Kjeldoran Warrior MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Warrior |
| Abilities | Banding |
| Released | 1995-06-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Ice Age |
| Set code | ICE |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 41 |
| Frame | 1993 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Mark Poole |
Key Takeaways
- Kjeldoran Warrior can indirectly lead to card advantage and is a flexible early game defender.
- Its mana cost and discard requirement may deter use in diverse or tempo-focused decks.
- Despite its simplicity, it has potential in decks and can hold ground in certain metas.
Text of card
Banding
"Give me a thousand such Warriors and I could change the world." —Avram Garrisson, Leader of the Knights of Stromgald
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Kjeldoran Warrior may not directly offer card draw, but its presence can lead to card advantage by forcing your opponent to use more resources to overcome it. Its ability to serve as both an attacker and a blocker can help you maintain board control, conserving your cards in hand while depleting the opponent’s.
Resource Acceleration: While the Kjeldoran Warrior doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, it can effectively do so indirectly. By providing a dependable blocker, it protects your more important mana-producing creatures or allows you to safely reach the later stages of the game where you can play high-impact spells.
Instant Speed: Kjeldoran Warrior operates at sorcery speed as a creature, but its low casting cost means you can deploy it while keeping mana open for instant speed interactions. This flexibility allows you to adapt to the developing game, potentially casting it as a surprise blocker or to have an extra creature when needed.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Kjeldoran Warrior’s playability is hindered by the condition that does not allow it to block unless you discard a card. This can create significant pressure on hand management especially when you are trying to maintain card advantage over your opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost demands one white mana, which might not seem too restrictive at first glance. However, for multicolor decks that wish to maintain a flexible mana base, having such a specific requirement can be a limiting factor, making it less desirable for diverse deck strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes two mana for a mere 1/1 creature, Kjeldoran Warrior falls behind when compared to other cards within the same mana range offering higher stats or additional abilities. Its mana efficiency is low, which can be detrimental in formats where tempo and efficient resource use are key.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Kjeldoran Warrior is a solid addition to decks that value early battlefield presence. It’s a reliable low-cost creature that can be used defensively in the early game or as an initial offensive option.
Combo Potential: This card can work with strategies focused on pump spells or equipment, making it a more formidable force as the game progresses. Its ability to synergize with various cards increases its utility in numerous deck builds.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta heavy with aggressive decks, Kjeldoran Warrior can serve as a cost-effective blocker that helps stabilize your board state while you build up to more impactful plays.
How to Beat Kjeldoran Warrior
Encountering a Kjeldoran Warrior on the battlefield presents a straightforward challenge. This Ice Age veteran is a basic creature card that provides ground-level defense capabilities. Its value lies in being an early blocker due to its low mana cost and toughness, making it useful in stalling more aggressive early-game strategies. However, it doesn’t pose a significant offensive threat due to its lack of power.
To gain the upper hand against the Kjeldoran Warrior, cards with evasion abilities such as flying or trample can easily overstep its defensive position. Spells that offer removal, no matter how simple, can also clear the path for your creatures to hit home. At one toughness, any direct damage card can remedy the situation quickly. If battlefield control is part of your strategy, cards like Pacifism can neutralize the Warrior without expending your removal spells. In short, when facing this sentry of the frozen lands, it’s about deploying creatures it cannot block and efficiently managing your removal resources to maintain board advantage.
In essence, overcoming a Kjeldoran Warrior is more about understanding your own deck’s potential for evasion and removal than worrying about the Warrior’s basic capabilities. A well-timed removal spell or creature with superior abilities can easily turn the tides in your favor, reinforcing the importance of a balanced and adaptable strategy during gameplay.
Cards like Kjeldoran Warrior
The Kjeldoran Warrior stands as a classic example of early creature design in Magic: The Gathering. Its closest relatives in terms of gameplay function include cards like Elvish Warrior or the renowned Glory Seeker. Each of these cards offers players a sturdy two-mana creature that can serve as an early blocker or attacker. Unlike Kjeldoran Warrior, Elvish Warrior boasts a notable enhancement in the form of an additional point of toughness, which can make it a slightly sturdier option on the battlefield.
Another card that could be compared is the Silvercoat Lion, a simple two-cost creature with a balanced power and toughness. It shares the Kjeldoran Warrior’s stats but inhabits the more versatile plains of the color pie. While Kjeldoran Warrior bleeds the essence of the snowy tundras it hails from, Silvercoat Lion reflects the broad savannahs it roams, making it a more adaptable choice for different deck themes.
In summary, while the Kjeldoran Warrior is an embodiment of the straightforward designs of MTG’s earlier sets, it still holds merit when lined up against its successors. For players seeking to invoke the nostalgia of Magic’s past or those who simply appreciate the foundational roles these types of cards play, the Kjeldoran Warrior remains a worthy pick in MTG.
Cards similar to Kjeldoran Warrior by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Kjeldoran Warrior 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 Kjeldoran Warrior 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Kjeldoran Warrior has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Kjeldoran Warrior card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | A maximum of one nonbanding creature can join an attacking band no matter how many creatures with banding are in it. |
| 2008-10-01 | Creatures in the same band must all attack the same player or planeswalker. |
| 2008-10-01 | If a creature with banding attacks, it can team up with any number of other attacking creatures with banding (and up to one nonbanding creature) and attack as a unit called a “band.” The band can be blocked by any creature that could block a single creature in the band. Blocking any creature in a band blocks the entire band. If a creature with banding is blocked, the attacking player chooses how the blockers’ damage is assigned. |
| 2009-10-01 | If a creature in combat has banding, its controller assigns damage for creatures blocking or blocked by it. That player can ignore the damage assignment order when making this assignment. |
