Hunting Drake MTG Card


Hunting Drake - Planeshift
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Drake
Abilities Flying
Released2001-02-05
Set symbol
Set namePlaneshift
Set codePLS
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number27
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byWayne England

Key Takeaways

  1. Hunting Drake sets opponents back by returning creatures to their library, buying you a strategic edge.
  2. The card’s instant speed allows for flexible, tactical responses during critical moments of the match.
  3. Despite its benefits, the requirement to discard and specific mana cost limit its universal applicability.

Text of card

Flying When Hunting Drake comes into play, put target red or green creature on top of its owner's library.

Even the fiercest beast will flee when faced with the possibility of becoming dinner.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Hunting Drake can be a valuable card to include in your deck to shift the tide of the battlefield in your favor. When you play Hunting Drake, you get the chance to return a creature to its owner’s top of their library, effectively setting them back a draw and gaining an edge in card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Although Hunting Drake itself doesn’t generate additional resources directly, by delaying your opponent’s plans and forcing them to redraw a creature they’ve already played, you’re indirectly accelerating your own resources in comparison to theirs. This can be especially crucial in the later stages of a game where every turn counts.

Instant Speed: The real power of Hunting Drake lies in its instant speed, allowing you to adapt to the situation on the battlefield fluidly. You can cast it during your opponent’s turn, in response to an attack or another spell, keeping your options open until you need to make a move. This flexibility can give you a significant strategic advantage over your opponent.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Hunting Drake requires you to discard a card upon casting, which could deplete your hand when you might be needing all resources for a critical play.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost demands both blue and generic mana, potentially restricting its inclusion in multicolor decks that need to manage a finely balanced mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its higher mana cost in relation to its abilities, players may find Hunting Drake less economical, especially when matched against other cards with similar or better effects at a lower cost.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Hunting Drake’s ability to return a creature to the top of its owner’s deck makes it a flexible choice in blue-based control or tempo decks. Its flying trait allows it to serve as both an aerial threat and a defensive option.

Combo Potential: The bounce effect of Hunting Drake pairs well with cards that manipulate or exploit opponent’s top-deck, enabling disruptive synergies. Its interaction with cards that function off of creatures entering the battlefield can also be advantageous.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-based strategies are prominent, Hunting Drake can significantly set back your opponent’s board state. Being able to influence the pace of the game by controlling opponents’ draws is a powerful tactic in the current meta.


How to beat

Hunting Drake presents a unique challenge on the battlefield, offering a strategic advantage with its battlefield manipulation ability. To counter this evasive flyer, it is essential to anticipate its arrival. Removal spells that can be cast irrespective of the creature’s flight status are highly effective. Instant speed spells such as Murder or Fatal Push can disrupt your opponent’s momentum by eliminating Hunting Drake before its ability resolves.

Moreover, focusing on spells that negate the ability to target creatures, such as hexproof granting or indestructible effects, can nullify the Drake’s temporary removal tactic. Another strategy involves utilizing sweepers like Wrath of God or Damnation, which can clear the board of Hunting Drake without needing to target it directly. Additionally, playing cards that can capitalize on the Drake being bounced to the top of the library, like Duress or Thoughtseize, can ensure it never takes flight again by plucking it straight from your opponent’s hand.

Ultimately, while Hunting Drake can be a bump in your game plan, incorporating direct removal or hand disruption into your deck’s strategy can keep the skies clear for a winning path forward.


Cards like Hunting Drake

Hunting Drake occupies a unique space within the pantheon of flying creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. When reviewing cards with similar abilities, one can definitely see parallels with the established Aven Surveyor. Both creatures bring a form of board control through bouncing opponent’s creatures, yet Aven Surveyor offers a choice upon entry to the battlefield—either add a +1/+1 counter or return a creature to its owner’s hand. This versatility in options is not available with Hunting Drake.

Examining Mist Raven reveals another creature with echo-like effects. Similar to Hunting Drake’s bounce mechanism, Mist Raven returns a target creature to its hand upon entering the battlefield. However, unlike Hunting Drake, Mist Raven brings this effect at a slightly lower mana value. On the other hand, Man-o’-War, a classic from the earlier sets, performs a very similar function and comes out at an even lower cost, making it a highly efficient choice in creature control strategies.

While weighing the features of Hunting Drake against its peers, it stands out in its specificity and interaction at that particular mana cost. Hunting Drake can certainly find its niche in decks that focus on tempo play, keeping the skies clear and maintaining pressure on the opponent.

Aven Surveyor - MTG Card versions
Mist Raven - MTG Card versions
Man-o'-War - MTG Card versions
Aven Surveyor - Fate Reforged (FRF)
Mist Raven - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Man-o'-War - Visions (VIS)

Cards similar to Hunting Drake by color, type and mana cost

Vesuvan Doppelganger - MTG Card versions
Water Elemental - MTG Card versions
Air Elemental - MTG Card versions
Sandbar Crocodile - MTG Card versions
Pirate Ship - MTG Card versions
Segovian Leviathan - MTG Card versions
Sun Ce, Young Conquerer - MTG Card versions
Mawcor - MTG Card versions
Timin, Youthful Geist - MTG Card versions
Geology Enthusiast - MTG Card versions
Coastal Hornclaw - MTG Card versions
Meloku the Clouded Mirror - MTG Card versions
Azami, Lady of Scrolls - MTG Card versions
Cloudhoof Kirin - MTG Card versions
Drelnoch - MTG Card versions
Adarkar Windform - MTG Card versions
Infiltrator il-Kor - MTG Card versions
Mulldrifter - MTG Card versions
Chasm Drake - MTG Card versions
Mirror-Mad Phantasm - MTG Card versions
Vesuvan Doppelganger - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Water Elemental - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Air Elemental - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Sandbar Crocodile - Media Inserts (PMEI)
Pirate Ship - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Segovian Leviathan - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Sun Ce, Young Conquerer - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Mawcor - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Timin, Youthful Geist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Geology Enthusiast - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Coastal Hornclaw - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Meloku the Clouded Mirror - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Azami, Lady of Scrolls - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Cloudhoof Kirin - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Drelnoch - Coldsnap (CSP)
Adarkar Windform - Coldsnap (CSP)
Infiltrator il-Kor - Future Sight (FUT)
Mulldrifter - The List (PLST)
Chasm Drake - Magic 2012 (M12)
Mirror-Mad Phantasm - Innistrad (ISD)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hunting Drake MTG card by a specific set like Planeshift, 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 Hunting Drake and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Hunting Drake has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 If the target changes color from red to green or green to red between triggering and resolution, the ability still works.

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