A new Frozen Throne Mage minion was revealed, and it improves your Hero Power

The Mage class’ Hero Power has always been one of the most useful in all of Hearthstone. Whether extending the reach of your burn spells, dealing with early board pressure from your opponent, or simply whittling away the opponent’s life total, a Mage player can always find a way to use her Hero Power on a given turn.

Knights of the Frozen Throne expands the reach and use of Mage’s Hero Power. In yesterday’s reveal, we learned that the new Hero card, Frost Lich Jaina, can summon a Water Elemental if the Hero Power kills a minion. Today’s revealed card helps Mage players reach that pivotal turn nine to cast Frost Lich Jaina.

Ice Walker is a two mana 1/3 that turns your Hero Power into Frost Shock as long as Ice Walker remains on the field. Revealed this morning by Italian streamer “Vking,” Ice Walker lets your Hero Power freeze its target in addition to its one damage dealt.

Ice Walker is also an Elemental. Putting Ice Walker into your Frost Lich Jaina Elemental Mage deck gives an additional option to unlock effects from cards like Steam Surger, Servant of Kalimos, and Blazecaller. Ice Walker takes advantage of the Lifesteal granted from Frost Lich Jaina and can help set up lethal Hero Powers after the death knight is cast.

Does Ice Walker make Shatter playable? Probably not. Ice Walker, Hero Power, and Shatter is a six mana investment over two cards to kill a minion and not the sort of tempo play a Mage wants to make. It does, however, make Shatters gained off of Cabalist’s Tome or Babbling Book a little more bearable.