Academy Drake

Creature — Drake

Kicker {4} (You may pay an additional {4} as you cast this spell.)

Flying

If Academy Drake was kicked, it enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Arena	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Pauper Duel Commander	Legal
Pauper EDH	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (8)

TheVectornaut on What all does Donal, Herald …

1 year ago

There is an entire section of the rules dedicated to dealing with fringe copy situations just like this. The first rule to note is 707.10: "[...] A copy of a spell or ability copies both the characteristics of the spell or ability and all decisions made for it, including modes, targets, the value of X, and additional or alternative costs. (See rule 601, “Casting Spells.”) Choices that are normally made on resolution are not copied. If an effect of the copy refers to objects used to pay its costs, it uses the objects used to pay the costs of the original spell or ability. [...]" The first part of this rule tells you that values of x, kickers, and any other alternative/additional costs paid for the original spell will also apply to the copy. Hence, a copy of a kicked Academy Drake will enter as a token with 2 +1/+1 counters. The second part of this rule explains that objects used to pay costs will be referenced by the copy. So a copy of Murktide Regent that has delved for 4 instants/sorceries will enter as a token with 4 +1/+1 counters.

For the last question, consider rule 707.9d: "When applying a copy effect that doesn’t copy a certain characteristic, retains one or more original values for a certain characteristic, or provides a specific set of values for a certain characteristic, any characteristic-defining ability (see rule 604.3) of the object being copied that defines that characteristic is not copied. [...]" Because Donal, Herald of Wings is forcing the copy to be a 1/1, an ability like Sturmgeist's that defines power and toughness will not be copied at all.

CamraMaan on What all does Donal, Herald …

1 year ago

Does Donal, Herald of Wings copy whether or not a creature spell is kicked, or copy any other additional costs paid? Like, say I kick Academy Drake? Does the copy enter with two +1/+1 counters on it...? What if a creature had an X casting cost? Will a copy of Murktide Regent ETB with the same number of +1/+1 counters as the original card? Also, what happens when Donal copies Sturmgeist? Is it a 1/1 or a x/x? (It won't let me post with stars for the P/T) As always, thanks in advance for the help! :)

legendofa on what is the reach of …

1 year ago

To clarify the wording a little bit, the "then" isn't the result of an if-then clause. It's a first-then clause.

If this spell casting thing happens, first put a counter on the card, and then create a token.

Once again, the precision of Magic-ese compared to English makes a difference. Magic-ese doesn't put the "then" at the start of the second part of an if-then conditional statement.

Delphen7 A spell can't change CMC, or mana value for the new term. It's the sum of all colored/colorless symbols and generic mana cost as printed in the top right corner. As an example, Academy Drake has a MV of 3, whether or not it was kicked. Additional costs, reductions, alternate payments, and whatever else do not affect converted mana cost/mana value.

multimedia on Spellweaver: The Deck

2 years ago

Hey, you're welcome, thanks for all the upvotes at my decks. Well done with changes so far, but you still didn't add Tower, haha. Good job trimming the creatures and nice Guardianship :)

If you're playing casually, not trying to win the game quickly then in my opinion more lands is better than less lands. Missing a land drop when you're expecting the game to go long is not something you want to have to worry about. Ramp sources are the sorcery speed cards you want to cast more than others since they help you to have mana to cast instants on your opponents turns. Sorcery speed ramp sources with Spellslinger are more important than using that same mana to cast a creature. When instant ramp is available it can replace a creature since then you're ramping at instant speed instead of sorcery speed.

Solemn Simulacrum is a fine card for most decks, but Unexpected Windfall is better ramp/draw with Spellslinger simply because it's an instant that also draws cards right away. Pteramander isn't doing anything until much later in the game, if ever. It would be better if Pteramander was another two drop mana rock such as Fellwar Stone. There's lots of four drops here and Crackling Drake is the least good of them simply because it's just a flying beater who you don't really need. Replacing Crackling with another instant that gives you some card selection and a card such as Impulse would do more.

You've added Young Pyromancer which is good especially for blockers because the tokens are created by you casting instants not creatures. Saheeli, Sublime Artificer is another blocker creator and the tokens she creates are artifacts which has excellent interaction with Galazeth Prismari.

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Interacting with opponents by casting a spell or spells during their turns is what Spellslinger is all about. Instant draw are the cards that keep you engaged on each players turn with cards in hand to potentially interact at instant speed with an opponent. If you think a creature is filler such as Academy Drake and Skyclave Sentinel, instead of playing them play more instant draw spells such as Brainstorm and Thrill of Possibility.

Burn spells such as Flame Spill that have only one target, a creature, are much less impactful in Commander because you have multiple opponents who are going to have many different kinds of permanents, not just creatures. Versatility is important to have with instants if you're strategy is to interact with your opponent on their turns. Chaos Warp is an example of an instant speed removal spell that is an upgrade for Flame Spill because Warp removes (tucks) any permanent you target. Into the Roil is another example of a versatile removal spell.

In my last comment I mentioned to streamline the creatures and you can do the same thing with instants. Flame Spill is an example of an instant that's not needed because you have other burn spells that are better such as Lightning Bolt and Lightning Strike because they can target any target not just a creature. Draw spells don't really need to be streamlined since they draw cards which theoretically helps you to draw into more impactful cards, they trigger Niv and chaining draw spells also gives you a big advantage with magecraft.

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I haven't played Veyran, Voice of Duality as Commander yet, only as a card in the 99, but Spellslinger would be much different with her as Commander. Sorceries are just as important as instants with Veyran because you want to pump her on your turn to attack. Lethal Commander damage is possible and should be a strategy for winning with Veyran, but you can only get to enough power with Veyran to do lethal Commander damage by casting instants and sorceries on your turn, not on opponent turns. One drops spells that draw a card while giving Veyran evasion such as Shadow Rift, Leap, Crash Through, Slip Through Space and Expedite are good for Spellslinger with Veyran as Commander, but these same cards are not needed with Spellslinger when Niv is Commander.

You technically need less lands and ramp with Veyran as Commander than Niv because she's less mana to cast and low CMC instants/sorceries are priority cards to play to pump her. With Veyran you would also want less creatures and unlike Niv she's only a three drop who can be cast much earlier in the game. Birgi, God of Storytelling  ^Flip, Storm-Kiln Artist, Dualcaster Mage, Young Pyromancer are the kind of creatures you want with Veyran as Commander. Once you get her on the battlefield you want to spend your mana on spells that interact with her or protect her. Since she can be cast early then it doesn't leave many turns to worry about casting other creatures.

abby315 on Terror of the peaks question

3 years ago

Massacar has it, except that Artisan doesn't get counters, just a state-based pump.

Anything that has a state-based P/T, e.g. Artisan, Tarmogoyf, will enter with a P/T according to the battlefield. So, if someone exiled your GY in response to the Goyf or Artisan cast, they'd do 0 and 1 damage with Terror respectively.

Also, any creatures that enter "with" counters, e.g. kicked Academy Drake, will deal damage equal to their power including the counters.

If a creature gets +1/+1 counters "when" it enters the battlefield, e.g. Basri's Lieutenant, you can stack the triggers so that the +1/+1 counter resolves first, and then Terror's ability resolves and deals, in this example, 4 damage (if you put the counter on Lieutenant).

Last trick, the trigger goes on the stack and can be responded to. So, if your creature enters the battlefield and your opponent kills it while Terror's ability is resolving, it deals damage equal to the creature's power as it leaves the battlefield. In this example, you would get 3 damage from Lieutenant if your opponent responds to the ETB counter trigger; you'd get 4 damage if they respond to the Terror trigger.

Here's the relevant ruling: "The amount of damage Terror of the Peaks deals is the entering creature’s power as the triggered ability resolves. If that creature leaves the battlefield before the ability resolves, use its power as it last existed on the battlefield."

Nuubi on Is there a difference between …

5 years ago

For instance is there a difference in a buff ability like Merfolk Sovereign ’s where it seems more like a static ability, versus something like Academy Drake where it specifically says it gives counters? The reason I ask is because in the scenario there was a Herald of Secret Streams on the board,so if merfolk sovereigns ability applies toward herald of secret streams,the whole Board would have been unblockable.

Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor on Dominaria release notes posted

6 years ago

So in event #2 today I took third (3-1). I basically played Esper flyers/control with two Woodland Cemeterys to splash for Tatyova, Benthic Druid. I was packing both Aryel, Knight of Windgrace and Josu Vess, Lich Knight (who I did manage to kick one game for the victory) alongside multiples of each of The Eldest Reborn, Cloudreader Sphinx, Academy Drake, Deep Freeze, and Aven Sentry. Also, flickering The Eldest Reborn with Sentinel of the Pearl Trident while the third trigger is on the stack is so broken. I only lost to the eventual winner who was running a good stuff deck that had bigger fliers (Lyra and multiple Serras)

A buddy of mine also went 3-1 with a voltron deck that centered around powering up Yargle, Glutton of Urborg, Kwende, Pride of Femeref, or Evra, Halcyon Witness with On Serra's Wings (he had 3), Dub, or Jousting Lance. He also ran a couple of Memorial to Folly and Tragic Poets to keep recurring his creatures and enchantments. It was by far the funniest/my favorite deck I have seen all weekend.

LittleBlueHero on Dominaria release notes posted

6 years ago

I was happily surprised when in my most recent email from Wizards it stated that we will get a Random Foil Stamped Promo Legend AND the usual Foil Stamped random rare/mythic... Im definitely going Saturday and Sunday.

Green definitely looks strong in limited especially with some really solid commons but you know who else has solid commons for a change? Blue.

Im not a blue mage by nature but there are a lot of aggressive and good tempo cards at common like Academy Drake and Academy Journeymage. They are good because I am happy to play em early and I am happy to play em late. I think In Bolas's Clutches will win a lot of games too, I mean 6 mana for their best permanent and it gives you two legendary permanents for times when that may be relevant... its a very good deal.