Pippin, Warden of Isengard MTG Card

Pippin enriches your gameplay strategy by providing additional card draws under specific conditions. The card’s activation might require card discards, challenging to manage if your hand is low. Despite the high mana cost, Pippin’s versatility makes it a valuable addition to any collection.

Pippin, Warden of Isengard - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)

Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
2023-06-23 - Number 65

Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
2023-06-23 - Number 472

Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
2023-06-23 - Number 146

Pippin, Warden of Isengard // Pippin, Warden of Isengard - Tales of Middle-earth Art Series (ALTR)

Tales of Middle-earth Art Series (ALTR)
2023-06-23 - Number 66

Card sets	Released in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Rare
Type	Legendary Creature — Halfling Advisor
Abilities	Food,Partner,Partner with
Power	2
Toughness	2

Text of card

Partner with Merry, Warden of Isengard (When this creature enters the battlefield, target player may put Merry into their hand from their library, then shuffle.) , : Create a Food token. , Sacrifice four Foods: Other creatures you control get +3/+3 and gain haste until end of turn. Activate only as a sorcery.

Cards like Pippin, Warden of Isengard

Pippin, Warden of Isengard enters the field as a new contender among legendary creature cards. Its strategic value can be compared to Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves, which also offers a dual benefit upon entering the battlefield. While Tolsimir brings along a Wolf creature and has the potential for immediate board impact through its fight ability, Pippin, Warden of Isengard specializes in deck manipulation, providing players with a choice to look at the top two cards of their library.

Examining another counterpart, Renowned Weaponsmith, we observe a similarity in mana cost and card advantage. Though the Weaponsmith offers a more specific advantage, aiding the casting of artifacts or fetching key equipment cards, Pippin’s strength lies in its versatility and the potential to plan multiple turns ahead via its library interaction.

In parallel, Deputy of Detention showcases a different approach to impacting the game. While not offering deck manipulation, it allows for effective board control by exiling opponent’s tokens or creatures. Pippin, however, offers a subtle yet powerful form of card advantage and control over the game’s flow.

Assessing these characters and their abilities shows Pippin, Warden of Isengard as a multifaceted asset capable of fitting various strategies, particularly for players who value foresight and deck efficiency in their gameplay.

Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves - MTG Card versions

Renowned Weaponsmith - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Pippin, Warden of Isengard by color, type and mana cost

Chevill, Bane of Monsters - MTG Card versions

Belbe, Corrupted Observer - MTG Card versions

Skullbriar, the Walking Grave - MTG Card versions

Rakshasa Deathdealer - MTG Card versions

Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pippin, Warden of Isengard helps you keep your hand stocked with options by letting you draw additional cards when certain conditions are met. This continuous supply can give you an upper hand over your opponents by providing more choices for your gameplay strategy.

Resource Acceleration: This card may offer various ways to ramp up your resources, getting you ahead in mana production or allowing you to deploy more threats on the board quicker than your opponent. Such acceleration can be a game-changer, setting the stage for decisive moves.

Instant Speed: If Pippin has abilities that can be activated at instant speed, or if he somehow interacts with instant-speed spells, this allows you to be adaptable and react to your opponent’s moves. You can preserve mana and respond to threats or opportunities as they arise during the match, increasing your strategic flexibility.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Pippin, Warden of Isengard necessitates discarding another card for activation, presenting a challenge if your hand is already depleted or if key cards are in play.

Specific Mana Cost: This card calls for a precise combination of mana types. If your deck doesn’t match these mana requirements or is multi-colored, integrating Pippin into your strategy could prove cumbersome.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment to bring Pippin onto the battlefield might not align with the card’s impact. In several scenarios, players may find that their mana could be better spent on creatures or spells that offer immediate and more substantial effects.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Pippin, Warden of Isengard seamlessly complements various playstyles. As a utility creature, it offers both offensive and defensive capabilities, easily fitting into control or midrange decks.

Combo Potential: This card’s specific abilities can fuel a range of powerful combos. Whether it’s manipulating the top of your library or synergizing with cards that care about Scrying and card draw, Pippin’s versatile nature can lead to surprising and potent interactions on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: With the shifting landscapes of popular decks, having a card like Pippin in your repertoire can give you an edge. It can tilt the scales in matchups where information and deck manipulation are crucial, and its relevance grows as the meta evolves to prioritize smart, tactical play.

How to beat

Pippin, Warden of Isengard adds strategic depth and flavor to any MTG deck but tackling this particular card requires a shrewd approach. When Pippin is on the battlefield, understanding its mechanics and leveraging removal spells at an opportune time is key to suppression. Employing spot removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can dispatch Pippin before its controller reaps substantial advantage.

Managing resources to counter its abilities is also essential. Since Pippin can get card advantage for its owner, look to disrupt hand size with cards like Mind Rot or Thoughtseize. Moreover, reducing the efficacy of Pippin’s information gathering could tilt the match in your favor. This involves cleverly concealing your hand or making it difficult for your opponent to make the most out of the knowledge Pippin grants them.

Keep in mind, the battlefield is dynamic and adapting your tactics to the ongoing game state will improve your odds. It’s not just about the right cards but also when and how you play them against Pippin, Warden of Isengard. An informed and timely response is a linchpin to your strategy.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pippin, Warden of Isengard MTG card by a specific set like Tales of Middle-earth Commander and Tales of Middle-earth Commander, 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 Pippin, Warden of Isengard 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 Pippin, Warden of Isengard Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by Viko Menezes.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2023-06-23	Tales of Middle-earth Commander	LTC	65	2015	Normal	Black	Viko Menezes
2	2023-06-23	Tales of Middle-earth Commander	LTC	472	2015	Normal	Black	Viko Menezes
3	2023-06-23	Tales of Middle-earth Commander	LTC	146	2015	Normal	Black	Viko Menezes
4	~~2023-06-23~~	Tales of Middle-earth Art Series	ALTR	66	2015	Art series	Borderless	Viko Menezes

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pippin, Warden of Isengard has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2023-06-16	"Partner with -ame]" represents two abilities. The first is a triggered ability: "When this permanent enters the battlefield, target player may search their library for a card named -ame], reveal it, put it into their hand, then shuffle their library."
2023-06-16	An effect that checks whether you control your commander is satisfied if you control one or both of your two commanders.
2023-06-16	Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards of your deck are shuffled to become your library.
2023-06-16	Do not eat the delicious cards. No, not even for second breakfast.
2023-06-16	Food is an artifact type. Even though it appears on some creatures in other sets, it's never a creature type.
2023-06-16	If an effect refers to a Food, it means any Food artifact, not just a Food artifact token. For example, you can sacrifice Lembas, an artifact card with the Food subtype, to activate the last ability of Bill the Pony.
2023-06-16	If your Commander deck has two commanders, you can only include cards whose own color identities are also found in your commanders' combined color identities. If Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit and Sam, Loyal Attendant are your commanders, your deck may contain cards with white, black, and/or green in their color identity, but not blue or red.
2023-06-16	Note that the target player searches their library (which may be affected by effects such as that of Stranglehold) and that the card they find is revealed, even though these words aren't included in the ability's reminder text.
2023-06-16	Once the game begins, your two commanders are tracked separately. If you cast one, you won't have to pay an additional the first time you cast the other. A player loses the game after having been dealt 21 damage from one of them, not from both of them combined. Command Beacon's effect puts one into your hand from the command zone, not both.
2023-06-16	Some spells and abilities that create Food tokens may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't create any Food tokens.
2023-06-16	The second ability represented by the "partner with -ame]" keyword modifies the rules for deck construction in the Commander variant and has no function outside of that variant. If a legendary creature card with "partner with -ame]" is designated as your commander, the named legendary creature card can also be designated as your commander. For more information on the Commander variant, please visit Wizards.com/Commander.
2023-06-16	The triggered ability of the "partner with" keyword still triggers in a Commander game. If your other commander has somehow ended up in your library, you can find it. You can also target another player, whether or not they have that card in their library.
2023-06-16	To have two commanders, both must have the partner ability or corresponding "partner with" abilities as the game begins. A creature with a "partner with" ability can't partner with any creature other than its designated partner. Losing a partner ability during the game doesn't cause either to cease to be your commander.
2023-06-16	You can't sacrifice a Food token to pay multiple costs. For example, you can't sacrifice a Food token to activate its own ability and also to activate the last ability of Bill the Pony.