This 1995 Magic: The Gathering Ice Age card, Dire Wolves (230), is a Common Creature — Wolf featuring unique banding rules tied to Plains.
1995 • Magic: The Gathering • Ice Age
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Released in 1995 as part of the Ice Age expansion, this Magic: The Gathering trading card game card is identified by card number 230 and the set code ICE. The card features the subject Dire Wolves, a Creature — Wolf with a mana cost of {2}{G} and a power/toughness of 2/2. Designed by Ron Spencer, this Common card is a staple for collectors aiming to complete the full Ice Age set or those interested in the strategic depth of early Magic mechanics. The card's rules text introduces a specific mechanic where the creature possesses banding if you control a Plains. This allows for flexible combat strategies, as creatures with banding can attack in bands and divide combat damage among blocking creatures, giving the controller the choice of damage distribution. This interaction adds a layer of tactical decision-making that defines the era's gameplay. Flavor text by Oddveig Ulfsson, a caravan scout, adds narrative context, describing the comfort of traveling with a pack of greys. For investors and hobbyists, acquiring this card is a key step in building a comprehensive collection of 1990s Magic: The Gathering products. The Ice Age set remains a significant chapter in the game's history, and cards like Dire Wolves represent the foundational design language of the time. Whether you are a seasoned collector or new to the hobby, this card offers a tangible connection to the game's past. The combination of strategic utility, historical significance, and accessible price point makes this card a enduring piece of collectible history.
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The catalog profile below summarizes the card identity, featured subject, and notable collectible traits.
The core identity of the card within the set.
The subject, team, league, and sport context tied to this card.
Featured
Dire Wolves
Game
Magic: The Gathering
Rarity, print treatment, and game-specific stats for this card.
Common
Ron Spencer
Card Stock
English
{2}{G}
Creature — Wolf
2 / 2
G
Abilities, attacks, oracle text, and flavor text printed on the card.
This creature has banding as long as you control a Plains. (Any creatures with banding, and up to one without, can attack in a band. Bands are blocked as a group. If any creatures with banding you control are blocking or being blocked by a creature, you divide that creature's combat damage, not its controller, among any of the creatures it's being blocked by or is blocking.)
"It's amazing how scared a city kid can get at a dog. Now, of course, I'd cross Terisiare alone, and keep no watch if I had a pack of greys hanging on my flanks as I went." —Oddveig Ulfsson, caravan scout
