Enthusiastic Study is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Target creature gets +3/+1 and gains trample until end of turn. Learn. (You may reveal a Lesson card you own from outside the game and put it into your hand, or discard a card to draw a card.)
Complete guide
Enthusiastic Study is a versatile combat trick from the Strixhaven set that blends aggressive stats with the strategic depth of the Learn mechanic. It allows players to push through damage while simultaneously ensuring they have the right tools for the next turn.
Breaking Down the Stats
When you cast Enthusiastic Study, you target one creature on the battlefield. That creature receives a significant +3/+1 power and toughness boost and gains trample until the end of the turn. This makes it an excellent tool for trading up against larger blockers or finishing off an opponent by trampling over small tokens.
How Learn Works
The Learn keyword action occurs as part of the spell's resolution. After the target creature is buffed, you have three choices: you may reveal a Lesson card you own from outside the game (your sideboard in tournament play) and put it into your hand, you may discard a card to draw a card (rummaging), or you may choose to do nothing at all.
Common Mistakes
A common misconception is that you can choose both Learn options; however, you must pick only one or choose to do neither. Additionally, if the target creature for Enthusiastic Study becomes illegal before the spell resolves (for example, if it is removed from the battlefield), the entire spell fails, and you will not get to Learn.
When to Cast It
Ideally, you should cast this during the declare blockers step. By giving your creature trample after blockers are chosen, you can maximize the overflow damage. Because it is an instant, it also serves as a way to save a creature from a damage-based removal spell or to cycle a dead card in your hand via the discard-to-draw option.
Interaction examples
You attack with a 2/2 creature, and your opponent blocks with a 1/1. Before damage, you cast Enthusiastic Study on your creature. It becomes a 5/3 with trample. It deals 1 damage to the blocker and 4 damage to the opponent.
Deflecting SwatYou cast Enthusiastic Study targeting your creature. Your opponent responds with Deflecting Swat to change the target to their own creature. If the target is successfully changed, their creature gets the +3/+1 and trample, and your opponent does NOT learn; you still perform the Learn action because you are the controller of Enthusiastic Study.
Chaos WarpYou cast Enthusiastic Study targeting your creature. In response, your opponent casts Chaos Warp on that same creature. Since the only target of Enthusiastic Study is gone when it tries to resolve, the spell is removed from the stack. You do not get the stat boost, and you do not get to Learn.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Enthusiastic Study
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a card is brought into the game from outside the game, it will stay in the game until it ends or until its owner leaves the game, whichever comes first.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If you bring a card into the game from outside the game in a Constructed tournament (or a Constructed game played under tournament conditions), you may select only a card from your sideboard. In casual Constructed games, the card comes from your collection.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If you bring a card into the game from outside the game in a Sealed Deck or Booster Draft event, you may select only a card that is in the card pool that you built your deck from.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If instructed to learn, you may do nothing. Discarding a card and putting a Lesson card into your hand are both optional.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Enthusiastic Study
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