Arni Slays the Troll MTG Card


Arni Slays the Troll boosts creatures and draws cards, enriching both battlefield and hand resources. The card’s ability to deal damage at instant speed adds strategic depth and versatility in play. It serves up mana acceleration, a pivotal benefit that can turn the tides in crucial gameplay moments.
Arni Slays the Troll - Kaldheim
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment — Saga
Abilities Fight
Released2021-02-05
Set symbol
Set nameKaldheim
Set codeKHM
Number201
Frame2015
LayoutSaga
BorderBlack
Illustred bySimon Dominic

Text of card

(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.) I — Target creature you control fights up to one target creature you don't control. II — Add . Put two +1/+1 counters on up to one target creature you control. III — You gain life equal to the greatest power among creatures you control.


Cards like Arni Slays the Troll

Arni Slays the Troll stands out in the realm of red uncommon sagas from Magic: The Gathering’s Kaldheim set. Unique to this card is its thematic storytelling through actions across turns, starting with a boost in strength for one of your creatures. Cards like The Akroan War share this saga trait, which involves multi-turn interactions and narrates a tale on the battlefield.

When considering other combat tricks, Invigorated Rampage comes to mind. This instant spell instantly pumps a creature’s power, similar to Arni Slays the Troll’s first chapter. The key difference lies in the temporary nature of Invigorated Rampage’s effect compared to the lasting impact of training your creature with Arni’s saga. Compared to other combat enhancements, such as Run Amok, Arni also graces you with added value over its second and third chapters – ultimately granting you a creature and Treasure, providing a longer-term advantage. Run Amok lacks the additional chapters of benefits, focusing instead on immediate combat prowess.

Arni Slays the Troll holds its ground, showcasing its multifaceted boon — from amplifying your creature’s might, fetching an extra warrior, to enriching your mana pool. It proves a formidable choice for players valuing progressive advantages in combat and resource accumulation.

The Akroan War - MTG Card versions
Invigorated Rampage - MTG Card versions
Run Amok - MTG Card versions
The Akroan War - MTG Card versions
Invigorated Rampage - MTG Card versions
Run Amok - MTG Card versions

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Decks using this card

MTG decks using Arni Slays the Troll. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Gruul AggroGruul Aggro GladiatorGladiator Team Unified League

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you play Arni Slays the Troll, it sets up a two-step advantage scenario. Initially, you’re bolstering your battlefield presence by growing your creatures, but the latter stages of the saga card let you draw a card, thus ensuring that you’re not losing steam as you head into the mid to late game phases.

Resource Acceleration: The second chapter of this saga provides you with a red mana boost. This sudden surge can be a game-changer, giving you the necessary resources to cast more spells or activate abilities that could tilt the battlefield in your favor during a crucial turn.

Instant Speed: The versatility that Arni Slays the Troll brings to the table is underscored by its ability to deal damage at instant speed on the final chapter. This allows savvy players to make strategic choices on the fly and to respond to threats or opportunities as they arise during the heat of battle, all while benefiting from the saga’s other card and resource advantages.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Arni Slays the Troll has a discard requirement as part of its saga ability. This can be a setback when you are holding crucial cards that you do not want to lose, hindering your strategic options.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost for Arni Slays the Troll is locked into red and green mana. This specific requirement makes it less flexible and can only be optimally used in decks that generate both types of mana efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a combined mana cost of three, including one red and one green, the card may compete with other more cost-effective options available to players who might seek a quicker or more impactful play at the same cost.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Arni Slays the Troll fits into an array of red or red-green decks that aim to leverage quick aggression. Its ability to boost creatures early can swing games in your favor.

Combo Potential: It can work well in combinations that focus on creature-based strategies, enhancing both power and toughness while enabling a more robust battlefield presence.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where quick removals are prevalent, this card offers a dual-stage progression that can keep your threats alive and kicking. Plus, the life-gain aspect provides a cushion against other aggressive decks.


How to beat

Arni Slays the Troll is a powerful saga that players may encounter in Magic: The Gathering, capable of tipping the scales in combat situations. To effectively counter this card, understanding its sequence is key. In its first chapter, the card boosts a creature’s power, providing an early-game advantage. To circumvent this, removal spells are potent tools. Swift removal on the boosted creature, especially before entering combat, can nullify the saga’s initial advantage.

Be mindful of the following chapters where Arni Slays the Troll grants additional benefits – from gaining life to creating Treasures, which can rapidly change the game’s momentum. Countering the saga before these abilities resolve with cards like Disenchant or enchantment removal effects can staunch the flow of resources it aims to create. Alternatively, playing around the saga’s predictable progression by timing your spells and abilities strategically can mitigate its impact. Foresight is essential – playing your creatures post saga-trigger or holding up mana for instant-speed interaction when the final chapter looms are key tactics to outmaneuver your opponent. Therefore, keeping a versatile and reactive hand is paramount when facing off against this formidable saga.

Ultimately, controlling the pace of the game and disrupting the saga’s progression is the formula to beating Arni Slays the Troll, preventing it from fully unleashing its potential in MTG play.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the nuances of Arni Slays the Troll calls for a mix of strategic finesse and a deep understanding of its role within your MTG deck. As you’ve seen, this saga offers unique advantages, from ramping up your resources to providing timely card draws. In the landscape of MTG where every card choice can influence the tide of battle, we encourage you to consider how this card syncs with your existing strategies. Whether optimizing your deck’s power curve or seeking cards with robust utility, remember that knowledge and adaptability are key assets. Continue your MTG journey with us, and uncover more insights and strategies tailored to your playstyle, ensuring your deck is as formidable as it can be.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Arni Slays the Troll MTG card by a specific set like Kaldheim, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Arni Slays the Troll and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Arni Slays the Troll has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
BrawlLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Arni Slays the Troll card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2021-02-05 A chapter ability doesn’t trigger if a lore counter is put on a Saga that already had a number of lore counters greater than or equal to that chapter’s number. For example, the third lore counter put on a Saga causes the chapter III ability to trigger, but chapters I and II won’t trigger again.
2021-02-05 As a Saga enters the battlefield, its controller puts a lore counter on it. As your precombat main phase begins (immediately after your draw step), you put another lore counter on each Saga you control. Putting a lore counter on a Saga in either of these ways doesn’t use the stack.
2021-02-05 Each symbol on the left of a Saga’s text box represents a chapter ability. A chapter ability is a triggered ability that triggers when a lore counter that is put on the Saga causes the number of lore counters on the Saga to become equal to or greater than the ability’s chapter number. Chapter abilities are put onto the stack and may be responded to.
2021-02-05 For the chapter I ability, if either target is an illegal target as that ability resolves, neither creature will deal or be dealt damage.
2021-02-05 For the chapter III ability, use the greatest power among creatures you control as the ability resolves to determine how much life you will gain. If you control no creatures at that time, or if all creatures you control have power 0 or less, you won’t gain any life.
2021-02-05 If multiple chapter abilities trigger at the same time, their controller puts them on the stack in any order. If any of them require targets, those targets are chosen as you put the abilities on the stack, before any of those abilities resolve.
2021-02-05 If you choose no targets for the chapter II ability, you’ll simply add as the ability resolves. However, if you do choose a target creature you control, and that creature is an illegal target as the ability resolves, the ability won’t resolve. You won’t add in that case.
2021-02-05 Once a chapter ability has triggered, the ability on the stack won’t be affected if the Saga gains or loses counters, or if it leaves the battlefield.
2021-02-05 Once the number of lore counters on a Saga is greater than or equal to the greatest number among its chapter abilities, the Saga’s controller sacrifices it as soon as its chapter ability has left the stack, most likely by resolving or being countered. This state-based action doesn’t use the stack.
2021-02-05 Removing lore counters won’t cause a previous chapter ability to trigger. If lore counters are removed from a Saga, the appropriate chapter abilities will trigger again when the Saga receives more lore counters.
2021-02-05 The chapter II ability isn’t a mana ability. It uses the stack and can be responded to.