the set have it, so count your removal and tricks before playing them.
• For Infusion, twelve cards need life gained the same turn: play steady sources (Pests, lifelink) or leave those cards in the sideboard.