Frozen Aether MTG Card
2007-02-02 - Number 54
2020-03-08 - Number 23
2020-09-26 - Number PLC-54
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment |
Key Takeaways
- Frozen Aether disrupts opponent tempo, making lands and artifacts enter tapped, thus delaying their strategy.
- It provides relative resource acceleration against opponents by impeding their board development.
- Not an instant, but Frozen Aether still inhibits opponents’ instant-speed responses effectively.
Text of card
Artifacts, creatures, and lands your opponents control come into play tapped.
Gjornersen entertained his followers by taking bets on which would move first—the drowsing land wurm or the frozen goblins.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Frozen Aether can effectively handicap your opponent’s ability to utilize their cards, as it forces their lands and artifacts to enter the battlefield tapped. This restriction impairs their advantage by delaying their plays and tempo, which in turn benefits you by hindering their overall strategy and board development.
Resource Acceleration: By slowing down your opponent’s access to their resources, Frozen Aether can give you a relative acceleration in your own game. Each turn that your opponent loses through slowed resource deployment can be capitalized on, potentially allowing you to surge ahead in developing your board and strategies.
Instant Speed: Although Frozen Aether itself is not an instant, its ongoing effect creates a scenario where your opponent’s instant-speed spells and abilities are less effective. They may be forced to play cards earlier than they prefer, giving you the advantage of being able to react with your instant-speed interactions without the worry of immediate retaliation or counterplay on your opponent’s side.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Frozen Aether doesn’t directly require discarding cards, it can indirectly lead to a higher discard rate. Given its control-style function, players may hold onto cards longer, increasing the chances of discarding due to hand size limits.
Specific Mana Cost: Frozen Aether has an exclusively blue mana requirement for its casting cost, which may not seamlessly fit into decks that are not blue-centric or dual-colored ones that struggle with mana fixing.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The four mana to cast Frozen Aether might be steep for players looking to establish tempo early in the game. Other cards at lower mana costs might provide similar stalling effects without such a significant initial investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Frozen Aether’s ability to slow down opponents by making their artifacts, creatures, and lands enter the battlefield tapped allows it to fit seamlessly into various control and stax strategies. Its application across multiple formats enhances any collection with a tool for meta flexibility.
Combo Potential: This card excels in combinations with effects that punish tapped permanents or capitalize on opponents’ delayed actions. It synergizes well with cards like Kismet, enhancing lockdown strategies to secure your lead in the game.
Meta-Relevance: Within the current competitive scene, Frozen Aether holds its ground by countering fast-paced aggro decks. It is exceptionally relevant in environments where tempo plays a crucial role, effectively damping the speed of your opponents’ deck operations.
How to beat
Frozen Aether is a notorious card in Magic the Gathering that can significantly slow down an opponent by making all their artifacts, creatures, and lands enter the battlefield tapped. This can disrupt opponents’ rhythm and timing, presenting a unique challenge to overcome.
However, there are tactics to counteract Frozen Aether’s chilling effect on your game. First, consider adding cards that can untap your permanents, ensuring they’re ready for action despite the initial setback. Cards with flash also allow you to play on your opponent’s turn, circumventing the tap-down effect on your own turn. Another strategy is to use enchantment removal cards to eliminate Frozen Aether directly from the battlefield. Green spells like Naturalize or white spells like Disenchant can be very effective.
Additionally, decks that rely less on the battlefield and more on instant and sorcery spells can also prove resilient against Frozen Aether. Such decks can continue to operate effectively, even under the icy constraints of Frozen Aether. Keeping these strategies in mind, you can prepare your deck to thaw out Frozen Aether’s cold grip and keep your gameplan running smoothly.
Cards like Frozen Aether
Frozen Aether is an intriguing piece in the MTG control puzzle, with its ability to slow down opponents by making their artifacts, creatures, lands, and enchantments enter the battlefield tapped. It has a kinship with the card Kismet, a classic control card with identical effects, though Kismet only affects artifacts, creatures, and lands. Frozen Aether’s inclusion of enchantments gives it a slight edge and broader reach.
Another card worth comparing is Blind Obedience. While this enchantment only affects creatures and artifacts, it compensates with the extort mechanic, allowing you to chip away at your opponent’s life total while you solidify your position. Thalia, Heretic Cathar also deserves mention—though it only deals with creatures and lands, it has the additional advantage of being attached to a creature with board presence.
Assessing the wider impact and strategic use in gameplay, Frozen Aether provides comprehensive coverage against multifaceted decks, making it a robust choice for players aiming to assert dominant control in the game. It shines thanks to its ability to quell numerous threats simultaneously.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Frozen Aether MTG card by a specific set like Planar Chaos and Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils, 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 Frozen Aether and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Frozen Aether Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2007-02-02 and 2020-03-08. Illustrated by Dan Dos Santos.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2007-02-02 | Planar Chaos | PLC | 54 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dan Dos Santos | |
| 2 | 2020-03-08 | Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils | FMB1 | 23 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dan Dos Santos | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | PLC-54 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dan Dos Santos |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Frozen Aether has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Frozen Aether card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2007-02-01 | Cards enter the battlefield tapped. They do not enter the battlefield untapped and then immediately tap, therefore they do not trigger any effects due to tapping. |
| 2007-02-01 | Does not affect cards that phase in. |
| 2007-02-01 | It affects all opponents. |
| 2007-02-01 | It applies to cards and tokens that are put onto the battlefield by an effect, as well as ones that are played from the player’s hand. |
