Pillage MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 15 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Strategically limits opponents by destroying an artifact or land, tipping the scale of resources.
  2. Requires careful play due to its targeted nature and mana investment in red decks.
  3. Despite cost, it remains versatile and relevant against various metagames and strategies.

Text of card

Bury target artifact or land.

"Were they to reduce us to ash, we would clog their throats and sting their eyes in payment." —Lovisa Coldeyes, Balduvian Chieftain


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pillage offers the strategic advantage of removing an opponent’s land or artifact, effectively reducing their resources while you maintain your own card count.

Resource Acceleration: While Pillage itself does not directly accelerate resources, its capacity to hinder an adversary’s land development can indirectly speed up your own game plan relative to theirs.

Instant Speed: Although Pillage operates at sorcery speed, its disruptive nature can be crucial in setting the pace, ensuring you stay a step ahead by affecting your opponent’s board on your turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside of Pillage is that it doesn’t have a discard requirement but it is a non-flexible card, meaning once you commit to casting it, you’re targeting one specific artifact or land. This can lead to a disadvantage if your opponent has multiple threatening permanents and you’ve dedicated your turn to removing just one.

Specific Mana Cost: Pillage demands a specific mana investment of one red and two generic mana, which can be restrictive. This cost requires a commitment to red mana sources in your deck, potentially limiting the variety of spells you can play.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the effect of destroying an artifact or a land is powerful, the three mana cost of Pillage is relatively steep when compared to other disruption spells in MTG. Players may opt for more mana-efficient alternatives that offer similar or better utility.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Pillage is a flexible card that can be a key player in various deck types. It shines in environments where disrupting your opponent’s resources is crucial, allowing it to fit seamlessly into control strategies or red-based destruction decks.

Combo Potential: Its ability to destroy both artifacts and lands opens up synergies with decks focused on land denial or artifact recursion strategies, providing a tactical edge against a wide array of opposing setups.

Meta-Relevance: As metagames shift, the significance of resource denial can surge. Pillage possesses the capability to hinder opponent’s development, making it a strategic addition during times when artifact-heavy decks or ramp strategies dominate the play scene.


How to beat

Dealing with a card like Pillage in MTG requires strategy and a calm demeanor at the battlefield. Recognized for its ability to dismantle an opponent’s resources, Pillage not only destroys a land but also prevents that land from being regenerated, putting pressure on an opponent’s mana base. To counter this card, it’s essential to diversify your land types and include nonbasic lands that might not be as susceptible to Pillage’s reach.

Another effective technique is to use counter spells to negate Pillage before it can do its dirty work. This proactive defense can keep your vital lands in play and maintain the flow of your own game. Also, having instant-speed land retrieval spells can be a saving grace, quickly replacing what was lost. Cards with such capabilities allow players to keep a solid footing despite the attempted disruption.

Lastly, take preemptive measures – being aware of the opponent’s deck archetype can hint at the inclusion of Pillage, and playing around this knowledge can put you one step ahead, protecting your mana base and your path to victory.


Cards like Pillage

Pillage has been a part of Magic The Gathering’s history for quite some time, esteemed for its dual destruction ability. It’s often weighed against cards like Stone Rain chiefly because both share the essence of land disruption. Pillage, distinct for its versatility, can target artifacts as well – a boon that Stone Rain does not offer. But it’s the capacity to simultaneously dismantle an opponent’s mana base and artifact utility that sets Pillage apart.

Another kin in the realm of disruption is Molten Rain. While the two mana cost for each is identical, Molten Rain brings something unique to the table – it can inflict damage. Destroying a nonbasic land also deals 2 damage to the land’s controller, an additional effect you won’t get with Pillage. Nonetheless, Pillage remains a catch-all answer to multiple threats even without the damage output. Then there is Demolish, which also mirrors the utility of Pillage by allowing the destruction of an artifact or land, but it lacks the robust reputation Pillage has earned over the years.

The strategic depth of MTG ensures that each card is subject to the context of use, though Pillage’s adaptable nature continues to make it a formidable option in the array of red destruction spells.

Stone Rain - MTG Card versions
Molten Rain - MTG Card versions
Demolish - MTG Card versions
Stone Rain - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Molten Rain - Mirrodin (MRD)
Demolish - Odyssey (ODY)

Cards similar to Pillage by color, type and mana cost

Stone Rain - MTG Card versions
Game of Chaos - MTG Card versions
Evaporate - MTG Card versions
Goblin War Cry - MTG Card versions
Steam Blast - MTG Card versions
Goblin Offensive - MTG Card versions
Desert Sandstorm - MTG Card versions
Arc Lightning - MTG Card versions
Search for Survivors - MTG Card versions
Panic Attack - MTG Card versions
Searing Rays - MTG Card versions
Rupture - MTG Card versions
Tundra Fumarole - MTG Card versions
Browbeat - MTG Card versions
Anger of the Gods - MTG Card versions
Erratic Explosion - MTG Card versions
Threaten - MTG Card versions
Sizzle - MTG Card versions
Hammer of Bogardan - MTG Card versions
Fiery Gambit - MTG Card versions
Stone Rain - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Game of Chaos - Ice Age (ICE)
Evaporate - Homelands (HML)
Goblin War Cry - Portal Second Age (P02)
Steam Blast - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Goblin Offensive - Urza's Saga (USG)
Desert Sandstorm - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Arc Lightning - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Search for Survivors - Prophecy (PCY)
Panic Attack - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Searing Rays - Invasion (INV)
Rupture - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Tundra Fumarole - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Browbeat - Masters 25 (A25)
Anger of the Gods - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Erratic Explosion - Planechase 2012 (PC2)
Threaten - Tenth Edition (10E)
Sizzle - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Hammer of Bogardan - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Fiery Gambit - Mirrodin (MRD)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pillage MTG card by a specific set like Alliances and World Championship Decks 1997, 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 Pillage and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Pillage Magic the Gathering card was released in 13 different sets between 1996-06-10 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11996-06-10AlliancesALL 761993normalblackRichard Kane Ferguson
21997-08-13World Championship Decks 1997WC97 pm76sb1997normalgoldRichard Kane Ferguson
31997-08-13World Championship Decks 1997WC97 jk761997normalgoldRichard Kane Ferguson
41999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 1981997normalwhiteRichard Kane Ferguson
51999-08-04World Championship Decks 1999WC99 mlp1981997normalgoldRichard Kane Ferguson
62000-01-01Arena League 2000PAL00 51997normalblackRichard Kane Ferguson
72001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 2071997normalwhiteBradley Williams
82001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 207★1997normalblackBradley Williams
92001-12-01DeckmastersDKM 181997normalwhiteRichard Kane Ferguson
102002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 359941997normalblackRichard Kane Ferguson
112008-09-22Masters Edition IIME2 1461997normalblackRichard Kane Ferguson
122018-03-16Masters 25A25 1442015normalblackJesper Ejsing
132019-06-14Modern HorizonsMH1 1392015normalblackJesper Ejsing
142019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 10242015normalblackJesper Ejsing
152020-09-26The ListPLST A25-1442015normalblackJesper Ejsing

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pillage has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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