Frost Trickster MTG Card

Frost Trickster - Strixhaven: School of Mages

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Bird Wizard
Abilities	Flying
Released	2021-04-23
Set symbol
Set name	Strixhaven: School of Mages
Set code	STX
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	43
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Uriah Voth

Key Takeaways

Frost Trickster’s ability to tap creatures upon entry can pivotally shift game tempo in your favor.
While versatile, it requires a specific mana commitment which may limit multi-color deck options.
Efficient in cost and effect, it excels at controlling the battlefield against aggressive decks.

Text of card

Flying When Frost Trickster enters the battlefield, tap target creature an opponent controls. That creature doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.

The most important skill in a Mage Tower match is keeping one's cool.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Frost Trickster has the ability to freeze an opponent’s creature upon entering the battlefield, effectively rendering it unable to block or attack, which can be critical for controlling the pace of the game and offering a form of card advantage through tempo.

Resource Acceleration: By tapping a potential blocker or a threatening attacker, Frost Trickster can allow you to accelerate your resources on the board. This can translate into further development of your side of the board while the opponent is temporarily set back.

Instant Speed: While Frost Trickster itself is not an instant, its enter-the-battlefield effect can be utilized at instant speed if you play it during the end of your opponent’s turn using flash enablers. This surprise element can significantly disrupt your opponent’s strategy.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One consideration for the Frost Trickster is its potential to be less advantageous in decks that can’t easily refill the hand. Discarding can be a drawback if your strategic plan counts on maintaining a variety of options in your grip.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both blue and generic mana, the Frost Trickster’s mana cost necessitates a dedicated color commitment. This can limit deck-building versatility and may not align seamlessly with multi-colored decks that are not blue-centric.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its utility, the Frost Trickster’s mana value may be seen as steep. There are alternative creatures that bring similar or greater effects to the battlefield with a lower or equal cost, making them potentially more appealing for optimizing mana efficiency in a match.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Frost Trickster offers essential flexibility for blue decks, adapting with ease across various game situations. It can slot into tempo decks as a flying creature, disrupting opponents and maintaining board presence.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with strategies that capitalize on tapping opponent’s creatures. It pairs well with cards that benefit from having creatures enter the battlefield or require opponents’ creatures to be tapped.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where aggressive decks are prevalent, Frost Trickster serves as a valuable tool to slow down the onslaught and tip the scales in your favor with its flying capability.

How to beat

Frost Trickster, a creature from the icy realms of Magic: The Gathering, has a reputation for freezing opponents’ momentum with its ability to tap a target creature upon entering the battlefield. This blue flying faerie can be a thorn in an opponent’s side, particularly in limited formats where tempo plays a crucial role. But like every card in MTG, it has its weaknesses.

To counter Frost Trickster effectively, consider using instant-speed removal spells. These can eliminate the Trickster before its ability resolves, thus saving your creature from its icy grip. Cards with flash also give you the upper hand, allowing you to block and remove the Trickster without falling behind in your own attack strategy. Additionally, playing around the Trickster by holding back on casting high-value creatures until it’s safe, or using creatures with vigilance that aren’t affected by being tapped down, can significantly reduce its impact on your game plan.

Ultimately, while Frost Trickster can be a strategic play for controlling the board, there are several pathways to outmaneuver this airborne adversary. By staying prepared for its entrance and making smart decisions during gameplay, you can maintain tempo and leave Frost Trickster out in the cold.

Cards like Frost Trickster

Frost Trickster from Magic: The Gathering has found a home in decks looking to control the pace of the game. This frosty flier can be compared to cards like Aven Surveyor and Mist Raven, both creatures that also bounce an opponent’s creature when they enter the battlefield. Frost Trickster’s advantage lies in its cost-efficiency and ability to tap a target creature, which doesn’t return it to the owner’s hand but stymies potential attackers or blockers for a turn.

Beyond Frost Trickster, we see Faerie Impostor and Exclusion Mage in the realms of creature control, each with its own approach. Faerie Impostor requires you to return a creature you control to your hand as part of its cost, allowing for repeated use of enter-the-battlefield effects. Exclusion Mage lets you directly return a creature to its owner’s hand but without the flying capability that Frost Trickster offers.

Gauging the trade-offs, Frost Trickster excels in slowing opponents down without the need for permanent board removal. This balance of tempo control and cost-effectiveness makes it a tactical choice for players seeking to manage the battlefield while applying pressure from the skies.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Frost Trickster MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Frost Trickster and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Frost Trickster has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Frost Trickster card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2021-04-16	Frost Trickster’s ability can target a creature that’s already tapped. That creature won’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.