Recommended Free Tools
Prepare turns a creature into a conditional spell engine: meet its requirement, create a spell copy in exile, then cast that copy while the creature stays prepared on the battlefield. The twelve pairings below are the most arresting examples in Secrets of Strixhaven, but they are an opinionated shortlist rather than a tournament ranking. Every one still asks you to protect a creature, satisfy a setup condition, and pay the spell’s normal cost.
Secrets of Strixhaven released worldwide on April 24, 2026. The mechanics explanation by Matt Tabak (March 31, 2026), official release notes (April 10, 2026), and Wukeer’s April 10, 2026 evaluation provide the rules and card-by-card context used here.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
How Prepare works
A preparation card has creature characteristics and an alternate spell. It is not a normal creature that permanently contains a free spell; the spell is a conditional copy created only after the creature becomes prepared.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →- Meet the creature’s preparation condition. Each card specifies its own trigger, such as attacking with enough creatures, tapping other creatures, or having cards in a graveyard.
- Create the copy in exile. When the creature becomes prepared, its controller creates a copy of the listed spell in exile.
- Keep the creature prepared and on the battlefield. The copy remains usable only while those conditions continue to be true.
- Cast the copy normally. The copy follows the spell’s usual timing rules and requires its mana cost. Casting it makes the creature unprepared.
If the creature leaves the battlefield or becomes unprepared before you cast the copy, the copy ceases to exist. A creature that is already prepared cannot become prepared a second time at the same time, so repeated triggers do not stockpile several copies. Matt Tabak summarizes the key transition this way: “If you cast a prepare spell from exile, the prepared creature becomes unprepared, meaning it loses the prepared designation.”
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
This makes Prepare a partnership rather than a reprint shortcut. The creature must be worth playing before its spell is available, the condition must be practical in the deck, and the payoff must justify leaving mana open after the setup.
The twelve pairings at a glance
| Pairing | Preparation condition | Prepared spell’s role | Why the pairing is notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emeritus of Truce / Swords to Plowshares | Becomes prepared when an opponent has more creatures | Very low-cost creature removal | The opponent-dependent condition can delay an otherwise efficient answer |
| Eiganjo Dynastorian / Replenish | Prepares after attacking with two or more creatures | Recover enchantments from the graveyard | Turns a successful attack into a possible late-game recovery spell |
| Harmonized Trio / Brainstorm | Tap two untapped creatures | Instant-speed card selection | Most attractive when the deck can shuffle its library afterward |
| Emeritus of Ideation / Ancestral Recall | Enters prepared; can prepare again after attacking and exiling eight cards from its controller’s graveyard | Draw three cards for one blue mana, targeting a player | A large evasive creature carries an exceptionally efficient draw effect |
| Dirgur Focusmage / Braingeyser | Uses its preparation condition alongside its cost-reduction synergy | Scalable card draw | High-mana-value casts can make the draw effect substantially larger |
| Stensian Sanguinist / Exsanguinate | Preparation is paired with its deathtouch-focused creature plan | Drain opponents while gaining life | Supports a board-control and attrition strategy |
| Emeritus of Woe / Demonic Tutor | Enters prepared; can prepare at the beginning of the end step if two or more creatures died that turn | Search the library for any card, then shuffle | A sturdy body and repeatable death trigger turn tutoring into a battlefield plan |
| Grave Researcher / Reanimate | Prepares when three or more creatures are in its controller’s graveyard | Return a creature from a graveyard to the battlefield | Natural fit for decks already filling the graveyard |
| Naktamun Lorespinner / Wheel of Fortune | Becomes available when a player has one card or fewer in hand | Large hand reset | Hand-size manipulation can make the condition deliberate rather than accidental |
| Yavimaya Bloomsage / Channel | A creature-growth condition, with preparation occurring at end step | Convert life into mana | The delayed timing changes how you plan a turn around the payoff |
| Defacing Duskmage / Vandal’s Edit | Uses the creature’s draw-and-damage setup | Card draw combined with damage | The article identifies it as a possible fit for a Final Fantasy-themed Commander deck |
| Lorehold Archivist / Restore Relic | Uses the creature’s normal preparation condition | Copy an artifact or creature card from its controller’s graveyard by exiling that card | Graveyard material becomes a second source of board presence |
White pairings: efficient answers with demanding setup
Emeritus of Truce and Swords to Plowshares
The appeal is obvious: a creature can eventually unlock one of the game’s most efficient creature-removal effects. The catch is equally clear. Emeritus of Truce becomes prepared only when an opponent has more creatures, so the spell is unavailable while you are ahead on board or facing a single large threat with no supporting army. That makes the pairing reactive and matchup-dependent.
Evaluate it as a creature that may carry removal, not as a guaranteed first-turn answer. If the opponent’s board naturally outnumbers yours, the condition is easy; if not, you may spend several turns with an ordinary creature and no spell copy. The opponent can also remove or otherwise unsettle the creature before you cast the copy, deleting the opportunity.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Eiganjo Dynastorian and Replenish
Eiganjo Dynastorian prepares after you attack with two or more creatures. Replenish is a late-game enchantment-recovery effect, so the pairing rewards a deck that can commit to combat while expecting key enchantments to reach the graveyard. The attack requirement is less a drawback in an aggressive shell than in a defensive one: you must expose at least two attackers before the recovery spell exists.
The timing also creates a sequencing question. You need the creatures to survive combat and the Dynastorian to remain prepared afterward. If the enchantments you want back are essential, opponents have an incentive to remove the prepared creature before you receive a safe chance to cast the copy.
Blue pairings: card selection, raw cards, and graveyard fuel
Harmonized Trio and Brainstorm
Harmonized Trio prepares when you tap two untapped creatures. Brainstorm is strongest when you can follow it with a library shuffle, because the shuffle lets you replace unwanted cards put back on top. Without that second effect, the copy still provides selection, but the condition has cost you the use of two creatures for the turn.
This pairing therefore favors decks with expendable mana creatures, creatures that tap for value, or a plan that can safely pass with them untapped. It is less attractive when tapping the board prevents blocks or turns off other activated abilities. Because the copy disappears if the Trio leaves the battlefield or becomes unprepared, cast it while you can still protect the creature.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Emeritus of Ideation and Ancestral Recall
This is the standout pairing in the shortlist. Official notes identify Emeritus of Ideation as a 5/5 with flying and ward 2 that enters the battlefield prepared. Its normal body is already substantial, and ward 2 raises the cost of many targeted answers. Ancestral Recall costs one blue mana and draws three cards for a target player, giving the prepared creature an exceptionally efficient first activation.
The card is not a free three-card draw. You still need to pay the blue mana, cast the copy at the spell’s legal timing, and keep the 5/5 on the battlefield until then. The second preparation is also demanding: after attacking, you must exile eight cards from your graveyard. That requirement can be realistic in a self-mill or spell-heavy deck, but it competes with other graveyard uses and asks you to attack with a valuable threat.
Among these twelve examples, Ideation best demonstrates why the creature-and-spell pair must be judged as one card. The body supplies pressure and resilience before the spell is ready; the spell supplies a burst of cards; and the repeat condition gives a long game a path to another activation without pretending the first copy is unlimited.
Dirgur Focusmage and Braingeyser
Dirgur Focusmage is presented as the scalable blue option. Its cost-reduction synergy can make a large Braingeyser practical, and casting a high-mana-value version increases the amount of card draw. Unlike Ancestral Recall, this pairing asks you to plan around the size of the spell you can actually cast.
The opportunity cost is front-loaded in mana. If your deck can reduce costs or generate large amounts of mana, Braingeyser turns that investment into a substantial refill. If it cannot, the prepared copy may sit unused while you hold mana for other interaction. The creature’s survival still matters more than the theoretical maximum: a spectacular draw spell that vanishes with the Focusmage is only potential value.
Black pairings: death, tutoring, and reanimation
Stensian Sanguinist and Exsanguinate
Stensian Sanguinist pairs a deathtouch-oriented creature plan with Exsanguinate, a spell that drains opponents. Deathtouch helps the creature trade with larger attackers, which can make keeping it on the battlefield easier while you assemble the preparation condition. The drain effect then converts a long game and a large mana investment into life loss for opponents and life gain for you.
This is an attrition pairing rather than a quick burst. It asks whether the creature remains useful when you cannot yet cast the copy and whether your deck can produce enough mana for Exsanguinate to matter. Removal that exiles or forces the creature off the battlefield before the spell is cast breaks the line completely.
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Emeritus of Woe and Demonic Tutor
Emeritus of Woe enters prepared as a 5/4 Vampire Warlock. It can prepare again at the beginning of the end step if two or more creatures died that turn. Demonic Tutor searches its controller’s library for a card, puts that card into hand, and then shuffles, so the payoff is precise rather than merely random card advantage.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe death condition can be met by combat trades, sacrifice outlets, or a turn in which multiple creatures die to a sweeper. Because preparation checks at the end step, you can spend the turn trading creatures and still receive the copy afterward, provided Woe survives. The pressure point is obvious to an opponent: a prepared tutor can find the exact answer or combo piece your deck needs, making Woe a priority target before you untap.
Grave Researcher and Reanimate
Grave Researcher prepares once its controller has three or more creatures in the graveyard. That threshold is achievable in graveyard-focused strategies through normal exchanges, self-mill, and sacrifice, so the condition naturally belongs in decks already treating the graveyard as a resource.
Reanimate gives the pairing a high ceiling by returning a creature from a graveyard to the battlefield. The setup is less reliable in a deck that neither fills its graveyard nor protects the Researcher. It also creates a timing decision: do you cast the copy immediately for a critical creature, or wait and risk losing the prepared creature in exchange for a better target later?
Red and green pairings: hand size and life as resources
Naktamun Lorespinner and Wheel of Fortune
Naktamun Lorespinner makes Wheel of Fortune available when a player has one card or fewer in hand. The condition can be engineered by emptying your hand with cheap spells, but it may also occur naturally in a fast red deck. Effects that restrict opponents’ draws create additional interaction, because a hand reset is more punishing when opponents cannot immediately rebuild.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
The danger is timing. A prepared Wheel copy is valuable only if you can cast it before Lorespinner is removed or becomes unprepared. If your own hand is empty, you also need to ensure the reset does not refill opponents into a stronger position than yours.
Yavimaya Bloomsage and Channel
Yavimaya Bloomsage uses a creature-growth condition to prepare Channel, with the preparation occurring at the end step. Channel converts life into mana, so the pairing asks you to treat your life total as a resource while building a creature that grows over time.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
The end-step timing means you generally cannot use the copy to accelerate the same main phase in which you satisfied the condition. Plan the following turn around the mana burst, and account for the possibility that paying life exposes you to a lethal attack. This is strongest in a deck that can turn temporary mana into a decisive spell rather than spending life merely to cast another ordinary creature.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Multicolor pairings: themed value and graveyard copies
Defacing Duskmage and Vandal’s Edit
Defacing Duskmage pairs a card-draw-and-damage spell with a creature setup that can fit a Final Fantasy-themed Commander deck. The attraction is flexibility: the copy can affect the board while replacing itself with cards, rather than forcing you to choose between removal and development.
Because this recommendation is tied to a particular Commander theme, treat it as a deck-building idea rather than a universal power claim. The creature must still survive until the copy is cast, and the spell’s normal timing and mana cost still apply.
Lorehold Archivist and Restore Relic
Lorehold Archivist’s pairing turns a graveyard artifact or creature into another source of board presence. Restore Relic can copy an artifact or creature card from its controller’s graveyard by exiling that card, so the value depends on having a worthwhile target and accepting that the card is no longer available in the graveyard afterward.
This is a reusable-resource design with a built-in trade: you convert one graveyard card into a copy while consuming that card as the cost of the effect. Decks that recur artifacts or creatures should decide whether the copy is more valuable now than preserving the original for a later recursion spell.
Which Prepare spells look strongest?
On the evidence available, Emeritus of Ideation/Ancestral Recall is the clearest all-star pairing because the creature enters prepared, supplies a 5/5 flying body with ward 2, and carries a one-blue-mana draw-three effect. Emeritus of Woe/Demonic Tutor is the most reliable tutor package when your deck can arrange two deaths in a turn. Grave Researcher/Reanimate is the most naturally aligned with a dedicated graveyard shell, while Harmonized Trio/Brainstorm offers the lowest-cost selection effect if tapping two creatures is painless.
Those are evaluations, not established metagame results. No named tournament statistics, win rates, adoption figures, or independent player testing substantiate a definitive ranking. Compare each option on four practical axes:
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
- Time to enable: Can your deck satisfy the condition immediately, or does it require several turns?
- Spell cost and timing: Do you have the mana and a legal window to cast the copy once it appears?
- Creature value before casting: Is the body useful as an attacker, blocker, engine, or deterrent even without its spell?
- Disruption risk: Can common removal, combat, discard, or a timing effect make the copy disappear?
Are these cards legal in Standard?
Set membership does not provide a blanket answer. Standard legality is determined card by card and can change with format updates, while some of these pairings may be more relevant in Commander or other formats. Check the current official legality listing for the exact card and format before building a sanctioned deck. The appearance of a famous name such as Ancestral Recall, Demonic Tutor, or Wheel of Fortune on a prepared spell does not by itself mean the original standalone card has entered Standard.
How to obtain the cards
Wizards’ collecting guide identifies Secrets of Strixhaven Play Boosters and Collector Boosters, and names Amazon among retailers. A Play Booster is a practical sealed-product route for opening cards from the set, but no booster guarantees a specific Prepare pairing. Check current availability and price at the time of purchase; neither stock nor a recurring price is established here.
For a particular creature, singles from a verified card retailer or a local game store are usually more predictable than opening packs. If a retailer link later includes tracking or affiliate terms, it should be labeled clearly so readers know the commercial relationship.
What to remember when building around Prepare
- Prepare creates a conditional copy in exile; it does not let you cast the famous spell for free.
- The creature must remain prepared and on the battlefield until you cast the copy.
- Casting the copy makes the creature unprepared, so repeated use requires a new preparation condition.
- Judge the creature and spell together: setup difficulty, mana, timing, body quality, and removal risk all matter.
- The twelve pairings are promising examples and informed opinions, not proven tournament rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cast a prepared spell without paying its mana cost?
No. The copy in exile follows the spell’s normal timing and requires its normal mana cost.
What happens if the prepared creature dies before I cast the spell?
The copy ceases to exist when the creature leaves the battlefield or becomes unprepared before the copy is cast.
Can a creature prepare multiple copies by triggering its condition repeatedly?
Not while it is already prepared. A prepared creature cannot become prepared a second time at once, so triggers do not stack copies.
Does a Prepare pairing automatically make an iconic spell legal in Standard?
No. Check current legality for the exact card and format; the spell name on a prepared card is not a blanket reprint announcement.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe Bottom Line
Prepare is powerful because it joins a real creature to a conditional spell, not because it hands out free versions of famous cards. Emeritus of Ideation/Ancestral Recall and Emeritus of Woe/Demonic Tutor show the highest ceiling, but every pairing can be disrupted before its copy is cast.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
