Encase in Ice

Encase in Ice was released in 2015 as part of the Dragons of Tarkir expansion for the Magic: The Gathering trading card game. Set on the plane of Tarkir, the expansion explored a timeline where dragons had risen to dominance, replacing the clan-based warlords of the previous sets. This card was designed as a blue common-rarity spell intended for limited formats, serving as a flavor-rich answer to the aggressive red and green creatures that defined the set’s mechanical environment.

The card was illustrated by Lake Hurwitz, who captured the moment of stasis with a cold, jagged aesthetic that aligned with the set’s elemental focus. The design was praised for its thematic cohesion within the block, effectively translating the concept of a freezing, temporary imprisonment into a functional interaction. It has since become a standard example of blue color-pie alignment, representing the color's ability to exert control through temporary disruption rather than permanent removal.