Spiketail Drake MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Drake |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Released | 2000-06-05 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Prophecy |
| Set code | PCY |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 48 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Michael Sutfin |
Text of card
Flying Sacrifice Spiketail Drake: Counter target spell unless its controller pays o3.
"The spell will have to wait," said Alexi, pointing up. "Drakes."
Cards like Spiketail Drake
In the vast pool of creatures Magic: The Gathering offers, Spiketail Drake stands out within the specific niche of flying creatures with disruptive abilities. Notably, it parallels cards such as Spiketail Hatchling. Both creatures wield the power to counter spells, but the Drake demands a larger sacrifice in exchange for a stronger body in the air. Compared to its Hatchling counterpart, Spiketail Drake can halt more expensive spells, making it a formidable obstacle for opponents.
Much like the Drake, Mystic Snake brings an element of surprise to the battlefield. The Snake offers a body that can block and the ability to counter a spell upon entry. With its flash ability, Mystic Snake can swing a game’s momentum in your favor. However, Spiketail Drake does not require you to hold up four mana at all times, offering some flexibility for strategic plays throughout the game.
Lastly, there’s Draining Whelk, which not only counters spells but also grows in power proportionate to the spells’ costs. Despite its higher casting cost, Draining Whelk can become a significant threat if left unchecked. Spiketail Drake might not match this growth potential, but its lower casting cost makes it accessible earlier in the game, allowing for early game board influence and strategic planning.
Cards similar to Spiketail Drake by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Spiketail Drake offers unique utility in disrupting your opponent’s plans while also potentially maintaining your card advantage. By countering a crucial spell at a decisive moment, the Drake can shift the game’s momentum in your favor without losing card presence on the board.
Resource Acceleration: Although Spiketail Drake itself doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, its cost-efficient mana requirement allows you to allocate resources elsewhere. This flexibility makes it easier to develop your board or hold up mana for other crucial interactions while the Drake is in play.
Instant Speed: The ability of Spiketail Drake to counter spells operates at instant speed, offering strategic depth to gameplay. You can leverage the threat of its ability to influence your opponent’s decisions, forcing them to play around the potential counter or risk having their spell negated, giving you a tactical edge.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Spiketail Drake’s ability to counter target spell unless its controller pays an additional cost could set you back if you’re forced to discard strategically important cards to maintain board control.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s requirement for both blue mana and colorless mana means it can’t be slotted into just any deck, potentially restricting its use to those committed to running blue or those with the means to generate multiple mana colors.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that demands four mana, Spiketail Drake’s countering ability can be seen as expensive, especially with the presence of lower-cost alternatives in the game that can provide similar or even better countering options.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Spiketail Drake offers a unique blend of aerial threat and control, making it a suitable inclusion in Blue-based decks that value flexibility. Its ability to counter spells can disrupt opponents across various game states, making it a versatile card to have in your arsenal.
Combo Potential: This card can seamlessly integrate into decks that exploit creatures with flying or harness counterspells. The sacrifice mechanic also opens up synergistic plays with graveyard retrieval or cards that benefit from creatures dying.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where protecting key spells or interrupts are crucial, Spiketail Drake shines. Its presence on the board can deter opponents from casting pivotal spells, giving it a relevant role against certain strategies that rely heavily on noncreature spells.
How to beat
Spiketail Drake presents a unique challenge on the battlefield, often serving as a formidable flying obstacle for opponents looking to resolve key spells. This creature offers a strategic layer of control, allowing its controller to sacrifice it in exchange for countering a spell unless the opponent pays an additional mana cost. This effect resembles that of a traditional counterspell but cleverly attached to a creature.
To effectively navigate around this disruptive force, consider deploying spells when the controller of the Spiketail Drake is low on mana and unable to pay its sacrifice cost. Alternatively, baiting out the Drake’s sacrifice with a less critical spell can pave the way for more crucial spells in your hand. Targeted removal can also efficiently handle the Drake, ideally cast at a time when your opponent’s resources to counter it are depleted. Recognizing that Spiketail Drake’s power lies within its threat of activation, smart timing and sequencing of spells are key to successfully outmaneuvering the control it imposes.
When playing against Spiketail Drake, patience and strategic spell casting can turn the tides, negating the advantage this creature often provides, and maintaining the momentum needed to secure victory in your Magic: The Gathering matches.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Spiketail Drake MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy, 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 Spiketail Drake and other MTG cards:
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- 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
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Spiketail Drake has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Spiketail Drake card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | The spell’s controller gets the option to pay when this ability resolves. |