Azure Drake MTG Card
1994-06-01 - Number 46
1995-07-01 - Number 15
1997-03-24 - Number 73
1999-11-12 - Number 8
2005-07-29 - Number 63
2005-07-29 - Number 63★
2010-07-16 - Number 46
| Card sets | Released in 7 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Drake |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Text of card
Flying
The Azure Drake would be more powerful were it not so easily distracted.
Cards like Azure Drake
Azure Drake is a notable entity in the realm of Magic: The Gathering flyers with its simple yet effective presence on the battlefield. Bearing resemblance to the classic Wind Drake, Azure Drake offers an edge with its superior toughness, making it a more resilient option for aerial control. Unlike Wind Drake, Azure Drake’s one additional toughness point means it can withstand a broader range of threats while still providing consistent damage from above.
Turning to Skyscanner, another comparable card, we find a different balance of abilities. While Skyscanner may only boast a 1/1 stat line, it compensates with its enter the battlefield ability, drawing you a card. This utility differs from Azure Drake’s more straightforward approach to flyer prowess. Lastly, Air Elemental rounds out the comparison as a larger creature with a 4/4 body. Despite being more potent in terms of power and toughness, Air Elemental demands a higher mana investment, which could shape your strategy in managing resources.
Therefore, Azure Drake stands as a balanced choice among flyers within Magic: The Gathering, offering a harmony of resilience and offensive capability, without the additional bells and whistles that can alter the tempo of gameplay.
Cards similar to Azure Drake by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Azure Drake can be a strategic element in your deck, especially when considering how its flying ability gives it a decent chance to evade blockers. This ability allows it to press the attack and draw out valuable spells from your opponent, potentially thinning their resources while you maintain a creature advantage on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly increasing your mana pool or accelerating resources, Azure Drake’s strength lies in its resilience. Given the right setup, it could repeatedly attack and defend, essentially buying time for you to draw into your game-changing spells or build up your mana reserves for a pivotal play.
Instant Speed: Although Azure Drake itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, its presence on the board can influence when and how you play instants and other spells with flash. Opponents may have to think twice about casting spells at inopportune times, knowing that your Azure Drake could potentially capitalize on an open board state or lack of flying blockers after their turn ends.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Azure Drake does not directly impose a discard requirement on the player, which may seem like an advantage. However, this characteristic can be a drawback as it limits opportunities for strategic discarding that could be leveraged for synergy with other cards in a deck that capitalize on discards.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that necessitates both generic and specific blue mana, Azure Drake can be challenging to cast in a multicolored deck. The requirement for two blue mana can restrict its playability, especially in fast-paced games where reaching the ideal mana base takes time.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a total of four mana for a 2/4 flying creature, Azure Drake falls behind the curve when compared to other four-mana creatures in the MTG universe. With numerous options available, players may find more impactful creatures or spells that provide better value for the same mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Azure Drake brings flexibility to your arsenal with its straightforward flying ability, making it a solid addition to a wide range of blue-focused decks, particularly in formats where evasive creatures are key to victory.
Combo Potential: In decks leveraging spell synergies, Azure Drake shines. Its flying trait complements strategies aimed at protecting combo pieces from ground-based threats, allowing you to maneuver into a winning position with greater ease.
Meta-Relevance: Given the presence of creatures in the battlefield meta, having capable flyers like Azure Drake can give you the upper hand. They serve not only as reliable attackers but also as defenders against other airborne threats, marking their spot in decks that favor aerial control.
How to beat Azure Drake
Azure Drake, a formidable flyer prominent in the world of Magic: The Gathering, poses a challenge with its resilience and evasion. This blue creature is noteworthy for its solid stats and flying ability, making it a pesky opponent for ground creatures.
To counter Azure Drake, prioritizing removal spells that can target flying creatures is key. Instant-speed spells like Murder or Path to Exile can be very effective as they can disrupt your opponent’s strategy by removing the Drake before it can cause significant damage. Another strategy is to include creatures with reach in your deck or utilize spells that can reduce the Drake’s power or negate its flying temporarily, such as Clinging Mists or Plummet, allowing your defenders to intercept it in combat.
Implementing enchantments that restrict the abilities of flying creatures can also tilt the match in your favor. Cards like Windreader Sphinx or Gravity Well can neutralize the threat Azure Drake poses. Likewise, cards that punish your opponent for casting spells with higher mana costs, such as Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, can be used to make it cost-prohibitive for your opponent to sustain a strategy relying on such creatures.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Azure Drake MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Chronicles, 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 Azure Drake and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Azure Drake Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2010-07-16. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-06-01 | Legends | LEG | 46 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Dan Frazier | |
| 2 | 1995-07-01 | Chronicles | CHR | 15 | 1993 | Normal | White | Dan Frazier | |
| 3 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 73 | 1997 | Normal | White | Janine Johnston | |
| 4 | 1999-11-12 | Battle Royale Box Set | BRB | 8 | 1997 | Normal | White | Janine Johnston | |
| 5 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 63 | 2003 | Normal | White | Janine Johnston | |
| 6 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 63★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Janine Johnston | |
| 7 | 2010-07-16 | Magic 2011 | M11 | 46 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Janine Johnston |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Azure Drake has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |