Hardened Academic (SOS)

Creature — Bird Cleric

Flying, haste Discard a card: This creature gains lifelink until end of turn. Whenever one or more cards leave your graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control.

Solid evasive threat for Boros and Izzet tempo decks. Hardened Academic hits the ground immediately with flying and haste, applying early pressure while its discard outlet and graveyard synergy reward you for filling the bin—whether through looting, cycling, or self-mill. The lifelink mode shores up your life total in aggressive matchups, and the +1/+1 counter ability scales well in decks already leveraging their graveyard. Best in Pioneer and Modern shells that naturally discard or mill, where it functions as both a clock and a value engine.

Secrets of Strixhaven — Rare