Chill to the Bone MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2006-07-21
Set symbol
Set name	Coldsnap
Set code	CSP
Number	52
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jim Murray

Key Takeaways

Chill to the Bone excels in creature removal, often determining the battle’s outcome with instant speed flexibility.
While demanding a card discard, its unique snow synergy enhances certain MTG deck strategies.
Key to overcoming it includes using indestructible or hexproof creatures, and strategic graveyard recovery.

Text of card

Destroy target nonsnow creature.

"Thick hides and layered armor won't help when I freeze you from the inside out." —Heidar, Rimewind master

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Chill to the Bone provides card advantage by efficiently removing an opponent’s creature from the game. Removing threats while maintaining your own board presence can tip the scales in your favor during a match.

Resource Acceleration: This card doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration in the traditional sense of adding mana. However, by removing key threats, it can indirectly accelerate your game plan by keeping the way clear for your creatures to attack and reducing the need to cast additional removal spells.

Instant Speed: As an instant, Chill to the Bone can be cast at any time, providing flexibility and allowing you to react to your opponent’s moves. This element of surprise can disrupt your opponent’s strategy, especially if they are not anticipating their creature to be targeted during their turn or in response to an action.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Chill to the Bone demands that you discard a card to cast it, which can be costly. Being forced to give up another card reduces hand size, potentially putting you at a disadvantage in longer games with this additional resource cost.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell’s mana cost requires a precise combination of black and red mana. Such specificity can make it challenging to fit into multicolor decks that do not strongly feature both of these colors, therefore restricting its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is more substantial than some other removal spells in MTG, Chill to the Bone might be seen as an inefficient choice. Players often favor spells that maximize mana economy, and the cumulative cost here could lead players to opt for lower-cost alternatives to maintain tempo against opponents.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Chill to the Bone provides a flexible removal option, suitable for a variety of deck styles. Its ability to target and destroy creatures tackle a broad spectrum of threats that you may encounter in the game.

Combo Potential: As a removal spell, Chill to the Bone can be a key component in control or midrange combos. It can pave the way for your own strategy by removing blockers or threats that stand in your path toward victory.

Meta-Relevance: In a game meta that’s creature-heavy or where creature-based strategies are prevalent, having Chill to the Bone in your arsenal ensures you’re equipped to disrupt your opponent’s game plan effectively.

How to beat

Chill to the Bone is a potent removal spell in Magic: The Gathering, particularly effective against creatures that lack the fortitude to withstand its icy grip. To outmaneuver this frigid enchantment, consider employing creatures with the Indestructible attribute. Since Indestructible creatures are not affected by destruction effects, they remain untouched by Chill to the Bone’s deadly touch.

An alternative strategy involves the use of Hexproof or Shroud abilities, which shield your creatures from being directly targeted by such spells. Another effective tactic is to keep counter spells in hand, allowing you to negate Chill to the Bone before it resolves. A different approach is to use cards that can quickly recover creatures from the graveyard, undercutting the loss inflicted by Chill to the Bone’s removal prowess.

Ultimately, while Chill to the Bone may pose a chilling threat to the battlefield, an array of strategic plays and creature abilities can efficiently counteract its menacing effect, ensuring your creatures can withstand the coldest of attacks.

Cards like Chill to the Bone

Chill to the Bone is a unique addition to the pool of removal spells in Magic: The Gathering. It’s often weighed against classics such as Doom Blade, a spell known for outright destroying a target nonblack creature at the cost of a mere two mana. Although both spells excel in eliminating threats, Chill to the Bone introduces an icy twist with its ability to turn a creature into a snow creature before attempting to destroy it. This nuanced approach can interact favorably with cards that benefit from snow permanents on the battlefield.

In the realm of conditional removal, we can also look at Cast Down which destroys a nonlegendary creature for the same cost. This spell offers a broader range of targets compared to the color-restricted Doom Blade, but doesn’t provide the synergy with snow permanents that Chill to the Bone does. Then there’s Go for the Throat which eliminates any nonartifact creature. Each of these spells has its situational advantages, but the chilling effect of Chill to the Bone may offer additional synergies for decks focused around snow mechanics.

In essence, Chill to the Bone manages to carve out its niche within the variety of removal options available, particularly shining in decks that capitalize on the interactions and advantages of snow-based cards and strategies in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Chill to the Bone by color, type and mana cost

Hagra Mauling // Hagra Broodpit - MTG Card versions

Hostile Negotiations - MTG Card versions

When Fluffy Bunnies Attack - MTG Card versions

Tendrils of Corruption - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Chill to the Bone MTG card by a specific set like Coldsnap, 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 Chill to the Bone and other MTG cards: