Pious Evangel // Wayward Disciple MTG Card


Pious Evangel thrives in creature-based decks, converting deaths into life gains or cards. Instant speed transform allows strategic flips to counteract opponents’ moves. Adaptability is key; shifts from life gain to potential win condition upon transformation.
Pious Evangel // Wayward Disciple - Shadows over Innistrad
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Cleric
Abilities Transform
Released2016-04-08
Set symbol
Set nameShadows over Innistrad
Set codeSOI
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number34
Frame2015
LayoutTransform
BorderBlack
Illustred byKev Walker

Text of card

Whenever Pious Evangel or another creature enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 1 life. , , Sacrifice another permanent: Transform Pious Evangel.

"My faith guides my hand . . ."


Cards like Pious Evangel // Wayward Disciple

Pious Evangel offers a unique blend of life-gain and creature synergy in MTG. Its likeness can be seen in cards like Tithe Drinker, which also provides a consistent life-gain ability. Though Tithe Drinker bears extort, allowing you to chip away at opponents’ life while bolstering your own, Pious Evangel stands out with its potential to transform. Unlike Tithe Drinker, Pious Evangel can become Wayward Disciple, a creature that lets you drain opponents whenever another creature dies—increasing the potential life swing in your favor.

Another card with a similar ethos is Zulaport Cutthroat. While it lacks the transformation ability, it provides a direct and consistent life-loss mechanic for opponents whenever your creatures die, which synergizes well with decks focused on creature sacrifice. Upgrading to Pious Evangel, players gain an additional body on the board before it potentially becomes an even greater threat through its transformative ability.

Could Pious Evangel find its place as a staple in life-gain and sacrifice decks in MTG? Its dual nature and the inherent versatility certainly add credence to its potential, allowing for strategic depth and tactical advantage in gameplay that extends beyond the reach of its peers.

Tithe Drinker - MTG Card versions
Zulaport Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Tithe Drinker - MTG Card versions
Zulaport Cutthroat - MTG Card versions

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Selfless Glyphweaver // Deadly Vanity - MTG Card versions
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Teysa, Orzhov Scion - MTG Card versions
Souls of the Faultless - MTG Card versions
Orzhov Pontiff - MTG Card versions
Necrotic Sliver - MTG Card versions
Stillmoon Cavalier - MTG Card versions
Gwyllion Hedge-Mage - MTG Card versions
Scholar of Athreos - MTG Card versions
Restless Apparition - MTG Card versions
Blood-Cursed Knight - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pious Evangel can provide a consistent source of card advantage, especially in decks built around creature synergies. The ability to transform into Wayward Disciple and draw off opponent’s creatures dying fortifies your position in the game.

Resource Acceleration: Coupled with its ability to generate additional creatures, Pious Evangel accelerates resource accumulation. In its transformed state, Wayward Disciple can effectively convert every creature’s death into a gain of life, which can be pivotal for sustaining strategies that require stable life totals.

Instant Speed: While Pious Evangel itself is not an instant, its transform ability operates at instant speed. This means you can change the pace of the game by deciding when to flip it, ideally responding to an opponent’s actions and gaining the upperhand during their turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Pious Evangel’s transform condition necessitates sacrificing another permanent, which may strain your board presence, especially if opponents disrupt your strategy or you’re low on permanents.

Specific Mana Cost: Pious Evangel comes with a specific mana cost that includes white mana, limiting it to white-centric or multi-color decks and potentially restricting its playability for those running other color combinations.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Having to invest three mana might be a bit steep for an early game creature, considering other cards at similar costs can potentially offer immediate impact or more powerful abilities on the battlefield.


Reasons to Include Pious Evangel in Your Collection

Versatility: Pious Evangel offers widespread adaptability as it serves multiple roles within various deck archetypes. Its initial form provides life gain which is essential for prolonging games, while its flip side, Wayward Disciple, can act as a win condition in sacrifice strategies.

Combo Potential: This card is a hidden gem when it comes to synergies. It can be leveraged in decks that exploit enter-the-battlefield or death triggers, making it a cornerstone for intricate combos. As it transforms upon a simple condition of sacrificing another permanent, opportunities to combo with Pious Evangel are vast.

Meta-Relevance: While the card is not a staple in every deck, it shines in a meta game rich with creature-based strategies. Pious Evangel can provide consistent life gain to outpace aggro decks, or in its transformed state, drain opponents to turn the tide in a more attritional match-up.


How to Beat Pious Evangel

Pious Evangel is a card that brings an interesting twist to creature strategies in Magic: The Gathering. Among its distinctive features is the ability to transform into Wayward Disciple, a creature that lets you gain life each time another creature dies. This ability can significantly strengthen a deck’s resilience, turning every creature’s demise into a boon for the player.

Streamlining your strategy to face this card involves incorporating removals that alleviate the life-gain or abate creature successions. For example, cards that exile, rather than destroy, might prevent the trigger of Wayward Disciple’s ability. Moreover, making use of board wipes can ensure minimizing the advantage gained from multiple creatures dying at once.

Aggressive decks that can apply pressure before Pious Evangel becomes a major threat could outpace and challenge the conversion of creatures to life points. Additionally, employing graveyard disruption can sever the recurring loop of creatures that might be synergizing with Pious Evangel. By understanding and applying these tactics, players can mitigate the edge Pious Evangel furnishes to an opponent’s deck.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the art of MTG involves a deep understanding of each card’s potential, including the adaptable Pious Evangel. As players strive for dominance on the battlefield, it’s crucial to recognize cards that offer flexibility, synergy, and strategic advantage. Whether you’re curating your collection or devising new deck strategies, considering Pious Evangel’s transformative ability could be a game-changer. It’s a testament to the layers of complexity within MTG that keep the game fresh and exciting. We encourage you to delve deeper into the nuances of Pious Evangel and similar cards. Elevate your play and discover more enriching strategies in the world of MTG with us.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pious Evangel // Wayward Disciple MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad, 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 Pious Evangel // Wayward Disciple and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pious Evangel // Wayward Disciple has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2016-04-08 If Pious Evangel enters the battlefield at the same time as another creature you control, Pious Evangel’s ability triggers once for the other creature as well as once for itself.
2016-04-08 If Wayward Disciple dies at the same time as another creature you control, Wayward Disciple’s ability triggers once for the other creature as well as once for itself.
2016-07-13 For more information on double-faced cards, see the Shadows over Innistrad mechanics article (http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/shadows-over-innistrad-mechanics).