Whip-Spine Drake MTG Card
2007-05-04 - Number 62
2021-03-19 - Number 99
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Drake |
| Abilities | Flying,Morph |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Whip-Spine Drake’s morph ability offers surprising tactical shifts and aerial dominance in combat.
- Its specific mana requirements and morph cost must be managed to maximize efficiency in gameplay.
- As a flying creature, it maintains meta relevance, flexibly fitting into different strategic archetypes.
Text of card
Flying Morph (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)
"I swear the clouds were created just so the drakes would have a place to lurk." —Kasharri, skyknight
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Whip-Spine Drake possesses the flexibility to serve as both an aggressive and defensive asset, making it an adept addition to decks seeking to capitalize on flying creatures. Its morph feature allows for a surprise shift in gameplay, flipping the drake into action possibly leading to favorable trades and maintaining pressure against your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: This card doesn’t directly offer resource acceleration in terms of mana; however, its morph cost provides a strategic manner to deploy threats without committing all your resources in one turn. This can lead to more efficient use of mana over multiple turns, keeping you agile and ready to respond to the evolving state of the match.
Instant Speed: While Whip-Spine Drake itself is not an instant, it can be turned face up at instant speed thanks to its morph ability. This allows you to end your turn without deploying a creature, holding mana for potential counterspells or instant interactions, and then reveal the drake as a blocker or during the end step of your opponent’s turn to surprise them and potentially gain tempo.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Whip-Spine Drake doesn’t directly demand a player to discard cards, it’s important to consider the potential cost of using its morph ability. Flipping it face up requires a blue mana, which could otherwise be used for casting spells or maintaining counterspell availability.
Specific Mana Cost: Whip-Spine Drake requires a specific combination of mana to cast (two generic and one blue). This can be restrictive in multicolored decks that need to manage resources closely, especially in the early game where mana efficiency is crucial.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of three for a 3/3 flyer, Whip-Spine Drake’s cost isn’t exorbitant, but there are alternatives in the format. Players might find other creatures with flying that offer additional abilities or lower mana values for similar board impact.
Reasons to Include Whip-Spine Drake in Your Collection
Versatility: Whip-Spine Drake offers flexibility in both aggressive and control decks due to its flying ability and morph mechanic, allowing for surprise blocks or evasive attacks as the game situation changes.
Combo Potential: The morph feature adds a layer of unpredictability that can synergize with cards that benefit from face-down creatures or when unveiling surprises for your opponents. It pairs nicely with cards triggering when creatures turn face up.
Meta-Relevance: Flying creatures like Whip-Spine Drake are perennially relevant in numerous MTG metas, enabling you to tackle popular creature-based strategies by soaring over ground defenses for consistent damage or acting as an aerial blocker when needed.
How to Beat Whip-Spine Drake
Whip-Spine Drake presents as a flexible flyer within the MTG card pool with its morph ability allowing it to swoop into battles as a surprise blocker or attacker. Despite its utility, overcoming this card is a matter of strategic planning. Firstly, consider using instant-speed removal spells that can thwart the Drake before its morph costs are paid. This preemptive action ensures the creature is dealt with before it becomes a threat in its face-up form.
Furthermore, employing creatures with reach or flyers of your own can serve as a sturdy defensive line, countering the aerial advantage of Whip-Spine Drake. Cards with deathtouch or those that can apply -1/-1 counters also work effectively, as they neutralize the Drake regardless of its power or toughness. Lastly, in a broader strategy, implementing board wipes can reset the playing field, making the morphing ability of Whip-Spine Drake less impactful when you’re maintaining control of the game’s pace.
Tackling Whip-Spine Drake comes down to preparedness and response. Fine-tuning your deck to include various control elements ensures that you’re ready for not only this particular threat but a host of others that opponent decks may present.
Cards like Whip-Spine Drake
In the realm of evasive creatures, Whip-Spine Drake stands out in MTG due to its flexibility with a morph cost and flying ability. Among creatures with similar traits, we find Skywing Aven, which also allows players to return it to the hand and replay it for a surprise block or attack. However, Whip-Spine Drake distinguishes itself by being able to morph, thereby bringing an element of surprise to the battlefield which Skywing Aven lacks.
Another card worth mentioning is Gustcloak Harrier. It compares favorably with its flying ability, yet it doesn’t offer the same morphing surprise as Whip-Spine Drake. Additionally, cards like Mist Raven present another comparable dynamic, allowing players to use its flying and bounce other creatures, but it doesn’t provide the cost flexibility of Whip-Spine Drake’s morph feature.
Evaluating these creatures together highlights Whip-Spine Drake’s unique mix of aerial threat and versatile playing cost, making it a strong candidate for decks aiming to leverage the element of surprise and cost-effective evasive creatures. It is efficient at providing board presence in both early and late game scenarios.
Cards similar to Whip-Spine Drake by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Whip-Spine Drake MTG card by a specific set like Future Sight and Time Spiral Remastered, 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 Whip-Spine Drake and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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 Magic products
Printings
The Whip-Spine Drake Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2007-05-04 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by Eric Fortune.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2007-05-04 | Future Sight | FUT | 62 | future | normal | black | Eric Fortune | |
| 2 | 2021-03-19 | Time Spiral Remastered | TSR | 99 | 2015 | normal | black | Eric Fortune |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Whip-Spine Drake has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Whip-Spine Drake card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-03-19 | If Whip-Spine Drake is face down and blocked by a creature without flying, turning it face up won’t cause it to become unblocked or stop the blocking creature from dealing combat damage to it. |
