Kaldheim/Trivia

Cards from the Kaldheim set heavily reference Norse mythology and the Viking Age.

Pantheons

 * Skoti similar to Æsir
 * Einir similar to Vanir

Celestial beings

 * Alrund similar to Odin
 * Hakka similar to Odin's ravens, Huginn and Muninn
 * Birgi similar to Sága, Bragi and the Fylgjur
 * Cosima similar to Rán
 * Egon similar to Hel
 * Esika similar to Freyja and Idunn
 * Esika's Chariot similar to the unnamed chariot ridden by Freyja
 * Firja similar to Freyja
 * Halvar similar to Týr
 * Jorn similar to Skaði
 * Kolvori similar to Sif
 * Koma, the Cosmos Serpent similar to Jörmungandr
 * Reidane similar to either Freyja or Sól
 * Sarulf similar to Fenrir
 * Tergrid similar to Nótt or Hel
 * Toralf similar to Thor
 * Toralf's Hammer similar to Mjolnir
 * Toski similar to Ratatoskr
 * Valki similar to Loki

Locations

 * The World Tree similar to Yggdrasil
 * The Prismatic Bridge similar to Bifröst.
 * The Ten Realms similar to the Nine Worlds
 * Axgard similar to Svartálfheimr or Niðavellir
 * Starnheim similar to Asgard
 * Surtland similar to Jötunheimr
 * Gnottvold also similar to Jötunheimr (via trolls being interchangeable with Jötunn or "giants")
 * Isfell similar to Helheimr.
 * Karfell also similar to Helheimr
 * Bretagard similar to Midgard.
 * Skemfar similar to Álfheimr.
 * Also has aspects of Vanaheimr, as the elves descend from the Einir gods, which are equivalent to the Vanir gods of Vanaheimr.
 * Littjara similar to Niflheim.
 * Immersturm similar to Muspelheim.

Other

 * Doomskar akin to miniature Ragnaröks.
 * Draugr similar to the undead draugr.
 * Replicating Ring similar to Odin's ring Draupnir.

Viking Age

 * Kaya handles two Bearded Axes, a typical tool and weapon of the Viking Age.
 * Pyre of Heroes, Funeral Longboat and Return Upon the Tide refer to Norse funeral rites.
 * Harald, King of Skemfar</c> Harald Fairhair was the first king of Norway, and the name Harald is still common in the royal family
 * Haunting Voyage</c> and the Set Booster packaging features Viking ships, slender and flexible boats with a dragon's head protruding from the bow.
 * Raiders' Karve</c> depicts a Karve
 * Jarl of the Forsaken</c> Jarls were the equivalent of dukes and earls in ancient Scandinavia; ancient Scandinavian cheiftains
 * Showdown of the Skalds</c> Skalds are poets who composed at the courts of Scandinavian leaders.

Maro's Kaldheim Teaser
Mark Rosewater gave his traditional teaser with the following hints.

First up, here are some things you can expect:

 * a five-color legendary enchantment The Prismatic Bridge</c>
 * for a 6/6 with deathtouch  Egon, God of Death</c>
 * a card that allows you to kill someone with poison Fynn, the Fangbearer</c>
 * A card with a ,undefined activation The World Tree</c>
 * a card that lets you use a creature’s toughness to perform an action normally using a creature’s power  (Crew)
 * numerous new noncreature tokens Shard (Niko Aris</c>);  (Replicating Ring</c>);  (Svella, Ice Shaper</c>)
 * a card that can make a token that’s a copy of target permanent for no mana Orvar, the All-Form</c>
 * a black creature that can copy other creatures Valki, God of Lies</c>
 * the introduction of a creature type that players have been wanting for years Phyrexian (Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider</c>)
 * a card with three activation costs, one that’s only ever used once before and the other two have never been used before Ascendant Spirit</c>

Here are snippets of rules text, you’ll see:

 * “protection from God creatures” <c>Sigrid, God-Favored</c>
 * “Sacrifice five Treasures:” <c>Magda, Brazen Outlaw</c>
 * “if three or more creatures died this turn” <c>Inga Rune-Eyes</c>
 * “Choose 1, 2, or 3 at random.” <c>Tibalt’s Trickery</c>
 * “except for Giants, Wizards, and lands” <c>Cyclone Summoner</c>
 * “you may search your library and/or graveyard for a Rune card” <c>Runeforge Champion</c>
 * “As long as you control three or more legendary creatures” <c>Kolvori, God of Kinship</c>
 * “X is the number of Vehicles you control plus the number of Equipment you control” <c>Reckless Crew</c>
 * “As long as you have at least 7 life more than your starting life total” <c>Righteous Valkyrie</c>
 * “create X of those tokens instead” <c>Starnheim Unleashed</c>

And finally, here are some creature type lines you’ll see:

 * Angel Warrior <c>Resplendent Marshal</c>
 * Zombie Rogue <c>Draugr Thought-Thief</c>
 * Dwarf Cleric <c>Warchanter Skald</c>
 * Horse Spirit <c>Cosmos Charger</c>
 * Vampire Dragon <c>Immersturm Predator</c>
 * Legendary Creature – Wolf <c>Sarulf, Realm Eater</c>
 * Legendary Creature – Bird Spirit <c>Vega, the Watcher</c>
 * Legendary Creature – Giant Wizard <c>Aegar, the Freezing Flame</c>
 * Legendary Creature – Demon Berserker
 * Legendary Creature – Squirrel <c>Toski, Bearer of Secrets</c>

Banned and Restricted cards

 * <c>Tibalt's Trickery</c> is another spell in the long line of polymorph abilities, with the distinction of being much cheaper than many of the others. Its ability to cast the spell also opens up many branches for combos, notably with cascade, which led to a changing of the rules to cascade. The decks borne of this card in Historic and Standard tend to be on the glass-cannon type, with a pile of haymakers, some number of 0-cost cards, and Trickery, but the builds in Modern had cascade support, which ups the consistency through the "another name" clause. This lead to a ban in Modern in February 2021.