Frostpyre Arcanist MTG Card


Frostpyre Arcanist - Kaldheim
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Giant Wizard
Released2021-02-05
Set symbol
Set nameKaldheim
Set codeKHM
Power 2
Toughness 5
Number58
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred bySam Rowan

Key Takeaways

  1. Frostpyre Arcanist excels at reducing spell costs, enhancing mana efficiency and strategic gameplay.
  2. It may be less optimal in decks struggling with specific mana costs or card advantage.
  3. Frostpyre Arcanist’s potential makes it a formidable inclusion in spell-focused collections.

Text of card

This spell costs less to cast if you control a Giant or a Wizard. When Frostpyre Arcanist enters the battlefield, search your library for an instant or sorcery card with the same name as a card in your graveyard, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Frostpyre Arcanist offers a unique form of card advantage by reducing the cost of spells you cast that share a name with a card in your graveyard. This benefit not only makes your spells more mana-efficient but can also enable powerful synergies and recurring threats within your deck.

Resource Acceleration: Boasting a formidable body for its cost, the Arcanist can rapidly alter the pace of the game. While not a direct source of mana, its cost-reduction ability acts as a form of resource acceleration, empowering you to deploy more spells per turn or leave mana open for reactive plays—a key strategy in many MTG matches.

Instant Speed: One of Frostpyre Arcanist’s greatest attributes is its interaction with instant spells. By reducing the cost of an instant spell in your graveyard, the Arcanist heightens your ability to respond to opponents’ threats during their turn while conserving resources. Its synergy with instant spells emphasizes strategic timing and can catch opponents off guard with efficient, high-impact plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Frostpyre Arcanist necessitates the discarding of a card, which could be burdensome for players managing a thin hand or trying to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The dual mana cost of this card, requiring both blue and red, could pose a challenge for decks that don’t consistently generate both types of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that’s on the higher end for its abilities, Frostpyre Arcanist may not be as economical as other options for spellcasting synergy or utility creatures in the same mana range.


Reasons to Include Frostpyre Arcanist in Your Collection

Versatility: Frostpyre Arcanist works well in multicolored spell-focused decks by offering cost reduction for your spells. It synergizes with a multitude of instant or sorcery cards, making it a flexible addition to your deck, from casual play to more focused formats.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with strategies that look to leverage copied or repeated spell casts. The Arcanist can help fuel powerful spell combos by trimming down the mana cost, enabling you to cast more spells per turn.

Meta-Relevance: As the game environment adapts, a card that can reduce the cost of key spells may become a cornerstone in certain strategies, especially if spell-heavy decks rise in popularity. Frostpyre Arcanist has the potential to be a game-changer in the right meta, offering both economic and tactical advantages.


How to beat

Frostpyre Arcanist boasts a unique role in MTG as a creature that synergizes with spells sharing a name. To outmaneuver this icy mage, one effective strategy involves disrupting hand and library sinergies. Cards that force shuffling the opponent’s library or grant you the ability to choose and remove specific threats can dismantle the expected synergy before it takes effect. It’s also worth noting that instant speed removal can disrupt the Arcanist’s efficacy, as removing it in response to its trigger can negate the cost reduction on a critical spell.

Additionally, countering the spells Frostpyre Arcanist aims to reduce in cost can be equally devastating, making it essential to hold onto counter spells for those moments. Creature removal, such as the commonly played Path to Exile or Fatal Push, can be key, as they can deal with the arcanist directly, preventing them from exploiting their cost-reduction ability. Beyond individual card interactions, maintaining board control and pressuring life totals can limit the time an opponent has to capitalize on the Arcanist’s ability, leading to a more straightforward path to victory.


Understanding Frostpyre Arcanist in the Context of MTG

As seasoned MTG players seeking new additions for their spell-heavy decks, Frostpyre Arcanist emerges as a compelling choice. This creature card offers a unique synergy for those building around a particular instant or sorcery, reducing its cost for each card with the same name in your graveyard. While it might seem niche, its application in decks that capitalize on specific spells can be game-changing.

Cards like Frostpyre Arcanist

Frostpyre Arcanist shares the stage with other cost-reduction creatures like Goblin Electromancer, which decreases the cost of instants and sorceries by one generic mana. The Arcanist, however, offers a potentially greater cost reduction for a specific spell, especially in decks designed to exploit this trait. Another relative is Baral, Chief of Compliance, which not only cuts down spell costs but also offers card filtering upon counteracting an opponent’s play.

Spellweaver Eternal presents a different kind of value with prowess and afflict mechanics. While it doesn’t reduce costs, it becomes more potent with each spelled cast, threatening opponents with increased damage output. Comparatively, Frostpyre Arcanist might be less aggressive but can set up powerful plays by making expensive spells more accessible.

When evaluating Frostpyre Arcanist against its contemporaries, one can appreciate its potential for creating high-impact moments by leveraging the strategic use of recurring spells, offering a unique dimension to spell-slinging decks in MTG.

Goblin Electromancer - MTG Card versions
Baral, Chief of Compliance - MTG Card versions
Spellweaver Eternal - MTG Card versions
Goblin Electromancer - Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari (DDJ)
Baral, Chief of Compliance - Aether Revolt Promos (PAER)
Spellweaver Eternal - Hour of Devastation (HOU)

Cards similar to Frostpyre Arcanist by color, type and mana cost

Vesuvan Doppelganger - MTG Card versions
Water Elemental - MTG Card versions
Air Elemental - MTG Card versions
Pirate Ship - MTG Card versions
Sandbar Crocodile - MTG Card versions
Segovian Leviathan - MTG Card versions
Sun Ce, Young Conquerer - MTG Card versions
Wu Admiral - MTG Card versions
Mawcor - MTG Card versions
Timin, Youthful Geist - MTG Card versions
Geology Enthusiast - MTG Card versions
Coastal Hornclaw - MTG Card versions
Meloku the Clouded Mirror - MTG Card versions
Azami, Lady of Scrolls - MTG Card versions
Cloudhoof Kirin - MTG Card versions
Drelnoch - MTG Card versions
Adarkar Windform - MTG Card versions
Infiltrator il-Kor - MTG Card versions
Mulldrifter - MTG Card versions
Chasm Drake - MTG Card versions
Vesuvan Doppelganger - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Water Elemental - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Air Elemental - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Pirate Ship - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Sandbar Crocodile - Media Inserts (PMEI)
Segovian Leviathan - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Sun Ce, Young Conquerer - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Wu Admiral - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Mawcor - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Timin, Youthful Geist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Geology Enthusiast - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Coastal Hornclaw - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Meloku the Clouded Mirror - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Azami, Lady of Scrolls - Commander Masters (CMM)
Cloudhoof Kirin - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Drelnoch - Coldsnap (CSP)
Adarkar Windform - Coldsnap (CSP)
Infiltrator il-Kor - Future Sight (FUT)
Mulldrifter - The List (PLST)
Chasm Drake - Magic 2012 (M12)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Frostpyre Arcanist MTG card by a specific set like Kaldheim, 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 Frostpyre Arcanist and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Frostpyre Arcanist has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-02-05 If you control more than one Giant and/or Wizard, Frostpyre Arcanist still costs only less to cast.
2021-02-05 Once you announce that you’re casting Frostpyre Arcanist, no player may take other actions until the spell’s been paid for. Notably, opponents can’t try to change the cost by removing your Giants and Wizards.

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