Pteramander MTG Card

Adaptation grants Pteramander latent power, turning it from a 1/1 to a 5/5 with enough graveyard instants and sorceries. Its adapt ability can activate at instant speed, providing a tactical edge by reacting to the opponent’s moves. Although powerful, Pteramander’s adapt depends on a well-stocked graveyard, demanding a strategic deck build.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Salamander Drake
Abilities Adapt,Flying
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

Flying : Adapt 4. This ability costs less to activate for each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard. (If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, put four +1/+1 counters on it.)

Cards like Pteramander

Pteramander finds its niche in Magic: The Gathering as an adaptable flying creature, but it’s not without peers in the blue creature lineup. Its closest relatives include Delver of Secrets, a card that also evolves over the course of the game, potentially becoming a substantial threat with Insectile Aberration. While the Delver transforms with the reveal of an instant or sorcery card, Pteramander requires an investment of mana and a sufficient graveyard to ‘Adapt’ and grow.

Enigma Drake and Crackling Drake are two more comparable creatures that scale with your spell casting, their power tied to the number of instants and sorceries in the graveyard and in exile, respectively. Unlike these Drakes, Pteramander’s adaptability comes at a potentially lower cost and could surprise opponents with a sudden shift in board strength. Additionally, the salamander Drake requires less of a deck-building commitment to instants and sorceries, offering a quick aerial threat that fits well in tempo-based strategies.

Each card holds a unique position for deck builders, with Pteramander standing out by virtue of its low initial mana cost and powerful late-game potential. For players looking for an aggressive early flyer that can turn into a late-game heavyweight, Pteramander is a solid choice hovering in blue’s creature space.

Enigma Drake - MTG Card versions
Crackling Drake - MTG Card versions
Enigma Drake - MTG Card versions
Crackling Drake - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Pteramander. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
WURWUR LegacyLegacy League 2024-02-29
Simic TempoSimic Tempo GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 08 2024
Izzet MidrangeIzzet Midrange GladiatorGladiator Team Unified League
Izzet TempoIzzet Tempo GladiatorGladiator Team Unified League

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pteramander offers adaptability in its ability to become a more significant threat later in the game without the need for a card from your hand, essentially turning one card into a much more valuable asset as the match progresses.

Resource Acceleration: The adapt cost of Pteramander can be reduced for each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard, thus accelerating your board presence by potentially using fewer resources to enhance its power.

Instant Speed: Pteramander’s adapt ability can be activated at instant speed, offering a strategic advantage by allowing you to adapt in response to the opponent’s actions during their turn, possibly turning it into a formidable blocker or an unexpected aggressor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Despite Pteramander’s appealing adaptations, it needs a considerable number of instants and sorceries in the graveyard to activate its Adapt ability. This may force players to discard valuable spells prematurely or alter their deck-building strategy to ensure Pteramander reaches its full potential.

Specific Mana Cost: Pteramander’s initial casting cost demands a single blue mana, tying it closely to blue-centric or at least blue-splashed decks. Players running multicolored or colorless decks may find it challenging to integrate this card effectively due to its specific mana requirement.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The base adapt cost for Pteramander can be quite mana-intensive, starting at a steep six generic and one blue mana. While this cost can be reduced by instants and sorceries in the graveyard, the initial expense could hinder plays, especially in the early game when resource management is crucial.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Pteramander is highly adaptable, seamlessly fitting into a variety of Blue tempo and aggro strategies. Its low casting cost makes it an ideal early play, while its late-game potential to become a 5/5 flyer allows it to scale as the game progresses.

Combo Potential: Known for its synergy with spells that fill the graveyard, Pteramander thrives in decks that capitalize on casting numerous instants and sorceries. This enables the creature to evolve swiftly, becoming a substantial threat at a moment’s notice.

Meta-Relevance: Especially in environments where spell-heavy decks are prevalent, Pteramander shines as a budget-friendly powerhouse. Its ability to dodge common removal spells while representing a significant aerial force makes it a smart addition in competitive circles focused on efficiency and flexibility.

How to Beat Pteramander

Pteramander is a card that often slips under the radar in MTG due to its initial appearance as a modest 1/1 creature for a single blue mana. However, it’s the Adapt mechanic that morphs this salamander drake into a looming threat, capable of swelling into a 5/5 flyer for a mere two mana if the graveyard is adequately stocked with instants and sorceries.

Countering the Pteramander’s growth can be challenging, yet there are strategies to keep it in check. Using removal spells efficiently is key. Early on, spells such as Fatal Push or Lightning Bolt can dispatch the creature before it has a chance to Adapt. It’s also wise to watch the graveyard — utilizing cards that can exile instants and sorceries disrupts Pteramander’s potential to evolve. Graveyard hate cards such as Rest in Peace or Relic of Progenitus are perfect for this task. Monitoring your opponent’s mana and targeting Pteramander in response to an Adapt attempt can negate the threat while costing your opponent valuable resources.

Ultimately, respecting Pteramander’s late-game potential while maintaining proactive control over the board state can ensure this seemingly innocuous threat doesn’t spiral into an uncontrollable problem.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pteramander MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance and The List, 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 Pteramander and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Pteramander Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2019-01-25 and 2024-04-19. Illustrated by Simon Dominic.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-01-25Ravnica AllegianceRNA 472015NormalBlackSimon Dominic
22020-09-26The ListPLST RNA-472015NormalBlackSimon Dominic
32024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 3171997NormalBlackSimon Dominic
42024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 542015NormalBlackSimon Dominic
52024-04-19Outlaws of Thunder Junction CommanderOTC 1092015NormalBlackSimon Dominic

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pteramander 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 Pteramander card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2019-01-25 If a creature somehow loses all of its +1/+1 counters, it can adapt again and get more +1/+1 counters.
2019-01-25 Pteramander’s activated ability can’t reduce itself to less than to activate.
2019-01-25 You can always activate an ability that will cause a creature to adapt. As that ability resolves, if the creature has a +1/+1 counter on it for any reason, you simply won’t put any +1/+1 counters on it.