Highland Thrasher is..... wow. That'll make Modern aggro decks happy. Not sure if its actually overpowered, but it gives me hints of Delver.
Albino Shade is pretty cute. Interesting to give every color access to a shade. I think it'd be fine with just 1 toughness, but its probably fine with 2 as well. Shades tend to have symmetric P/T so the pump is easier to track.
Its suuuper hard to judge Kaldheim Restored without knowing the rest of the snow permanents in the set, but the first ability alone is pretty close to costing - I see it as almost Chromatic Lantern. The second and third abilities make it definitely worth the three mana investment, especially as you build around it. For constructed, it'll make snow decks have the option to become goodstuff.deck since their basics suddenly become golden (golden snow... lol).
These are pretty neat, though I feel that Kaldheim Restored should cost SSS, since it's like a super Celestial Dawn. I do like that Kaldheim Restored actually demands that you run Snow cards, rather than function like pseudo-colorless cards.
Don't really get Highland Thrasher. I mean, clearly the downside is non-existent when you're racing your opponent, and you can even mitigate that downside by paying some upkeep if you really want to.
In an aggro vs. aggro mirror-match, I think the downside DOES exist, since you'll only net 1 point per swing in that race. But I'm assuming that's not what you mean.
Against other decks, this card doesn't gain you any more tempo than any other 2-power1-drop... it just has a bigger butt, so it's harder to kill.
Imagine this as a 2/2. I think it would compare quite badly to othercards in that category. I think the drawback is significant enough that the extra toughness is warranted.
Even disregarding the implications for aggro decks, why is mono-blue getting a one-drop that can hold off three 2/2s by itself?
Because it's monoblue snow. I want commitment to snow to be worth something in this block. The tradeoff is that snow isn't going to fix mana very well (ignoring, of course, Kaldheim Restored.) Probably not even anything as good as the Coldsnap snow duals. So, making that commitment is going to give you some things that you might not get otherwise.
Because it's monoblue snow. I want commitment to snow to be worth something in this block.
How much of a "commitment" does one mana symbol demand in a set where all the basic lands are snow? Alternatively, is it not the case that this hypothetical format allows me to make a monocolor deck with mostly nonsnow cards that happens to splash in 4-8 snow cards?
In most Limited formats, the average 1 drop is a 1/x, the average 2 drop is a bear + upside, and a 3 drop that's 2/x + upside is still fine. Unless this is an unusually fast (or unusually slow) format, 3 toughness and nonzero power on a 1 drop is huge.
How much of a "commitment" does one mana symbol demand in a set where all the basic lands are snow?
Well, half the basic lands, to be precise... but there isn't going to be any real advantage to running the nonsnow basics in this format. At least the plan is for there not to be.
Alternatively, is it not the case that this hypothetical format allows me to make a monocolor deck with mostly nonsnow cards that happens to splash in 4-8 snow cards?
In most Limited formats, the average 1 drop is a 1/x, the average 2 drop is a bear + upside, and a 3 drop that's 2/x + upside is still fine. Unless this is an unusually fast (or unusually slow) format, 3 toughness and nonzero power on a 1 drop is huge.
In Limited, it would be a pretty huge T1 play. Since it's uncommon, I don't think that's going to happen very often.
With all that said, I would consider dropping this down to 2/2 if I found a less punitive drawback that didn't just make this a snowy Rakdos Cackler, Diregraf Ghoul or Tattermunge Maniac. My goal here is simply to have a distinctive, big snow 1-drop.
What do you mean by that? In that hypothetical deck, all my lands can cast all my spells, so it's just a matter of finding cards like Highland Thrasher that don't care about how many other snow spells are in your deck.
What do you think about making it a 2/2, but only having it trigger when it deals damage (to a player?)
Just brainstorming downsides here.... "At the beginning of your end step, tap a snow permanent you control." "~ can only block snow creatures [or creatures with ice counters on them]."
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Snow Creature - Wolverine [U]
(:snow: can be paid with one mana from a snow source.)
Whenever Highland Thrasher attacks or blocks, it deals 1 damage to you unless you pay :snow:.
[2/3]
Snow Creature - Shade [U]
(:snow: can be paid with one mana from a snow source.)
Albedo Shade can't be blocked except by snow creatures.
:snow:: Albedo Shade gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
[1/1]
Legendary Snow Enchantment [R]
(:snow: can be paid with one mana from a snow source.)
You may spend mana from snow sources as though it were mana of any color.
Damage that would be dealt by a snow source you control can't be prevented.
Snow spells you control and abilities from snow sources you control can't be countered by spells or abilities.
Albino Shade is pretty cute. Interesting to give every color access to a shade. I think it'd be fine with just 1 toughness, but its probably fine with 2 as well. Shades tend to have symmetric P/T so the pump is easier to track.
Its suuuper hard to judge Kaldheim Restored without knowing the rest of the snow permanents in the set, but the first ability alone is pretty close to costing - I see it as almost Chromatic Lantern. The second and third abilities make it definitely worth the three mana investment, especially as you build around it. For constructed, it'll make snow decks have the option to become goodstuff.deck since their basics suddenly become golden (golden snow... lol).
Choose one of these judge of creation:
Make Strionic Resonator shine!
You can not grasp the true form of Ashiok's attack!
Compared to Chilling Shade, Albedo Shade is probably fine, since snow is likely more common than flying among all colors in this format.
I'd be concerned about nonsnow decks using Kaldheim Restored + snow basics in an otherwise 5 color goodstuff shell. Granted, Chromatic Lantern exists.
Avatar by Numotflame96 of Maelstrom Graphics
Sig banner thanks to DarkNightCavalier of Heroes of the Plane Studios!
I like that suggestion! I'll change it.
In an aggro vs. aggro mirror-match, I think the downside DOES exist, since you'll only net 1 point per swing in that race. But I'm assuming that's not what you mean.
Against other decks, this card doesn't gain you any more tempo than any other 2-power 1-drop... it just has a bigger butt, so it's harder to kill.
Imagine this as a 2/2. I think it would compare quite badly to other cards in that category. I think the drawback is significant enough that the extra toughness is warranted.
Because it's monoblue snow. I want commitment to snow to be worth something in this block. The tradeoff is that snow isn't going to fix mana very well (ignoring, of course, Kaldheim Restored.) Probably not even anything as good as the Coldsnap snow duals. So, making that commitment is going to give you some things that you might not get otherwise.
How much of a "commitment" does one mana symbol demand in a set where all the basic lands are snow? Alternatively, is it not the case that this hypothetical format allows me to make a monocolor deck with mostly nonsnow cards that happens to splash in 4-8 snow cards?
In most Limited formats, the average 1 drop is a 1/x, the average 2 drop is a bear + upside, and a 3 drop that's 2/x + upside is still fine. Unless this is an unusually fast (or unusually slow) format, 3 toughness and nonzero power on a 1 drop is huge.
Avatar by Numotflame96 of Maelstrom Graphics
Sig banner thanks to DarkNightCavalier of Heroes of the Plane Studios!
Well, half the basic lands, to be precise... but there isn't going to be any real advantage to running the nonsnow basics in this format. At least the plan is for there not to be.
Sure, but how reliable is that approach?
In Limited, it would be a pretty huge T1 play. Since it's uncommon, I don't think that's going to happen very often.
With all that said, I would consider dropping this down to 2/2 if I found a less punitive drawback that didn't just make this a snowy Rakdos Cackler, Diregraf Ghoul or Tattermunge Maniac. My goal here is simply to have a distinctive, big snow 1-drop.
What do you mean by that? In that hypothetical deck, all my lands can cast all my spells, so it's just a matter of finding cards like Highland Thrasher that don't care about how many other snow spells are in your deck.
What do you think about making it a 2/2, but only having it trigger when it deals damage (to a player?)
Avatar by Numotflame96 of Maelstrom Graphics
Sig banner thanks to DarkNightCavalier of Heroes of the Plane Studios!