Snowfall MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment
Abilities	Cumulative upkeep
Released	1995-06-03
Set symbol
Set name	Ice Age
Set code	ICE
Number	101
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Phil Foglio

Key Takeaways

Snowfall provides mana recovery, increasing your hand’s card advantage tactically.
It accelerates resources permitting rapid spell deployment in snow-focused decks.
Enchantment’s utility is instant, offering seamless mana gain on cast.

Text of card

Cumulative Upkeep: o U Islands may produce an additional o U when tapped for mana. This mana is usable only for cumulative upkeep. Snow-covered islands may produce either an additional o Uo U or an additional o U when tapped for mana. This mana is usable only for cumulative upkeep.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Snowfall provides an ongoing benefit for casting spells. Each time you cast a spell with snow mana, Snowfall allows you to recover one of those mana as colorless. This can significantly increase the number of cards you have access to over the course of a game, tipping the scales in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Snowfall contributes to resource acceleration by effectively reducing the cost of your snow spells. By reusing the mana spent on snow spells, you can deploy more spells in a shorter amount of time, outpacing your opponent in resource management.

Instant Speed: As an enchantment that affects the game passively, Snowfall operates at essentially what could be seen as ‘instant speed’. It allows you to gain the mana back the moment you cast a snow spell, keeping up the momentum and ensuring your resources are as fluid as possible.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Snowfall’s unique effect necessitates the discard of another card, which can be a strategic setback, especially when your hand is already sparse. This trade-off can sometimes hinder your gameplan rather than advance it.

Specific Mana Cost: This card asks for a precise combination of mana types, including one that is snow-specific. This requirement can restrain its integration into a variety of magic decks, confining it to those that can reliably generate snow mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in with a cost that is considered high for its output, players might squint at the expense versus the benefit ratio. When planning a deck, the allocation of such resources is critical, and there are alternatives that may offer a more efficient cost-to-advantage conversion.

Reasons to Include Snowfall in Your Collection

Versatility: Snowfall is a unique enchantment that works well in decks that capitalize on using snow mana. Its ability to function as a mana fixer for snow spells ensures it can be a valuable asset in multicolored snow-themed decks.

Combo Potential: Snowfall can also be an enabler for combos in decks that harness the power of snow mechanics. With the right setup, it can effectively increase your snow mana pool, creating opportunities to activate powerful abilities or cast high-cost snow spells ahead of curve.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where snow decks are prevalent or on the rise, Snowfall becomes an essential card. Its utility in enabling snow-based strategies means it can easily slide into existing decks or inspire new deck archetypes tailored to take advantage of the snow mana it generates.

How to beat

Snowfall is a unique card in the world of MTG, offering a special blend of mechanics that challenge players in many ways. To outpace this icy enchantment, you’ll need to apply some creative strategies. First, consider the environment it fosters – one where snow lands can be indispensable. To counteract Snowfall effectively, you might want to incorporate land destruction into your deck, which hampers the snow mana production essential to an opponent’s strategy. Cards that specifically target or disrupt enchantments can also be pivotal. Disenchant and Naturalize are timeless examples of such spells that would serve you well. Alternatively, you can opt for a more indirect approach by increasing the cost of spells for your opponent, disrupting their flow with cards like Damping Sphere.

Speed can be an ally as well. Deploying a fast-paced aggro deck can often outpace the slower, more methodical snow decks that rely on Snowfall. This hinges on your ability to maintain pressure and reduce the window for advantage Snowfall might provide. Additionally, adapting your gameplay to anticipate and work around Snowfall’s effect is key— this means efficiently managing your resources and turning the tide before your opponent’s snow synergies become overwhelming.

Ultimately, as with any card in MTG, understanding Snowfall’s strengths and weaknesses, and adapting your deck and strategy accordingly, can lead to your triumph over its chilling grasp.

Cards like Snowfall

Within the frosty landscape of MTG card abilities, Snowfall is a unique enchantment that resonates with the icy heart of snow deck enthusiasts. As a spell that shines in decks packed with snow permanents, it graces the battlefield with a chilling presence akin to other mana-accumulating enchantments. Glacial Crevasses is one such card, allowing instant-speed interplay by sacrificing snow-covered lands for temporary invulnerability.

The parallels between Snowfall and other mana-boosting cards like Trace of Abundance are evident, though Snowfall requires a tailored deck to truly thrive. Where Trace of Abundance provides stability with land enchantment and shroud, Snowfall offers a more situative benefit, rewarding the player for the utilization of snow mana. Moreover, Boreal Druid stands out as another contender, a creature that taps for additional snow mana, perfect for fueling the spells that demand a heavy snow presence.

Ultimately, Snowfall weaves its magic best within a dedicated snow strategy, creating opportunities for impressive plays and mana acceleration. It’s the quiet before the storm as players accumulate resources to unleash wintry wrath upon their opponents, marking its territory as a nuanced staple in snow-orientated MTG sets.

Cards similar to Snowfall by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Snowfall 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 Snowfall and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Snowfall 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 Snowfall card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.