Chillerpillar MTG Card

Modern Horizons (MH1)
2019-06-14 - Number 43

Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
2022-12-02 - Number 280

Chillerpillar // Chillerpillar - Modern Horizons Art Series (AMH1)

Modern Horizons Art Series (AMH1)
2019-06-05 - Number 1

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Snow Creature — Insect
Abilities	Monstrosity
Power	3
Toughness	3

Key Takeaways

Chillerpillar can upgrade to a 4/4 flyer, offering late-game advantage and aerial threat.
Its synergies with snow mana ramp make it a tactical fit in specific deck builds.
Despite dual mana requirements and higher transform costs, it’s versatile in role-changing.

Text of card

{S}{S}: Monstrosity 2. (If this creature isn't monstrous, put two +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous. {S} can be paid with one mana from a snow permanent.) As long as Chillerpillar is monstrous, it has flying.

From its cocoon, a flurry takes flight.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Chillerpillar can become an invaluable powerhouse as the game progresses. Upon reaching six mana, including at least two snow mana, it can transform into a 4/4 creature with flying, effectively providing you with an upgraded threat that can pressure opponents from the air and offer significant board presence.

Resource Acceleration: This insect not only excels in metamorphosis but also synergizes well with decks that capitalize on snow lands. The ability to incorporate Chillerpillar into a mana curve smoothly allows for a ramp into late-game threats, making it a strategic fit for decks focusing on utilizing snow mana efficiently.

Instant Speed: While Chillerpillar itself doesn’t have an ability that operates at instant speed, its transform feature can be activated at any time you could cast an instant. This flexibility offers the element of surprise and strategic depth, as opponents have to consider the potential for Chillerpillar to evolve into a more menacing form at virtually any point in the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging the monstrosity ability of Chillerpillar comes at the price of transforming the card, which is not without its cons. If your hand lacks other substantial threats or answers, expending this option may leave you exposed to an opponent’s counter-strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: Committing to Chillerpillar’s mana cost demands a specific deck strategy since it requires both green and blue mana. This dual dependence makes it less fluid for inclusion in decks that don’t heavily feature these colors or their corresponding mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When you assess Chillerpillar in the broader context of MTG cards, its transformation cost is quite steep. For the six mana to activate its monstrosity condition, you may find other cards that deliver immediate impact or higher value over time, reflecting a more investments-wise choice for your deck.

Reasons to Include Chillerpillar in Your Collection

Versatility: Chillerpillar is a flexible card that can be a threat in both the early and late game. In its basic form, it serves as a solid blocker, but with enough mana, it transforms into a formidable flyer that can dominate the battlefield.

Combo Potential: With its transform ability, Chillerpillar works well with decks that manipulate +1/+1 counters and benefit from creature type changes, such as those involving the ‘Simic’ guild or ‘Insect’ synergies.

Meta-Relevance: As a scalable threat with evasive capabilities, Chillerpillar can adapt to various metagame scenarios. It thrives in environments where cards that can shift roles or grow unpredictably align with the tempo of the game.

How to beat

Chillerpillar is a unique creature card in the frosty domain of Magic: The Gathering. It boasts a transformative ability that, when leveraged with enough mana, can turn the tide of a game. Its combination of flying and monstrosity can often catch opponents unaware, allowing it to become a dominant presence on the battlefield. However, understanding its strengths enables savvy players to counteract its might effectively.

To mitigate Chillerpillar’s impact, removal spells remain a player’s best friend. Cards that can exile or destroy creatures at instant speed ensure that Chillerpillar never gets the chance to metamorphose. Enchantment-based removal is also a potent solution, with options like Pacifism or Ice Over to nullify the creature before it has the opportunity to become monstrous. In addition, combating the card with creatures that have reach or spells that deal direct damage keeps the flying monstrosity at bay. Always be mindful of your mana, so that you’re ready to respond when your opponent starts mustering the resources for Chillerpillar’s transformation.

With the right strategy and a keen eye on the flow of the game, players can ensure that Chillerpillar’s chilling effect is but a fleeting frost, rather than a prolonged winter over the battlefield.

Cards like Chillerpillar

Chillerpillar stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a unique creature card with transformative abilities. This frigid insect can be likened to other morphing creatures such as Ainok Survivalist. Both share the capability to evolve on the battlefield under certain conditions. While Chillerpillar requires mana from snowy sources to become a more powerful butterfly with flying, Ainok Survivalist depends on Megamorph to unlock its full potential and remove opponents’ enchantments or artifacts when it flips.

Another comparison can be drawn with Silumgar Assassin, which also harnesses the power of Megamorph to change its state. However, while Silumgar Assassin can eliminate smaller creatures when it transforms, Chillerpillar gains the advantage in the skies, becoming a soaring threat that can evade many ground-based defenses. A more hard-hitting alternative, Embodiment of Spring, mirrors Chillerpillar’s affinity for snow lands but instead uses them to search for more mana sources, representing the diversity of gameplay strategies enabled by morphing creatures.

In assessing creature cards with transformative qualities, Chillerpillar’s unique mechanic of leveraging mana from snow-covered lands for its metamorphosis offers a blend of adaptability and strength, positioning it as a versatile choice for players who can harness its icy evolution effectively.

Embodiment of Spring - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Chillerpillar // Chillerpillar MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons Art Series and Modern Horizons, 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 Chillerpillar // Chillerpillar and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Chillerpillar // Chillerpillar Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2019-06-14 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Suzanne Helmigh.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	~~2019-06-05~~	Modern Horizons Art Series	AMH1	1	2015	Art series	Borderless	Suzanne Helmigh
2	2019-06-14	Modern Horizons	MH1	43	2015	Normal	Black	Suzanne Helmigh
3	2022-12-02	Jumpstart 2022	J22	280	2015	Normal	Black	Suzanne Helmigh

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Chillerpillar has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2019-06-14	Chillerpillar gaining flying after it becomes blocked won’t remove the blocking creature from combat or cause Chillerpillar to become unblocked.
2019-06-14	Monstrous isn’t an ability that a creature has. It’s just something true about that creature. If the creature stops being a creature, loses its abilities, or loses its +1/+1 counters, it will continue to be monstrous.
2019-06-14	Once a creature becomes monstrous, it can’t become monstrous again. If the creature is already monstrous when the monstrosity ability resolves, nothing happens.