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Ice Age, a decade later
What this set is
Coldsnap is a small standalone expansion released in 2006 but set during the Ice Age, a decade after Alliances. It was designed as the third set of the Ice Age block and is filed that way in the catalog.
Snow is its center: 46 of its 155 cards are snow permanents, including all five snow-covered basic lands, and many more pay off for snow mana. It added ripple, which reveals the top cards of your library and lets you cast copies with the same name for free, and recover, which returns a card from your graveyard when a creature goes there.
Dark Depths (a legendary land that becomes a 20/20 Marit Lage once its counters are gone) and Rite of Flame are banned in Modern. For Commander it supplies Mishra's Bauble, Coldsteel Heart, Commandeer and legends such as Zur the Enchanter and Arcum Dagsson.
Themes
Every mechanic in Coldsnap
Snow
Back from Ice Age. Snow permanents produce snow mana, which other cards check for. Coldsnap reprinted the five snow-covered basic lands.
Ripple
When you cast the spell, you may reveal the top N cards of your library; cast any with the same name for free, and put the rest on the bottom.
Recover
When a creature is put into your graveyard from the battlefield, you may pay the recover cost to return this card from your graveyard to your hand; if you don't, exile it.
Where You Can Play It
Format legality
Coldsnap is a single code with two Modern bans.
Not Standard-legal, and never Pioneer-legal: Pioneer starts at Return to Ravnica (October 2012). Everything here is legal in Modern, Legacy, Vintage and Commander unless a ban list says otherwise. Modern bans Dark Depths and Rite of Flame. Nothing is banned in Legacy, Vintage or Commander. Commons from any set are Pauper-legal; that isn't listed per set here.
Commanders
The most played commanders from Coldsnap
The legends this set is best known for. Tap one for its printings and what it costs.
Boosters, precons and singles from Coldsnap are on TCGplayer.
FAQ
Common questions
Where can I play Coldsnap cards?
In Modern, Legacy, Vintage and Commander, minus the cards each format bans. Coldsnap left Standard long ago and was never in Pioneer, which starts in 2012. Modern bans Dark Depths and Rite of Flame.
Is Coldsnap part of the Ice Age block?
It was designed as the block's third set and released in 2006, ten years after Alliances. The catalog files it with Ice Age and Alliances.
Is Dark Depths legal in Commander?
Yes. It is banned in Modern but legal in Legacy, Vintage and Commander.
All card names, art, and mechanics belong to Wizards of the Coast. Coldsnap released on Jul 21, 2006; details reflect the set as published. Sources: Wizards of the Coast set pages and release notes, Draftsim, Untapped.gg.
Playing Coldsnap in Commander?
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