Cave of the Frost Dragon MTG Card
2021-07-23 - Number 253p
2021-07-23 - Number 350
2021-07-23 - Number 253
2021-07-23 - Number 253s
2021-07-23 - Number 253a
2020-09-26 - Number AFR-253
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
If you control two or more other lands, Cave of the Frost Dragon enters the battlefield tapped. : Add . : Cave of the Frost Dragon becomes a 3/4 white Dragon creature with flying until end of turn. It's still a land.
Cards like Cave of the Frost Dragon
Cave of the Frost Dragon stands as a unique land card in Magic: The Gathering, providing versatility akin to Faceless Haven. While both are lands capable of transforming into powerful creatures, Cave of the Frost Dragon morphs into a 3/4 Dragon with flying, allowing it to evade ground blockers and influence aerial combat. Faceless Haven, however, shifts into a 4/3 creature with all creature types, potentially interacting with various tribal synergies.
Another card worth mentioning is Mutavault, which, much like Cave of the Frost Dragon, can become a creature. But Mutavault becomes a 2/2 with all creature types without any additional abilities, which lacks the flying advantage. It also presents a lower power and toughness. On the flip side, Mutavault offers the benefit of being able to fit into any deck, given its lack of color-specific mana requirements.
Comparatively, the balance between utility as a land, creature potential, and mana cost are crucial factors that define where Cave of the Frost Dragon lies in the spectrum of similar MTG cards. It adeptly provides strategic depth to decks, particularly in formats where having an additional threat on the land is invaluable.
Cards similar to Cave of the Frost Dragon by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Cave of the Frost Dragon. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mono-White Midrange | Pioneer | Mono-White Midrange | Pioneer League 2024-04-02 |
 | Selesnya Angels | Explorer | The Pizza Box Open: Explorer | |
 | WG | Pioneer | Pioneer Challenge 32 2024-04-29 | |
| Selesnya Company | Pioneer | Selesnya Company | Pioneer Challenge 64 2024-04-20 |
| Selesnya Humans | Pioneer | Selesnya Humans | Pioneer Challenge 64 2024-04-13 |
 | Abzan Midrange | Explorer | The Pizza Box Open: Explorer | |
 | Azorius Tempo | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 14 2024 | |
| Esper Midrange | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 15 2024 | |
 | Boros Midrange | Pioneer | Boros Midrange | *HALF PRICE FRIDAY* ReCQ - Pioneer - SCG CON Atlanta - Friday - 2:00 pm |
 | Orzhov Angels | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 15 2024 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Cave of the Frost Dragon offers flexible utility by transforming into a creature, providing a potential blocker or attacker without requiring you to commit another card from your hand.
Resource Acceleration: Although not a direct source of mana acceleration, it contributes to your land count and offers a mana sink late in the game, thus enhancing your resource utilization.
Instant Speed: The ability to become a creature can be activated at instant speed, allowing you to adapt to battlefield conditions in real time and potentially surprise your opponent with an unanticipated blocker or end-of-turn attacker.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Cave of the Frost Dragon doesn’t directly require you to discard, it comes at an opportunity cost. Including it in your deck means possibly foregoing other utility lands that could synergize better with your strategy, potentially leaving you with less optimal plays.
Specific Mana Cost: Activating the ability of Cave of the Frost Dragon requires a significant amount of white mana. This specificity can be challenging in multicolored decks that might struggle to produce enough white mana consistently, thereby hindering the card’s utility in a pinch.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Transforming Cave of the Frost Dragon into a creature comes with a steep total cost of five mana, including four of any color and one white. Considering other available options, this cost is quite high for a 3/4 Dragon creature with flying. This can be especially cumbersome in faster-paced games where mana efficiency is crucial.
Reasons to Include Cave of the Frost Dragon in Your Collection
Versatility: Cave of the Frost Dragon stands out due to its dual utility as a land card and a creature. It provides both mana stability and can become a powerful flying creature, making it useful in various deck builds that require flexibility.
Combo Potential: This card can synergize with strategies that benefit from creature types, such as Dragon-themed decks or those utilizing abilities that trigger upon creatures entering the battlefield.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors creature-based combat or utility lands, Cave of the Frost Dragon can be a robust addition. Its ability to become a formidable flyer makes it a relevant choice against decks lacking in aerial defense.
How to beat
Cave of the Frost Dragon stands as a formidable land card in Magic: The Gathering. It brings versatility to the battlefield, allowing players to transform mana into a powerful flying dragon at a moment’s notice. Beating this card requires a strategic approach, usually involving land destruction or creature control mechanisms. Cards like Field of Ruin or Ghost Quarter can directly target and eliminate the Cave of the Frost Dragon, stripping opponents of their monstrous mana sink.
Additionally, utilizing spells that prevent creatures from attacking or blocking, such as Pacifism or the flash-enabled Spectral Sailor, can paralyze the dragon, effectively rendering it a mere decorative piece on the battlefield. Removal spells like Murder or Frogify can also address the activated dragon directly. These methods circumvent the built-in resilience of lands and directly target the dragon creature itself.
Overall, it’s essential to tailor your strategy to the complexity that Cave of the Frost Dragon introduces. Whether by attacking its land state or mitigating its creature capabilities, there are effective ways to ensure the dragon’s lair remains just a cave.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Cave of the Frost Dragon MTG card by a specific set like The List and Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos, 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 Cave of the Frost Dragon and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Cave of the Frost Dragon Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-07-23 and 2021-07-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The List | PLST | AFR-253 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johannes Voss | ||
| 2 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos | PAFR | 253p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johannes Voss | |
| 3 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms | AFR | 350 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Larry Elmore | |
| 4 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms | AFR | 253 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johannes Voss | |
| 5 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos | PAFR | 253s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johannes Voss | |
| 6 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos | PAFR | 253a | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johannes Voss |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Cave of the Frost Dragon has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Cave of the Frost Dragon card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-07-23 | If Cave of the Frost Dragon enters the battlefield at the same time as one or more other lands, it doesn't take those lands into consideration when determining how many other lands you control. |
| 2021-07-23 | If you turn Cave of the Frost Dragon into a creature but haven't controlled it continuously since your most recent turn began, you won't be able to activate its mana ability or attack with it. |