Pest

The Pest token was released in 2021 as part of the Strixhaven: School of Mages Commander set, specifically designed to support the Witherbloom Coven deck. In the mechanics of Magic: The Gathering, these tokens represent the small, creature-like manifestations of decay and life energy that populate the swamps and gardens of the Witherbloom college. The token was introduced to function alongside cards that generate Pests upon the death of other creatures, creating a synergy that rewards players for sacrificing their own resources to gain life or draw cards.

The artwork for this token features the distinct aesthetic of the Strixhaven plane, emphasizing the gothic and botanical fusion characteristic of the Witherbloom house. Illustrators for the set focused on capturing the creature's segmented, insectoid anatomy while maintaining a dark, earthy color palette. Upon its release, the token was well-received by players for its thematic consistency, as it effectively communicated the college's focus on the cycle of life and death through both its utility on the battlefield and its visual design.