Horizon Drake MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Drake |
| Abilities | Flying,Protection |
| Released | 2010-02-05 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Worldwake |
| Set code | WWK |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 30 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Adi Granov |
Text of card
Flying, protection from lands
Using thermal updrafts and gravity currents, drakes eat and sleep in the air. Some never touch the ground from birth until death.
Cards like Horizon Drake
Horizon Drake is an interesting creature card that provides unique tactical advantages in Magic: The Gathering games. It stands out in its capacity to provide both flying and protection from lands, which is a rare combination. Looking at cards like Stormwing Entity, which also carries the flying trait, the comparison comes into play with regard to casting conditions and prowess triggers that can significantly affect the game’s momentum.
In contrast, Aven Fleetwing also grants flying and a form of protection with hexproof, shielding it from targeted spells. While Horizon Drake isn’t hexproof, it’s immune to lands, which can render spells like Maze of Ith ineffective. Additionally, Mistral Charger is another flyer of the same mana cost but it lacks any further abilities, making Horizon Drake a superior choice for evasion tactics.
Evaluating the varied skills and board impacts of these creatures helps us appreciate the balance and versatility that Horizon Drake offers as a mid-cost flyer with defensive capabilities. It’s a valuable asset for players looking to maintain aerial domination and safeguard against particular land-based strategies.
Cards similar to Horizon Drake by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Horizon Drake is adept at ensuring you maintain air superiority in the game. The ability to grant protection from creatures ensures that your drake remains unscathed while potentially clearing a path for more of your creatures to strike directly.
Resource Acceleration: Although this flying creature doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, the consistent pressure it applies can force your opponent to allocate more resources to handle it. Over time, this can lead to a resource advantage as your opponent deals with the ongoing threat.
Instant Speed: While Horizon Drake itself isn’t an instant, its ability to give your creatures protections at a moment’s notice can be a game-changer. Being able to adapt to an instant-speed environment by rendering your attackers or blockers invulnerable to specific threats aligns with the tempo and tactic of instant speed plays.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Horizon Drake’s abilities do not necessitate discarding, however, integrating this flyer into a deck may indirectly prompt you to discard other potentially strategic cards for optimal mana curve and synergy.
Specific Mana Cost: Horizon Drake requires a precise mana investment of two blue and one generic mana, which can be challenging in multicolor decks that may struggle to consistently provide the necessary blue mana sources during crucial turns.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, the Drake’s stats and protection from lands can be outweighed by other three-mana creatures or spells that offer more immediate board impact or versatility, making it a less favorable choice in competitive settings where mana efficiency is key.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Horizon Drake offers a unique blend of evasion and control, making it a flexible addition to blue-focused decks. Its flying ability lets it soar over ground-based defenses, while its protection against land-based abilities makes it a resilient threat on the battlefield.
Combo Potential: This Drake shines in synergistic interactions, notably with cards that capitalize on flying creatures. Its ability to render your entire flying squadron unblockable by lands can be a game-changer, bolstering both offensive and defensive strategies.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where land-based abilities are prevalent, Horizon Drake stands out as a key player. Its innate ability to dodge common removal and control tactics makes it a smart choice against decks that rely heavily on such land-based strategies.
How to beat
Horizon Drake is a unique creature known for its offensive capabilities in MTG. This blue card can be a challenge with its flying ability and its power to make itself or other creatures unblockable for a single turn. To counter it effectively, players should consider a different strategy that either prevents the drake from taking off or nullifies its unblockable feature.
One approach to defeating Horizon Drake is to utilize creature removal spells that don’t target it directly, like board wipes, which can clear the battlefield of all creatures regardless of their abilities. There are also colorless spells that can overpower the Drake irrespective of its protections. Alternatively, you can employ spells that change the rules of engagement, such as those that prevent creatures from attacking or nullify abilities for the turn.
In essence, when facing Horizon Drake, it’s crucial to have a versatile arsenal at your disposal. This way, you can adapt to the ever-changing battlefield of MTG while ensuring that your opponent’s strategies are effectively thwarted. By considering these tactics, you stand a much better chance at overcoming the obstacles posed by Horizon Drake and other similar threats.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Horizon Drake MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake, 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 Horizon Drake and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Horizon Drake has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Horizon Drake card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2010-03-01 | Protection from lands works like any other protection ability. Horizon Drake can’t be blocked by land creatures, all damage that would be dealt to it by lands (including combat damage from land creatures) is prevented, and it can’t be the target of activated or triggered abilities from lands (including your own Teetering Peaks, for example). |