Uktabi Drake MTG Card

Board presence with instant speed can surprise opponents and sway the tempo in your favor. Flexibility in green decks is high, but be mindful of the discard and specific mana cost requirements. While not a value play, Uktabi Drake is adaptable, synergizing with creature-count and evasion strategies.

Planar Chaos (PLC)
2007-02-02 - Number 141

Uktabi Drake - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)

Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
2021-03-19 - Number 243

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Drake
Abilities	Echo,Flying,Haste
Power	2
Toughness	1

Text of card

Flying, haste Echo (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, sacrifice it unless you pay its echo cost.)

Cards like Uktabi Drake

Uktabi Drake stands out in the vast collection of creatures available for players in Magic: The Gathering. This particular card shares similarities with other green creatures, such as Scryb Sprites, which also offers a flying trait for a low mana cost. Yet, Uktabi Drake offers an evasive edge with its haste ability, allowing it to swing at the opponent right away. Despite Scryb Sprites costing only one mana, the lack of haste makes it less of a surprise threat compared to Uktabi Drake.

Comparing it to Vault Skirge, another low-cost flyer with a twist, Uktabi Drake doesn’t provide life gain but compensates with being a purely green card, sidestepping the secondary Phyrexian mana cost that Vault Skirge carries. Moreover, Uktabi Drake’s echo cost presents a strategic choice for players who value immediate board presence over long-term investment. Another similar card is Skyshroud Elite, which, although it isn’t airborne, potentially packs a more powerful punch if an opponent has a nonbasic land, without an echo drawback.

Assessing Uktabi Drake within the context of creature cards with a cost-effective presence, it is evident that its combination of haste and flying capabilities grants it a unique role, particularly for aggressive green decks aiming for quick impact on the battlefield.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Uktabi Drake does not let you draw cards directly, it effectively functions as an extra creature on the board that your opponent must deal with, potentially giving you an edge in maintaining board presence.

Resource Acceleration: Thanks to its Echo ability, Uktabi Drake can serve your strategy for a single turn without paying its mana cost, allowing you to allocate resources elsewhere. This can be a tempo play that accelerates your board development compared to your opponent.

Instant Speed: Uktabi Drake can be cast using its Flash ability, giving you the flexibility to surprise your opponent by bringing a creature into play during their turn, after they’ve committed to actions without anticipating a new blocker or attacker on your side. This reactive play can create advantageous scenarios, especially in combat.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In some cases, Uktabi Drake asks you to discard another card when using its alternate casting cost. This can deplete your hand and put you at a disadvantage, forcing hard choices in resource management.

Specific Mana Cost: Uktabi Drake has a green mana cost, which means it fits primarily in green-based decks. This restricts its versatility, as you can’t easily slot it into multicolored decks without the right mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its standard casting cost sitting at three mana for a quick but evanescent creature, Uktabi Drake doesn’t always provide the best value for your mana investment, especially when compared to other creatures in the same range.

Reasons to Include Uktabi Drake in Your Collection

Versatility: Uktabi Drake offers quick board presence and potential for aggressive starts, making it a flexible pick for green decks aiming for speed. Its evasion ability allows it to slip past many common blockers, fitting smoothly into strategies that prioritize paced attacks.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize well with landfall mechanics or effects that benefit from creatures entering or leaving the battlefield, given its Echo and flying features. The Drake can also be a catalyst in strategies that rely on creature count.

Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves, a card like Uktabi Drake can adapt to various meta shifts. Its presence in your collection provides an answer to control decks lacking in early flying blockers or an alternative strategy for applying early pressure in green-based decks.

How to beat Uktabi Drake

Uktabi Drake is a nimble creature card that introduces a swift aerial threat to the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. This card is particularly quick on the draw, empowered by its evoke ability, which allows it to swoop in for early damage. However, its greatest strength can also be turned into a vulnerability. As a player facing Uktabi Drake, timing is critical; employ instant-speed removal spells when the Drake is summoned to maximize the use of your mana and nullify the evasive threat immediately.

Strategies against Uktabi Drake should include keeping mana open for spells like Shock or Fatal Push, efficiently dispatching the creature without allowing its evoke cost to lead to early life point losses. Cards that negate flying capabilities or remove summoning sickness advantages are also effective. Essence Scatter is another solid choice, countering Uktabi Drake as it is cast, thus preventing its on-field effects altogether.

In sum, the key to overpowering Uktabi Drake lies in pre-emptive defense and instant-speed interactions. By strategically navigating its casting window and utilizing timely removal spells, a player can effectively diminish the Drake’s impact and maintain control over the pacing of the match.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Uktabi Drake MTG card by a specific set like Planar Chaos and Time Spiral Remastered, 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 Uktabi Drake and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Uktabi Drake Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2007-02-02 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by Matt Cavotta.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2007-02-02	Planar Chaos	PLC		141	2003	Normal	Black	Matt Cavotta
2	2021-03-19	Time Spiral Remastered	TSR		243	2015	Normal	Black	Matt Cavotta

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Uktabi Drake has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal