Peregrine DrakeHow it works & interactions with other cards

Taking Flight: The Basics

Peregrine Drake is a 2/3 creature with Flying that costs five mana. Its power lies in its enter-the-battlefield ability, which triggers as soon as the Drake successfully resolves and enters the battlefield. You can untap up to five lands, which includes any lands you just tapped to cast the Drake itself, potentially making it a 'free' spell.

Step-by-Step Resolution

When Peregrine Drake enters, its triggered ability is put onto the stack. Since the ability does not use the word 'target,' you do not need to choose which lands to untap until the ability actually resolves. Once it resolves, you choose up to five lands—yours or your opponents'—and untap them all simultaneously. If the ability is countered, the lands remain tapped.

Common Mistakes

A frequent misconception is that you must control the lands you untap. According to the official rulings, you can choose any lands on the battlefield, which is useful in multiplayer formats for political leverage. Additionally, because the ability triggers on entry, you must have the Drake successfully enter the battlefield; if the spell is countered while on the stack, you get no mana back.

When to Play It

The best time to play Peregrine Drake is when you have at least five lands available, ensuring you get the maximum value from the untap trigger. It is particularly potent in decks that can blink or flicker creatures, as re-entering the battlefield will trigger the untap effect repeatedly, often generating a massive mana advantage.

Interaction examples

The Mana Neutral Play

You tap five Islands to cast Peregrine Drake. Once it enters the battlefield, its ability triggers. You choose the five tapped Islands and untap them. You now have a 2/3 flyer on the board and all your mana available again for your opponent's turn.

Searching for Power

Solemn Simulacrum

You cast Solemn Simulacrum and use its ability to put a basic land onto the battlefield tapped. On your next turn, you cast Peregrine Drake. The Drake's ability can untap the land brought in by Solemn Simulacrum, effectively turning a previously unusable, tapped land into active mana.

Double the Mana

Roaming Throne

With Roaming Throne on the battlefield naming 'Drake,' Peregrine Drake enters. Roaming Throne causes the Drake's ability to trigger an additional time. You resolve the first trigger to untap five lands, tap them for mana in response to the second trigger, and then resolve the second trigger to untap those same five lands again, totaling ten mana worth of untaps.