Icehide Golem MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Snow Artifact Creature — Golem
Released	2019-06-14
Set symbol
Set name	Modern Horizons
Set code	MH1
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	224
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Paul Scott Canavan

Key Takeaways

Icehide Golem provides early-game board domination using snow mana for an aggressive playstyle.
It requires dedicated snow land inclusions, potentially restricting deck flexibility.
Brings artifact synergy and meta adaptability to snow-themed MTG decks.

Text of card

({S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.)

In colder climates, ice is more obedient than stone.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Icehide Golem doesn’t directly offer card advantage in the traditional sense; instead, it provides an efficient creature that easily slots into decks using snow mana sources. The value comes from having a robust board presence early in the game, putting pressure on opponents and synergizing with abilities that benefit from having lots of creatures or snow permanents.

Resource Acceleration: This solid artifact creature can hit the battlefield as early as turn one with a snow-covered land. This kind of speed is an asset, especially for aggressive strategies. It ramps up the tempo, allowing you to commit more to the board faster than most other one-mana creatures would permit.

Instant Speed: While Icehide Golem is a creature and not an instant, its ability to be deployed early compensates for the lack of instant speed. The gain is in time, as it propels your board state ahead, possibly providing a turn one offensive option that needs to be answered immediately, thereby saving your spells and other resources for later.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Icehide Golem doesn’t have a discard requirement itself, it implicitly requires maintaining a specific land type on the battlefield — Snow lands. Without snow permanents, it can’t be cast, potentially straining your hand if you’re low on the necessary resources or facing land destruction.

Specific Mana Cost: Icehide Golem requires a snow mana to cast. This restricts deck building to snow-based themes and can limit the flexibility of using the card in various MTG decks that do not run Snow lands.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While two mana for a 2/2 artifact creature might seem efficient, the inclusion of Snow-Covered Lands to your deck to satisfy Icehide Golem’s casting requirement can be a cost in itself. In some metagames, dedicating a portion of your deck to Snow permanents just to cast a simple creature might not be the most mana-efficient strategy.

Reasons to Include Icehide Golem in Your Collection

Versatility: Icehide Golem stands out with its ability to fit into decks that capitalize on snow lands. Its single snow mana cost allows it to be easily cast in mono-colored or multi-colored snow synergistic decks, offering a solid creature for a minimal investment.

Combo Potential: This golem can play a key role in strategies that revolve around artifact or golem synergies. It can be used as an affordable activation tool for cards that depend on artifact creature presence, enhancing their effects and bolstering your game plan.

Meta-Relevance: During periods where snow-based decks rise in popularity, Icehide Golem gains additional value. As a swift and cost-effective way to develop board presence, it can compete effectively within the ever-changing MTG landscape, adapting to the array of decks you might face.

How to beat

Icehide Golem presents a unique challenge within the MTG arena due to its ability to hit the battlefield early in the game. Its strength stems from its cost-efficiency, as it requires only one mana of any type from a snow source to be cast. While it boasts solid stats for its cost, it’s important to keep in mind that it can only be played if you control a snow land, which is a restriction that can be turned to your advantage in combat.

Addressing the Icehide Golem on the battlefield can be done with a variety of strategies. Utilizing removal spells that don’t differentiate between non-snow and snow permanents is an effective method. Since it doesn’t have any inherent protection, spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can dispatch it regardless of its snow synergy. Additionally, preventing your opponent from establishing a board presence with snow lands early on can hinder their ability to cast Icehide Golem expeditiously. Board control cards can also ensure that its presence is minimal and manageable. By keeping these tactics in mind, navigating around the early pressure that Icehide Golem can exert becomes a less daunting task.

Ultimately, the key to outmaneuvering an Icehide Golem lies in preparedness and maintaining control over the tempo of the game. Through well-planned removal and disruption, this seemingly formidable card can be effectively contained.

Cards like Icehide Golem

Icehide Golem carves its niche within the artifact creature space of MTG. This snow artifact creature is akin to other easy-to-cast creatures like Gingerbrute, which shares the same low-cost appeal. However, the Icehide Golem demands a snow land for summoning, while Gingerbrute can be played with any mana. This specificity in land type creates a deck-building consideration similar to that of the Llanowar Elves, yet it’s the versatility in land tapping that sets the elves apart.

Looking at another peer, Alloy Myr offers mana flexibility across any color, yet it comes with a higher cost, while the Golem stands as a more economical option for aggressive strategies. Unlike Myr, you can’t tap the Golem for mana, but its strength in a dedicated snow land deck is undeniable. Another companion in comparison is the Metalwork Colossus, a creature that potentially shares the same mana cost, yet the Colossus’s forte lies in a deck abundant with noncreature artifacts, contrasting the Golem’s land-centered playstyle.

Ultimately, Icehide Golem presents itself as a formidable choice for MTG enthusiasts seeking a stout and reliable option in decks emphasizing snow lands, providing an efficient creature for an aggressive strategy in this card-playing universe.

Cards similar to Icehide Golem by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Icehide Golem MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons, 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 Icehide Golem and other MTG cards: