Wizards of the Coast has another stylish expansion set coming up for Magic: The Gathering. Lately, it has created the storybook-inspired Throne of Eldraine set, then it returned to the Greek-inspired world of Theros. Now that the dust has settled on the unique Commander Legends set, it's time to set sail for the Norse-inspired set of Kaldheim, slated to release early next year.

This upcoming expansion promises to be a thrilling top-down set. That means the flavor comes first, and it dictates the set's cards and powers. Legendary Viking warriors and sagas of cosmic serpents and great trees dominate this frosty world, and a small handful of preview cards and images are laying the groundwork for January 2021's official spoiler season.

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The Preview Cards of Kaldheim

kaldheim cards mtg

A small handful of spoiler cards hint at the mechanical themes and identity of this upcoming set, including the return of modal double-faced cards. Such cards first appeared in Zendikar Rising, and although such cards are double-faced, they don't have the Transform ability (setting them apart from cards based on Innistrad). Instead, these lands may be put onto the battlefield with either side face-up, and the other side is treated like the regular back of a Magic card.

These are the Pathway cards, and the five being released in Kaldheim will complete the ten-card cycle that was launched in Zendikar Rising. Such cards are a tradeoff: while they can only tap for one color of mana when they hit the battlefield, the player can choose which side will be used, plus these lands enter the battlefield untapped. By contrast, dual lands like the Guildgates always enter tapped, but can access two different colors of mana.

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Meanwhile, two spells have appeared, an enchantment Saga and an artifact. Sagas first appeared in the Dominaria set, depicting the famous history of the Dominaria plane, from the volcano of Shiv to the Benalish Knights. Sagas returned in Theros: Beyond Death, since that plane is steeped in lore of heroes and monsters. The world of Kaldheim is clearly thinking along the same lines, and there will be epic tales of viking warriors and battle shamans facing trolls, giant serpents and more. Showdown of the Skalds is, in fact, the first multicolored Saga, and its I ability is clearly red, while its II and III ability will pump the entire team with +1/+1 counters, in the style of white mana.

Pyre of Heroes is a variation of the infamous Birthing Pod, a Phyrexian green artifact from the New Phyrexia set. That card was the centerpiece of a Modern combo deck, and now, Pyre of Heroes has a similar effect, just with a tribal edge. The player can sacrifice an Elf to get another Elf with a slightly higher converted mana cost, or they might toss a Goblin into the pyre to get a bigger, meaner Goblin in its place.

This suggests that the Kaldheim set will have a tribal component, and based on the flavor of this world and a few preview images, it is likely that Warrior and Elf will be among those tribes. Based on preview art, there might also be a Shaman tribe too, or possibly Dwarf or Troll.

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The Land of Kaldheim & Planeswalker Guests

kaya kaldheim mtg

Only scant details of the world of Kaldheim and its lore have been revealed so far, but the previews are painting a promising picture. Vikings and Norse mythology have long since been a pop culture staple, such as the well-received The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Makoto Yukimura's R-rated manga series Vinland Saga. Now, Wizards of the Coast is taking its turn -- for the second time, that is. Vikings inspired in earlier Magic sets and lore, mostly on Dominaria, but Kaldheim is the first plane in the Multiverse to have this theme from top to bottom.

Everything on Kaldheim is Norse-inspired, and planeswalker visitors like Kaya will see it for themselves. Kaya is a ghost assassin planeswalker, and it was she who slew the Ghost Council of the Orzhov Syndicate guild on Ravnica. Now, she is on Kaldheim, and based on the pre-release art, she is taking "when in Rome" to heart. Already, she is clad in stylish Norse armor that looks light but tough (perfect for an assassin), and she has traded her trademark violet ghost knives for a pair of one-handed battle-axes.

Kaya isn't the only planeswalker around here. Tyvar Kell is a charismatic elf native to Kaldheim who has since awakened his planeswalker spark, and he's seeking to unite the feuding Elves of his home plane. Last up is a certain Niko Aris, a native of the distant Theros plane. Niko is adept at using mirror magic, due to an affinity for blue mana, and this hero resisted the pre-determined fate of the Theros gods and left the plane entirely. Now, Niko is walking among Kaldheim's warriors, and for the time being, it's anyone's guess as to why.

Kaldheim will be released February 5, 2021.

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