Magic: The Gathering's newest expansion set is right around the corner. The upcoming Kaldheim set's spoilers have already arrived, and while the main spoiler season is in January, a handful of preview cards have jumped the gun and showcased what this set is going to be all about. It's clear that tribal mechanics will be the core of how Kaldheim works, and that includes the mighty Elf tribe.
Elves have always been a staple tribe of the game, alongside tribes such as the red Goblins and black Vampires, among others. There is even a powerful green Elf deck in the Modern format. Now, how are Kaldheim's Elves shaping up so far in spoiler season?
The Green Elves of Kaldheim
According to the early spoilers, the elves of the plane of Kaldheim exist in green and black mana. This matches the general trend of the Elf tribe in the game. Already, the world of Lorwyn showcased a green-black Elf tribe in the mid to late-2000s, and now, that tribe returns in full force.
Canopy Tactician is a 3/3 Elf Warrior for {3}G, and it is a lord, giving all friendly Elves +1/+1. That's a good start, and it lives up to the spirit of elves, but there's more. Canopy Tactician can also tap to add three green mana to the mana pool, which may be reminiscent of the mighty Heritage Druid from the Morningtide set. True, Canopy Tactician's ability is affected by summoning sickness, but in return, it can tap for three green mana even if it's all alone.
And it won't be alone for long with cards like Elven Ambush, an instant that can crank out Elf tokens in a hurry. Elf decks can go wide as well as tall, given their affinity for green mana, and Elven Ambush is the next generation's Elvish Promenade. Elven Ambush makes a 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature token for each Elf its caster already has, and since this card is an instant, those Elves can take the enemy by total surprise. A handful of blockers may appear out of nowhere and mob larger enemy attackers and take them down, such as the frost giants that are showing up in Kaldheim spoilers.
The Black Elves of Kaldheim
This tribe's black Elves are certainly earning their keep with their insidious abilities. Recently, the Commander Legends set showcased what a black-green Elf tribal deck can do, and some of the strongest Elves don't even have green mana at all. In the upcoming Kaldheim set, Elderfang Ritualist is a graveyard synergy Elf, being true to both its color and its tribe. This 3/1 can trade up in the early game with its 3/1 stats, and upon death, it can return another Elf card from the graveyard to the hand. This can give the Elf deck a little extra gas, and it might even encourage a bit of self-mill.
Meanwhile, Thornmantle Striker is a 4/3 Elf Rogue for {4}B. That may be costly, but this creature has a model ETB effect to justify that cost. It can either remove counters from a permanent (such as +1/+1 counters or Planeswalker loyalty counters), or it can give an opposing creature -X/-X to act as a removal spell that dodges indestructible. This mighty Rogue can assassinate Planeswalkers if its X ability is fueled by enough Elves, reducing an enemy Planeswalker's loyalty count to zero.
It may also be noted that these cards are a Cleric and a Rogue, and that, combined with the green Elf Warriors, works well with the Party mechanic from Zendikar Rising. It's unlikely that any Wizards will appear in the Elf tribe in Kaldheim, but even without them, Elves can make up 75 percent of a Party's requirements, meaning crafty Standard players may combine Elf tribal and Party into one slick package.