Pillaging Horde MTG Card

Pillaging Horde offers card advantage and can dramatically refill your hand with aggressive play. Requires careful deck building due to specific mana needs and a potentially steep casting cost. Despite cons, it’s a versatile pick for fast-paced aggressive strategies and building combos.

Portal (POR)
1997-05-01 - Number 142

Vintage Masters (VMA)
2014-06-16 - Number 180

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number POR-142

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Human Barbarian
Power	5
Toughness	5

Text of card

When Pillaging Horde comes into play from your hand, discard a card at random from your hand or destroy Pillaging Horde.

Cards like Pillaging Horde

In the Magic: The Gathering landscape, Pillaging Horde occupies an interesting space among creature cards with aggressive strategies. Its nearest relative could be considered Goblin Guide, both offering substantial early game pressure. While Goblin Guide propels you ahead with its swift two damage for just one mana, Pillaging Horde brings a different dynamic, potentially swarming the board with creatures when you are poised to seize a lead.

Another comparable card is Mogg War Marshal, which, similar to Pillaging Horde, provides more than just a singular creature. Mogg War Marshal may bring fewer creatures to the fray initially compared to Pillaging Horde, yet it has the added utility of leaving behind a creature when it dies. It is worthwhile to recognize the Echo cost providing longevity for Marshal, an aspect where Pillaging Horde doesn’t offer an immediate secondary benefit.

Assessing these and other companion cards, Pillaging Horde is distinctive with its capability to escalate the creature count rapidly, a feature crucial for decks that hinge on overwhelming opponents with sheer numbers. Thus, it can be an excellent option for players aiming for a strategy with the potential for an explosive start.

Cards similar to Pillaging Horde by color, type and mana cost

Krark-Clan Engineers - MTG Card versions

Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Pillaging Horde, players can benefit from sacrificing another creature to potentially draw three cards. This efficiently refills your hand and keeps options open for subsequent turns.

Resource Acceleration: Pillaging Horde can be a key component in strategies aiming to outpace opponents. Though its cost involves sacrificing a creature, the investment can lead to a faster deployment of subsequent threats or answers.

Instant Speed: Although Pillaging Horde operates at sorcery speed, its impact can cause instant-speed ramifications in your gameplay. Its presence forces opponents to play cautiously, knowing that you have the mana to deploy more threats rapidly after it resolves.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One hurdle players must overcome with the Pillaging Horde is the discard requirement. When casting this spell, you need to pitch another card from your hand into the graveyard. During critical moments, especially when your hand is sparse, discarding an additional resource can prove costly, impacting your ability to maintain strategic momentum.

Specific Mana Cost: Deck building can be constricted by cards with specific mana costs. Pillaging Horde requires a commitment to red mana, which can be restrictive. This limits the card’s flexibility, making it less attractive to players running multi-color decks that may struggle to meet the red mana requirement consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighing in at four mana, the Pillaging Horde’s casting cost is notable. When considering your play options, it’s important to gauge whether the power and toughness of this creature justify its mana expenditure. As players scan their deck options, they might find alternative creatures or spells that offer more utility or impact for a similar, if not lower, mana investment.

Reasons to Include Pillaging Horde in Your Collection

Versatility: Pillaging Horde offers flexibility to your deck-building by fitting seamlessly into strategies that call for aggressive play. Its capacity to provide quick damage makes it a must-have for decks looking to take advantage of early game momentum.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with strategies emphasizing sacrifice for benefit—its presence fuels effects that trigger off creatures dying or entering the battlefield, thus enhancing your tactical approach.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where fast-paced decks are prevalent, Pillaging Horde’s ability to apply pressure early on can help you maintain the upper hand against the competition. Moreover, being adept at confronting control decks strengthens its position as a valuable addition to your arsenal.

How to beat

Pillaging Horde presents an aggressive challenge on the battlefield, coming into play with a considerable creature presence. An essential strategy for overcoming this card lies in leveraging efficient removal. Spells that offer one-for-many trades like Wrath of God or Doomskar can clear the Horde off the board without losing card advantage. If you’re playing blue, cards like Essence Scatter can counter Pillaging Horde before it ever poses a threat.

Adapting your playstyle is also crucial. Prioritize keeping up mana for instant-speed responses and avoid overextending your own forces into a potential board wipe. Lastly, exploit their requirement for a tribute or a quick ramp-up—such as a costly casting price—by using the window to strengthen your board position or resources. A stalling tactic could include using bounce spells like Unsummon to provide temporary relief, buying you time to draw into a more permanent solution.

Understanding the dynamics of Pillaging Horde’s strengths and weaknesses is paramount in formulating a successful strategy. By minimizing their impact through smart removal and timing, you can tilt the scales in your favor when facing this potent threat.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pillaging Horde MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Vintage Masters, 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 Pillaging Horde and other MTG cards:

BUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Pillaging Horde Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 2014-06-16. Illustrated by Kev Walker.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1997-05-01	Portal	POR	142	1997	Normal	Black	Kev Walker
2	2014-06-16	Vintage Masters	VMA	180	2015	Normal	Black	Kev Walker
3	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	POR-142	1997	Normal	Black	Kev Walker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pillaging Horde has restrictions

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