Runechanter's Pike MTG Card
2011-09-30 - Number 231
2022-11-18 - Number 111z
2022-11-18 - Number 111
2022-11-18 - Number 48
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Artifact — Equipment |
| Abilities | Equip |
Text of card
Equipped creature has first strike and gets +X/+0, where X is the number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard. Equip
As sharp as its bearer's words of faith.
Cards like Runechanter's Pike
Runechanter’s Pike is a unique artifact that has secured its place among the variety of equipment cards in Magic: The Gathering. It draws close comparison with the likes of Bonesplitter and Grafted Wargear, which also enhance a creature’s combat prowess. However, Runechanter’s Pike boasts a distinct magical heft with its ability to grant not just a static power boost, but one that scales with the number of instants and sorceries in the user’s graveyard.
Like the trusty Bonesplitter, which offers a consistent +2/+0 bump to creatures, Runechanter’s Pike offers a potential for a much larger power increase, albeit situational. Grafted Wargear also provides a significant +3/+2 boost but at the cost of the equipped creature if the Wargear is removed. In contrast, Runechanter’s Pike adds First Strike, considerably shifting combat dynamics in favor of the wielder. The Pike’s true potential, however, is uncapped, resonating with spell-slinging decks that churn through lots of instants and sorceries.
Evaluating Runechanter’s Pike against these peer cards shows its capacity as a formidable force multiplier in the right deck, particularly where spell casting takes center stage, accentuating the Pike’s might beyond what traditional equipment cards offer.
Cards similar to Runechanter's Pike by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Equipping Runechanter’s Pike to a creature turns every instant and sorcery card in your graveyard into potential power boosts. This conversion of non-creature spells into offensive power can shift the balance of control, allowing for significant advantage during combat phases.
Resource Acceleration: Runechanter’s Pike is an artifact that facilitates faster gameplay by potentially increasing a creature’s power substantially with minimal mana investment. This means that rather than casting numerous spells to increase a creature’s power, you have an incremental, scalable power source as your graveyard fills up.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of instant-speed interaction is embodied in this card’s ability to be attached to a creature at any time you could cast an instant. This allows for surprise shifts in power during combat or in response to an opponent’s actions, often leading to advantageous trades or unforeseen lethal attacks.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Runechanter’s Pike has an equip cost that specifically requires two generic and one blue mana, limiting flexibility for decks running multiple colors or those that are tight on blue mana sources.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though the initial casting cost is reasonable, the combined total to both play and attach Runechanter’s Pike to a creature can be demanding, allocating resources that could potentially be used for other spells or abilities in a turn.
Discard Requirement: To maximize its potential, this card benefits from having a substantial number of instants and sorcery cards in the graveyard, which implies a strategy that might force you to discard valuable spells earlier in the game to enhance the Pike’s power.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Runechanter’s Pike offers the adaptability to be included in various strategies, suiting decks that emphasize spell casting or seek to strengthen creatures with equipment. Its ability to grant a power boost equal to the number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard allows for scalability throughout the game.
Combo Potential: This equipment shines in combination with creatures that have evasive abilities such as flying or unblockable. By outfitting a creature with Runechanter’s Pike, you effectively convert your spell casting prowess into direct combat advantage, potentially leading to swift victories.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where noncreature spells play a significant role, Runechanter’s Pike can become a game-changing card. It rewards you for playing instants and sorceries, making it an efficient tool for strategies that already plan to fill the graveyard with these types of cards.
How to beat
Runechanter’s Pike is a formidable equipment card in Magic: The Gathering, often turning creatures into lethal threats with its ability to grant both first strike and a power bonus. The power boost is based on the number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard, fueling a deck that’s heavily reliant on those card types. Yet, what makes a card strong can also be its Achilles heel.
To diminish the impact of Runechanter’s Pike, target the creature it’s attached to with removal spells before the Pike can be used to its full advantage. Prioritize cards that can exile or bounce, preventing your opponent from simply replaying the creature. Also, grave hate cards like Tormod’s Crypt can disrupt the Pike’s power-boosting effect by clearing the graveyard, leaving the Pike’s ability starved of fuel.
Deck strategies with few creatures or hexproof can also dull Runechanter’s Pike’s edge, as the less targets there are to equip, the less value the pike generates. Ultimately, recognizing the threat of Runechanter’s Pike and utilizing smart removal or graveyard disruption are key strategies in turning the tides against this powerful MTG card.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Runechanter's Pike MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts, 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 Runechanter's Pike 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
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Printings
The Runechanter's Pike Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2011-09-30 and 2022-11-18. Illustrated by John Avon.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011-09-30 | Innistrad | ISD | 231 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 2 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts | BRR | 111z | 1997 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 3 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts | BRR | 111 | 1997 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 4 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts | BRR | 48 | 1997 | Normal | Black | John Avon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Runechanter's Pike has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Runechanter's Pike card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-09-22 | The value of X is constantly updated as instant cards and sorcery cards are put into or removed from your graveyard. |