Clockwork Condor MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Artifact Creature — Bird
Abilities	Flying
Released	2003-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Mirrodin
Set code	MRD
Power	0
Toughness	0
Number	154
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Arnie Swekel

Key Takeaways

Flying ability allows Clockwork Condor to bypass ground defenses and pressure opponents consistently.
Instant speed action enhances the Condor’s versatility as both an attacker and defender in various situations.
Specific mana cost and potential for high-casting expense can pose integration challenges in diverse decks.

Text of card

Flying Clockwork Condor comes into play with three +1/+1 counters on it. Whenever Clockwork Condor attacks or blocks, remove a +1/+1 counter from it at end of combat.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Clockwork Condor offers unique tactical advantages on the battlefield. As a flying creature, it can often evade ground defenses to connect with your opponent, pushing for damage and maintaining pressure each turn.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly providing mana, the Clockwork Condor’s modular nature ensures it can distribute +1/+1 counters upon death. This feature allows you to preserve resources by bolstering other creatures on the board, ensuring the value invested in the condor isn’t lost. This ability aligns with the deck’s strategy of resource conservation and accelerates your long-term plans.

Instant Speed: With the capability to act at instant speed, the Clockwork Condor fits smoothly into strategies that require flexibility, enabling you to adapt to an ever-changing game state. It makes for an excellent surprise defender or an opportune attacker when the skies are clear of threats.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Not applicable to Clockwork Condor as the card does not require a discard.

Specific Mana Cost: Clockwork Condor demands a precise mana assembly, specifically three generic mana, which sometimes hinders seamless integration into multi-colored decks that may be mana-demanding.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a creature with flying, Clockwork Condor’s initial casting cost leans on the steeper side. Other creatures may offer a stronger presence on the battlefield or additional abilities for a similar cost.

Reasons to Include Clockwork Condor in Your Collection

Versatility: Clockwork Condor is a flexible addition to any deck, seamlessly integrating with artifact themes and flying synergies. Its ability to adapt to various board states makes it a reliable pick in numerous strategies.

Combo Potential: Due to its artifact nature, Clockwork Condor pairs well with cards that capitalize on artifact creatures. Its ability to return to your hand for re-deployment can be exploited for enter-the-battlefield or sacrifice triggers.

Meta-Relevance: The evolving MTG meta often sees strategies that care about efficient, cost-effective creatures. Clockwork Condor can easily find a place in metas that favor incremental advantages and persistent board presence.

How to beat

The Clockwork Condor is a unique artifact creature card in MTG that brings a noteworthy dynamic to the battlefield. Its flying ability enables it to soar over ground-based blockers, making it a pesky opponent in aerial combat. However, its power is regulated by its built-in mechanism. Each time it engages in combat, it loses a +1/+1 counter, diminishing its offensive impact gradually over time.

To effectively counter Clockwork Condor, consider using removal spells that can target artifacts or flying creatures directly. Cards such as Naturalize or Shatter are excellent choices for dismantling artifact threats, whereas Plummet takes care of creatures with flying. Another strategy involves increasing the number of blockers with reach in your deck, enabling you to defend against the Condor’s attacks without taking damage.

Additionally, playing cards that prevent or remove counters can also stifle Clockwork Condor’s effectiveness. Spells like Vampire Hexmage or Aether Snap can swiftly neutralize it by stripping away its counters, making it a less formidable force. By deploying these tactics, you can keep Clockwork Condor in check and maintain control over the aerial domain of the game.

Cards like Clockwork Condor

In the vast world of artifacts in Magic: The Gathering, Clockwork Condor is a creature that stands out for its modular ability and mechanical theme. It echoes the functionality of fellow artifact creatures like Clockwork Beetle, which also enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters. However, Clockwork Condor has the advantage of flying, which gives it a strategic edge in evasion.

Another card worth comparing is Clockwork Avian, a precursor in mechanical design. Both the Avian and the Condor have the ability to fly and use counters to mark their strength, but the Avian can become considerably more potent at the cost of a higher initial mana investment. Additionally, the Avian’s ability to increase its counters offers a long-term advantage over the Condor, which cannot gain additional counters after it’s played.

When considering the utility of Clockwork creatures, Clockwork Condor is particularly efficient due to its balance of cost, flying ability, and counter manipulation. In matches that demand a swift and evasive creature, it can be a reliable choice among artifact-centric decks. Therefore, it holds its own within the selection of modular artifact creatures, providing graceful power in the skies of the battlefield.

Cards similar to Clockwork Condor by color, type and mana cost

Krark-Clan Ironworks - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Clockwork Condor MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin, 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 Clockwork Condor and other MTG cards: