Spike Drone
Creature — Spike Drone
This creature enters with a +1/+1 counter on it.
, Remove a +1/+1 counter from this creature: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
- CMC
- 1
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- G
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Tempest
- Price
- $0.11
- EDHREC rank
- #25133
Spike Drone enters with a +1/+1 counter, moves counters around at the cost of two mana and a tap, and can sacrifice itself to put a counter on a target creature — it's a slow, mana-intensive engine piece that only earns a slot in dedicated Spike tribal or counter-manipulation builds. Outside that narrow context, the payoff doesn't justify the setup.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Spike Drone is a niche include that belongs almost exclusively in decks built around Spike synergies or aggressive +1/+1 counter engines — think Atraxa, Praetors' Voice or dedicated proliferate shells where redistributing counters has cascading value. In Pauper, the common legality is notable, but the two-mana activation cost is brutal in a format defined by efficiency, so it sees essentially no play. Legacy and Vintage legality is technically true, but Spike Drone has never had a reason to touch either format. It's a card that knows what it is: a Commander curiosity for the right 99.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.11 bulk tier
At $0.11, Spike Drone sits firmly in bulk territory — you're paying for the effect, not the cardboard. Bulk commons and uncommons with this level of niche appeal don't appreciate; buy it because you want to run it, not because you expect it to move.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.