Messenger Drake MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Drake
Abilities	Flying
Released	2013-07-19
Set symbol
Set name	Magic 2014
Set code	M14
Power	3
Toughness	3
Number	63
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Yeong-Hao Han

Key Takeaways

Messenger Drake grants card draw upon entering or exiting, ensuring ongoing resource advantage.
Instant speed removal synergy maintains card flow, even during an opponent’s turn.
Specific mana costs and higher casting price can limit deck compatibility and efficiency.

Text of card

Flying When Messenger Drake dies, draw a card.

The more important the message, the larger the messenger.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Messenger Drake provides additional value upon entering the battlefield or leaving the game by allowing you to draw a card. This ensures that you are finding more resources and answers, keeping your hand full of options.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting mana, the ability to draw from Messenger Drake can indirectly lead to resource acceleration by helping you dig through your deck to find land drops or ramp spells more consistently.

Instant Speed: Messenger Drake itself may not be an instant, but its ability to draw a card upon death allows for synergy with instant speed removals or tricks you might play on your opponent’s turn. This keeps card flow in your favor even when you’re responding to threats at a moment’s notice.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the limitations of using the Messenger Drake is that its death-triggered ability, which lets you draw a card, is tied to the drake being in your control when it dies. This means that in situations where discarding is a strategic disadvantage, you might be reluctant to cast the drake, especially if you foresee the need to manage your hand size carefully and maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The Drake comes with a specific mana requirement, needing three generic and two blue mana to cast. This can be restrictive for decks that are not heavily invested in blue mana or those with a diverse color palette, limiting the card’s applicability and potentially clashing with a player’s mana curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total casting cost of five mana for a 3/3 flyer that only draws you a card when it dies, the Messenger Drake may not always be the most optimal choice. Many other creatures and spells at a similar or lower mana cost could provide greater board presence or more immediate and impactful card draw opportunities, affecting its overall utility in game play.

Reasons to Include Messenger Drake in Your Collection

Versatility: Messenger Drake is a flexible card that can be slotted into various blue-centric strategies. Its ability to draw a card upon death means it holds value even when facing removal, making it a resilient addition to both controlling and tempo-oriented decks.

Combo Potential: With its flying ability, Messenger Drake can be a key piece in aerial-themed decks, synergizing with cards that capitalize on flying creatures. Moreover, when paired with sacrifice mechanics, it ensures card advantage, fueling your hand while influencing the board.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors long games or where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Messenger Drake can shine. Its death-triggered draw provides ongoing advantage in drawn-out matches and keeps pressure on opponents relying on spot removal to maintain control.

How to beat

Messenger Drake is an intriguing flyer in the world of MTG that can affect the battlefield with its presence and death-triggered ability. Defeating this card requires a multi-pronged approach. Like many creatures with flying, Messenger Drake can be difficult for ground units to engage. Thus, the first tactic is introducing reach or flying creatures of your own to contest it in the air. Base your selection on cost-effectiveness and the potential threat they could pose against Messenger Drake.

Another efficient method to overcome Messenger Drake is through removal spells. Cards like Doom Blade and Murder can dispatch it effortlessly, negating both its offensive capability and its ability to draw a card upon death. It is essential to prioritize low-cost and instant-speed removal to manage your resources better and maintain tempo, especially against a deck that may run multiple copies of Messenger Drake. Lastly, counterspells can also be valuable when facing such threats, allowing you to deal with the drake before it can even impact the board.

As with any MTG strategy, understanding the nature of your opponent’s deck and planning ahead is crucial. Combat Messenger Drake with foresight and precision, and you’ll ensure it delivers its message without any ramifications to your plan for victory.

Cards like Messenger Drake

Messenger Drake stands out in the realm of creature cards that have a lasting impact in Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities with creatures that possess the “when this creature dies, draw a card” ability, akin to Elvish Visionary which draws a card upon entering the battlefield. While Elvish Visionary provides immediate card advantage, Messenger Drake’s larger body allows it to be a more formidable presence on the board.

Comparing further, creatures like Cloudkin Seer also come to mind, offering card draw but with the added benefit of flying, as does Messenger Drake. Cloudkin Seer’s card draw triggers on entry rather than on death, which might be more appealing for those who prefer an immediate effect. Then there’s Pilgrim’s Eye, which doesn’t draw directly but fetches a basic land when it enters the battlefield, ensuring a land drop and subtle deck thinning.

Ultimately, in the scope of Magic: The Gathering, Messenger Drake may not be the most efficient creature for card draw. However, its ability to influence the board state and provide value even after being dealt with, positions it as a choice worthy of consideration for decks capitalizing on death triggers and aerial threats.

Cards similar to Messenger Drake by color, type and mana cost

Vesuvan Doppelganger - MTG Card versions

Sun Ce, Young Conquerer - MTG Card versions

Timin, Youthful Geist - MTG Card versions

Meloku the Clouded Mirror - MTG Card versions

Azami, Lady of Scrolls - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Messenger Drake MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2014, 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 Messenger Drake and other MTG cards: