Adarkar Unicorn MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Unicorn
Released	1995-06-03
Set symbol
Set name	Ice Age
Set code	ICE
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	1
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Quinton Hoover

Key Takeaways

Adarkar Unicorn facilitates card recovery and strategic play through its resourceful mana abilities.
Its specific mana requirements can narrow deck-building options, demanding careful strategy planning.
Though costly, its combo and meta relevance make it a potential game-changer in specific decks.

Text of card

oc T: Add either o U or o U and one colorless mana to your mana pool. This mana is usable only for cumulative upkeep. Play this ability as an interrupt.

"There is no nobler creature in all of Terisiare." —General Jarkeld, the Arctic Fox

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Adarkar Unicorn offers a unique twist by allowing players to potentially recover spent cards, positioning it as an interesting component in decks that thrive on efficient resource use.

Resource Acceleration: As an asset in mana development, this creature can be a versatile tool, assisting players in casting costlier spells earlier in the game leading to a swifter establishment of board presence.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Adarkar Unicorn can synergize with instant-speed spells, giving players the flexibility to manage their resources more dynamically throughout each phase of the match.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Adarkar Unicorn doesn’t specifically require a discard to cast, its mana-producing ability comes with a condition. This can feel like a discard because it limits your options for playing other cards.

Specific Mana Cost: The Adarkar Unicorn requires both white and blue mana to cast. This specificity can restrict deck-building options and may not fit easily into multi-colored decks that don’t focus on these colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that may seem steep for its abilities, it’s worth noting that there are alternatives in the world of MTG that could potentially offer more value or versatility for the same, or lower, mana investment.

Reasons to Include Adarkar Unicorn Mtg Card in Your Collection

Versatility: The Adarkar Unicorn card is a flexible asset for your deck. Thanks to its mana-producing ability, it works well in a variety of strategies where color fixing is important. Players have the freedom to adapt it to multiple deck themes, enhancing any collection it becomes a part of.

Combo Potential: With its function to untap lands that have enchantments, Adarkar Unicorn enables several combo opportunities. This capability makes it a key piece in decks revolving around land enchantments, heightening the potential for powerful play sequences.

Meta-Relevance: Given its unique mana untapping mechanism, Adarkar Unicorn proves useful in the current meta, especially when enchantments are prevalent. Its presence can disrupt opponent strategies and provide you with an upper hand in matches focused on enchantment battles.

How to Beat

Adarkar Unicorn might not stand out as a powerhouse in Magic: The Gathering, but overlooking its mana abilities can be a costly mistake. As a utility creature, it can convert colored mana and aid in casting spells that could otherwise be unplayable due to a restrictive mana base. Defeating a deck that utilizes this card might require a bit of finesse and a good understanding of mana denial strategies.

Spot removal spells can be an efficient way to deal with Adarkar Unicorn. Instant-speed options such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile remove it with minimal investment, disrupting your opponent’s mana development while conserving your resources. There’s also the choice of artifact removal if the Unicorn is paired with mana-fixing artifacts, as a well-timed Abrade or Nature’s Claim can hinder your opponent’s game plan significantly.

Land destruction is another approach that can be effective against strategies reliant on specific types of lands that Adarkar Unicorn may target. Spells like Stone Rain or Ghost Quarter can disrupt those synergies, leaving the Unicorn without a purpose. Careful analysis of the opponent’s land-based strategies and deciding when to use removal spells plays a crucial role in gaining the upper hand against Adarkar Unicorn decks.

Cards like Adarkar Unicorn

The Adarkar Unicorn resonates with players who enjoy resource management within their MTG gameplay. This particular unicorn shares a kinship with cards like Corrupted Grafstone and Coalition Relic, both of which function as mana accelerators. While Corrupted Grafstone requires a card from your graveyard to tap for mana, the Adarkar Unicorn stands out with its requirement to tap an enchanted permanent for additional mana without delving into graveyard resources.

Similarly, the Knight of the White Orchid provides an avenue for mana acceleration, although it focuses on fetching lands rather than converting existing resources into mana. Unlike Adarkar Unicorn, it relies on land control as a condition for its ability. Additionally, the Pilgrim’s Eye, while inherently different in its actions by fetching basic lands directly into your hand, offers a smooth way to guarantee land drops but doesn’t add to the mana pool immediately as the Unicorn does.

Finding its niche, the Adarkar Unicorn may not enable as rapid mana acceleration as some mana dorks or land-fetch creatures, but it proves its worth with its unique approach to resource conversion, particularly helpful in decks that make use of a good number of enchantments.

Knight of the White Orchid - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Adarkar Unicorn by color, type and mana cost

Hanna, Ship's Navigator - MTG Card versions

Kotori, Pilot Prodigy - MTG Card versions

Minister of Impediments - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Adarkar Unicorn MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age, 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 Adarkar Unicorn and other MTG cards: