Airdrop Condor MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Bird
Abilities	Flying
Released	2002-10-07
Set symbol
Set name	Onslaught
Set code	ONS
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	186
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Glen Angus

Key Takeaways

Airdrop Condor enhances creature-based strategies with repeatable enter-the-battlefield effects.
Instant-speed ability offers tactical advantages, surprising opponents and disrupting their plans.
Despite the card’s benefits, it requires careful hand and resource management to optimize its potential.

Text of card

Flying o1o R, Sacrifice a Goblin: Airdrop Condor deals damage equal to the sacrificed Goblin's power to target creature or player.

It has two kinds of droppings, neither of which is particularly pleasant.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Airdrop Condor has the potential to amplify your card value by interacting with creatures that have enter-the-battlefield or death-triggered abilities. By returning a key creature to your hand, it allows for a repeated effect and offers a strategic advantage.

Resource Acceleration: In decks built around sacrificing creatures, Airdrop Condor can act as a resource accelerator by turning disposable creatures into direct damage, enabling a faster route to deplete an opponent’s life total.

Instant Speed: Though not an instant itself, Airdrop Condor’s ability can be activated at instant speed, allowing for surprise plays during combat or at the end of an opponent’s turn, keeping adversaries on their toes and disrupting their strategies.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Airdrop Condor obliges players to toss another creature card into the graveyard to exploit its ability. This can rapidly deplete a player’s hand and diminish their on-field prospects, especially in tight situations where every card in hand counts.

Specific Mana Cost: With a necessity for three generic and one red mana, Airdrop Condor may not fit seamlessly into multicolor decks or those that do not heavily focus on red mana. Deck flexibility can be limited, as ensuring the right mana combination can sometimes be challenging.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Carrying a total casting cost of four mana for a 2/2 flyer, its efficiency is questionable, especially when compared to other cards in this mana range. Players must consider other creatures or spells that could provide a higher impact or value for the same, or even a lower, mana investment.

Reasons to Include Airdrop Condor in Your Collection

Versatility: Airdrop Condor showcases its utility by aligning with strategies focused on creatures and flying. With its ability to potentially turn any creature into airborne assault, this card offers creative gameplay across various deck builds.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in decks designed around sacrificing creatures for value. Its inherent ability to launch other creatures at opponents for direct damage opens up numerous combo possibilities, working in tandem with cards that trigger upon dying or dealing combat damage.

Meta-Relevance: While not a mainstay in the current competitive circuit, Airdrop Condor holds a place in casual and commander formats. Its relevance increases particularly in metas where incremental damage can turn the tides of a match, or where evasive strategies are paramount.

How to beat

Airdrop Condor adds an intriguing layer to creature-based strategies with its ability to fling creatures at your opponent. As a card that fits comfortably in decks focused on the sacrifice mechanic, finding ways to neutralize its impact is essential. The key lies in disrupting the synergy it relies on. Cutting off the supply of expendable creatures through board wipes can render Airdrop Condor ineffective. Spot removal can be timely too, especially before your opponent has the chance to capitalize on its ability.

Strategic players might also lean on enchantments that restrict creature abilities to stifle Airdrop Condor’s potency. Moreover, by employing countermeasures like instant-speed removal, you can address the threat during your opponent’s turn, preventing any surprises. Keeping a vigilant watch on your opponent’s mana reserves and potential sacrifice fodder is crucial because once they are in a position to combo off, Airdrop Condor can turn the tides swiftly.

Ultimately, a proactive approach to controlling the board and anticipating key sacrifices will put you in a favorable position against a deck that includes Airdrop Condor. Always remember to adjust your strategy based on your opponent’s specific build and the dynamics of the game.

Cards like Airdrop Condor

Airdrop Condor stands out in the Magic: The Gathering universe as a creature that amplifies the impact of your other cards. Like the Condor, Goblin Bombardment is a card that turns your creatures into direct damage, sacrificing them for a sure hit to the opponent. While the Bombardment doesn’t fly and isn’t a creature, both allow you to convert board presence into pressure and potential game-ending damage.

Barrage of Expendables offers a similar sacrifice outlet, but as an enchantment, it’s more vulnerable to removal than a creature like Airdrop Condor. The Condor also carries the potential for combat damage, making it a double threat on the field. In contrast, Fling lets you throw a creature at your opponent as a one-off effect, which can be unexpected and dodge certain removals, but lacks the recurring use provided by Airdrop Condor.

Assessing the synergy and flexibility of these options, Airdrop Condor positions itself as a versatile choice for players looking to include a damage-dealing creature with a built-in sacrifice mechanic in their decks, offering steady utility and strategic depth to gameplay in Magic: The Gathering.

Barrage of Expendables - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Airdrop Condor by color, type and mana cost

Balduvian War-Makers - MTG Card versions

Flowstone Salamander - MTG Card versions

Ma Chao, Western Warrior - MTG Card versions

Dwarven Strike Force - MTG Card versions

Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Airdrop Condor MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught, 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 Airdrop Condor and other MTG cards: