Stalking Drone MTG Card


Stalking Drone offers card advantage by leveraging colorless mana for consistent board threats. Ability to use colorless mana at instant speed provides surprise combat advantages. Drawbacks include a specific mana cost and potential resource diversion from your hand.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Eldrazi Drone
Abilities Devoid
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Devoid (This card has no color.) : Stalking Drone gets +1/+2 until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn. ( represents colorless mana.)

As the Eldrazi adapted to the jungles of Zendikar, some took on the tactics of more familiar predators.


Cards like Stalking Drone

Stalking Drone is an intriguing creature card within Magic: The Gathering that finds its niche in numerous Eldrazi decks. Its affinity with colorless mana sets it apart from many creatures by allowing it to strengthen itself temporarily. When examining cards with a similar mechanic, Endless One emerges as a counterpart, boasting the ability to enter the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters, providing flexibility in both offensive and defensive strategies.

Another card deserving comparison is Matter Reshaper, which, like Stalking Drone, benefits from colorless mana but also offers a unique death-triggered ability, possibly putting another permanent onto the battlefield or into your hand. Though not directly enhancing its power as Stalking Drone does, Matter Reshaper provides a different form of value through potential card advantage.

In the realm of adaptable and scalable creatures, Stalking Drone presents a game-play strategy where mana availability can dictate its potency on the battlefield. It does not provide the immediate impact of Matter Reshaper or the sheer adaptability of Endless One, yet it remains a strong consideration for players leveraging colorless mana and synergies within the MTG universe.

Endless One - MTG Card versions
Matter Reshaper - MTG Card versions
Endless One - MTG Card versions
Matter Reshaper - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Stalking Drone’s interaction with colorless mana sources can equate to a card advantage. In decks that can easily produce colorless mana, its ability to be consistently pumped makes it a recurring threat that opponents must deal with, potentially saving your other creatures from removal.

Resource Acceleration: This creature’s ability to convert colorless mana into a form of board presence accelerates the effectiveness of your mana resources. Instead of simply adding mana, it transforms your colorless mana into increased power, turning your lands or artifacts into potential damage.

Instant Speed: While Stalking Drone itself is not an instant, its activated ability can be used at instant speed. This allows flexibility during combat, as it can surprise an unknowing opponent during the attack or block phase, swinging combat situations in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The activation of Stalking Drone’s ability is contingent on discarding a card. This could potentially set you back, particularly if your hand is already dwindling. Keeping a healthy hand size is critical, and using Stalking Drone’s ability might force tough decisions when hand resources are scarce.

Specific Mana Cost: Stalking Drone requires colorless mana to activate its pumping ability. This condition not only restricts it to decks that can produce colorless mana but also competes for that asset with other colorless mana needs you may have, limiting flexibility and consistency in gameplay.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a two-mana cost creature, the expectation is for a moderate effect or stats. However, the necessity to invest additional mana to make Stalking Drone formidable means you’re diverting resources that could potentially be used for other creatures or spells, affecting your board presence and tempo.


Reasons to Include Stalking Drone in Your Collection

Versatility: Stalking Drone slides easily into a variety of deck types, making the most of its colorless mana flexibility. It’s particularly effective in decks that focus on colorless mana sources or those looking to capitalize on the Devoid mechanic.

Combo Potential: With the ability to pump itself using colorless mana, Stalking Drone can be a key player in combos that synergize with creature strength enhancements or require formidable creatures on the board to activate certain abilities.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-based strategies are a constant in the MTG scene, Stalking Drone holds relevance by offering an efficient creature that can adjust to the ever-changing meta, acting as a resilient threat in the early to mid-game phases.


How to beat

Stalking Drone emerges from the Oath of the Gatewatch set as an adaptable creature card with the potential to pose a significant threat on the board. Its ability to be buffed up with colorless mana makes it a versatile attacker or blocker in the right deck. To effectively counter Stalking Drone, it’s crucial to disrupt its synergy with colorless mana. Without access to this resource, Stalking Drone loses its menacing edge and becomes a more manageable creature for opponents to face.

Utilizing removal spells that target creatures regardless of their size, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile, can be an effective way to remove Stalking Drone from play without having to engage it in combat. Similarly, deck strategies that limit mana production, such as land destruction or enchantments like Blood Moon, can hinder an opponent’s ability to pump Stalking Drone. Lastly, overarching control strategies that reduce the effectiveness of creature strategies, in general, can keep Stalking Drone at bay, making it a less significant factor in the matchup. Understanding and anticipating your opponent’s tactics can be the key to neutralizing their Stalking Drone’s advantage.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Stalking Drone MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch and Jumpstart 2022, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Stalking Drone and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Stalking Drone Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-01-22 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Slawomir Maniak.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-01-22Oath of the GatewatchOGW 1242015NormalBlackSlawomir Maniak
22022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 7332015NormalBlackSlawomir Maniak

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Stalking Drone has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal