Vigilant Drake MTG Card
1999-02-15 - Number 46
2000-10-01 - Number 17
2001-04-11 - Number 109
2001-04-11 - Number 109★
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Drake |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
Flying oo U Untap Vigilant Drake.
Awake and awing in the blink of an eye.
Cards like Vigilant Drake
Vigilant Drake is an intriguing creature card to consider for deck builders interested in leveraging flying and vigilance. This card echoes the traits of certain classic Magic: The Gathering flyers such as Suntail Hawk, which also boasts the flying trait but lacks vigilance, giving Vigilant Drake a tactical upper hand. Vigilant Drake also bears semblance to Aven Sentry, another creature with both flying and vigilance, but differs in stats and mana cost, offering players a choice based on their mana curve strategy.
In the same suite of creatures, we find Guardians of Akrasa. Although it doesn’t fly, its vigilance and defender abilities make it a comparable low-cost alternative for those aiming to fortify their defenses early. Lastly, there’s the ever-reliable Serra Angel. It’s larger and more mana-intensive but carries both flying and vigilance, presenting a more dominant battlefield presence. This makes the Vigilant Drake a moderate choice, offering a balance between utility and cost efficiency for its abilities.
Assessing the strategic benefits and deck inclusion impact, Vigilant Drake offers a solid option for players who value aerial control and unyielding defenders, especially in casual or limited formats where such traits are invaluable.
Cards similar to Vigilant Drake by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Vigilant Drake allows a MTG player to draw a card upon entering the battlefield. This benefit provides a user with additional resources that can be crucial for maintaining momentum and giving an edge over opponents.
Resource Acceleration: This card’s ability to untap lands during its attack phase offers an opportunity for players to accelerate their resource availability. Consequently, it enables quicker deployment of other spells or creatures within the same turn.
Instant Speed: With the ability to activate its flying at instant speed, Vigilant Drake offers flexible defensive and offensive options. This element of surprise can pivot the direction of gameplay, allowing players to respond to threats or create their own at crucial moments.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Vigilant Drake demands a card to be discarded to activate its ability, which can deplete your hand quickly and leave you at a strategic disadvantage, particularly when you’re already behind in resources.
Specific Mana Cost: Vigilant Drake requires a dedicated blue mana investment, making it less flexible for multicolored decks and possibly leading to color mana issues during crucial stages of gameplay.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a cost of five mana for a 3/3 flyer with vigilance, Vigilant Drake can feel inefficient when other creatures in the same cost range offer greater impact on the board state or come with additional abilities.
Reasons to Include Vigilant Drake in Your Collection
Versatility: Vigilant Drake adds value to a wide range of decks with its flying ability, allowing it to be an evasive threat in the air. Its ability to untap for a cost provides strategic flexibility during both your turn and your opponent’s.
Combo Potential: The Drake has a natural synergy with cards that benefit from or enable tapping and untapping mechanics. It could be paired with various untap triggers to create powerful interactions or infinite combos.
Meta-Relevance: In formats where flying creatures are prominent, Vigilant Drake can hold its own both defensively and offensively. Its presence can be particularly relevant in metas with fewer removals that can target flying creatures effectively.
How to beat
Confronting Vigilant Drake in Magic: The Gathering adds layers of complexity to any game due to its strategic abilities. The key to defeating this winged adversary lies in understanding and undercutting its advantages. One way to counter Vigilant Drake is by utilizing removal spells that can target and destroy it immediately, such as Doom Blade or Path to Exile, sidelining it before its abilities can be leveraged.
Negation of its flying ability through cards that grant reach or those that allow your creatures to block flyers is equally effective. Cards like Spiderweb Armor increase accessibility to block the drake and mitigate its air superiority. Additionally, cards that prevent the Drake from untapping would inhibit its vigilant ability, thereby nullifying the card’s inherent advantage.
In essence, when dismantling the strengths of Vigilant Drake, prioritizing immediate removal or strategically impairing its battle capabilities can assure your victory, making your encounters with this reptilian flier notably less daunting.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Vigilant Drake MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Legacy and Beatdown Box Set, 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 Vigilant 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Vigilant Drake Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1999-02-15 and 2001-04-11. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999-02-15 | Urza's Legacy | ULG | 46 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples | |
| 2 | 2000-10-01 | Beatdown Box Set | BTD | 17 | 1997 | Normal | White | Greg Staples | |
| 3 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 109 | 1997 | Normal | White | Dave Dorman | |
| 4 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 109★ | 1997 | Normal | Black | Dave Dorman |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Vigilant Drake has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |