Plundering Pirate MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Orc Pirate |
| Abilities | Treasure |
| Released | 2023-11-17 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan |
| Set code | LCI |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 160 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Francisco Miyara |
Text of card
When Plundering Pirate enters the battlefield, create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")
"Whatever it is, it set off a trap. It must be valuable!"
Cards like Plundering Pirate
The Plundering Pirate has sailed into the Magic: The Gathering arena as a notable creature card, offering both an immediate impact on the board and potential for long-term gain. Its ability to produce Treasure tokens upon entering the battlefield recalls the utility of cards like Sailor of Means. While Sailor of Means provides an extra body for blocking or attacking, Plundering Pirate gives you the advantage earlier in the match, which can be crucial for ramping up your mana.
Comparing treasure-centric cards, Prosperous Pirates is another card that deserves mention. While it costs more mana than Plundering Pirate, the Prosperous Pirates yield an extra Treasure upon entering the battlefield, potentially offering a larger mana boost. Deck strategies focusing on artifact or Treasure synergies might prefer this card for its higher yield.
Ultimately, Plundering Pirate distinguishes itself in its versatility and cost-effectiveness. It’s a solid choice for players looking to enhance their pirate-themed decks or capitalize on Treasure token strategies. Its balance between cost, effect, and creature presence makes it a competitive option within the realm of creature cards generating additional resources.
Cards similar to Plundering Pirate by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Plundering Pirate shines in its ability to give you a card advantage by letting you recover cards from your graveyard. It offers the strategic edge of reusing powerful spells or vital creatures, ensuring your hand remains full of options.
Resource Acceleration: This swashbuckling card is a treasure trove for resource acceleration. It forays onto the battlefield and typically brings with it Treasure tokens. These tokens are incredibly versatile, helping you ramp up your mana production to cast high-cost spells sooner than usual or smoothing out your mana curve in multicolored decks.
Instant Speed: The Plundering Pirate doesn’t just sail smoothly – it can crash onto the scene at instant speed, allowing you to ambush your opponents when they least expect it. This swift maneuverability means you can wait until just the right moment during the combat phase or at the end of your opponent’s turn to make a move, keeping your tactics as unpredictable as the high seas.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Plunging Pirate may compel you to toss a precious card from your hand to activate its ability. This could be a tough call when you’re clinging to key pieces for your game strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that requires specific mana, deck-building flexibility is reduced. It might not seamlessly slot into decks not aligned with its color identity.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana expenditure for summoning Plundering Pirate is steep when compared to other cards with similar effects. When mana efficiency is crucial, this could be a potential setback.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Plundering Pirate fits seamlessly into a variety of deck builds, especially those looking to capitalize on Treasure tokens for ramp, mana fixing, or activating abilities.
Combo Potential: This card can be a key piece in combos, interacting with other cards that benefit from controlling a wealth of artifacts or triggering upon creatures entering the battlefield.
Meta-Relevance: Given the right circumstances, Plundering Pirate can adapt to different meta games, offering both aggressive and control players a valuable tool for their arsenal.
How to beat
Plundering Pirate presents an intriguing challenge for MTG players who thrive on disrupting their opponents’ board. This crafty character not only beefs up your treasure trove but also turns the tide with a potential boost to your land base. However, there are multiple ways to outmaneuver this seafaring rogue.
Key strategies involve moving swiftly to minimize the impact of its treasure-generating ability. The use of removal spells before the pirate’s effect triggers can be efficient. Consider spells such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile for an instant response. In control decks, counter magic, in the form of Negate or Dovin’s Veto, ensures this pirate never hits the deck, maintaining that crucial mana balance.
Graveyard hate is another angle. Cards like Relic of Progenitus keep your opponent’s graveyard clear, disrupting the pirate’s potential late-game impact. And don’t overlook the importance of pressure; adaptive creatures such as Questing Beast can help maintain a tempo that keeps plundering at bay. Ultimately, understanding the card’s mechanics and preparing versatile responses will anchor your game against the Plundering Pirate.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Plundering Pirate MTG card by a specific set like The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, 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 Plundering Pirate and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Plundering Pirate has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |