Coldsnap review
By Frédéric Meurin on Wednesday 16 August 2006, 16:07 - Reviews - Permalink
Let's open with a hot subject, the Coldsnap release.
I'd first like to thank Chris Morling for his reviews. He gave me the how-to-review. I can only hope my view will be as accurate as his.
But don't we wait any longer, and let's check Coldsnap out !
Snow Creature – Griffin (C)
Flying
{S}: Boreal Griffin gains first strike until end of turn.
3/2
What did Chris said about Screeching Griffin, a flying 2/2 for 3W and a R costing ability ? Here it is : « This is just too expensive. » Guess what I would say about Boreal Griffin.
Gelid Shackles - W
Snow Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't block and its activated abilities can't be played.
{S}: Enchanted creature gains defender until end of turn. ({S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.)
#6/155
Gelid Shackles are a snow hybrid between Pacifism and Arrest. It costs less than Faith's fetters, but targets only creatures and doesn't make you gain 4 life. I was about to say that this card will join pacifism to the shoe-box, but it might be an addition to a snow white weenie. Actually, you would just have to make all your plains snow to make it work. Shackles might bring some control to WW.
Kjeldoran Javelineer - W
Creature – Human Soldier (C)
Cumulative Upkeep {1}
{T}: Kjeldoran Javelineer deals to target attacking or blocking creature damage equal to the number of age counters on Kjeldoran Javelineer.
1/2
It's a defensive card that could fit in a very aggressive deck, named White weenie, were it the upkeekp cost : you would like to use your mana to something else in WW. It could also feet in a control deck, if it didn't need so much time – and mana, again, a precious ressource in control decks - to be truly effective. Since PEZ is a very fast format, this Javelineer will stay in Kjeldor, wherever it is.
Kjeldoran Outrider - 1W
Creature - Human Soldier (C)
{W}: Kjeldoran Outrider gets +0/+1 until end of turn.
"I listen to people. He sniffs the wind. And we both sense something big coming. Something very big."
2/2
Illus. Carl Critchlow
#12/155
Another toughness-boosting soldier. But I don't see it replacing any of the like in the Life deck – which is not a « hot » deck.
Kjeldoran War Cry - 1W
Instant (C)
Creatures you control get +X/+X until end of turn, where X is 1 plus the number of cards named Kjeldoran War Cry in all graveyards.
It reminds me of « To arms ! » in Guildpact, for its color and mana cost. The effect is also intended to be a surprise one, but the deck would be an aggro one. Maybe PEZ WW has found its Crusade.
Martyr of Sands - W
Creature - Human Cleric (C)
{1}, Reveal X white cards from your hand, Sacrifice Martyr of Sands: You gain three times X life.
"Only in our vulnerability is there true power, and that power is life itself."
1/1
Illus. Randy Gallegos
The only deck in which I could use this would be Life, BUT Life isn't a mono white, so Martyr's effect would be very weak. Moreover, I can't see any card I could get out of Life to fit this in, since it doesn't have the aggressive use you can make of a Task force with About face. Maybe as a side card of WW, against IsoBurn (but CoPR seems stronger...)
Ronom Unicorn - 1W
Creature - Unicorn (C)
Sacrifice Ronom Unicorn: Destroy target enchantment.
The aberrant magic of the Rimewind drew the unicorns back from the northern wastes to do battle once again.
2/2
Illus. Carl Critchlow
#16/155
It's exactly the same as Kami of Ancient law in Kamigawa, which wasn't use in PEZ elsewhere than in WW (even yet...) since there's so many enchantment breakers, with lesser cost or more polyvalent or more powerful effect.
Squall Drifter - 1W
Snow Creature – Elemental (C)
Flying
{W}, {T}: Tap target creature.
1/1
I wonder if the trade « flying vs one toughness » benefits this Master decoy like, since Master decoy is a defense/control card. But you want to give an agressive option to your WU control deck, it might be useful. By the way, does any deck play Master decoy ?
Sun's Bounty - 1W
Instant (C)
Gain 4 life.
Recover {1}{W}
You can gain 8 life with GG and Nourish. And you don't. On the other hand, you can gain 3 life with W and Healing salve. And you don't, either, for you have better use for one mana cards, and for your mana in the appropriate decks. So will you use this, even with a recover abilty ?
Surging Sentinels - 2W
Creature - Human Soldier (C)
First Strike
Ripple 4 (When you play this spell, you may reveal the top four cards of your library. You may play any revealed cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs. Put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
2/1
Illus. Christopher Moeller
#20/155
The odds are pretty low the Ripple effect can be truly effective (around 20% of chances you actually have another surging thing in the next 4 cards). For its peculiar case, Surging Sentinels is way below the curve with 2/1 for 3 mana , to get any chance to include WW (for instance, but where else ?).
Swift Maneuver - 1W
Instant (C)
Prevent the next 2 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.
Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.
This prevent damage could have been truly interesting for one mana with instant cantrip. At 2, and with a delayed cantrip effect it's just another shoe box filler.
Creature - Yeti Mutant (C)
Whenever Drelnoch becomes blocked, you may draw two cards.
Adarkar's blank wastes make the mind wander - and stray thoughts are quickly caught and devoured.
3/3
Illus. Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
#32/155
I wonder if there's a place for this guy in a to-be-build Big blue control deck. Actually, I wonder if there's a place in the PEZ metagame to build a UC ?
Frost Raptor - 2U
Snow Creature - Bird (C)
Flying
{S}{S}: Frost Raptor can't be the target of spells or abilities this turn.
2/2
Correct but not tremendous, Frost Raptor shouldn't make it since its capacity is expensive and restrictive.
Frozen Solid - 1UU
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
When damage is dealt to enchanted creature, destroy it.
Anyone can see a nice synergy with Prodigal sorcerer-like and this reprint of Scourge. Anyway, the Scourge one and Prodigal are not PEZ stars, so I guess this will remain casual.
Krovikan Mist - 1U
Creature - Illusion (C)
Flying
Krovikan Mist's power and toughness are each equal to the number of Illusions in play.
Plague induced dreams became real as they swirled above Krov, mingling with the magical residue of the World Spell.
*/*
Illus. Jeremy Jarvis
An Illusion lord ? Common ? For 2 mana ? And flying ? The Krovikan Mist holds attention, but not for long, as soon as you drop an eye on the Common illusions list : they're all uneffective AND expensive. Too bad, sounded fun.
Martyr of Frost - U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
{2}, Reveal X blue cards from your hand, Sacrifice Martyr of Frost: Counter target spell unless its controller pays {X}.
"You shouldn't call the Balduvians barbarians. Their magic is as powerful as it is ancient."
- Zur the Enchanter
1/1
Illus. Wayne England
There's a lot of counter-wizard, and they don't have to sacrifice or reveal your hand to be effective. The only advantage of Martyr of frost is it mana cost, and its ability to counter even if tapped. Does it make it good ? Let's put it another words : do you use Disruptive student ? You have it.
Perilous Research - 1U
Instant (U)
Draw two cards, then sacrifice a permanent.
When the School of the Unseen fell, so many magical treasures lay abandoned that no amount of death could deter the stream of thieves and desperate scholars.
Illus. Dany Orizio
#41/155
An unco, but with great interactions to be found with permanents having reaching-graveyard effects and reanimation perspectives. I just fear this is not enough to sacrifice an unco slot, but it should be thought of.
Rimewind Taskmage - 1U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
{1}, {T}: Tap or untap target permanent. Play this ability only if you control four or more snow permanents.
"Find solace in the sun? Burning, blinding, laying secrets bare? No, solace is found under the blanket of cold."
1/2
Illus. Ron Spears
As I said about Gelid Shackles, it's quite easy to have snow permanents : just grab some snow-covered lands. In Rimewind Taskmage, it's just not enough : you need four snow permanents. This cannot be reach before turn three, which is not the end of the world, but isn't worthwhile for a turn to turn effect. If it hasn't to tap, it could have been something -something big, but then, no.
Rune Snag - 1U
Instant (C)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays {2} plus {2} for each Rune Snag in each graveyard.
Walks on the land of Mana leak and so other many counters that I only can see it as an alternative sideboard card against MBC, or maindecked in a Madness or Tog.
Surging Æther - 3U
Instant (C)
Return target permanent to its owner's hand.
Ripple 4
As for the white ripple, but with tremendous adversaries : what can Surging Aether do when you already have Echoing Truth, Gigadrowse or even Aether Burst ? IMHYO, nothing.
Survivor of the Unseen - 2U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
Cumulative upkeep {2} (At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.)
{T}: Draw two cards, then put a card from your hand on top of your library.
2/1
Illus. Alan Pollack
Effective common alternative for a Divining top, if it didn't have this Cumulative upkeep...
Thermal Flux - U
Instant (C)
Choose one - Target nonsnow permanent becomes snow until end of turn; or target snow permanent isn't snow until end of turn.
Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.
So restrictive in its use that I don't know what to say. May be in a casual combo, but who cares ?
Instant (C)
Destroy target nonsnow creature.
Er... Terror ? Dark Banishing ? Diabolic edict ? Blood of Innocent ? Crack the land ? Even Rend flesh is better !
Chilling Shade - 2B
Snow Creature - Shade (C)
Flying
{S}: Chilling Shade gets +1/+1 until end of turn. ({S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.)
Rimewind necromancers caught travelers in mystical blizzards then trapped their spirits in the mist of their final frozen breaths.
1/1
Illus. Jeff Nentrup
#53/155
Another Shade, which reminds me of an old project of Shade/Coat of arms deck. No point in PEZ, but I have to comment this card...
Disciple of Tevesh Szat - 2BB
Creature - Human Cleric (C)
{T}: Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
{4}{B}{B},{T}, Sacrifice Disciple of Tevesh Szat: Target creature gets -6/-6 until end of turn.
"You pray to Freyalise, but she cannot hear your pleas. It is Tevesh Szat who will claim your soul."
3/1
Illus. Pete Venters
Its 4 mana cost, and 6 mana ability make it... nothing.
Feast of Flesh - B
Sorcery (C)
Feast of Flesh deals X damage to target creature and you gain X life, where X is 1 plus the number of cards named Feast of Flesh in all graveyards.
"To starve an army that feeds on its enemies is an excellent strategy."
Garza Zol, Plague Queen
Illus. Volkan Baga
#56/155
A Drain life kindle like for one mana ? Might have been an efficient tool for a psychatog deck, if only it could target players too.
Grim Harvest - 1B
Instant (C)
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Recover {2}{B}(When a creature is put into your graveyard from play, you may pay {2}{B}. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, remove this card from the game.)
Illus. Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
Doesn't stand a chance in front of state of the art Unearth, Reanimate, Tortured existence or even recent Dredge spells.
Gutless Ghoul - 2B
Creature - Zombie (C)
{1}, Sacrifice a creature: You gain 2 life.
2/2
Life in a Black deck ? Or Black in Life Deck ? Err... Even with colorless mana, I can't seriously think about it, moreover at a 3 mana cost for having it.
Krovikan Scoundrel - 1B
Creature - Human Rogue (C)
2/1
No ability, no use.
Martyr of Bones - B
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
{1}, Sacrifice Martyr of Bones, Reveal black cards from your hand: Remove up to X target cards in a single graveyard from the game.
1/1
Might be a good sideboard card against Madness, Reanimator and Psychatog, and could ever be a common alternative to Withered Wretch.
Rimebound Dead - B
Snow Creature - Skeleton (C)
{S}: Regenerate Rimebound Dead. ({S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.)
"Tresserhorn is ours now. Dredge the lake and bring me all the bones you find. We'll build you a new army, the likes of which Terisiare has never seen."
- Heidar, Rimewind Master, to Haakon
1/1
Illus. Dave Kendall
Snow mana is easy to get. A 1/1 regenerating for 1 is not that bad. Is this enough to include Rimebound dead in an Aggro black control ? May be not. To build an all new Black winnies deck ? Might be. Seriously, it's typically the kind of card to be remind of when shuffling your collection in search of a new deck.
Surging Dementia - 1B
Sorcery (C)
Ripple 4 (When you play this spell, you may reveal the top four cards of your library. You may play any revealed cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs. Put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
Target player discards a card.
Illus. Hideaki Takamura
#72/155
I feel the same about this than the other Surging spells. And there's so many cards for the same effect, needing as much or less mana, that I can't figure a deck out to include it.
Zombie Musher - 3B
Snow Creature - Zombie (C)
Snow landwalk
{S}: Regenerate Zombie Musher. ({S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.)
2/3
Zombie Musher is way below Dimir House guard : it doesn't tutor, and its regeneration ability needs mana, not sacrifice - which is, in my opinion, much more useful.
Creature - Goblin Warrior (C)
Prevent all damage that Goblin Furrier would deal to snow creatures.
"You'd have to be stupid to copy this!" - Jaya Ballard, Task Mage
2/2
It's a decent goblin. It has a default that won't bother you 99,9% of the time. If you play it. Which I doubt, since Goblin cohort is 2/2 for R and an even less bothering restriction.
Goblin Rimerunner - 2R
Snow Creature - Goblin Warrior (C)
{T}: Target creature can't block this turn.
{S}: Goblin Rimerunner gains haste until end of turn.
2/2
Another useless goblin, but this one strikes me as very useless.
Icefall - 2RR
Sorcery (C)
Destroy target artifact or land.
Recover {R}{R} (When a creature is put into your graveyard from play, you may pay {R}{R}. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, remove this card from the game.)
As the Thaw met Terisiare, mountains shed their icy skins, crushing homes and hopes alike.
Illus. Warren Mahy
Red has other better options for recursive artifact destruction (such as Gorilla Shaman, or Goblin Tinkerer), and in PEZ, Land destruction is way better in Black (Sinkhole, Choking Sands and Rancid earth is all I have to say).
Karplusan Wolverine - R
Snow Creature - Beast (C)
Whenever Karplusan Wolverine becomes blocked, you may have it deal 1 damage to target creature or player.
"They're not easily trained. Fortunately, they already know how to kill."
- Lovisa Coldeyes, Balduvian chieftian
1/1
Illus. Greg Hildebrandt
Fun, with a taste of Mogg fanatic. Could find a place in an Aggro Gruul, as a surprising alternative to the mogg.
Martyr of Ashes - R
Creature - Human Shaman (C)
{2}, Reveal X red cards from your hand, Sacrifice Martyr of Ashes: Martyr of Ashes deals X damage to each creature without flying.
She transforms ashes into flames, and her enemies into ashes.
1/1
Illus. Ralph Horsley
#92/155
Tremendous in IsoBurn, quite useless anywhere else, this is undoubtedly the best of the martyr series. Can very easily make 5 or 6 damage on turn 2. Everything to be enthusiastic about it... till you check it burns only non-flying creatures.
But wait ! It's still a good common way to deal with Elf, WW, and a lot of aggro decks that don't use that much of flyers. Actually it could be the Wrath of God Isoburn needs to feel free against aggro : Martyr doesn't target nor creatures neither their types, it's an one mana creature, and again, it's common.
To me, definitely a good sideboard card for Isoburn against everything using creatures as its main menace.
Ohran Yeti - 3R
Snow Creature - Yeti (C)
{2}{S}: Target snow creature gains first strike until end of turn. ({S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.)
When a snowdrift shows you its eyes, it's already too late.
3/3
Illus. Wayne Reynolds
Heavy but expensive, with a doubly restrictive « ability ». This way out, please, Mister yeti.
Orcish Bloodpainter - 2R
Creature - Orc Shaman (C)
{T}, Sacrifice a creature: Orcish Bloodpainter deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
2/1
Even with a common rate and player targeting, cannot stand the comparison with Scorched Rusalka. Not to speak about Mogg fanatic.
Rite of Flame - R
Sorcery (C)
Add {R}{R} to your mana pool plus {R} for each Rite of Flame in each graveyard.
Time after time, it seems a decent Izzet deck makes its way. We already knew the Izzet guildmage + Lava spike + Desperate ritual, Rite of flamme could be a great addition to a to-be-build deck, along with Wee dragonauts and some blast and draws. Mana fixing would be the greatest challenge of this two color deck, and even yet, Lotus Petal and/or Wild Cantress could easily provide the blue mana without risks.
In any other way, its sorcery speed makes Rite of Flamme a weaker mana accelerator than some other spell such as Dark ritual, Cabal ritual, or Desperate Ritual. It could shadow or more probably be alongside some artifacts such as Lotus Petal, with the advantages it's less vulnerable to artifact destruction, and the disadvantages of only producing Red Mana and needing one mana to go. I guess it won't see play in something else that Izzet – if this works, again.
Skred - R
Instant (C)
Skred deals damage to target creature equal to the number of snow permanents you control.
"This close to Rimewind Keep, no avalanche is nature's doing." - Ukoten, centaur chieftan
Illus. Christopher Moeller
It would need a lot of snow permanents to make this worth. As snow red permanents – other than basic snow lands – are poorly powered, Skred doesn't stand a chance before some Black counterparts, such as Ghastly demise – which is not the best... And since it can't target opponent, and only one creature, Skred can't make it to Isoburn.
Surging Flame – 1R
Instant (C)
Ripple 4 (When you play this spell, you may reveal the top four cards of your library. You may play any revealed cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs. Put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
Surging Flame deals 2 damage to target creature or player
Illus. Ron Spencer
#97/155
As for the others Ripple cards. Moreover, there's already so many blasts for 2 (Incinerate and Kindle, as a beginning), that I can't see Surging Flame into any red deck.
Thermopod - 4R
Snow Creature - Slug (C)
{S}: Thermopod gains haste until end of turn.
Sacrifice a creature: Add {R} to your mana pool.
4/3
Not so decent power and toughness for 5, and you can find better mana fixer. And if it's intended for a combo, it's stupid. Slugs and oozes in magic are just like real ones : ugly.
Creature - Aurochs (C)
Trample
When Aurochs Herd comes into play, you may search your library for an Aurochs card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
Whenever Aurochs Herd attacks, it gets +1/+0 until end of turn for each other attacking Aurochs.
4/4
Illus. Darrell Riche
You needed this for your aurochs deck you wanted to build since Ice Age. But you don't want to play it anymore, since then, do you ?
Boreal Centaur - 1G
Snow Creature – Centaur Warrior (C)
{S}: Boreal Centaur gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Play this ability only once each turn. ({S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.)
Those who use reindeers as beasts of burden avoid the centaurs, who are furious to see their cousins' enslavement.
2/2
Illus. Marcelo Vignali
#104/155
A very average 2/2 for 2, Boreal Centaur can't make it in any deck since its capacity is limited at a once each turn rate.
Boreal Druid - G
Snow Creature - Elf Druid (C)
{T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.
Some creatures are bound to the cold by Rimewind magic. Others seek it out, adapted by two thousand years of the ice. The Boreal, where Heidar's frigid sway is strongest, is home to both.
1/1
Illus. Dan dos Santos
What the point of this when you can already play 4 Llanowar and 4 Fyndhorn elves, and use snow-covered forest to get snow mana ?
Bull Aurochs - 1G
Creature - Aurochs (C)
Trample
Whenever Bull Aurochs attacks, it gets +1/+0 until end of turn for each other attacking Aurochs.
The aurochs herd is content to graze - until the bull provides the dissenting urge to charge.
2/1
Illus. Kev Walker
Copy and paste of Aurochs Herd comment.
Frostweb Spider - 2G
Snow Creature - Spider (C)
Frostweb Spider can block as though it had flying.
Whenever Frostweb Spider blocks a creature with flying, put a +1/+1 counter on Frostweb Spider at end of combat.
1/3
The classic spider, with a permanent boost ability. Might have seen play back in 1997 in a Lure/Regeneration deck. Or not even.
Into the North - 1G
Sorcery (C)
Search your library for a snow land card and put it into play tapped. Then shuffle your library.
I can see 2 uses of this.
The first is to reach the uncommon double land, BUT, they are uncommun, and you won't use them if you don't have any need for snow mana. So, in this case, Into the north will almost certainly stay into your common boxes.
The second option is to use it as a Rampant growth clone, in a deck filled with snow covered lands. Grizzly fate could use this, if it hasn't already a well established list.
Martyr of Spores - G
Creature - Human Shaman (C)
{1}, Reveal X green cards from your hand, Sacrifice Martyr of Spores: Target creature gets +X/+X until end of turn.
1/1
It will need 2 mana and 3 green cards in hand to have the same effect than a Giant Growth or a Seal of Strenght. I first thought it could fit in an Aggro Gruul, but there's a LOT more better options for the one mana slot than Martyr of Spores (from Llanowar elves to Wild Cantress through Kird Ape).
Ronom Hulk - 4G
Creature - Beast (C)
Protection from snow
Cumulative upkeep {1} (At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.)
5/6
It's a finishing thing : once you play it, you're finished.
Simian Brawler - 3G
Creature - Ape Warrior (C)
Discard a land card: Simian Brawler gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
3/3
It could be a serious killer in a deck with Wood elves, Rites of spring and others lands tutor. Ok, seriously, it's almost crap, but I'll give it a try with a turbo-land and Fling.
Sound the Call - 2G
Sorcery (C)
Put a 1/1 green Wolf creature token into play with "This creature gets +1/+1 for each card named Sound the Call in each graveyard".
"If you call the wolves, ensure you have a worthy hunt, or you may become the hunted."
- Taaveti of Kelsinko, elvish hunter
Token generation for 2G ? Selesnya guys do better job. Even the +1/+1 ability sounds very poor, or at least slow, to be worth playing it, moreover at sorcery speed...
Surging Might - 2G
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2.
Ripple 4 (When you play this spell, you may reveal the top four cards of your library. You may play any revealed cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs. Put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
Illus. Luca Zontini
Surging Might could be some alternative to Rancor, but it has no Trample, costs 2 mana more, and is not recursive. So actually there's no alternative, but Rancor (old dishes, it's always the same...).
There are some multicolor spells in Coldsnap. Although there are no common, 1 of these may be worth noticing.
Multicolor
Blizzard Specter - 2UB
Snow Creature - Specter (U)
Flying
Whenever Blizzard Specter deals combat damage to a player, choose one - That player returns a permanent he or she controls to its owner's hand; or that player discards a card.
2/3
Illus. Hideaki Takamura
#126/155
Its blue mana makes it harder to cast than Hypnotic specter, and it's a pity. Otherwise, its bouncing ability and better toughness would have been the perfect stone to build a real UBC. But I wouldn't bet much on its lilfespan in PEZ, since a stronger candidate exists for this role : Psychatog.
In summary:
Pretty much definitely see play in an already tier 1 deck:
Martyr of ashes
Likely to see play, or definitely good but in a deck that’s not quite as well established:
Kjeldoran War Cry
Ronom Unicorn
Drelnoch
Rune Snag
Rimebound dead
Karplusan Wolverine
Rite of flammes
Likely to see play, but unlikely to be a major player:
Gelid Shackles
Martyr of Bones
But don't we wait any longer, and let's check Coldsnap out !
White
Boreal Griffin - 3WWSnow Creature – Griffin (C)
Flying
{S}: Boreal Griffin gains first strike until end of turn.
3/2
What did Chris said about Screeching Griffin, a flying 2/2 for 3W and a R costing ability ? Here it is : « This is just too expensive. » Guess what I would say about Boreal Griffin.
Gelid Shackles - W
Snow Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't block and its activated abilities can't be played.
{S}: Enchanted creature gains defender until end of turn. ({S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.)
#6/155
Gelid Shackles are a snow hybrid between Pacifism and Arrest. It costs less than Faith's fetters, but targets only creatures and doesn't make you gain 4 life. I was about to say that this card will join pacifism to the shoe-box, but it might be an addition to a snow white weenie. Actually, you would just have to make all your plains snow to make it work. Shackles might bring some control to WW.
Kjeldoran Javelineer - W
Creature – Human Soldier (C)
Cumulative Upkeep {1}
{T}: Kjeldoran Javelineer deals to target attacking or blocking creature damage equal to the number of age counters on Kjeldoran Javelineer.
1/2
It's a defensive card that could fit in a very aggressive deck, named White weenie, were it the upkeekp cost : you would like to use your mana to something else in WW. It could also feet in a control deck, if it didn't need so much time – and mana, again, a precious ressource in control decks - to be truly effective. Since PEZ is a very fast format, this Javelineer will stay in Kjeldor, wherever it is.
Kjeldoran Outrider - 1W
Creature - Human Soldier (C)
{W}: Kjeldoran Outrider gets +0/+1 until end of turn.
"I listen to people. He sniffs the wind. And we both sense something big coming. Something very big."
2/2
Illus. Carl Critchlow
#12/155
Another toughness-boosting soldier. But I don't see it replacing any of the like in the Life deck – which is not a « hot » deck.
Kjeldoran War Cry - 1W
Instant (C)
Creatures you control get +X/+X until end of turn, where X is 1 plus the number of cards named Kjeldoran War Cry in all graveyards.
It reminds me of « To arms ! » in Guildpact, for its color and mana cost. The effect is also intended to be a surprise one, but the deck would be an aggro one. Maybe PEZ WW has found its Crusade.
Martyr of Sands - W
Creature - Human Cleric (C)
{1}, Reveal X white cards from your hand, Sacrifice Martyr of Sands: You gain three times X life.
"Only in our vulnerability is there true power, and that power is life itself."
1/1
Illus. Randy Gallegos
The only deck in which I could use this would be Life, BUT Life isn't a mono white, so Martyr's effect would be very weak. Moreover, I can't see any card I could get out of Life to fit this in, since it doesn't have the aggressive use you can make of a Task force with About face. Maybe as a side card of WW, against IsoBurn (but CoPR seems stronger...)
Ronom Unicorn - 1W
Creature - Unicorn (C)
Sacrifice Ronom Unicorn: Destroy target enchantment.
The aberrant magic of the Rimewind drew the unicorns back from the northern wastes to do battle once again.
2/2
Illus. Carl Critchlow
#16/155
It's exactly the same as Kami of Ancient law in Kamigawa, which wasn't use in PEZ elsewhere than in WW (even yet...) since there's so many enchantment breakers, with lesser cost or more polyvalent or more powerful effect.
Squall Drifter - 1W
Snow Creature – Elemental (C)
Flying
{W}, {T}: Tap target creature.
1/1
I wonder if the trade « flying vs one toughness » benefits this Master decoy like, since Master decoy is a defense/control card. But you want to give an agressive option to your WU control deck, it might be useful. By the way, does any deck play Master decoy ?
Sun's Bounty - 1W
Instant (C)
Gain 4 life.
Recover {1}{W}
You can gain 8 life with GG and Nourish. And you don't. On the other hand, you can gain 3 life with W and Healing salve. And you don't, either, for you have better use for one mana cards, and for your mana in the appropriate decks. So will you use this, even with a recover abilty ?
Surging Sentinels - 2W
Creature - Human Soldier (C)
First Strike
Ripple 4 (When you play this spell, you may reveal the top four cards of your library. You may play any revealed cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs. Put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
2/1
Illus. Christopher Moeller
#20/155
The odds are pretty low the Ripple effect can be truly effective (around 20% of chances you actually have another surging thing in the next 4 cards). For its peculiar case, Surging Sentinels is way below the curve with 2/1 for 3 mana , to get any chance to include WW (for instance, but where else ?).
Swift Maneuver - 1W
Instant (C)
Prevent the next 2 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.
Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.
This prevent damage could have been truly interesting for one mana with instant cantrip. At 2, and with a delayed cantrip effect it's just another shoe box filler.
Blue
Drelnoch - 4UCreature - Yeti Mutant (C)
Whenever Drelnoch becomes blocked, you may draw two cards.
Adarkar's blank wastes make the mind wander - and stray thoughts are quickly caught and devoured.
3/3
Illus. Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
#32/155
I wonder if there's a place for this guy in a to-be-build Big blue control deck. Actually, I wonder if there's a place in the PEZ metagame to build a UC ?
Frost Raptor - 2U
Snow Creature - Bird (C)
Flying
{S}{S}: Frost Raptor can't be the target of spells or abilities this turn.
2/2
Correct but not tremendous, Frost Raptor shouldn't make it since its capacity is expensive and restrictive.
Frozen Solid - 1UU
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
When damage is dealt to enchanted creature, destroy it.
Anyone can see a nice synergy with Prodigal sorcerer-like and this reprint of Scourge. Anyway, the Scourge one and Prodigal are not PEZ stars, so I guess this will remain casual.
Krovikan Mist - 1U
Creature - Illusion (C)
Flying
Krovikan Mist's power and toughness are each equal to the number of Illusions in play.
Plague induced dreams became real as they swirled above Krov, mingling with the magical residue of the World Spell.
*/*
Illus. Jeremy Jarvis
An Illusion lord ? Common ? For 2 mana ? And flying ? The Krovikan Mist holds attention, but not for long, as soon as you drop an eye on the Common illusions list : they're all uneffective AND expensive. Too bad, sounded fun.
Martyr of Frost - U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
{2}, Reveal X blue cards from your hand, Sacrifice Martyr of Frost: Counter target spell unless its controller pays {X}.
"You shouldn't call the Balduvians barbarians. Their magic is as powerful as it is ancient."
- Zur the Enchanter
1/1
Illus. Wayne England
There's a lot of counter-wizard, and they don't have to sacrifice or reveal your hand to be effective. The only advantage of Martyr of frost is it mana cost, and its ability to counter even if tapped. Does it make it good ? Let's put it another words : do you use Disruptive student ? You have it.
Perilous Research - 1U
Instant (U)
Draw two cards, then sacrifice a permanent.
When the School of the Unseen fell, so many magical treasures lay abandoned that no amount of death could deter the stream of thieves and desperate scholars.
Illus. Dany Orizio
#41/155
An unco, but with great interactions to be found with permanents having reaching-graveyard effects and reanimation perspectives. I just fear this is not enough to sacrifice an unco slot, but it should be thought of.
Rimewind Taskmage - 1U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
{1}, {T}: Tap or untap target permanent. Play this ability only if you control four or more snow permanents.
"Find solace in the sun? Burning, blinding, laying secrets bare? No, solace is found under the blanket of cold."
1/2
Illus. Ron Spears
As I said about Gelid Shackles, it's quite easy to have snow permanents : just grab some snow-covered lands. In Rimewind Taskmage, it's just not enough : you need four snow permanents. This cannot be reach before turn three, which is not the end of the world, but isn't worthwhile for a turn to turn effect. If it hasn't to tap, it could have been something -something big, but then, no.
Rune Snag - 1U
Instant (C)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays {2} plus {2} for each Rune Snag in each graveyard.
Walks on the land of Mana leak and so other many counters that I only can see it as an alternative sideboard card against MBC, or maindecked in a Madness or Tog.
Surging Æther - 3U
Instant (C)
Return target permanent to its owner's hand.
Ripple 4
As for the white ripple, but with tremendous adversaries : what can Surging Aether do when you already have Echoing Truth, Gigadrowse or even Aether Burst ? IMHYO, nothing.
Survivor of the Unseen - 2U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
Cumulative upkeep {2} (At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.)
{T}: Draw two cards, then put a card from your hand on top of your library.
2/1
Illus. Alan Pollack
Effective common alternative for a Divining top, if it didn't have this Cumulative upkeep...
Thermal Flux - U
Instant (C)
Choose one - Target nonsnow permanent becomes snow until end of turn; or target snow permanent isn't snow until end of turn.
Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.
So restrictive in its use that I don't know what to say. May be in a casual combo, but who cares ?
Black
Chill to the Bone - 3BInstant (C)
Destroy target nonsnow creature.
Er... Terror ? Dark Banishing ? Diabolic edict ? Blood of Innocent ? Crack the land ? Even Rend flesh is better !
Chilling Shade - 2B
Snow Creature - Shade (C)
Flying
{S}: Chilling Shade gets +1/+1 until end of turn. ({S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.)
Rimewind necromancers caught travelers in mystical blizzards then trapped their spirits in the mist of their final frozen breaths.
1/1
Illus. Jeff Nentrup
#53/155
Another Shade, which reminds me of an old project of Shade/Coat of arms deck. No point in PEZ, but I have to comment this card...
Disciple of Tevesh Szat - 2BB
Creature - Human Cleric (C)
{T}: Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
{4}{B}{B},{T}, Sacrifice Disciple of Tevesh Szat: Target creature gets -6/-6 until end of turn.
"You pray to Freyalise, but she cannot hear your pleas. It is Tevesh Szat who will claim your soul."
3/1
Illus. Pete Venters
Its 4 mana cost, and 6 mana ability make it... nothing.
Feast of Flesh - B
Sorcery (C)
Feast of Flesh deals X damage to target creature and you gain X life, where X is 1 plus the number of cards named Feast of Flesh in all graveyards.
"To starve an army that feeds on its enemies is an excellent strategy."
Garza Zol, Plague Queen
Illus. Volkan Baga
#56/155
A Drain life kindle like for one mana ? Might have been an efficient tool for a psychatog deck, if only it could target players too.
Grim Harvest - 1B
Instant (C)
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Recover {2}{B}(When a creature is put into your graveyard from play, you may pay {2}{B}. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, remove this card from the game.)
Illus. Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
Doesn't stand a chance in front of state of the art Unearth, Reanimate, Tortured existence or even recent Dredge spells.
Gutless Ghoul - 2B
Creature - Zombie (C)
{1}, Sacrifice a creature: You gain 2 life.
2/2
Life in a Black deck ? Or Black in Life Deck ? Err... Even with colorless mana, I can't seriously think about it, moreover at a 3 mana cost for having it.
Krovikan Scoundrel - 1B
Creature - Human Rogue (C)
2/1
No ability, no use.
Martyr of Bones - B
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
{1}, Sacrifice Martyr of Bones, Reveal black cards from your hand: Remove up to X target cards in a single graveyard from the game.
1/1
Might be a good sideboard card against Madness, Reanimator and Psychatog, and could ever be a common alternative to Withered Wretch.
Rimebound Dead - B
Snow Creature - Skeleton (C)
{S}: Regenerate Rimebound Dead. ({S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.)
"Tresserhorn is ours now. Dredge the lake and bring me all the bones you find. We'll build you a new army, the likes of which Terisiare has never seen."
- Heidar, Rimewind Master, to Haakon
1/1
Illus. Dave Kendall
Snow mana is easy to get. A 1/1 regenerating for 1 is not that bad. Is this enough to include Rimebound dead in an Aggro black control ? May be not. To build an all new Black winnies deck ? Might be. Seriously, it's typically the kind of card to be remind of when shuffling your collection in search of a new deck.
Surging Dementia - 1B
Sorcery (C)
Ripple 4 (When you play this spell, you may reveal the top four cards of your library. You may play any revealed cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs. Put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
Target player discards a card.
Illus. Hideaki Takamura
#72/155
I feel the same about this than the other Surging spells. And there's so many cards for the same effect, needing as much or less mana, that I can't figure a deck out to include it.
Zombie Musher - 3B
Snow Creature - Zombie (C)
Snow landwalk
{S}: Regenerate Zombie Musher. ({S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.)
2/3
Zombie Musher is way below Dimir House guard : it doesn't tutor, and its regeneration ability needs mana, not sacrifice - which is, in my opinion, much more useful.
Red
Goblin Furrier - 1RCreature - Goblin Warrior (C)
Prevent all damage that Goblin Furrier would deal to snow creatures.
"You'd have to be stupid to copy this!" - Jaya Ballard, Task Mage
2/2
It's a decent goblin. It has a default that won't bother you 99,9% of the time. If you play it. Which I doubt, since Goblin cohort is 2/2 for R and an even less bothering restriction.
Goblin Rimerunner - 2R
Snow Creature - Goblin Warrior (C)
{T}: Target creature can't block this turn.
{S}: Goblin Rimerunner gains haste until end of turn.
2/2
Another useless goblin, but this one strikes me as very useless.
Icefall - 2RR
Sorcery (C)
Destroy target artifact or land.
Recover {R}{R} (When a creature is put into your graveyard from play, you may pay {R}{R}. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, remove this card from the game.)
As the Thaw met Terisiare, mountains shed their icy skins, crushing homes and hopes alike.
Illus. Warren Mahy
Red has other better options for recursive artifact destruction (such as Gorilla Shaman, or Goblin Tinkerer), and in PEZ, Land destruction is way better in Black (Sinkhole, Choking Sands and Rancid earth is all I have to say).
Karplusan Wolverine - R
Snow Creature - Beast (C)
Whenever Karplusan Wolverine becomes blocked, you may have it deal 1 damage to target creature or player.
"They're not easily trained. Fortunately, they already know how to kill."
- Lovisa Coldeyes, Balduvian chieftian
1/1
Illus. Greg Hildebrandt
Fun, with a taste of Mogg fanatic. Could find a place in an Aggro Gruul, as a surprising alternative to the mogg.
Martyr of Ashes - R
Creature - Human Shaman (C)
{2}, Reveal X red cards from your hand, Sacrifice Martyr of Ashes: Martyr of Ashes deals X damage to each creature without flying.
She transforms ashes into flames, and her enemies into ashes.
1/1
Illus. Ralph Horsley
#92/155
Tremendous in IsoBurn, quite useless anywhere else, this is undoubtedly the best of the martyr series. Can very easily make 5 or 6 damage on turn 2. Everything to be enthusiastic about it... till you check it burns only non-flying creatures.
But wait ! It's still a good common way to deal with Elf, WW, and a lot of aggro decks that don't use that much of flyers. Actually it could be the Wrath of God Isoburn needs to feel free against aggro : Martyr doesn't target nor creatures neither their types, it's an one mana creature, and again, it's common.
To me, definitely a good sideboard card for Isoburn against everything using creatures as its main menace.
Ohran Yeti - 3R
Snow Creature - Yeti (C)
{2}{S}: Target snow creature gains first strike until end of turn. ({S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.)
When a snowdrift shows you its eyes, it's already too late.
3/3
Illus. Wayne Reynolds
Heavy but expensive, with a doubly restrictive « ability ». This way out, please, Mister yeti.
Orcish Bloodpainter - 2R
Creature - Orc Shaman (C)
{T}, Sacrifice a creature: Orcish Bloodpainter deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
2/1
Even with a common rate and player targeting, cannot stand the comparison with Scorched Rusalka. Not to speak about Mogg fanatic.
Rite of Flame - R
Sorcery (C)
Add {R}{R} to your mana pool plus {R} for each Rite of Flame in each graveyard.
Time after time, it seems a decent Izzet deck makes its way. We already knew the Izzet guildmage + Lava spike + Desperate ritual, Rite of flamme could be a great addition to a to-be-build deck, along with Wee dragonauts and some blast and draws. Mana fixing would be the greatest challenge of this two color deck, and even yet, Lotus Petal and/or Wild Cantress could easily provide the blue mana without risks.
In any other way, its sorcery speed makes Rite of Flamme a weaker mana accelerator than some other spell such as Dark ritual, Cabal ritual, or Desperate Ritual. It could shadow or more probably be alongside some artifacts such as Lotus Petal, with the advantages it's less vulnerable to artifact destruction, and the disadvantages of only producing Red Mana and needing one mana to go. I guess it won't see play in something else that Izzet – if this works, again.
Skred - R
Instant (C)
Skred deals damage to target creature equal to the number of snow permanents you control.
"This close to Rimewind Keep, no avalanche is nature's doing." - Ukoten, centaur chieftan
Illus. Christopher Moeller
It would need a lot of snow permanents to make this worth. As snow red permanents – other than basic snow lands – are poorly powered, Skred doesn't stand a chance before some Black counterparts, such as Ghastly demise – which is not the best... And since it can't target opponent, and only one creature, Skred can't make it to Isoburn.
Surging Flame – 1R
Instant (C)
Ripple 4 (When you play this spell, you may reveal the top four cards of your library. You may play any revealed cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs. Put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
Surging Flame deals 2 damage to target creature or player
Illus. Ron Spencer
#97/155
As for the others Ripple cards. Moreover, there's already so many blasts for 2 (Incinerate and Kindle, as a beginning), that I can't see Surging Flame into any red deck.
Thermopod - 4R
Snow Creature - Slug (C)
{S}: Thermopod gains haste until end of turn.
Sacrifice a creature: Add {R} to your mana pool.
4/3
Not so decent power and toughness for 5, and you can find better mana fixer. And if it's intended for a combo, it's stupid. Slugs and oozes in magic are just like real ones : ugly.
Green
Aurochs Herd - 5GCreature - Aurochs (C)
Trample
When Aurochs Herd comes into play, you may search your library for an Aurochs card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
Whenever Aurochs Herd attacks, it gets +1/+0 until end of turn for each other attacking Aurochs.
4/4
Illus. Darrell Riche
You needed this for your aurochs deck you wanted to build since Ice Age. But you don't want to play it anymore, since then, do you ?
Boreal Centaur - 1G
Snow Creature – Centaur Warrior (C)
{S}: Boreal Centaur gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Play this ability only once each turn. ({S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.)
Those who use reindeers as beasts of burden avoid the centaurs, who are furious to see their cousins' enslavement.
2/2
Illus. Marcelo Vignali
#104/155
A very average 2/2 for 2, Boreal Centaur can't make it in any deck since its capacity is limited at a once each turn rate.
Boreal Druid - G
Snow Creature - Elf Druid (C)
{T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.
Some creatures are bound to the cold by Rimewind magic. Others seek it out, adapted by two thousand years of the ice. The Boreal, where Heidar's frigid sway is strongest, is home to both.
1/1
Illus. Dan dos Santos
What the point of this when you can already play 4 Llanowar and 4 Fyndhorn elves, and use snow-covered forest to get snow mana ?
Bull Aurochs - 1G
Creature - Aurochs (C)
Trample
Whenever Bull Aurochs attacks, it gets +1/+0 until end of turn for each other attacking Aurochs.
The aurochs herd is content to graze - until the bull provides the dissenting urge to charge.
2/1
Illus. Kev Walker
Copy and paste of Aurochs Herd comment.
Frostweb Spider - 2G
Snow Creature - Spider (C)
Frostweb Spider can block as though it had flying.
Whenever Frostweb Spider blocks a creature with flying, put a +1/+1 counter on Frostweb Spider at end of combat.
1/3
The classic spider, with a permanent boost ability. Might have seen play back in 1997 in a Lure/Regeneration deck. Or not even.
Into the North - 1G
Sorcery (C)
Search your library for a snow land card and put it into play tapped. Then shuffle your library.
I can see 2 uses of this.
The first is to reach the uncommon double land, BUT, they are uncommun, and you won't use them if you don't have any need for snow mana. So, in this case, Into the north will almost certainly stay into your common boxes.
The second option is to use it as a Rampant growth clone, in a deck filled with snow covered lands. Grizzly fate could use this, if it hasn't already a well established list.
Martyr of Spores - G
Creature - Human Shaman (C)
{1}, Reveal X green cards from your hand, Sacrifice Martyr of Spores: Target creature gets +X/+X until end of turn.
1/1
It will need 2 mana and 3 green cards in hand to have the same effect than a Giant Growth or a Seal of Strenght. I first thought it could fit in an Aggro Gruul, but there's a LOT more better options for the one mana slot than Martyr of Spores (from Llanowar elves to Wild Cantress through Kird Ape).
Ronom Hulk - 4G
Creature - Beast (C)
Protection from snow
Cumulative upkeep {1} (At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.)
5/6
It's a finishing thing : once you play it, you're finished.
Simian Brawler - 3G
Creature - Ape Warrior (C)
Discard a land card: Simian Brawler gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
3/3
It could be a serious killer in a deck with Wood elves, Rites of spring and others lands tutor. Ok, seriously, it's almost crap, but I'll give it a try with a turbo-land and Fling.
Sound the Call - 2G
Sorcery (C)
Put a 1/1 green Wolf creature token into play with "This creature gets +1/+1 for each card named Sound the Call in each graveyard".
"If you call the wolves, ensure you have a worthy hunt, or you may become the hunted."
- Taaveti of Kelsinko, elvish hunter
Token generation for 2G ? Selesnya guys do better job. Even the +1/+1 ability sounds very poor, or at least slow, to be worth playing it, moreover at sorcery speed...
Surging Might - 2G
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2.
Ripple 4 (When you play this spell, you may reveal the top four cards of your library. You may play any revealed cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs. Put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
Illus. Luca Zontini
Surging Might could be some alternative to Rancor, but it has no Trample, costs 2 mana more, and is not recursive. So actually there's no alternative, but Rancor (old dishes, it's always the same...).
There are some multicolor spells in Coldsnap. Although there are no common, 1 of these may be worth noticing.
Multicolor
Blizzard Specter - 2UB
Snow Creature - Specter (U)
Flying
Whenever Blizzard Specter deals combat damage to a player, choose one - That player returns a permanent he or she controls to its owner's hand; or that player discards a card.
2/3
Illus. Hideaki Takamura
#126/155
Its blue mana makes it harder to cast than Hypnotic specter, and it's a pity. Otherwise, its bouncing ability and better toughness would have been the perfect stone to build a real UBC. But I wouldn't bet much on its lilfespan in PEZ, since a stronger candidate exists for this role : Psychatog.
In summary:
Pretty much definitely see play in an already tier 1 deck:
Martyr of ashes
Likely to see play, or definitely good but in a deck that’s not quite as well established:
Kjeldoran War Cry
Ronom Unicorn
Drelnoch
Rune Snag
Rimebound dead
Karplusan Wolverine
Rite of flammes
Likely to see play, but unlikely to be a major player:
Gelid Shackles
Martyr of Bones
Last reviewed : 17 July 2007
Last reviewed : 21 January 2007
Last reviewed : 25 September 2006
Last reviewed : 16 August 2006
Affinity
Goblin Sligh
White winnie
Stompy
Phantom Cloak
Goblin storm
Elf-ball / Elf-Clamp
Mono black
Psychatog
Tortured existence / Reanimator
Ritual agony
Life
ProsTides
Kobold-Clamp
IsoBurn/Burn
Satin doll
IsoMUC
UG Tempo
Paradise Medics