Kyscu Drake MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Drake
Abilities	Flying
Released	1997-02-03
Set symbol
Set name	Visions
Set code	VIS
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	111
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Geofrey Darrow & I. Rabarot

Key Takeaways

Untapping lands for card advantage and resource acceleration makes Kyscu Drake a subtle, yet powerful ally.
Instant speed play with Kyscu Drake adds a layer of unpredictability and defensive potential.
While potent, its requirements and specific mana cost could limit its integration into diverse decks.

Text of card

Flying oo G +0/+1 until end of turn. You cannot spend more than o G in this way each turn. Sacrifice Kyscu Drake and Spitting Drake: Search your library for Viashivan Dragon and put it into play. Shuffle your library afterwards.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The ability to untap up to two target lands with Kyscu Drake offers a subtle form of card advantage. By freeing up mana resources, it essentially provides the opportunity for additional plays or responses within the same turn, making your hand more effective and flexible.

Resource Acceleration: Kyscu Drake facilitates resource acceleration in a two-fold manner. Firstly, by untapping lands, it can enable a quicker deployment of high-cost cards. Secondly, if the lands produce more than one mana or have other beneficial tap effects, Kyscu Drake can effectively double those outputs, leading to a substantial boost in your available resources.

Instant Speed: Kyscu Drake’s flash ability allows it to be played at instant speed, giving you the strategic advantage of holding back mana to either cast the Drake as a blocker or to use other instant-speed interactions. This flexibility can keep opponents on their toes, unsure of whether they’re facing a creature or another surprise from your hand.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Kyscu Drake demands that you discard another card to activate its flying ability. This can deplete your hand quickly and leave you vulnerable if you don’t have ample card draw mechanisms in your deck.

Specific Mana Cost: Kyscu Drake comes with a blue mana cost, which may not effortlessly fit into all deck types, especially those that focus on a different color or multicolor strategies that don’t heavily emphasize blue mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a creature that requires three mana to cast, including two blue mana, Kyscu Drake can be costly for its base stats and conditional ability. Other creatures or spells in the same mana range may provide greater versatility or more powerful effects without conditional activation.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Kyscu Drake can adapt to various playstyles, providing flying defense or offense as needed. This card seamlessly integrates into decks that aim to control the skies or require evasion capabilities.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that have landfall abilities or benefit from flying creatures, Kyscu Drake enhances those synergies. It’s a crucial piece in decks that harness the power of the air to unlock powerful combinations.

Meta-Relevance: Given that flying creatures are perpetually useful for bypassing ground defenses, Kyscu Drake holds its value in metas dominated by decks with minimal reach or flying blockers. Its relevance is solidified further in inclusion within blue-based midrange or tempo strategies.

How to beat

Kyscu Drake represents a unique challenge among the flying creatures in the world of Magic: The Gathering. Boasting an ability to avoid being blocked except by creatures with flying or reach, this Drake can quickly become a persistent nuisance in the aerial combat domain. Additionally, the option to return it to your hand gives it a resilience to removal that few creatures possess, making direct damage or destruction less effective.

To effectively counter Kyscu Drake, consider incorporating spells that don’t target it directly but rather affect the entire board—like a global sweep with “Wrath of God” or “Supreme Verdict.” These tactics circumvent the Drake’s evasive and recursive abilities. Similarly, enchantments with blanket effects such as “Gravity Well” or “Archetype of Imagination” can strip it of its advantages, rendering it vulnerable to ground forces. Lastly, countering the Drake upon casting using spells like “Cancel” or “Mana Leak” can prevent it from even hitting the battlefield and demonstrating its troublesome bouncing trick.

Mastering the approach to overcome Kyscu Drake, despite its elusive nature, can enhance your overall strategy games and leverage your battlefield control in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards like Kyscu Drake

Kyscu Drake is an intriguing creature within Magic: The Gathering and bears similarities to other flying creatures designed for early gameplay advantage. Cards like Welkin Tern also have a flying ability and share Kyscu Drake’s restriction of being able to block only creatures with flying. However, Kyscu Drake offers an edge with its ‘partner with’ ability, allowing you to search your library for a card like Brineborn Cutthroat, which can grow stronger with each spell cast during your opponent’s turn.

Another card worth discussing is Skywinder Drake. This creature also carries the condition of only blocking creatures with flying but comes at a lesser casting cost compared to Kyscu Drake. Yet, it lacks the aforementioned ‘partner with’ synergy and potential for deck optimization. Faerie Seer is a card that not only flies but also lets you scry upon entering the battlefield, offering deck manipulation that Kyscu Drake does not. However, Faerie Seer is more of a utility creature, while Kyscu Drake is geared towards strategic partnerships and offensive plays.

Deciding on which flying creature fits best in a deck strategy comes down to the player’s game plan. Kyscu Drake may not be a standalone powerhouse, but its ability to synergize with a partner card gives it a unique position in flying creature deck dynamics.

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kyscu Drake has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Kyscu Drake card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2004-10-04	Because the “search” requires you to find a card with certain characteristics, you don’t have to find the card if you don’t want to.