Master Skald MTG Card


Master Skald - Kaldheim
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Dwarf Warrior
Released2021-02-05
Set symbol
Set nameKaldheim
Set codeKHM
Power 4
Toughness 4
Number19
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred bySvetlin Velinov

Key Takeaways

  1. Master Skald offers a resourceful way to reclaim enchantments or artifacts, effectively sustaining your in-game momentum.
  2. Its mana flexibility and discard requirement can influence deck construction and determine its playability.
  3. Versatility and meta-relevance make it a valuable addition, enabling recurring strategies and potent combos.

Text of card

When Master Skald enters the battlefield, you may exile a creature card from your graveyard. If you do, return target artifact or enchantment card from your graveyard to your hand.

"All my scars have stories to tell."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Master Skald enables you to potentially retrieve a powerful enchantment or artifact card from your graveyard to your hand. This advantageously recycles valuable resources, giving you an edge over the opponent by reusing impactful cards.

Resource Acceleration: When Master Skald enters the battlefield, its ability can be a form of indirect resource acceleration, as it allows you to bypass the mana cost of an artifact or enchantment card when you cast it again, effectively saving you mana for other plays.

Instant Speed: Though Master Skald itself does not operate at instant speed, the artifacts or enchantments it retrieves could be of instant speed themselves, adding an element of surprise and flexibility in your gameplay. Master Skald sets up future turns where you can utilize these retrieved cards at precisely the right moment.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Master Skald requires a card to be discarded in order to fully utilize its ability. This can set players back, particularly in the late game where each card in hand is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: With Master Skald demanding a mix of specific mana types to cast, it doesn’t fit smoothly into every deck, potentially restricting its playability to decks that can efficiently generate both white and red mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring a total of five mana to play, Master Skald may not be the first choice for players looking to build momentum quickly. In a game where tempo is key, there might be more effective cards with lower mana requirements to consider.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Master Skald brings a unique dynamic to a variety of deck formats. Its ability to return an aura, equipment, or legendary artifact card from your graveyard to your hand makes it particularly useful in decks built around maximizing the value of those cards.

Combo Potential: This card can be the linchpin in powerful combos, setting up return loops with self-sacrificing artifacts or enabling recurring aura strategies. Its synergy within these archetypes can be a game-changer.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where graveyard manipulation and value retrieval are key, Master Skald stands out. Its presence ensures that key pieces of your equipment and aura-focused strategies can repeatedly make an impact on the board. With the current trend towards resourceful play, this card could prove a staple in competitive decks.


How to beat

Mastering the art of countering cards is a key strategy in MTG, and this is especially true when facing off against the iconic Master Skald card. This powerful card can be a game-changer with its ability to retrieve an artifact or enchantment from the graveyard when it enters the battlefield. However, there are effective tactics to neutralize its advantage. Utilizing graveyard hate cards, such as Rest in Peace or Scavenging Ooze, can sweep away key artifacts and enchantments before the Skald has a chance to resurrect them. Moreover, employing instant-speed removal, like Murder or Path to Exile, right after Master Skald hits the table, but before its ability resolves, can prevent your opponent from gaining any value from their card investment.

In addition to these, countering Master Skald upon cast is another solid line of defense. Cards like Cancel or Mana Leak can ensure that the Master Skald’s ability never triggers in the first place. Timely counterspells paired with control over the graveyard landscape can thoroughly dismantle the benefits that Master Skald aims to provide. With these strategies in place, MTG players can navigate around the formidable presence of Master Skald and maintain control over the game.


Cards like Master Skald

Master Skald brings a unique twist to retrieval spells in Magic: The Gathering. It stands alongside Recollect, a card known for single-item graveyard retrieval without any additional benefits. In contrast, Master Skald’s requirement to exile a creature card from your graveyard as entry cost distinguishes it, offering artifact or enchantment recovery instead. This trade-off can be key in decks that hinge on specific non-creature permanents.

Another comparable option is Tormod’s Cryptkeeper. It operates on the axis of graveyard interaction. Although it lacks the direct retrieval capability, it offers a disruptive presence against opponents by exiling their graveyards. This is a tactical shift from Master Skald’s personally beneficial retrieval mechanic.

Balancing the strategic retrieval of Master Skald against the wider scope of similar retrieval spells is crucial in deckbuilding. It offers nuanced benefits that provide players with creative ways to recycle valuable artifacts and enchantments, bolstering longer-term strategies within the diverse world of Magic: The Gathering.

Recollect - MTG Card versions
Tormod's Cryptkeeper - MTG Card versions
Recollect - MTG Card versions
Tormod's Cryptkeeper - MTG Card versions

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Rashida Scalebane - MTG Card versions
Avenging Angel - MTG Card versions
Lancers en-Kor - MTG Card versions
Radiant, Archangel - MTG Card versions
Karmic Guide - MTG Card versions
Master Healer - MTG Card versions
Angel of Mercy - MTG Card versions
Serra Angel - MTG Card versions
Border Patrol - MTG Card versions
Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer - MTG Card versions
Sigardian Savior - MTG Card versions
Glory - MTG Card versions
Celestial Gatekeeper - MTG Card versions
Collector Protector - MTG Card versions
Kiyomaro, First to Stand - MTG Card versions
Belfry Spirit - MTG Card versions
Petra Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Barrenton Medic - MTG Card versions
Ivory Gargoyle - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Master Skald 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 Master Skald and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Master Skald has restrictions

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

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Master Skald 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 If you choose an artifact creature card or an enchantment creature card in your graveyard as the target, you could exile that card as the triggered ability is resolving, but if you do, you won’t return it to your hand.
2021-02-05 You choose the target artifact or enchantment card in your graveyard as you put the triggered ability on the stack. Once the ability starts resolving, you choose which creature card to exile from your graveyard, if any. At that point, no one can respond to your choice or take any actions until the ability is finished resolving.

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