Wizards of the Coast and Game Informer have premiered two new cards from Secrets of Strixhaven, offering an early look at removal tools and prepared-spell aggression in the set. The reveals span two of Strixhaven's thematic schools and showcase the set's new prepared mechanic alongside straightforward board interaction.

Stand Up for Yourself — simple, effective removal

Stand Up for Yourself arrives as a three-cost removal option aimed at Silverquill and Lorehold builds that need reliable answers to an opponent's bigger threats. The card's design emphasises raw tempo — a clear, no-frills way to take a creature off the battlefield without intricate conditions or combo requirements. The art, illustrated by Nathaniel Himawan, uses perspective and framing to underline the spell's decisive impact.

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Encouraging Aviator — prepared spells enable mid-game pressure

Encouraging Aviator is an uncommon 2/3 Bird Wizard that costs two generic and one blue mana. It has Flying and a prepared spell: Jump. Prepared is a new mechanic in Secrets of Strixhaven that attaches familiar Magic spells to creatures. When a creature is prepared, it can cast the attached spell for its designated cost and timing; the creature must be prepared again to recast the spell.

Jump is a classic blue instant that grants a creature flying for the turn, enabling air-based evasions and surprise attacks. As such, Encouraging Aviator can serve as an evasive threat that helps push damage through opposing defences or augment other attackers mid-game. Notably, its evasion and flying status let it avoid certain ground-targeting answers, including removal like Stand Up for Yourself.

What this means for Strixhaven decks

The two previews underline different design goals within Secrets of Strixhaven: accessible, reliable removal for decks that need to stabilise the board, and modular threats that leverage prepared spells to extend utility beyond raw stats. Encouraging Aviator's combination of evasive threat and reusable spell access should make it a useful pick for Blue-based builds that want to pressure opponents while maintaining interaction windows.

Further details and additional card reveals are expected as the spoiler season continues. The full premiere was published by Game Informer, with Wizards of the Coast providing early card images and notes.

Source: Game Informer