Heliod's Pilgrim MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Cleric
Power 1
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Aura search ability enhances strategy with precise card advantage and deck manipulation.
  2. Does not directly accelerate mana but fetches Auras that can, aiding resource growth.
  3. Despite precise mana needs, its tutoring effect adds substantial versatility in enchantment-focused decks.

Text of card

When Heliod's Pilgrim enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an Aura card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.

The blessings of Heliod are apparent for all to see.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Heliod’s Pilgrim, when it enters the battlefield, lets you search your library for an Aura card, reveal it, then shuffle your library and put that card into your hand. This not only increases your hand size but also ensures you get the Aura you need for your strategy, providing a significant advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Although Heliod’s Pilgrim does not directly accelerate your mana, fetching the right Aura can amplify your resources. Some Auras can ramp up your mana or untap lands, indirectly speeding up your resource accumulation.

Instant Speed: While Heliod’s Pilgrim itself is a creature that doesn’t operate at instant speed, it can fetch Auras that do. This gives you the flexibility to adapt during your turns or respond to your opponent’s actions, ensuring that you have the right answer at the right time.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Heliod’s Pilgrim allows a Aura card search upon its entry to the battlefield, it does not present any discard mechanic, but players must always be aware of the potential for adversary cards that force discards upon casting creatures – leading to an unwelcome depletion of hand resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Heliod’s Pilgrim requires both white mana and generic mana, which may not appeal to decks that are tailored around mana flexibility or those aiming to maintain a diverse color palette. Particularly, in multi-color decks, having a creature with a white mana cost can sometimes be a drawback if the mana base isn’t well-tuned to support it.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When it comes to deck efficiency, Heliod’s Pilgrim might not always be the premier choice. Costing three mana, this creature might be slightly overcosted in environments where more immediate or impactful plays are crucial. Competitive formats often demand faster interactions, and players might opt for lower cost creatures or spells that provide better tempo and board presence.


Reasons to Include Heliod’s Pilgrim in Your Collection

Versatility: As a creature that can fetch any Aura card from your deck when it enters the battlefield, Heliod’s Pilgrim can be seamlessly integrated into a wide array of white-based decks. Its ability to tutor for the exact piece of your combo or the aura you need for protection makes it an adaptable choice for various game situations.

Combo Potential: The card’s tutoring effect can be the linchpin for setting off potent combos, especially in decks that exploit Auras like Ethereal Armor or Daybreak Coronet, leading to devastating buffed creatures capable of ending games quickly.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where enchantment-creature decks are prevalent, Heliod’s Pilgrim stands out as a key enabler. It’s particularly useful in formats where building a formidable Voltron-style champion or protecting a critical creature can pivot the tide of matches in your favor.


How to beat

Heliod’s Pilgrim is a unique utility creature that shines in enchantment-heavy decks in Magic: The Gathering. This card allows a player to search their library for an Aura card when it enters the battlefield, putting it directly into their hand. Its ability to fetch a specific tool makes it a versatile companion in many strategies.

To counteract Heliod’s Pilgrim, disrupt the Aura searching process. Utilize instant-speed removal spells to eliminate the Pilgrim before its ability resolves, preventing your opponent from gaining that card advantage. Counterspells are also effective at halting the Pilgrim’s entry onto the battlefield entirely.

Additionally, graveyard manipulation can be a sound strategy against decks that may try to recur Heliod’s Pilgrim or the Auras it fetches. By exiling key components from your opponent’s graveyard, you’re cutting off their access to these resources. In essence, maintain control of the pace and flow of the game, and Heliod’s Pilgrim’s impact will be minimized, protecting your chances of victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

The strategic depth of MTG often lies in the small margins, and Heliod’s Pilgrim is a card that can tip the scales decisively. Its ability to fetch the perfect Aura for any situation is a testament to the careful planning and tactical foresight that champion players embody. As you continue your journey within MTG, consider the synergy and combo potential that Heliod’s Pilgrim could add to your arsenal. For a deeper dive into developing strategies around this card, enhancing your existing Aura strategies, or simply exploring new horizons within your gameplay, visit us. Together, we can refine your deck to achieve those impactful, game-winning plays.


Cards like Heliod's Pilgrim

Heliod’s Pilgrim serves a unique role in Magic: The Gathering as a tutor for auras strapped onto a creature body. Comparable cards would include Totem-Guide Hartebeest which, albeit for a higher mana cost, offers a similar ability to fetch an aura card when it enters the battlefield. The Pilgrim stands out with its lower casting cost, making it a more agile option for players looking to weave their enchantments into their game plan earlier on.

Auramancer is another card that interacts well with enchantments by returning them from the graveyard to your hand, yet it doesn’t provide the immediate tutor effect right from the library like Heliod’s Pilgrim. This can be a crucial difference when fishing for that perfect aura in a tight situation. Whereas the Pilgrim directly influences your library’s composition, Auramancer requires a build-up of enchantments in the graveyard to take advantage of its capability.

Considering the specifics—Heliod’s Pilgrim’s lower mana cost and preemptive tutoring ability give it an edge. It neatly solidifies its position as a valuable card for those running aura-centric strategies in Magic: The Gathering, offering both strategic deck thinning and tactical flexibility.

Totem-Guide Hartebeest - MTG Card versions
Auramancer - MTG Card versions
Totem-Guide Hartebeest - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Auramancer - Odyssey (ODY)

Cards similar to Heliod's Pilgrim by color, type and mana cost

Argivian Blacksmith - MTG Card versions
Jamuraan Lion - MTG Card versions
Snow Hound - MTG Card versions
Elvish Healer - MTG Card versions
Femeref Knight - MTG Card versions
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Kitsune Palliator - MTG Card versions
Freewind Equenaut - MTG Card versions
Sanctum Guardian - MTG Card versions
Argivian Blacksmith - Antiquities (ATQ)
Jamuraan Lion - Media Inserts (PMEI)
Snow Hound - Ice Age (ICE)
Elvish Healer - Ice Age (ICE)
Femeref Knight - Mirage (MIR)
Border Guard - Portal (POR)
Stern Marshal - Portal (POR)
Soltari Crusader - Tempest (TMP)
Town Sentry - Portal Second Age (P02)
Benalish Knight - Anthologies (ATH)
Regal Unicorn - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Wild Griffin - Starter 2000 (S00)
Pianna, Nomad Captain - Odyssey (ODY)
Dogged Hunter - Odyssey (ODY)
Sanctum Prelate - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Diving Griffin - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Faithful Squire // Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Kitsune Palliator - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Freewind Equenaut - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Sanctum Guardian - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Heliod's Pilgrim MTG card by a specific set like Media Inserts and Magic 2015, 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 Heliod's Pilgrim and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Heliod's Pilgrim Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2014-07-18 and 2020-01-24. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11995-01-02Media InsertsPMEI 412015normalblackMicah Epstein
22014-07-18Magic 2015M15 142015normalblackIzzy
32018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 192015normalblackIzzy
42020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 202015normalblackMicah Epstein

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Heliod's Pilgrim has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-07-18 Enchantment creatures with bestow from the Theros block aren’t Aura cards in your library. You can’t find one with Heliod’s Pilgrim.

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