Pillory of the Sleepless MTG Card


It delivers a potent blend of creature control and gradual life point erosion, challenging opponents’ strategies. Pillory of the Sleepless’s mana specificity gears it towards Orzhov decks, limiting its versatility. In the right deck, it provides substantial synergy and meta-relevance, aligning with the Orzhov theme.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature can't attack or block. Enchanted creature has "At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life."

Which is worse—the sleep which never ends or that which never comes?


Cards like Pillory of the Sleepless

Pillory of the Sleepless stands out as a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering, often compared to similar cards that combine removal with persistent effects. One such card is Stab Wound, which not only reduces the creature’s power but also deals damage to its controller each turn. Stab Wound brings a similar strategy to the table, allowing players to weaken opponents’ creatures while steadily chipping away at their life total.

Another card in this category is One Thousand Lashes. Much like Pillory of the Sleepless, it prevents the enchanted creature from attacking or blocking and causes its controller to lose life at the beginning of their upkeep. Although these cards share a similar approach in disrupting opponents, Pillory of the Sleepless adds to the lore by imbuing the game with the dark essence of Orzhov Syndicate, making the creature suffer endlessly, flavorfully resonating with its guilds’ theme.

When it comes to choosing which card to include in a deck, players often weigh the balance between the cost, effect, and additional benefits, making Pillory of the Sleepless a compelling option due to its dual utility as both removal and a source of consistent life loss for the opponent.

Stab Wound - MTG Card versions
One Thousand Lashes - MTG Card versions
Stab Wound - MTG Card versions
One Thousand Lashes - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Pillory of the Sleepless by color, type and mana cost

Circle of Despair - MTG Card versions
Righteous War - MTG Card versions
Soul Link - MTG Card versions
Etchings of the Chosen - MTG Card versions
Gift of Orzhova - MTG Card versions
Athreos, God of Passage - MTG Card versions
Behind the Scenes - MTG Card versions
Profane Procession // Tomb of the Dusk Rose - MTG Card versions
Oath of Kaya - MTG Card versions
Knights' Charge - MTG Card versions
Ascent of the Worthy - MTG Card versions
Circle of Despair - MTG Card versions
Righteous War - MTG Card versions
Soul Link - MTG Card versions
Etchings of the Chosen - MTG Card versions
Gift of Orzhova - MTG Card versions
Athreos, God of Passage - MTG Card versions
Behind the Scenes - MTG Card versions
Profane Procession // Tomb of the Dusk Rose - MTG Card versions
Oath of Kaya - MTG Card versions
Knights' Charge - MTG Card versions
Ascent of the Worthy - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pillory of the Sleepless offers a combination of offensive and defensive utility, which can indirectly lead to card advantage. By enchanting an opponent’s creature, it becomes unusable, potentially rendering other cards in the opponent’s hand or field less effective due to lost synergies or blocking capabilities.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana or treasure tokens, Pillory of the Sleepless places a consistent drain on the opponent’s life total each turn. This continuous pressure can accelerate the game towards your victory, effectively shortening the resource race by dealing damage outside of the combat phase.

Instant Speed: Despite being an Aura with enchant creature, Pillory of the Sleepless affects the board immediately upon resolution. Its impact is felt at the beginning of the upkeep of the enchanted creature’s controller, instantly integrating with your strategy and forcing your opponent to react without delay.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Pillory of the Sleepless does not have a discard requirement, players must consider the impact of tapping out to cast it, potentially leaving themselves vulnerable due to a lack of mana for responses during the opponent’s turn.

Specific Mana Cost: Pillory of the Sleepless comes with a specific mana cost that requires both white and black mana. This limitation makes it exclusive to certain deck types, primarily Orzhov decks, and may not be a flexible pick for decks that run multiple colors or lack a consistent mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including one black and one white, Pillory of the Sleepless may compete for a slot against other three-drop options in a player’s deck. Considering other removal or lockdown options might provide more utility or lower the curve of the deck, its mana cost can seem higher than desired for the effect it delivers.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Pillory of the Sleepless is a solid addition to any Orzhov deck, or broadly in any black and white combination decks. Its ability not only controls opponents’ creatures but also chips away at their life total, proving utility on multiple fronts.

Combo Potential: When looking at synergy, this enchantment shines with any strategy that capitalizes on opponents losing life or creatures being tapped and unable to block. It integrates well with effects that punish players for activated abilities or life loss.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where resilient creatures abound, Pillory of the Sleepless serves as an effective answer. It’s particularly relevant if you’re facing decks that rely on key individual creatures instead of large swarms, limiting your opponent’s offensive options while steadily decreasing their life points.


How to beat

Pillory of the Sleepless is a unique Aura in Magic: The Gathering that can turn the tide of battle by not only disabling a creature but also steadily draining the opponent’s life total. This card can be challenging to deal with once it’s on the board. However, strategies to overcome this obstacle exist, such as employing enchantment removal spells like Disenchant or Naturalize that can directly target and destroy Pillory of the Sleepless, liberating your creature and halting the life loss.

Another effective countermeasure is utilizing hexproof or shroud abilities to prevent the Aura from being attached to your creatures in the first place. Cards like Blossoming Defense or Swiftfoot Boots can offer protection to your valuable creatures against such targeted spells. Additionally, using instant-speed removal spells that can destroy or exile enchantments in response to the casting of Pillory of the Sleepless can be pivotal. It’s essential to remember to reserve these spells for key moments to maximize their efficacy and maintain the momentum in your favor during the match.

Finally, incorporating cards that can benefit from being targeted or enjoy graveyard synergies into your deck can also help turn Pillory of the Sleepless’s disadvantage into your advantage, showcasing the deep strategic layers and interactions that make Magic: The Gathering so enthralling.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pillory of the Sleepless MTG card by a specific set like Guildpact and Modern Masters 2015, 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 Pillory of the Sleepless and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Pillory of the Sleepless Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2006-02-03 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12006-02-03GuildpactGPT 1252003NormalBlackMark Romanoski
22015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 1832015NormalBlackMarc Simonetti
32018-03-16Masters 25A25 2132015NormalBlackMarc Simonetti
42019-02-15RNA Guild KitGK2 442015NormalBlackMarc Simonetti
52019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 14632015NormalBlackMarc Simonetti
62020-09-26The ListPLST A25-2132015NormalBlackMarc Simonetti

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pillory of the Sleepless has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2018-03-16 The controller of the enchanted creature will lose 1 life, not the controller of Pillory of the Sleepless.