Sibsig Icebreakers MTG Card


Sibsig Icebreakers - Dragons of Tarkir
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Zombie
Released2015-03-27
Set symbol
Set nameDragons of Tarkir
Set codeDTK
Power 2
Toughness 3
Number119
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byZoltan Boros

Key Takeaways

  1. Sibsig Icebreakers enables graveyard strategies and disrupts opponents, offering a symmetrical discard on entry.
  2. Its specific black mana cost can limit deck inclusion, with a relatively high cost for the discard effect.
  3. Despite powerful alternatives, Icebreakers offer unique disruption value in certain MTG metagames.

Text of card

When Sibsig Icebreakers enters the battlefield, each player discards a card.

"I almost envy them. They can't get frostbite." —Kirada, Silumgar enforcer


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sibsig Icebreakers can force each player to discard a card upon entering the battlefield, which can disrupt your opponent’s strategies while also filling your graveyard with potential resources for delve or other graveyard synergies.

Resource Acceleration: This effect can indirectly lead to resource acceleration if the discarded cards have mechanics that benefit from being in the graveyard, potentially paving the way for a more efficient play on future turns.

Instant Speed: While Sibsig Icebreakers itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it interfaces well with instant-speed spells and abilities that profit from the discard, allowing you to plan your plays and responses during your opponent’s turn for maximum tactical advantage.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sibsig Icebreakers demands that, upon entering the battlefield, each player must discard a card. This may play against you, especially in a tight situation where retaining every card in hand is crucial for maintaining strategic advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Locked into the black mana requirement, the Icebreakers can create deck-building constraints. Black mana-focused decks will accommodate it best, but it can be burdensome for multicolor deck strategies that may not always have the black mana readily available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sibsig Icebreakers comes with a three mana cost which is significant for its effect. Considering the card’s impact on gameplay, there are other creatures or spells at a similar or lower mana cost that might better serve a player’s strategy without the disadvantage of enforced discard.


Reasons to Include Sibsig Icebreakers in Your Collection

Versatility: Sibsig Icebreakers can be a tactical addition to decks that thrive on graveyard manipulation. They enable players to discard and strategize with cards that have effects when in the graveyard or that can be recurred.

Combo Potential: This creature synergizes well with decks that capitalize on both players discarding cards. It can be a cog in a machine that diminishes opponents’ hands while setting up your own graveyard-based synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where hand size matters and games are attrition-based, Sibsig Icebreakers can serve as an equalizer, disrupting opponents’ carefully curated hands while enabling your own strategy to unfold.


How to beat

Sibsig Icebreakers, a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering, presents both a challenge and an opportunity on the battlefield. When this card enters the play, each player must discard a card. To navigate around this ability, it’s key to employ strategies that benefit from having cards in the graveyard. Cards with flashback or delve capabilities can turn the forced discard into an advantage. Consider holding onto spells such as Think Twice or Murderous Cut, which can be utilized later from your graveyard, effectively nullifying the downside of the Icebreakers’ entrance.

Additionally, building your strategy with graveyard synergies in mind, using creatures with unearth or embalm, can flip the script on Sibsig Icebreakers. If you’re anticipating an encounter with this card, adjusting your hand to include cards that profit from being in your graveyard when discarded can prepare you to resist the Icebreakers’ impact efficiently. It’s a subtle balance of managing resources and staying one step ahead of the discard mechanic that Sibsig Icebreakers introduces into the game.


Cards like Sibsig Icebreakers

Sibsig Icebreakers present a unique dynamic in the realm of creature spells within Magic: The Gathering. Much like other discard-generating creatures such as Rotting Rats, Sibsig Icebreakers demands both players to discard a card upon its entry to the battlefield. This acts as a double-edged sword, disrupting both your opponent’s plans and your own hand. Unlike Rotting Rats, the Icebreakers do not offer an Unearth ability for late-game returns.

Analogous in effect is Miasmic Mummy, which stands out with a lower casting cost but offers a similar symmetrical discard effect. However, it falls short in power and toughness compared to Sibsig Icebreakers, making it slightly less impactful on the board. Additionally, Liliana’s Specter packs a targeted discard while entering the arena with flying ability, posing a more direct threat to the opponent’s hand without compromising your own card advantage.

When considering these elements against cards with akin characteristics, Sibsig Icebreakers have a noteworthy spot. They deliver both a body on the field and a method to unsettle opponent strategies, a combination valuable to Magic: The Gathering players valuing disruption in their deck builds.

Rotting Rats - MTG Card versions
Miasmic Mummy - MTG Card versions
Liliana's Specter - MTG Card versions
Rotting Rats - Conflux (CON)
Miasmic Mummy - Amonkhet (AKH)
Liliana's Specter - Magic 2011 Promos (PM11)

Cards similar to Sibsig Icebreakers by color, type and mana cost

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Plague Rats - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Wall of Bone - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Lasher - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Royal Assassin - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Plague Rats - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Wall of Bone - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Masters Edition (ME1)
Mischievous Poltergeist - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Strongarm Thug - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Razortooth Rats - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ghastly Remains - Legions (LGN)
Lord of the Undead - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Deepwood Ghoul - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Dross Prowler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Lasher - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Vesper Ghoul - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sibsig Icebreakers MTG card by a specific set like Dragons of Tarkir, 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 Sibsig Icebreakers and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sibsig Icebreakers has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

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