Call the Skybreaker MTG Card
2008-07-25 - Number 98
2011-06-17 - Number 188
2015-11-13 - Number 240
2016-06-10 - Number 214
2021-04-23 - Number 211
2022-04-29 - Number 333
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 7 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Retrace |
Text of card
Put a 5/5 blue and red Elemental creature token with flying into play. Retrace (You may play this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its other costs.)
It hears and answers every orison across Shadowmoor.
Cards like Call the Skybreaker
Call the Skybreaker is a unique spell in the MTG realm, echoing the power of other creature-generating sorceries. This card brings to the battlefield a commanding 5/5 flying elemental creature, and its reusability through retrace stands out. Like Call the Skybreaker, Rise from the Tides also taps into the player’s graveyard strategies to create multiple zombie tokens. Although both cards leverage the graveyard, Rise from the Tides lacks the imminent aerial threat.
Crush of Tentacles is another card with a different take but with a similar game-changing effect, resetting the board with its surge ability and leaving behind an 8/8 Octopus. While the octopus is formidable, it lacks the evasive capability of flight that Call the Skybreaker’s elemental token possesses. Storm Herd is also worth mentioning, with the potential to create a massive army of 1/1 Pegasus tokens proportionate to your life total, but these smaller creatures can be less impactful individually compared to a standalone 5/5 flier.
Comparing Call the Skybreaker to its counterparts reveals the strategic value of recurring aerial threats. This MTG card holds a special place in decks that are built to capitalize on its persistent presence and the power of flight.
Cards similar to Call the Skybreaker by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Call the Skybreaker offers a unique form of card advantage by allowing you to potentially create a 5/5 flying Elemental creature token each turn. This repeated token generation can overwhelm your opponent with a consistent aerial threat.
Resource Acceleration: With its retrace ability, the card can be cast from the graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its mana cost. This effectively turns any land draws into potential 5/5 fliers, providing a form of resource acceleration that can leverage late-game land draws into board presence.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Call the Skybreaker at instant speed enables you to make the most of your mana each turn. Cast it during your opponent’s end step to keep them guessing and your options open, or use it reactively in response to clears or during combat to surprise your adversary.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Call the Skybreaker asks players to forfeit a card from their hand in order to cast it. This can be particularly onerous if a player doesn’t have an excess of cards to spare, potentially putting them at a disadvantage by reducing their strategic options.
Specific Mana Cost: This spell’s mana cost includes both blue and red mana, which might restrict its inclusion to decks that can reliably generate both colors. For players running mono-colored decks or ones that don’t support blue and red, Call the Skybreaker becomes a challenging, if not impossible, addition.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a requirement of seven mana to summon an elemental creature, this card demands a significant investment in resources. In situations where immediate impact on the game is necessary, its high mana cost can be a detriment, with alternative cards potentially providing more immediate or versatile effects for a lower investment.
Reasons to Include Call the Skybreaker in Your Collection
Versatility: Call the Skybreaker enjoys a reputation for being adaptable to different gameplay strategies. It’s a perfect fit for Izzet (blue-red) decks or any Commander deck focused on utilizing the graveyard. Being able to turn late-game dead draws into flying threats gives it a unique angle in prolonged matches.
Combo Potential: With its ability to create a 5/5 flying Elemental creature token, it has innate synergy with cards that profit from casting spells from the graveyard or triggering effects when creatures enter the battlefield. This can be leveraged in decks aiming to build up board presence or in combinations with cards that manipulate creature tokens for additional benefits.
Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves, cards that can recur from the graveyard like Call the Skybreaker prove their weight in gold. This card can repeatedly provide threats and pressure on opponents in slower, more control-oriented metas, ensuring that your deck can adapt and react to a wide array of situations.
How to Beat Call the Skybreaker
Call the Skybreaker is an intriguing card that produces a hefty 5/5 flying elemental every time it’s played. It embodies the raw power of the Izzet guild’s love for spells and big-impact plays in MTG. This recurring threat can quickly become overwhelming, but there are strategic ways to minimize its effectiveness on the battlefield.
Counterspells are a direct method, preventing Call the Skybreaker from resolving in the first place. Cards like Negate or Dovin’s Veto can be invaluable when timing your defense against this potent spell. On another front, graveyard disruption through cards such as Scavenger Grounds or Bojuka Bog can hinder the retrace ability, limiting how often your opponent can use the card from their graveyard. Moreover, targeting the generated elemental token with removal spells like Path to Exile or Murderous Rider can help keep the board clear.
Practiced players recognize that prioritizing resource management and maintaining control over the pace of the game are key in reducing Call the Skybreaker’s impact. Having a plan to address both the spell and the tokens it generates ensures your stance remains unshaken as you dismantle your opponent’s strategy.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Call the Skybreaker MTG card by a specific set like Eventide and Commander 2011, 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 Call the Skybreaker and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
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- MTG Mint Card
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- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Call the Skybreaker Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2008-07-25 and 2022-04-29. Illustrated by Randy Gallegos.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2008-07-25 | Eventide | EVE | 98 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Randy Gallegos | |
| 2 | 2011-06-17 | Commander 2011 | CMD | 188 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Randy Gallegos | |
| 3 | 2015-11-13 | Commander 2015 | C15 | 240 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Randy Gallegos | |
| 4 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 214 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Randy Gallegos | |
| 5 | 2021-04-23 | Commander 2021 | C21 | 211 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Randy Gallegos | |
| 6 | 2022-04-29 | New Capenna Commander | NCC | 333 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Randy Gallegos |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Call the Skybreaker has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Call the Skybreaker card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-08-01 | A retrace card cast from your graveyard follows the normal timing rules for its card type. |
| 2008-08-01 | Casting a card by using its retrace ability works just like casting any other spell, with two exceptions: You're casting it from your graveyard rather than your hand, and you must discard a land card in addition to any other costs. |
| 2008-08-01 | If the active player casts a spell that has retrace, that player may cast that card again after it resolves, before another player can remove the card from the graveyard. The active player has priority after the spell resolves, so they can immediately cast a new spell. Since casting a card with retrace from the graveyard moves that card onto the stack, no one else would have the chance to affect it while it's still in the graveyard. |
| 2008-08-01 | When a retrace card you cast from your graveyard resolves, fails to resolve, or is countered, it's put back into your graveyard. You may use the retrace ability to cast it again. |