The Prismatic Piper MTG Card
2020-11-20 - Number 1
2020-11-20 - Number 546
2023-08-04 - Number 1
2002-06-24 - Number 86242
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Shapeshifter |
| Abilities | Partner |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
If The Prismatic Piper is your commander, choose a color before the game begins. The Prismatic Piper is the chosen color. Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
It is everything and nothing.
Cards like The Prismatic Piper
The Prismatic Piper stands out in the vast universe of Magic: The Gathering as it serves a unique purpose, primarily in Commander format. When looking at cards that offer flexibility in mana colors, you might consider the likes of Transguild Courier or Guardian Idol, which can add any color mana to your pool. However, The Prismatic Piper solely serves to provide an additional color identity for your commander if needed and can be your commander itself, albeit with no other abilities.
In matters of providing color flexibility, Gemstone Array is another card on a parallel path since it can convert mana into any color. Although unlike The Prismatic Piper, Gemstone Array is not a creature and does not influence your deck’s color identity in Commander. As for those seeking to adjust their deck’s color identity on the fly, Mycosynth Lattice transforms all permanents on the battlefield to all colors, yet this is a broader approach affecting all cards rather than just influencing your commander’s identity.
Ultimately, The Prismatic Piper’s true value is found within the context of its unique role in Commander deck construction, offering an unparalleled option for players to tailor their commander’s color identity with ease.
Cards similar to The Prismatic Piper by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Prismatic Piper serves as a key utility in Commander decks that require a specific color identity, solidifying your card selection process by adapting to the required color palette you need to streamline your gameplay.
Resource Acceleration: As a versatile partner, The Prismatic Piper can be invaluable for decks that seek a higher degree of mana fixing. While it itself does not provide acceleration, it ensures access to any color of mana which can be crucial for executing your strategy efficiently.
Instant Speed: Although The Prismatic Piper doesn’t operate at instant speed, its importance cannot be understated as a fail-safe commander option. For players who enjoy impromptu matches without a pre-selected commander, it can be included at a moment’s notice, ensuring smooth gameplay.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While The Prismatic Piper allows flexibility in commander color identity, its requirement to be discarded from your hand can place players at a resource disadvantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Needing a full spectrum of mana to function, The Prismatic Piper poses a deck building challenge, especially in limited formats where mana fixing is scarce.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a commander option, five mana for a vanilla 3/3 creature is steep when there are more impactful commanders available that can influence the game at a similar or lower cost threshold.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Prismatic Piper shines in Commander decks as a flexible solution to color fixing, ensuring that players always have access to their commander’s color identity, even in a pinch.
Combo Potential: While not a traditional combo piece, The Prismatic Piper acts as a safeguard in enabling your crucial color-based combinations without the stress of being color-locked.
Meta-Relevance: As the Commander format continues to grow, having The Prismatic Piper on hand means you’re prepared to adapt your deck to the evolving meta and maintain a competitive edge.
How to Beat
The Prismatic Piper is a unique tool for Commander format enthusiasts. Its standout feature is the ability to choose a color to be your commander’s identity, particularly in decks that require a specific splash of color. Addressing The Prismatic Piper on the field, however, is quite straightforward. Since The Prismatic Piper doesn’t provide immediate value upon hitting the battlefield, its impact can be seen over a more extended period, allowing ample time to formulate a response.
Established strategies include direct removal spells that can quickly dispatch The Prismatic Piper, such as Path to Exile or Murderous Cut. Additionally, The Prismatic Piper invites a game plan that values tempo—hardly affecting the board state when cast, it doesn’t represent an immediate threat, which means players can focus on building their presence and overwhelming their opponent with more impactful cards. Key is to maintain pressure and disrupt any broader strategy The Prismatic Piper could be a part of, rather than the card alone.
As always, the landscape of Commander is ever-evolving, and The Prismatic Piper’s role may shift, but for now, its removal from play is often easily achieved with the multitude of options available to players.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase The Prismatic Piper MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander Legends, 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 The Prismatic Piper 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 The Prismatic Piper Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-11-20 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by Seb McKinnon.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 86242 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Seb McKinnon | ||
| 2 | 2020-11-20 | Commander Legends | CMR | 1 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Seb McKinnon | |
| 3 | 2020-11-20 | Commander Legends | CMR | 546 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Seb McKinnon | |
| 4 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 1 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Seb McKinnon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where The Prismatic Piper has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering The Prismatic Piper card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-11-10 | An effect that checks whether you control your commander is satisfied if you control one or both of your two commanders. |
| 2020-11-10 | Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards (or 58 cards in a Commander Draft game) of your deck are shuffled to become your library. |
| 2020-11-10 | If something refers to your commander while you have two commanders, it refers to one of them of your choice. If you are instructed to perform an action on your commander (e.g. put it from the command zone into your hand due to Command Beacon), you choose one of your commanders at the time the effect happens. |
| 2020-11-10 | 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 Falthis and Kediss are your commanders, your deck may contain cards with black and/or red in their color identity, but not cards with green, white, or blue. |
| 2020-11-10 | 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 any one of them, not from both of them combined. |
| 2020-11-10 | To have two commanders, both must have the partner ability as the game begins. Losing the ability during the game doesn't cause either to cease to be your commander. |
| 2020-11-10 | You can choose two commanders with partner that are the same color or colors. In Commander Draft, you can even choose two of the same commander with partner if you drafted them. If you do this, make sure you keep the number of times you've cast each from the command zone clear for "commander tax" purposes. |