Building upon the legacy of the 2021 Prismari Performance precon, Prismari Artistry shifts traditional spell-slinging into big-mana bomb-slinging. This deck cares about high mana value instants and sorceries and comes with a strong creature-copy/token subtheme.
Prismari Artistry is quite possibly the most explosive of the 5 Secrets of Strixhaven precons, giving you fast, flying elementals as a reward for pouring mana into a single big instant or sorcery each turn. With the number of creature-copy effects included in the deck, you could find yourself with a lethal army faster than your opponents are ready to respond to.
On top of this, Prismari Artistry comes with a number of valuable reprints and splashy new card designs – let’s dive in!
Read Ahead
College Philosophy
Prismari is Strixhaven’s Arts college – theatre, music, dance, any form of artistic expression is explored here. Through blue, Prismari students stimulate the intellect – and through red, emotion. They heavily emphasize the journey over the destination. The way you express yourself through your art is more important that the end product.
Prismari’s mascots are Elementals: raw, unformed magical entities that embody the college’s philosophy perfectly. They are pure creative potential before it becomes anything in particular. In a student’s hands, that potential becomes artistic expression: music, theatre, dance, destruction, or anything in between.
Though we do emphasize the journey, you still want to reach the destination. This deck allows you to express yourself with whatever big instants or sorceries you want to play, and Rootha’s Elementals will help you reach that destination – decisive victory.
Face Commanders
Rootha, Mastering the Moment
As the face commander of Prismari Artistry, Rootha asks you to have one explosive instant or sorcery before combat on your turn. She’ll reward you with a flying, hasty Elemental with power and toughness equal to the biggest mana value amongst instant and sorceries you cast that turn. These tokens stick around – they aren’t sacrificed or exiled at end of turn or combat.
She pairs nicely with spells that copy creatures, as you can copy previously created large elementals and be rewarded with even more elementals. She pairs even better with extra combat and extra turn spells – with something like Full Throttle giving you 36 damage from elementals in one turn!
Muddle, the Ever-Changing
Muddle is a very fun new commander option. When casting an instant or sorcery, you can have Muddle become a copy of another non-legendary creature you control, except it also has Myriad – meaning, when he attacks, you get a copy of him attacking each opponent other than the one Muddle is attacking. The tokens are exiled at end of combat.
Unlike Rootha, Muddle doesn’t really care about big spells – he cares about splashy or value-oriented enters-the-battlefield effects on creatures. Examples would include Solemn Simulacrum, Trumpeting Carnosaur, or the brand new Emeritus of Ideation. Combine this with unblockable spells like Enter the Enigma and Slip through Space to ensure Muddle doesn’t die and keep the pressure and value flowing turn after turn!
Deck Gameplay
The most straightforward Rootha gameplan is to get her out, cast big instants or sorceries, and start swinging with elementals.
Out of the box, though, you’re likely to have 4-5 setup turns before slinging bombs. There are only 4 mana rocks that cost 2 or less in the deck (5 if you count Magma Opus), meaning, the chances you’ll have Rootha out before turn 4 are slim. There are also a plethora of support creatures in the deck, 13 of which cost 4 or more mana, so if you want to capitalize on that value you’ll probably cast your first big instant or sorcery on turn 6.
Deck’s Strengths
That said, the build up can lead to one of the 5 precon’s biggest crescendos. For example, you could:
Turn 2: Cast Determined Iteration
Turn 3: Cast Redoubled Stormsinger
Turn 4: Cast Rootha, Mastering the Moment
Turn 5: Cast Rionya, Fire Dancer
Turn 6: Cast Replication Technique, demonstrating it to create 2 copies of Redoubled Stormsinger
Then on combat, you’d get a 5/5 flying haste Elemental from Rootha. Rionya triggers, getting you two more copies of Redoubled Stormsinger. Determined iteration triggers, getting you one final copy of Redoubled Stormsinger.
You then go to attack with all 6 Stormsingers and your 5/5 Elemental – getting you 6 more 5/5 elementals and 5 more Redoubled Stormsingers attacking – likely enough firepower to take out one opponent.
That sudden increase in power is present throughout this deck due to the strong creature copy subtheme.
Deck’s Weaknesses
Rootha is the most stable source of large creatures. She’s 4 mana, the deck is fairly light on ramp, and there is only two spells in the deck that can protect Rootha: Lightning Greaves and Arcane Denial. Countermagic is tough in this deck since you’re trying to dump a lot of mana into your spells on your own first main phase.
If you play this deck in a pod regularly, I expect Rootha to eat a lot of removal. Also, if you keep a risky opening hand, you may struggle to get off the ground at all if you don’t have enough mana to cast your spells.
We can look to mitigate some of these weaknesses in the upgrades section.
Key Cards
Creature Copy
As the prominent subtheme of this deck, creature-copy effects turn 1 deadly elemental or value creature into many creatures.
While not exactly creating extra copies, these cards support the subtheme extremely well. Consider the ceiling of Mirrorwing Dragon – you could cast a Twinflame on him and it would get you a copy of every single creature you have.
Value Pieces
Ritual effects help cover mana problems and allow you to play bigger bombs. Rousing Refrain is especially nice here as it curves beautifully when suspended turn 2 into a burst of mana turn 5, when Rootha should be out and your lands untapped.
Surge to Victory can be a game-ending pump effect, giving all your creatures a potentially massive +X/0 buff until end of turn and giving you free copies of the exiled card each time a creature deals damage to your opponents. Maybe it’s time to give Lava Axe a home again just so you can surge 5 copies of it into someone’s face.
Inspired Skypainter is cool in that, in a pinch, he can copy himself with his prepared ability. This means even with no useful cards in hand, you could just keep copying the Skypainter with his own ability turn after turn and keep pumping out 5/5 Elementals with Rootha.
Similarly, Dirgur Focusmage also has a re-preparable prepared spell – Braingeyser. You can only reprepare him by casting mana value 5 or higher spells from your hand, but hopefully you drew a few of those with the geyser itself.
Brand New Cards
Creatures
Dirgur Focusmage // Braingeyser
This Djinn rules – discounts your instant and sorceries by 
, has a nice big butt for defense, and readies up a Braingeyser whenever you cast an instant or sorcery with mana value 5 or more from your hand. She even discounts her own Braingeyser!
Inspired Skypainter // Maestro’s Gift
Another incredible card – Inspired Skypainter is his own engine. He enters prepared and re-prepares whenever a creature token deals combat damage to a player. His prepared spell, Maestro’s Gift, creates a hasty token copy of a creature you control. He can target himself! This makes this a win condition for any deck that can generate infinite colored mana, as you can create infinite hasty copies of this guy.
Leitmotif Composer
Also very cool card design, though impractical in practice. Create exponential token copies of the Composer each time you cast an instant or sorcery with mana value 
or higher, then pay 
to make them all unblockable. Each time the Composer hits someone, you draw a card.
I think it will be too slow for most purposes – but maybe time will prove me wrong.
Prismari Pianist
Prismari Pianist is a fine token generator. In the right deck that cares about tokens, he can create a whole lot of them. I’m not sure that this is the deck for him though, as 1/1 elementals on the ground aren’t as threatening as the fat flying ones we get from Rootha. I guess they can block Quintorius, History Chaser‘s spirits though!
Renegade Bull
Pretty splashy design, this 0/5 Ox with Trample gets real big real fast in a deck like this. Cast your big mana spell for Rootha, go to combat, attack, cast another (or the same) big mana spell with this Ox – he’ll be a 14/5 in no time.
Instants & Sorceries
Prismari Charm
It’s aight.
Abstract Performance
6 mana draw 4 at sorcery speed is beat by Tidings, but sometimes the mind games are worth it. Putting 4 cards in your yard can help with delve and flashback effects too. If your opponent picks the wrong pile, just tell ’em they would have won if they just picked the right pile!
Furygale Flocking
Furygale Flocking is decent in traditional spellslinger decks, where you’re likely to discount this card heavily by the mid-game. However, in a big spells matter deck, it’s going to be a while before you can cast it, and its impact might not be too meaningful by that point.
Lands
Finally, we are completing the Tango Land and Bi-Cycle land cycles in Secrets of Strixhaven! Both Orzhov and Izzet were the final two guilds missing these lands, with Tango Lands being some of the best budget 2 color untapped lands. Scorched Geyser is Izzet’s Tango land (takes two [basics] to tango) and Coastal Peak is its type-fetchable bi-cycle land.
Spectacle Summit is destined for the bulk bin, while Turbulent Sprints is the cool new cycle of Octopus lands that are great for Commander.
Notable Reprints
Faerie Mastermind is the headline reprint of Prismari Artistry, an ever-green multi-format-playable card draw all-star. Goldspan Dragon doubles up the mana you get from your treasures and almost guarantees you two or more treasures.
Determined Iteration is a great way to generate copies of tokens and have them die for the low low cost of 
and was overdue for a reprint. Synergizes well with this deck’s token and copy strategy and comes out early.
Harmonic Prodigy has crept up in value over time, being an excellent include in numerous Wizard and Shaman decks. Note that while the old Rootha, Mercurial Artist was a Shaman, Rootha, Mastering the Moment is an Orc Sorcerer.
Rionya, Fire Dancer and Twinflame play real nice with the creature-copy subtheme of this deck. Thunderclap Drake provides a lot of value for and can copy your spells. Veyran, Voice of Duality is a spell-slinger all-star, though ironically doesn’t pair super well with this deck. And of course, Lightning Greaves – always a welcome include.
Upgrade Recommendations
Rootha’s got explosive potential mid to late game – our upgrades are going to smooth out our early game to get there.
Mana Rocks
Two-cost mana rocks means you can get Rootha out on turn 3 and start your gameplan a turn early.
Permanent-Based or Cheap Interaction
Since you’re likely to try and spend almost all your mana on your first main phase, having cheap interaction or permanent-based interaction will help you protect yourself. Permanent-based interaction lets you cast it early game and wait to use it until you need to.
Seal of Removal can also bounce Rootha in a pinch, saving you on some commander tax.
Value Adds
Strionic Resonator – if going wide is more important than going tall, save 2 mana before combat and create 2 Elementals instead of 1.
Lorien Revealed – this can help you smooth out your early game if you need a land, but can also be a draw spell attached to an Elemental in the mid/late game. Note it does not have to be a basic Island.
Double Vision – most spellslinger decks play tiny spells so they’re not heavily incentivized to use a card like this. Rootha, however, is only really looking to play one spell each turn. Why not do it twice?
Energy Tap is criminally underplayed – pay , tap Rootha, get 
. Note that while some tap effects can work on already tapped creatures, Energy Tap specifically needs you to tap an untapped creature.
Abstract Paintmage – free mana for instant or sorceries during your first main. Doesn’t curve amazingly for this deck but starts to provide value turns 4-5 onward if you get it out turn 3.
Tablet of Discovery – new to Secrets of Strixhaven, this mana rock is a three-for-two for spellslinger decks. Still taps for for anything else.
Elementalist’s Palette – This deck has and can have more 
spells. X spells help you save the precise amount of mana you think you’ll need to protect yourself or just dump it all for a Hail Mary.
Speaking of X spells…
X Spells
This deck does have 4-ish board wipes already, but Curse of the Swine is a welcome include. Blue Sun’s Twilight is an mana value based theft spell that has the upside of creating a copy of what you stole if you spend 5 or more on X. Ghired’s Belligerence lets you take out a number of 1 toughness creatures to make a bunch of fat flying elementals – really great upside potential on this card.
If you do go heavy on the X spells, borrow notes from Zimone and play Owlin Spiralmancer. This Bird rewards you by copying the first X spell you cast each turn.
Crescendo
Let’s talk about some game-ending plays.
Like we discussed at the start of the article, Full Throttle gives you 36 points of flying hasty damage in one turn. The first combat you get a 6/6, attack for 6; second you get another 6/6, attack with both for a total of 18(6+12); third you get a final 6/6, attack again for a total of 36(6+12+18). And that’s assuming you have no other attackers – very obvious slam dunk in this deck.
Season of Weaving is such a banger include in this deck. Pick whatever works best for you – want to draw 5 cards? Want to create 2 copies of an elemental? Want to bounce everyone’s non-tokens? Melds very well with this deck’s game plan.
With some setup, this is a potential infinite combo. The ideal case is your opponents don’t have flyers, you have Rootha and an Elemental out, and you go to combat with Breath of Fury on your elemental. You’ll create a second on start of combat – attack with the enchanted one, it’ll die, put it on the second one, and you’ll go back to another combat ad nauseum. This is technically a 2 card potentially infinite combo, so that might push you out of Bracket 2 if you were hoping to stay there.
The longer the game goes the better Mizzix’s Mastery gets – provided no one Bojuka Bogs your yard.
7-cost extra-combat spell you could potentially play without spending any mana. 21 damage on this one!
Extra turn spells are generally cheatypants mode, but they are especially potent in this deck as they come with big flying beaters.
Another board wipe effect – you pay full price for this one, but with all the big spells you’re playing, this provides some recursion and is likely to take out most of your opponent’s creatures at the same time.
Recommended Cuts
Cascade isn’t particularly potent in this deck, since Rootha cares about the biggest instant or sorcery cast. Cascade’s upside is that you get to play some cards effectively for free, but it otherwise doesn’t synergize with the deck.
Dance with Calamity is fun – but with a deck with high mana values all over the place, you could bust very early.
Trying to run high mana value cards that are discounted in some way is a legit strategy for this deck, and creating ~6 3/3 flying elementals on top of Rootha’s 10/10 is a good ceiling. But discounts based on instants and sorceries in the yard in a deck that isn’t even going to start casting them until turn 5/6 means the discount on this is going to be pretty minimal. That makes Furygale Flockling a late game only play – so the impact it provides at that point should threaten to close the game and I don’t think it will.
Compare this to Volcanic Salvo which is discounted based on the total power of creatures you control – you could very easily cast this mid-game for almost nothing and get a 12/12 while taking out a few threats.
These are some traditional spellslinger all-stars that don’t actually mesh super well in this deck. Harmonic Prodigy would have worked if Rootha was a Wizard or Shaman but they made her a Sorcerer for some reason. There aren’t that many triggered abilities for Veyran to double in this deck. Casting only one big spell a turn makes Magecraft triggers from Archmage Emeritus and Storm-Kiln Artist few and far between for the 4 mana investment required to play them.
Brazen Borrower definitely fits a lot of blue decks, just not this one. Petty Theft is strong but we’re not really looking to hold up mana between turns – maybe 1, but 2 or even 3 to flash him in is tough.
Leitmotif Composer is actually a pretty cool card and its home really is in a deck like this one. The composer’s ability to double itself Scute Swarm style, draw you cards on combat damage, and make them all unblockable for is very cool card design. But! What situations would this card actually be useful?
If you cast it turn 3, Rootha 4, then you start doubling Leitmotifs turn 5 onward. By the time you are out of spells and want to spend the you likely already are a threat and someone’s likely to board wipe.
If you play it late game, you still need a few turns of fat spells to get enough of these to matter.
I like this card, and I want to see it played, but I think the activated ability needed to be for Flying or something instead of for unblockable.
I used to have a Rootha, Mercurial Artist deck so it pains me to cut her – she can be useful, but I think the slots in the deck could be better served. Prismari Pianist‘s 1 or 3 elementals is nice, but we don’t care that much about small on the ground elementals. Galazeth Prismari really wants a deck that makes artifacts, which we don’t. Brudiclad can be a game ender, but for 6 mana, he’s competing with instants and sorceries that for sure end the game.
End Step
Prismari Artistry is one of the strongest out-of-the-box precons in the Secrets of Strixhaven lineup. It has a clear identity, a high ceiling, and plenty of room to grow. If you’re looking for a deck that rewards artistic expression via deck building, this one’s for you.