The best black cards in Kaldheim is a tough call given the sheer volume of keywords this set. With some very efficient creatures and a blanket removal spell, black cards are bringing a wide range of value to Magic: The Gathering.
Leading the best black cards in Kaldheim is Eradicator Valkyrie
Wizards of the Coast has a habit of pushing creatures loaded with keyword abilities. Eradicator Valkyrie is the latest of these creatures, with flying, lifelink, and uniquely, hexproof from planeswalkers. Eradicator Valkyrie also comes with a boast ability to force opponents to sacrifice a creature or planeswalker after it has attacked. All these abilites combined places the Valkyrie as one of the best black cards in Kaldheim
The Valkyrie is great for cleaning up the board after the attack step. If there’s a lingering creature or planeswalker in play, just sacrifice another creature or even Eradicator Valkyrie itself to get rid of it.
Blood on the Snow
Six-mana board wipes don’t typically see a lot of play. Having the choice to blow up either creatures or planeswalkers is nice, but not with the cost by itself. What makes Blood on the Snow unique is its second ability — to return a creature or planeswalker with a converted mana cost equal to the amount of snow mana paid for it. While dependent on the amount of snow mana being spent on it, with snow basic and non-basic lands players will likely be able to hit five or six snow mana every time.
Tergrid, God of Fright // Tergrid’s Lantern
As far as black cards in Kaldheim go, Tergrid has a lot of potential in Magic. It rewards players for playing discard and sacrifice effects but also demands the deck be shaped around it. Tergrid could find a home in Mono-Black Devotion, a B/R Kroxa list, or even a Doom Foretold list. Pair Tergrid with Throne of Eldraine’s Rankle, Master of Pranks or instant speed sacrifice effects like Soul Shatter, and suddenly your opponent’s permanents are yours. There are plenty of black cards in Kaldheim with sacrifice and discard effects to make it a limited bomb as well.
With Tergrid’s Lantern in play as well, players have access to more instant speed discard or sacrifice effects. Because Tegrid, God of Fright takes any permanent, it puts a lot of pressure on an opponent to discard an instant or sorcery if they don’t want to lose three life. Activating the Lantern during an opponent’s draw step, after priority passes and they have drawn their card for their turn, can put an opponent in an awkward position.
Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire
A lot is happening with Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire. It’s a legendary creature that can tutor for anything after it attacks. Thanks to its deathtouch ability, it will trade with just about any creature. Players will have plenty of removal to help protect Varragoth if there are unfavorable blocks as well. Varragoth allows players to build with a more toolbox approach as well. Being able to pull a one-of removal spell or situational creature adds a lot of value to the deck. Or just being able to tutor up a Gray Merchant of Asphodel at will is great too. The only downside to Varragoth is that the card is placed on top of the library, so players will have to have an additional draw effect to get that card on the same turn.
Vengeful Reaper
Vengeful Reaper is just a good uncommon. Like its older sibling, Eradicator Valkyrie, the Reaper comes loaded with flying, deathtouch, and haste. It has Foretell and cast a turn later for two mana. Vengeful Reaper is a little on the weaker side for a four-mana creature however. There is potential for some mutate shenanigans in a Sultai list. Vengeful Reaper will shine in drafts and other limited formats. As an efficient creature with evasion that can get some early hits and then trades up against something bigger.
