Ice Tunnel — ruling 1

Snow is a supertype, not a card type. It has no rules meaning or function by itself, but spells and abilities may refer to it.

Ice Tunnel — ruling 2

The {S} symbol is a generic mana symbol. It represents a cost that can be paid by one mana that was produced by a snow source. That mana can be any color or colorless.

Ice Tunnel — ruling 3

Snow isn't a type of mana. If an effect says you may spend mana as though it were any type, you can't pay for {S} using mana that wasn't produced by a snow source.

Ice Tunnel — ruling 4

Some cards have additional effects for each {S} spent to cast them. You can cast these spells even if you don't spend any snow mana to cast them; their additional effects simply won't do anything.

Ice Tunnel — ruling 5

The Kaldheim set doesn't have any cards with mana costs that include {S}, but some previous sets do. If an effect says such a spell costs {1} less to cast, that reduction doesn't apply to any {S} costs. This is also true for activated abilities that include {S} in their activation costs and effects that reduce those costs.

Ice Tunnel : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Ice Tunnel is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.

Official card text

(: Add or .) This land enters tapped.

Complete guide

Ice Tunnel is a versatile dual land first introduced in the Kaldheim set, serving as a vital color fixer for blue and black decks. As a snow-covered passage, it not only provides mana but also counts toward your total snow permanent count, enabling powerful synergies.

Dual Typing and Snow Status

Ice Tunnel carries the Island and Swamp subtypes, meaning it can be found by fetch lands that look for those specific types. Additionally, it has the 'Snow' supertype. While snow itself doesn't have intrinsic rules, other cards check if a permanent is snow or require mana produced by a snow source to activate abilities or cast spells.

Entering the Battlefield

When you play Ice Tunnel, its replacement effect causes it to enter the battlefield tapped. This means you generally cannot use the mana it provides on the same turn you play it. Because it is a land, it does not use the stack and cannot be countered, but its 'enters tapped' requirement is a static ability that must be followed.

Producing Snow Mana

When you tap Ice Tunnel, you choose to add either one Blue {U} or one Black {B} mana to your mana pool. Because the source of this mana is a snow permanent, this mana is considered 'snow mana.' You can use this to pay for generic costs or specific costs that require the snow symbol {S} found on certain cards from other sets.

Interaction examples

Synergy with Command Tower

Command Tower

If your Commander's color identity includes Blue or Black, both lands work together to ensure your colors are ready. While Command Tower enters untapped, Ice Tunnel provides the same colors while also contributing to your 'Snow' permanent count for cards that scale with snow lands.

Interaction with Exotic Orchard

Exotic Orchard

If your opponent controls an Ice Tunnel, your Exotic Orchard can tap for either Blue or Black mana. However, mana produced by Exotic Orchard is only 'snow mana' if Exotic Orchard itself is a snow land; it does not inherit the snow status from the opponent's land.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Ice Tunnel

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1February 5, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
Snow is a supertype, not a card type. It has no rules meaning or function by itself, but spells and abilities may refer to it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2February 5, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
The symbol is a generic mana symbol. It represents a cost that can be paid by one mana that was produced by a snow source. That mana can be any color or colorless.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3February 5, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
Snow isn't a type of mana. If an effect says you may spend mana as though it were any type, you can't pay for using mana that wasn't produced by a snow source.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4February 5, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
Some cards have additional effects for each spent to cast them. You can cast these spells even if you don't spend any snow mana to cast them; their additional effects simply won't do anything.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5February 5, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
The Kaldheim set doesn't have any cards with mana costs that include , but some previous sets do. If an effect says such a spell costs less to cast, that reduction doesn't apply to any costs. This is also true for activated abilities that include in their activation costs and effects that reduce those costs.
No other card is named in this ruling.