Persistent Petitioners MTG Card


Great in milling decks, Persistent Petitioners can force an opponent to mill twelve cards rapidly when four are tapped. The card bypasses Commander singleton rules, accelerating mill strategies and creating potent card synergies. While the card allows instant reactions, its stringent deckbuilding requirements may limit its versatility.
Card setsReleased in 11 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Advisor
Abilities Mill
Power 1
Toughness 3

Text of card

, : Target player puts the top card of their library into their graveyard. Tap four untapped Advisors you control: Target player puts the top twelve cards of their library into their graveyard. A deck can have any number of cards named Persistent Petitioners.


Cards like Persistent Petitioners

Within Magic: The Gathering, Persistent Petitioners stands out as a unique card that fuels milling strategies and thrives on having multiple copies on the battlefield. In this context, a close comparator would be another card that enables similar deck-building strategies, like Rat Colony. While Rat Colony bolsters its power based on the number of Rats on the field, Persistent Petitioners sharpens its focus on deck disruption, allowing the milling of an opponent’s library by tapping four untapped Advisors you control.

Another parallel can be drawn with Relentless Rats, which similarly to Rat Colony, gains strength in numbers for a more aggressive game plan. Unlike Persistent Petitioners, though, which plays a control game by targeting the opponent’s deck, Relentless Rats pushes for a swarm tactic, aiming to overpower in combat. Persistent Petitioners also offers the freedom to bypass the singleton rule in commander format, creating a deck around this single card type possible, much like how Shadowborn Apostle shapes a demon-focused deck design.

Looking at these different cards, Persistent Petitioners offers a distinctive approach for players seeking an alternative win condition through strategic milling, carving its niche within Magic: The Gathering as a potent tool in decks aimed at denying resources by targeting the opponent’s deck directly.

Rat Colony - MTG Card versions
Relentless Rats - MTG Card versions
Shadowborn Apostle - MTG Card versions
Rat Colony - MTG Card versions
Relentless Rats - MTG Card versions
Shadowborn Apostle - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Persistent Petitioners. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Mono-Blue MillMono-Blue Mill PauperPauper Jungle

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Persistent Petitioners enables building a deck with numerous copies, creating an impressive library milling synergism. By tapping four Petitioners, you can have an opponent mill twelve cards at once, significantly increasing the potential to rapidly diminish their library.

Resource Acceleration: This card cleverly bypasses singleton rules in a Commander game, allowing for an accelerated strategy that can overwhelm opponents. More Petitioners in play translate to a quicker assembly of the required four to activate its ability, therefore expediting the milling tactic.

Instant Speed: While the action of milling with Persistent Petitioners isn’t at instant speed, the ability to activate it doesn’t require tapping the card the turn it’s played. This allows for adaptability and the chance to respond to an opponent’s end of turn with a sudden mill, catching them off-guard and possibly discarding crucial components of their strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Persistent Petitioners demands saturation in your deck to function efficiently, requiring you to hold multiple copies potentially at the cost of card diversity. This could put you at a disadvantage against varied threats.

Specific Mana Cost: Although Persistent Petitioners mainly requires colorless mana, it also requires one blue mana. This necessitates a commitment to blue mana sources, which could restrict deck building and make the card less versatile in multicolor decks that are not heavily blue.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: To optimize the mill effect, you need a significant number of Persistent Petitioners on the board, each costing two mana. The aggregate mana investment to set this up can be high compared to other strategies focused on milling the opponent or developing board presence more rapidly. This makes them a potentially less efficient choice in fast-paced games.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Persistent Petitioners offers a unique effect allowing you to broadly disrupt your opponent’s strategy. It’s a solid addition in decks focused on mill strategies, or even as a defensive chump blocker in a pinch.

Combo Potential: With the ability to team up four copies to mill a substantial portion of an opponent’s deck, these advisors can fuel potent combos. Integrating cards that untap creatures or shuffle graveyards back into libraries can exploit their ability to its fullest.

Meta-Relevance: In a format where library manipulation is key, having a set of Persistent Petitioners can give you an edge. They serve as an effective tool against decks that rely on specific cards or graveyard strategies, making them a tactical choice in the current metagame.


How to beat

Persistent Petitioners is a card that often appears in decks built around a milling strategy in Magic the Gathering. This card, allowing a player to tap four of any number of Persistent Petitioners they control to make an opponent put the top twelve cards of their library into their graveyard, can quickly deplete an opponent’s deck, leading to a potential win without traditional combat.

To counteract this card, there are several effective strategies. Importantly, cards that can wipe the board of creatures, such as Wrath of God or Supreme Verdict, can be pivotal in removing multiple copies of Persistent Petitioners from the battlefield at once. Alternatively, utilizing cards with the keyword “hexproof” for your library, such as Gaea’s Blessing or targeted removal spells can disrupt the card’s milling mechanism. It’s also possible to use graveyard shuffling effects, which will diminish the impact of being milled. Lastly, incorporating instant speed spells that can be played on your opponent’s turn disrupts the potential of a mass tap for milling purposes.

Players need to assess their situation and apply these strategies effectively to overcome a Persistent Petitioners deck, ensuring they maintain a library sufficient to last until they achieve victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the art of MTG involves a blend of strategy, innovation, and understanding the value of cards like Persistent Petitioners. As card enthusiasts and experts in guiding players through the dynamic world of MTG, we see the power in optimizing your deck with cards that alter the pace and outcome of a match. Persistent Petitioners is one such card that requires finesse and a well-structured deck to exploit its full potential. If you’re intrigued by the prospects of milling strategies or shaking up the metagame, delve deeper with us. Explore more insights and strategies to harness the true power of this card, and advance your gameplay with BurnMana’s expert guidance.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Persistent Petitioners MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Persistent Petitioners and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Persistent Petitioners Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2019-01-25 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by 9 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-01-25Ravnica AllegianceRNA 442015NormalBlackJason Rainville
22019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 6012015NormalBlackQistina Khalidah
32019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 5972015NormalBorderlessDeath Burger
42019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 5962015NormalBorderlessCROM
52019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 5952015NormalBorderlessCasimir Lee
62019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 5932015NormalBorderlessBrandi Milne
72019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 6002015NormalBorderlessNIARK1
82019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 5982015NormalBorderlessFeifei Ruan
92019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 5992015NormalBorderlessGalen Dara
102024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 532015NormalBlackJason Rainville
112024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 3161997NormalBlackJason Rainville

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Persistent Petitioners has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2019-01-25 Advisors that you haven’t controlled continuously since your turn began may be tapped to pay for the second ability of Persistent Petitioners.
2019-01-25 It’s not possible to tap one Persistent Petitioners to activate both its first and second ability, or to activate its second ability and that of another Persistent Petitioners. This means that if you tap four Persistent Petitioners, the target player loses the top twelve cards of their library, not the top forty-eight.
2019-01-25 The last ability of Persistent Petitioners lets you ignore the “four-of” rule. It doesn’t let you ignore format legality. For example, during a Ravnica Allegiance Limited event, you can’t add Persistent Petitioners from your personal collection, no matter how much they ask.