Crackling Drake MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Drake
Abilities Flying
Power *
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Drake’s entry draws a card, boosting hand resources and sustaining game momentum effectively.
  2. Power scales with graveyard and exile instants/sorceries, rewarding strategic past plays.
  3. Instant-speed spells complement Drake, enhancing flexibility and responsiveness in plays.

Text of card

Flying Crackling Drake's power is equal to the total number of instant and sorcery cards you own in exile and in your graveyard. When Crackling Drake enters the battlefield, draw a card.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Crackling Drake’s ability to let you draw a card upon entering the battlefield is a crucial feature, giving you that extra edge by replacing itself in your hand. This ability not only enhances your hand but also ensures that you maintain momentum in longer matches by continually fueling your options.

Resource Acceleration: While Crackling Drake doesn’t generate mana or treasure, it more than compensates by accelerating your potential for resource advantage through its power. The power of this formidable Drake is equal to the number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard and exile, effectively turning past plays into present power.

Instant Speed Interaction: Instant-speed spells are the perfect pairing with Crackling Drake. As you stock your graveyard with instants and sorceries, not only do you bulk up this creature’s power, but you also hold up mana for reactionary plays during your opponent’s turn, keeping your strategy flexible and responsive.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Crackling Drake draws you a card upon entering the battlefield, it also leans heavily on the cards in your graveyard to boost its power. If your graveyard is empty or opponents have graveyard hate artifacts or spells in play, the Drake loses significant potency, making it sometimes a mere 0/4 creature with little impact.

Specific Mana Cost: The specific mana cost requires both blue and red mana, which means playing it outside of a dedicated Izzet deck or multicolored deck can be challenging. This can also make the card a tricky fit in formats where mana bases are less consistent.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Crackling Drake’s mana cost of four, including two that are color-specific, is quite high when considering the pace of many aggressive or combo-oriented formats. Other creatures or spells at a lower cost could provide a more immediate impact on the game.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Crackling Drake boasts an ability to adapt to various strategies, thriving in decks that leverage instants and sorceries. Its power scales with your spell-slinging, thereby fitting seamlessly into both aggressive and control blue-red builds.

Combo Potential: This card shines when paired with spells that fill your graveyard quickly, enhancing its power with every cast instant or sorcery. It’s not just about power; drawing a card when it enters the battlefield ensures deck cycling for more combo pieces.

Meta-Relevance: In a game-state that values spell-oriented play, Crackling Drake holds its ground comfortably. It’s a threat that can swiftly grow out of control and become a major target that demands an answer, reflecting its importance in the current competitive scene.


How to beat

Crackling Drake is a powerhouse within the realm of spellslinger decks, posing a significant threat by drawing cards and growing in power for each instant and sorcery in your graveyard. The key to dismantling this card’s strength lies in disrupting graveyard synergy. Graveyard hate cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void can instantly neutralize the power buildup, leaving the Drake as a merely average flyer.

Another strategy is to employ instant-speed removal. Crackling Drake does not have inherent protection, so spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can efficiently deal with it before it becomes too much of a menace. Counter magic is also highly effective, as it stops the Drake before it hits the battlefield. Be mindful of timing and your mana reserve, as a well-timed counterspell can save you from a devastating blow. A focused approach on maintaining board control and keeping the graveyard clean can turn the tide against a Crackling Drake, ensuring your victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the blue and red currents of MTG with Crackling Drake, a card that exemplifies strategic depth and power flexibility. Understanding its pros, cons, and the strategies to counter it will give you an edge in your spell-slinging plays. Leverage this card’s ability to turn your graveyard and exile into a resource, advancing your gameplay. Whether you’re enhancing your collection or refining your deck, incorporating Crackling Drake could be your next smart move. Join us as we delve into the strategies that make this drake soar and uncover additional insights to fortify your plays. Learn more and let each match bring you closer to mastery.


Cards like Crackling Drake

Crackling Drake is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering that brings an interesting dynamic to the spell-slinging decks of the game. It’s often compared to Enigma Drake, which also scales in power with the number of instants and sorceries in the graveyard. Although, Crackling Drake pulls ahead by also considering cards in exile, thus often promising more consistent power levels and casting flexibility.

Another card that echoes Crackling Drake’s ability to grow stronger over time is Spellheart Chimera. Much like the Drake, the Chimera’s strength scales with the spell count in your graveyard. However, Crackling Drake’s ability to draw a card upon entering the battlefield gives it a clear advantage, ensuring immediate value irrespective of the board state. Crackling Drake’s resilience against graveyard hate due to its unique power calculation can be a game-changer in certain matchups.

In evaluating the potential of cards that thrive on spells, Crackling Drake offers both immediate impact with card draw and formidable power in the longer game. Its dual-realm presence, interacting with both the graveyard and exile, destines it as a critical piece in decks that capitalize on large spell repertoires.

Enigma Drake - MTG Card versions
Spellheart Chimera - MTG Card versions
Enigma Drake - Amonkhet (AKH)
Spellheart Chimera - Theros (THS)

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Reclusive Artificer - The List (PLST)
Mizzix of the Izmagnus - Commander Masters (CMM)
Stormchaser Chimera - Conspiracy: Take the Crown (CN2)
Marauding Looter - Ixalan (XLN)
Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain - The Brothers' War Commander (BRC)
Ral's Staticaster - Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)
Tibor and Lumia - GRN Guild Kit (GK1)
Loch Dragon - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Mercurial Geists - Shadows over Innistrad Remastered (SIR)
The Fifteenth Doctor - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Zaffai, Thunder Conductor - Commander 2021 (C21)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Crackling Drake MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica and Commander 2019, 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 Crackling Drake and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Crackling Drake Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by Victor Adame Minguez.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-10-05Guilds of RavnicaGRN 1632015normalblackVictor Adame Minguez
22019-08-23Commander 2019C19 1902015normalblackVictor Adame Minguez
32020-04-17Commander 2020C20 2062015normalblackVictor Adame Minguez
42021-04-23Commander 2021C21 2132015normalblackVictor Adame Minguez
52024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 3621997normalblackVictor Adame Minguez
62024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 1742015normalblackVictor Adame Minguez

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Crackling Drake has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Crackling Drake card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2018-10-05 If any exiled cards you own are face down, they have no characteristics. If they’re normally instants or sorceries, they won’t be counted.
2018-10-05 The ability that defines Crackling Drake’s power works in all zones.

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