With Kaldheim as the Arena Open format for this weekend, there’s no better time to revisit this set with a write-up! I really enjoyed the set at the time, and hope to have a similar experience for the second “snow”-around. There’s a good variety of builds, and it offers a fun drafting experience, with significant paths (not so fast, Open the Omenpaths) to choose between lands and spells. Let’s plow through it!
Mechanics
Boast
Boast is an activated ability on creatures that can only be activated if said creature attacked this turn. Most of the boast creatures are underwhelming, but there are some stand-outs like Fearless Liberator, Fearless Pup (pays to be fearless), Tuskeri Firewalker, and Usher of the Fallen. There is also a payoff in Frenzied Raider, which can be worth building around if you get multiples.
Foretell
Foretell is like layaway for wizards. Pay some of the cost on Turn 2, and finish the payment at a future date. Azorius is supposed to be the foretell guild, yet the majority of the foretell cards in those colors are underwhelming, especially Niko Defies Destiny.
Snow Lands
In each pack, instead of a basic land you will open either a basic snow land, Shimmerdrift Vale, or a snow “dual land.” There aren’t a ton of snow payoffs, but some of them are extremely powerful. With enough snow lands, Avalanche Caller becomes your win condition, Icehide Troll warps combat for the foreseeable future, and Berg Strider can build a snowman.
Equipment
There’s a cycle of uncommon equipments that don’t have a name for the mechanic, but closely resemble living weapon. The Temur ones are the most powerful, with Dwarven Hammer being the most potent of the bunch. Both Draugr’s Helm and Valkyrie’s Sword are fine accouterments in their own right, though I’m not very excited to first-pick them.
Goldvein Pick largely went unnoticed at the beginning of the format; after all, it does seem like a fool’s errand to go dig for gold in the snow. This isn’t a piece of Equipment that you throw into any deck expecting to be rich. But if you’re in any form of aggressive deck, this is most likely one of the best Equipment you can get your greedy mitts on. The equip cost of one makes this easy to pass around the team, especially if you produce a Treasure to offset the cost. Cards like Battlefield Raptor wielding this Pick (either by beak or talon) can win the game on their own, providing you an everlasting mana advantage.
Runes
Runes are Auras with an unusual “enchant permanent” restriction. Putting Runes on an Equipment can be rather game-warping, and still solid if you enchant a creature. If you are desperate, you can also enchant a land, which will provide you with a cycle effect to dig up whatever you’re looking for.
I’d put Rune of Sustenance as the overall most powerful, with Rune of Might and Rune of Flight close behind. Rune of Mortality and Rune of Speed are auto-includes, just not quite as powerful as those previously mentioned. If you happen upon a Runed Crown or Runeforge Champion, you just play every Rune you can get your hands on.
Archetypes
Naya Aggro
These three creatures represent the Naya aggro archetypes that run rampant in Kaldheim. While Boros, Selesnya, and Gruul all differ from one another slightly, they share similar gameplans. The general idea is to play cheap creatures and equip or enchant them to put your opponent on the back foot from Jump Street. Turn 1 Fearless Pup into Turn 2 Tormentor’s Helm and equip not only makes this Dog a very good boy, it likely means you cannot block said doggo for a very long time. These decks prey on any deck that is taking Turn 2 off to foretell a spell, so make sure you have some form of early defense if you are susceptible to these fast builds.
How Now, Plow Cow?
Once every blue “moo”n, the stars will align, and you can pick up two to three Colossal Plows and a handful of Giant Ox copies. It’s a real strategy, but I wouldn’t pick up any piece earlier than Pick 9 or if there is no other potential playable card.
Giants!
Giants is one of the more synergy-based decks, and can easily be a Tier 1 deck if it comes together well. Aegar, the Freezing Flame is an absolute powerhouse in his own right, but cards like Basalt Ravager, Frostpyre Arcanist, and Squash become potent with the correct creatures on the battlefield. Luckily, blue does have access to a couple of Shapeshifters in Littjara Kinseekers and Mistwalker. Temur isn’t an unusual iteration, as the green can add more Shapeshifters, mana ramp, and access to powerful cards like Svella, Ice Shaper or Arni Slays the Troll.
Four/Five-Color Snow
Four/Five-Color Snow is highly adaptable, depending on your gameplan and the cards you’ve drafted. Some of the common threads in the archetype will be using Path to the World Tree, Spirit of the Aldergard, and powerful sacrifice lands like Littjara Mirrorlake among others to bury your opponent in card advantage.
There’s a good amount of fixing in the set, so the deck is mostly whatever colors you have the most powerful cards in, while using cards like Priest of the Haunted Edge or Icebind Pillar to buy time towards the late-game. This deck most often comes together with an early-pick Spirit of the Aldergard, or else taking every snow dual land early to stay open.
Black-Based Archetypes
Black is widely regarded as the worst color in Kaldheim, but it’s not unplayable. Golgari Elves is a decent archetype when it comes together, and can be very powerful if you obtain multiple Skemfar Shadowsages. Rakdos can be decent as well, though less powerful than a Boros or Gruul aggro build. Rakdos will look to utilize Deathknell Berserker as its aggressive two-drop of choice, and Karfell Kennel-Master as an aggressive top-end card.
Trap Cards
I’ve tried to make Weigh Down work many times. The frequency with which it ended up weighing down my hand while being unplayable makes it a card I am not eager to include in my 40.
Doomskar Oracle is a fine inclusion in a deck if you need a 3/2 for three. Don’t expect this to do much else.
Frostpeak Yeti is a Hill Giant that can become unblockable, neat. This Sasquatch is far too slow to be relevant in this format. There are much better finishers for a snow deck.
Hailstorm Valkyrie looked good on paper, but you will find that not only is it smaller than an equipped Battlefield Raptor, but also that providing two snow mana reliably to pump this thing up is not a luxury you will likely be able to afford.
Even in installments, Mammoth Growth just doesn’t give enough bang for your buck. Snakeskin Veil is a far superior trick if you’re in the market for a green pump spell.
Go Green
Not only is green the most flexible color, it’s also one of the deepest, making it a strong starting point to any draft. Aside from bombs, Sarulf’s Packmate or Ravenous Lindwurm are cards that I’m happy to first-pick. Not only are they two of the most powerful commons in the set, they are also green, which will help keep good options open.
I hope this helps you enjoy this throwback premier draft on Arena… or helps you get some cash during the Arena Open this weekend! As always, Lose and Learn, Learn and Win!
