A variety of Mythic Rare Norse-themed Gods will return to Magic: The Gathering in the upcoming Kaldheim Standard-legal set as Modal Double-Faced cards.
A total of 12 Gods are featured within the Kaldheim (KHM) set, with five as Mythic Rare Modal Double-Faced cards (MFDC) and five as Rares. The Mythic Rare Gods are Valki, Halvar, Alrund, Toralf, and Esika. Each of these Gods has a backside that features legendary Artifacts, enchantments, a creature, and even a planeswalker. Gods within the KHM set aren’t indestructible, unlike Gods from previous Magic sets.
Valki, God of Lies
Valki, God of Lies is really Tidbalt, a half-devil planeswalker who’s represented on the backside as Tidbalt, Cosmic Impostor. He was last represented as a planeswalker in War of the Spark as Tibalt, Rakish Instigator. He also briefly appeared in Zendikar to confront Chandra Nalaar. Valki, God of Lies is the only Mythic Rare God within KHM to have a planeswalker on its backside.
Frontside MDFC:
- CMC: 1(B)
- Type: Legendary Creature God
- Stats: 2/1
- First ability: When Valki enters the battlefield, each opponent reveals their hand. For each opponent, exile a creature card they revealed this way until Valki leaves the battlefield.
- Second ability: Pay (X): Choose a creature card exiled with Valki with converted mana cost (X). Valki becomes a copy of that card.
Backside MDFC:
- CMC: 5BR
- Type: Legendary Planeswalker Tibalt
- Stats: Five starting loyalty
- First ability: As Tibalt enters the battlefield, you get an emblem with “You may play cards exiled with Tibalt, Cosmic Imposter, and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast those spells.”
- Second ability: plus-2: Exile the top card of each player’s library
- Third ability: minus-3: Exile target artifact or creature
- Fourth ability: minus-8: Exile all cards from all graveyards. Add (RRR).
Halvar, God of Battle
Halvar, God of Battle happens to be quite sensible. He’s able to cut through the Cosmos with his sword, which is featured on the backside as the Sword of Realms. Halvar created the legendary Artifact sword and is likely the Kaldheim version of Baldr due to his honorable and selfless traits.
Frontside MDFC:
- CMC: 2(WW)
- Type: Legendary Creature God
- Stats: 4/4
- First ability: Creatures you control that are enchanted or equipped have double strike.
- Second ability: At the beginning of each combat, you may attach target Aura or Equipment attached to a creature you control to target creature you control.
Backside MDFC:
- CMC: 1(W)
- Type: Legendary Artifact Equipment
- First ability: Equipped creature gets +2/+0 and has vigilance.
- Second ability: Whenever equipped creature dies, return it to its owner’s hand.
- Third ability: Equip at the cost of 1(W)
Alrund, God of the Cosmos
Based on Odin from Norse folklore, Alrund, God of the Cosmos is the God of Wisdom who often disguises himself as a human named Asi. The backside of Alrund features his trusty Cosmic raven, Hakka, Whispering Raven, who can fly between the 10 realms of Kaldheim. Alrund uses Hakka to spy for knowledge while his “extensive knowledge cam by battling the Cosmos monsters,” according to the WotC Kaldheim guide.
Frontside MDFC:
- CMC: 3(UU)
- Type: Legendary Creature God
- Stats: 1/1
- First ability: Alrund gets +1/+1 for each card in your hand and each foretold card you own in exile.
- Second ability: At the beginning of your end step, choose a card type, then reveal the top two cards of your library. Put all cards of the chosen type into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Backside MDFC:
- CMC: 1U
- Type: Legendary Creature Bird
- Stats: 2/3
- Keyword: Flying
- First ability: Whenever Hakka, Whispering Raven deals combat damage to a player, return it to its owner’s hand, then scry 2.
Esika, God of the Tree
Esika, God of the Tree is the god of the World Tree within Kaldheim. The backside of Esika features The Prismatic Bridge, an enchantment that supports the legendary theme within KHM. Esika is also the creator of the Cosmos Elixir, which provides the gods of Kaldheim with their powers.
Frontside MDFC:
- CMC: 1GG
- Type: Legendary Creature God
- Stats: 1/4
- Keyword: Vigilance
- First ability: (Tap), Add one mana of any color.
- Second ability: Other legendary creatures you control have Vigilance and “(Tap), Add one mana of any color.”
Backside MDFC:
- CMC: (WUBRG)
- Type: Legendary Enchantment
- First ability: At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a creature or planeswalker card. Put that card onto the battlefield and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
Toralf, God of Fury
Similar to Thor from Norse folklore, Toralf, God of Fury wields a powerful hammer. His weapon of choice is featured on the backside as Toralf’s Hammer, a legendary Artifact. Not to be confused with Thoralf Severin, a Magic Rivals League player, Toralf is an adventurer who enjoys taking risks. He’s also known as the God of Thunder within the Kaldheim lore.
Frontside MDFC:
- CMC: 2(RR)
- Type: Legendary Creature God
- Stats: 5/4
- Keyword: Trample
- First ability: Whenever a creature or planeswalker an opponent controls is dealth excess noncombat damage, Toralf deals damage equal to the excess to any target other than that permanent.
Backside MDFC:
- CMC: 1(R)
- Type: Legendary Artifact Equipment
- First ability: Equipped creature has 1(R), (Tap), Unattatch Toralf’s Hammer— It deals three damage to any target. Return Toralf’s Hammer to its owner’s hand.
- Second ability: Equipped creature gets +3/+0 as long as it’s legendary.
- Third ability: Equip at cost of 1(R)
Players can test out the cycle of Mythic Rare MDFC Gods when the KHM set releases digitally on Jan. 28. The official tabletop release is scheduled to take place on Feb. 5.
All images via WotC.
