Winter's Chill MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Instant |
| Released | 1995-06-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Ice Age |
| Set code | ICE |
| Number | 107 |
| Frame | 1993 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Edward P. Beard, Jr. |
Text of card
Cast only during combat before defense is chosen. At end of combat, destroy X target attacking creatures; X cannot be greater than the number of snow-covered lands you control. For each attacking creature, its controller may pay o1 or to prevent it from being destroyed in this way. If that player pays o1, the creature neither deals nor receives damage in combat. If that player pays , the creature deals and receives damage in combat as normal.
Cards like Winter's Chill
Winter’s Chill stands out in the wide array of control spells Magic: The Gathering has to offer. Much like its icy name suggests, this card proves to be quite adept at freezing the opposition, reminiscent of Frost Breath. Both cards have the ability to halt creatures in their tracks, preventing them from untapping during the next untap step. However, Winter’s Chill differs in flexibility, allowing players to decide the number of targets and how much mana to invest into freezing the opponent’s creatures.
Looking into other comparative spells, there’s the classic Icefall, a card that shares the chill theme, albeit with the added benefit of destroying a land. While sharing a mana cost, Icefall doesn’t offer the same degree of creature control as Winter’s Chill does. Then, we encounter Skred, which similarly takes advantage of snow lands for damage output rather than containment. Skred’s effectiveness is dependent on the number of snow lands you control, contrasting with Winter’s Chill’s variable X cost that reflects the number of creatures it can affect.
To wrap it up, Winter’s Chill fits snugly into decks that seek to keep the board in a state of suspended animation. Its scalable nature gives it a strategic edge, making it a potent option for players who want to manage their mana smartly while controlling the battlefield tempo.
Cards similar to Winter's Chill by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Winter’s Chill is crafted to disrupt your opponent’s flow by potentially tapping multiple target creatures. This forced stasis not only hinders their attack strategy but can also require them to pay additional costs to stay in the game, which can put you ahead in card economy.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly a resource accelerator, Winter’s Chill can be instrumental in slowing down your opponent’s board development. This can give you the necessary time to build your resources and establish a better board presence without the immediate threat of an overwhelming attack.
Instant Speed: Its instant speed is a strategic asset, granting you the ability to alter the pace of the battle at a moment’s notice. Whether you’re preventing a surprise onslaught or throwing a wrench in your opponent’s end-of-turn plans, the hastiness of Winter’s Chill provides a versatile tool in any player’s arsenal.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Winter’s Chill requires players to discard a card from their hand, which can often be a significant setback. The loss of card advantage can hinder your strategy, particularly if your deck relies on maintaining a full hand to execute combos or maintain control over the game state.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost demands specifically blue mana, which can be restrictive. Decks that do not run heavily on blue sources may find it challenging to consistently have the right mana available when this card could be most impactful, potentially reducing its utility in multicolored decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a higher casting cost for its freeze effect, players may find that Winter’s Chill competes unfavorably in the mana economy when compared to other control or disruption spells. Given that the MTG environment offers numerous alternatives that can provide similar or better effects for fewer resources, Winter’s Chill could be considered less efficient in terms of mana investment.
Reasons to Include Winter’s Chill in Your Collection
Versatility: Winter’s Chill offers a unique form of disruption that could stymie your opponents by enabling you to control combat before it begins. It fits well into decks emphasizing on tempo or control, aiding to slow down aggressive opponents significantly.
Combo Potential: This card works exceptionally well with strategies that seek to restrict the opponent’s options. By taxing your opponent’s mana, you can potentially lock them out of playing certain spells, seamlessly fitting into decks that capitalize on taxing or freezing opponent resources.
Meta-Relevance: Against decks that rely heavily on untapped creatures entering the battlefield to win swiftly, Winter’s Chill can become a stalwart defense. In a meta that favors fast creature play, it can tip the scales back into a more manageable pace, allowing you the necessary time to execute your winning strategy.
How to beat
Winter’s Chill is a card that can put opponents on thin ice with its ability to freeze over creatures and potentially lock down a game. Having a strategy to navigate this frosty enchantment is crucial for any MTG player facing a cold front. A key tactic is to prioritize the use of direct removal spells to clear the way, as Winter’s Chill targets creatures that are about to attack. Cards like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can preemptively eliminate threats without falling victim to the Chill’s icy grip.
Alternative strategies include favoring creatures with vigilance that don’t tap to attack, therefore sidestepping Winter’s Chill’s effect entirely. It’s also beneficial to have enchantment destruction in your deck, such as Disenchant or Naturalize, to thaw out the situation. In multi-player formats, diplomacy can be a valuable tool, as teaming up to handle shared threats is often more efficient. Remember, staying adaptable and keeping warm resources at the ready can melt away the advantage that Winter’s Chill offers an opponent.
Understanding and anticipating this card’s potential impact will give you the upper hand, as you’ll be well-prepared to face and overcome this frosty obstacle in your MTG battles.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Winter's Chill MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age, 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 Winter's Chill and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Winter's Chill has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Winter's Chill card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | The payments are made when the spell resolves. The three options are: pay to let creature act as normal, pay to have creature neither deal or receive damage, or pay nothing and the creature does deal and receive damage but it will be destroyed at end of combat. |
| 2013-09-20 | If a turn has multiple combat phases, this spell can be cast during any of them as long as it’s before the beginning of that phase’s Declare Blockers Step. |