What are the top ten most powerful or influential cards from Ice Age?
Released in 1995, Ice Age was a groundbreaking Magic: The Gathering set that marked the first expansion designed as part of a cohesive block. Packed with innovative mechanics, flavorful designs, and powerful cards, Ice Age introduced players to a frigid world full of strategic possibilities.
10. Glacial Chasm
Glacial Chasm is a powerful defensive land that prevents all damage at the cost of life and land sacrifices. A staple in Lands decks and control strategies, it excels at stalling aggressive opponents. Its design inspired future lands with unique defensive capabilities, solidifying its place as a key card in Magic’s history.
9. Illusions of Grandeur
Illusions of Grandeur became infamous as part of the Donate combo, where its massive life gain and punishing drawback created a unique win condition. A hallmark of quirky and innovative deck design, it highlighted the potential for cards with significant risks to be repurposed into game-winning strategies.
8. Zuran Orb
Zuran Orb redefined life gain as a strategic tool, allowing players to sacrifice lands to stabilize against aggressive opponents. A key card in Land Tax strategies and control decks, it emphasizes resource management and survival. Its impact on how players approached life totals has made it a timeless classic.
7. Demonic Consultation
Demonic Consultation is a high-risk, high-reward tutor that can find any card for a single mana, making it a staple in combo-heavy formats like Vintage and Commander. Its power lies in its speed and versatility, and its influence on deck-building and combo strategies remains unparalleled.
6. Jester's Cap
Jester's Cap introduced library manipulation as a disruptive tool, allowing players to exile key cards from opponents’ decks. This artifact was a Standard powerhouse and remains relevant in control strategies and Commander. Its innovation in deck disruption paved the way for future cards that interact with opponents’ libraries.
5. Mystic Remora
Mystic Remora is a blue enchantment that taxes opponents’ non-creature spells, generating significant card advantage in spell-heavy environments. A staple in Commander, it thrives in multiplayer formats and control decks. Its ability to shape gameplay and encourage resource management cements its place as one of Ice Age's most influential cards.
4. Dance of the Dead
Dance of the Dead is a classic reanimation spell that brought graveyard interaction to the forefront of Magic. Its low cost and versatility make it a staple in reanimator strategies across formats, particularly Commander and Vintage. As one of the earliest reanimation effects, it helped define an entire archetype and influenced future card designs.
3. Merieke Ri Berit
Merieke Ri Berit exemplifies creative card design, stealing opponents’ creatures while neutralizing them if untapped. A favorite in Commander for her unique abilities, she shines in control and blink strategies. Her influence extends to inspiring theft-focused archetypes and showcasing the potential for flavorful, interactive gameplay.
2. Brainstorm
Brainstorm is one of Magic's most iconic spells, offering unmatched flexibility and synergy with shuffle effects like fetch lands. A staple in Legacy and Pauper, it smooths draws and enables powerful deck manipulation. Its impact on gameplay and deck-building solidified blue's identity as the color of control and consistency, making it a defining card across multiple formats.
1. Necropotence
Necropotence revolutionized Magic by redefining card advantage and control strategies, allowing players to exchange life for cards while bypassing the traditional draw step. It was a cornerstone of Mono-Black Control and Necro-Donate decks in its prime and remains a pivotal card in Eternal formats. Its dominance led to changes in the banned and restricted list and established life as a critical resource, shaping the design of countless future cards.
Ice Age introduced some of the most iconic and influential cards in Magic: The Gathering's history, leaving a lasting legacy across formats and playstyles. From the groundbreaking power of Necropotence to the versatile brilliance of Brainstorm, these cards showcase the set's creativity and enduring impact.
Whether through innovative mechanics, strategic depth, or unique flavor, the cards on this list highlight why Ice Age remains a beloved and pivotal chapter in Magic's evolution. These legendary cards continue to inspire players and define decks, proving that even decades later, Ice Age's influence is as chillingly powerful as ever.
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