As Kaldheim spoiler season continues into its final stretch, the Sagas have been a highlight from a flavor and gameplay perspective. Each Saga targets a specific archetype and provides fairly costed effects.
As the Kaldheim metagame evolves, Sagas will become a crucial part of deck construction. Today’s spoilers for the upcoming Viking-themed set featured two solid Sagas and another playable creature for the burgeoning Selesnya Tokens deck.
Kaldheim releases digitally on Jan. 28 on Magic Arena and Magic Online.
Arni Slays the Troll
- CMC: RG
- Type: Enchantment Saga
- Rarity: Uncommon
- First ability: Target creature you control fights up to one target creature you don’t control.
- Second ability: Add R. Put two +1/+1 counters on up to one target creature you control.
- Third ability: You gain life equal to the greatest power among creatures you control.
Arni Slays the Troll is a nice, cheap Saga that does a little bit of everything a Gruul deck wants to do. The fight effect is decently costed and can clear the way for attacking creatures. The next two chapters are decent.
Gaining some life and buffing a creature is generally good. This should be a nice value piece in Limited. The Gruul Aggro deck in Standard is already a tight, efficient decklist and it’s hard to see a two-mana Saga making the cut.
Ascent of the Worthy
- CMC: 1WB
- Type: Enchantment Saga
- Rarity: Uncommon
- First and second abilities: Choose a creature you control. Until your next turn, all damage that would be dealt to creatures you control is dealt to that creature instead.
- Third ability: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield with a flying counter on it. That creature is an Angel Warrior in addition to its other types.
This Orzhov Saga is another flavor win for Kaldheim. Representing a warrior’s great sacrifice on the battlefield and ascension to Valhalla. Ascent of the Worthy could be a solid reanimator piece in the correct shell. This shouldn’t be a card that is slammed in any deck running its colors. The first two chapters provide solid protection for a couple of turns.
The real power of the card comes from its reanimation chapter. The creature comes back with evasion and gains buffs off any Warrior or Angel synergies found in the deck.
Maja, Bretagard Protector
- CMC: 2GWW
- Type: Legendary Creature Human Warrior
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Stats: 2/3
- First ability: Other creatures you control get +1/+1.
- Second ability: Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, create a 1/1 white Human Warrior creature token.
Maja will take over plenty of games, especially in the Selesnya Tokens archetype. Five mana is a considerable investment, but the effects should be worth the cost. Buffing creatures +1/+1 is a healthy boost. This card also demands an answer due to its landfall ability.
Creating tokens, that are 2/2 when Maja is on the battlefield, with each land drop gets out of hand quickly. Considering how many pieces of ramp are in Standard at the moment, Maja’s ability could create two or three tokens in a turn. Maja isn’t as powerful as Trostani Discordant but could serve a similar role for Standard decks looking for a five-drop option.
Kaldheim releases digitally on Magic Arena and Magic Online on Jan. 28 with the full tabletop release on Feb. 5.
