Soratami Cloudskater MTG Card

Soratami Cloudskater - Champions of Kamigawa

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Moonfolk Rogue
Abilities	Flying
Released	2004-10-01
Set symbol
Set name	Champions of Kamigawa
Set code	CHK
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	86
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Michael Sutfin

Key Takeaways

Soratami Cloudskater excels in cycling cards, offering consistent deck navigation and vast strategic possibilities.
Its instant speed utility provides a dynamic response to gameplay, elevating both strategy and flexibility.
Despite its ability’s power, the prerequisite of discarding a card can occasionally be a tactical setback.

Text of card

Flying , Return a land you control to its owner's hand: Draw a card, then discard a card.

"You hide your actions from eyes on the ground, but nothing escapes the clouds."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Soratami Cloudskater enables you to cycle through your deck by returning lands back to your hand and drawing cards. This mechanism not only lets you find key pieces but also keeps your hand filled with options.

Resource Acceleration: By facilitating land retrieval, this card interacts well with landfall abilities or effects that trigger when lands enter the battlefield. It’s a subtle form of resource acceleration that can be pivotal in the right deck.

Instant Speed: The ability to float mana and then use Soratami Cloudskater’s return land and draw card feature at instant speed gives you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s moves or end-of-turn decisions, maximizing your strategic options.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Soratami Cloudskater’s ability necessitates discarding a card in order to activate its primary feature, which could propel you to a disadvantageous position if your hand size is already depleted or if the discarded card is of higher value than the drawn card.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature card requires both blue mana and generic mana, making it a less flexible option for a multi-colored deck that might not always have the necessary blue mana available when you need to utilize its abilities effectively.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that may be deemed steep for its stats and effect, other cards within the same mana range can potentially provide greater impact on the game, leading players to opt for those alternatives rather than the Soratami Cloudskater.

Reasons to Include Soratami Cloudskater in Your Collection

Versatility: Soratami Cloudskater offers adaptability in a variety of blue-based decks, enabling players to cycle through their deck with its return-a-land looting ability, thus maintaining a strong card flow in the game.

Combo Potential: This card stands out with its synergy in decks that capitalize on returned lands to the hand, such as those that trigger landfall abilities or play well with cards that reward bouncing lands back for strategic advantages.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where slowing down the opponent is key, Soratami Cloudskater provides an ongoing mechanism to draw into answers and set up game-winning combos, making it a practical choice for decks aiming to control the pace of the match.

How to beat

With the Soratami Cloudskater, players encounter a creature that brings versatility to the table in MTG. It stands out due to its ability to return a land you control to your hand to draw a card. This mechanic allows for consistent card drawing capability, much like the cycling ability found in other MTG cards. Yet, the key difference lies in the Cloudskater’s requirement to bounce a land back, which can temporarily set back your mana development.

To overthrow Soratami Cloudskater, engaging in land destruction or utilizing cards that restrict the opponent from picking up their lands could be effective. These strategies could disrupt the Cloudskater’s card drawing ability. Denying your opponent resources, therefore, becomes a strategic approach to hampering their game progress. Taxing their spells through cards that increase casting costs could also be a deterrent, making the ability cost-intensive for the opponent.

Ultimately, while Soratami Cloudskater possesses a continuous card drawing mechanism, its dependency on land return can be turned into a disadvantage with thoughtful strategy. By disrupting your opponent’s mana base or increasing the costs of abilities, you can minimize the opportunities they have to capitalize on the Cloudskater’s strengths.

Cards like Soratami Cloudskater

Soratami Cloudskater offers a unique dimension to the blue flyers in Magic: The Gathering. Its closest relative might be Thought Courier, another blue creature sharing the same mana cost and card filtering ability. Both allow a player to draw a card then discard a card, but the key difference lies in their secondary abilities. Thought Courier lacks the flying trait, granting Soratami Cloudskater an edge in aerial superiority.

Another kin in the same family is Merfolk Looter. While it boasts a similar card draw and discard ability, the looter stands out with a lower power and toughness but does not have the versatility of flying. This is essential in games where board presence and evasion are crucial.

Comparing these cards, it’s clear that while they all present players with the powerful option to sift through their decks, Soratami Cloudskater punctuates its role with the added benefit of flight. This advantage often turns the tides in the rhythm of a match, making the Cloudskater a valuable component in blue-based flying decks.

Cards similar to Soratami Cloudskater by color, type and mana cost

Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Soratami Cloudskater MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa, 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 Soratami Cloudskater and other MTG cards: