Thing in the Ice [FLIP]- MTG Card Review – COTD

David
Fanany
Player
since
1995

This is a lot more powerful in spell-based decks than it looks. A four-toughness creature for two mana is a decent early blocker in almost any format, and even if that’s the only mileage you ever get out of it, it will often make the difference between getting knocked down to burn range and being able to stabilize. And the threat of it transforming is significant – not only does Awoken Horror end the game on a very short time frame, the battlefield reset that comes with it can be devastating. On the one hand, there are decks that will get it to flip just by playing their normal game plan – and on the other, there are (more linear and fragile) decks that can flip it in a single turn. That’s a fearful prospect worthy of Innistrad.

Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 4/5
Multiplayer: 4/5
EDH/Commander: 4/5

Shadows over Innistrad certainly kept things nice and horror-inclined, didn’t it. And Thing in the Ice is definitely in that vein of being horrifying to play into, thanks to the flip side being nasty. A 0/4 with defender isn’t scary…but a 7/8 that bounces pretty much all other creatures is quite a bit more threatening. And it has a natural home, as well, in that Izzet Delver shell that waxes and wanes in popularity. It’s not going to be the centerpiece of the deck, but it does do a great job of turning the tide once it flips, and getting it to flip is pretty doable for the decks that would want it.

Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 3.25
Multiplayer: 4
Commander: 4