On Thin Ice MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: On Thin Ice stands out by effectively dealing with an opponent’s threat while remaining mana-efficient. By removing a creature from the opposing side of the battlefield, it shifts the balance of resources in your favor, ensuring that you keep the upper hand without losing card quality from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: This card requires minimal mana investment, requiring only a single snow mana. Its low cost accelerates your resource allocation, enabling you to commit other resources to your strategy or board state without a significant delay.

Instant Speed: While not cast at instant speed, On Thin Ice can be set in motion using snow lands untapped on your turn. This timing allows for strategic planning and can catch an opponent off guard, disrupting their combat phase or nullifying a potential threat before it can become problematic.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the limitations of On Thin Ice is its requirement to exile a snow land as it comes into play. This can be a setback in strategies that aim to maximize land presence on the battlefield, as it temporarily reduces the player’s land resources.

Specific Mana Cost: On Thin Ice asks for a single white mana, which could be a sticking point for multicolor decks that may struggle with color consistency. While its mana cost is low, it necessitates a heavy commitment to white and the inclusion of snow lands to be effective.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite costing only one white mana, the necessity of playing with snow-covered lands — which must be exiled to enable the card’s exile target creature ability — can be seen as a high cost. If a player is not running a snow-based strategy, there could be more efficient removal options available that don’t require such deck building constraints.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: On Thin Ice is highly adaptable to various deck-building strategies, securing its place among white removal spells. Its ability to immediately exile a creature while conditioning it to a snow land allows it to be both an early-game interaction and a seamless addition to snow-based or control decks.

Combo Potential: This card can be combined with land bounce mechanics or flicker effects to reuse or reset its removal ability. The interactions that occur from repeatedly exiling your opponents’ threats can give you a significant advantage over the course of a game.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creatures play a pivotal role, On Thin Ice provides a cost-effective solution while freeing up your mana for other vital plays. Given its one-mana cost, it is a potentially game-changing inclusion, especially in formats that favour tempo and efficiency.

How to Beat On Thin Ice

On Thin Ice is an efficient removal spell that can disrupt your early gameplay in Magic: The Gathering. This snow enchantment skillfully exiles a creature as long as it remains on the battlefield. While its one mana casting cost is appealing, remember it’s not unbeatable.

To outmaneuver On Thin Ice, prioritize enchantment removal spells or abilities within your deck. Cards like Disenchant or Nature’s Claim are cost-effective tools to eliminate problematic enchantments, freeing your indispensable creatures from being indefinitely sidelined. Additionally, effects that grant your creatures hexproof or indestructible can provide a layer of protection, thwarting On Thin Ice before it can seize its target.

Furthermore, an alternative strategy is to limit the value On Thin Ice provides to your opponent by focusing on creatureless deck builds or decks with expendable creatures. This turns their potential game-changer into a mere dead draw. By anticipating and neutralizing On Thin Ice’s impact, you can maintain strategic leverage and ensure your key creatures remain active participants in the clash.

BurnMana Recommendations

As a savvy MTG player seeking to manage threats on the battlefield, On Thin Ice should pique your interest. It reflects tactical flexibility and adjustment with an enchantment that proficiently handles creatures while syncing with your snow-influenced strategies. Considering its utility and effectiveness, On Thin Ice deserves a second look, especially if you’re brewing a deck with white mana leanings and looking for a lean removal option. Enhance your collection and keep your deck sharp in today’s dynamic MTG environment. Dive deeper into our resources to see how On Thin Ice can smoothly equip your arsenal.