Drifting Djinn MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Djinn
Abilities	Cycling,Flying
Released	1998-10-12
Set symbol
Set name	Urza's Saga
Set code	USG
Power	5
Toughness	5
Number	71
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Carl Critchlow

Key Takeaways

Flying and cycling features offer Drifting Djinn considerable in-game flexibility and deck adaptability.
Djinn’s upkeep cost and specific mana colors can limit its fit in diverse deck strategies.
Despite trade-offs, Drifting Djinn’s utility makes it a strategic inclusion in many collections.

Text of card

Flying During your upkeep, pay o1o U or sacrifice Drifting Djinn. Cycling (You may pay and discard this card from your hand to draw a card. Play this ability as an instant.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The presence of Drifting Djinn in any deck can be pivotal, thanks to its flying ability and cycling feature which not only adds to the aerial control but also offers flexibility. The cycling allows you to replace it with another card, keeping your hand refreshed and more adaptable to the evolving game state.

Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct source of resource acceleration, Drifting Djinn’s resilience in the face of many common removal spells ensures that any mana invested into it sticks around. This reliability ensures you have a persistent threat and don’t lose out on tempo or resources often associated with casting high-cost creatures.

Instant Speed: While Drifting Djinn itself does not operate at instant speed, its cycling ability can be activated on either player’s turn, giving you the strategic edge to wait until the end of your opponent’s turn to decide whether to keep the Djinn or cycle it for a new card, thus integrating instant speed-like flexibility into your game plan.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging with Drifting Djinn involves a strategic setback due to its upkeep cost, necessitating a card discard which can deplete your hand quickly—particularly challenging when your strategy depends on maintaining card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Drifting Djinn demands a dedicated mana base with its specific color requirements, making its inclusion in multi-colored decks less appealing and limiting its flexibility in various builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of six mana to get Drifting Djinn into play, its value is contested by other creatures and spells. This high investment can hinder your tempo, especially when facing decks that put pressure on you early in the game.

Reasons to Include Drifting Djinn in Your Collection

Versatility: Drifting Djinn offers a unique blend of evasion and utility, making it a flexible card that can adapt to different game situations. With flying, it can serve as a formidable blocker or a reliable source of damage.

Combo Potential: Its cycling ability provides synergy with decks that capitalize on discard effects or the need to draw additional cards. This can potentiate combos by filtering your deck and getting to key pieces faster.

Meta-Relevance: As the gameplay environment shifts, having a card like Drifting Djinn can prove advantageous, especially when aerial threats or dealing with particular enchantments becomes necessary. Its ability to phase out keeps it safe from harm, aligning well with meta-games that are removal-heavy.

How to Beat Drifting Djinn

Drifting Djinn shines in the MTG universe as an intriguing creature that comes with a unique maintenance cost, which can be both a boon and a bane for players. Its flying ability gives it an edge in evading ground creatures, making it a formidable threat in the air. However, like any card, it has its vulnerabilities that clever players can exploit.

To effectively counter Drifting Djinn, consider incorporating cards that can bypass its flying ability or neutralize it without engaging it in combat. This can be achieved through spells that force creatures to sacrifice or through direct removal spells that aren’t hindered by flying. Ensnaring cards such as Pacifism or arrest effects also work wonders, allowing you to contain the Djinn without having to tackle it directly in battle.

Deploying cards that alter combat math or using burn spells to deal damage regardless of a creature’s flight capacity are excellent strategies. By meticulously managing your resources and having the right cards at your disposal, you can navigate around Drifting Djinn’s strengths and mitigate the impact of this flying adversary in your MTG matches.

Cards like Drifting Djinn

Drifting Djinn stands out in the world of Magic: The Gathering as an intriguing flying creature that offers a unique blend of offensive and defensive capabilities. In comparison, creatures such as Mahamoti Djinn also bring powerful flying abilities to the table. Both creatures can dominate the aerial space of the battlefield. The key distinction comes with Drifting Djinn’s cycling ability – offering deck cycling and mana efficiency – which is not present in the Mahamoti Djinn.

Another comparable card is the Mistform Seaswift, which shares the flying attribute and has the versatility of morphing, allowing it to surprise opponents. However, Drifting Djinn’s additional ability to dodge targeted removal via cycling gives it an edge in adaptability. Moreover, Azure Drake brings a simpler approach to the game with a stable flying presence and lower mana cost, yet it lacks the overall potential and additional utility provided by Drifting Djinn’s cycling ability.

Ultimately, while there are many flying creatures in the game, the multiple roles Drifting Djinn can play, from an aerial threat to a deck-thinning mechanism, create a strategic advantage that is highly valued among Magic: The Gathering players.

Cards similar to Drifting Djinn by color, type and mana cost

Sun Quan, Lord of Wu - MTG Card versions

Zahid, Djinn of the Lamp - MTG Card versions

Arcanis the Omnipotent - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Drifting Djinn MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga, 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 Drifting Djinn and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Drifting Djinn has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Drifting Djinn 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	You choose whether to pay or not on resolution. If not, then you sacrifice Drifting Djinn. You can choose to not pay if you no longer control this card on resolution.
2008-10-01	Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not.