Elvish Piper MTG Card


Elvish Piper provides early access to big threats, tipping the game’s balance in your favor. Instant speed activation allows strategic adaptability and surprise plays in MTG. While the Piper is versatile, its reliance on specific mana and hand contents can be limiting.
Card setsReleased in 11 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Elf Shaman
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

o G, oc T: Put a creature card from your hand into play.

From Gaea grew the world, and the world was silent. From Gaea grew the world's elves, and the world was silent no more. —Elvish teaching


Cards like Elvish Piper

The Elvish Piper stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a gateway to cheat hefty creatures onto the battlefield. Like the Piper, Quicksilver Amulet also bypasses mana costs to deploy massive threats. Although both share this bypassing ability, the Amulet lacks the creature type synergy that Elvish Piper enjoys, making it less conducive to tribal strategies.

We also see Norwood Priestess, an elf counterpart that offers a similar ability to put green creatures into play. The differences are subtle but significant – the Priestess can only be activated at sorcery speed, contrasting with the Piper’s ability to operate at instant speed, offering an element of surprise and flexibility during the game. Additionally, Champion of Rhonas exhumes echoes of the Piper’s talent, allowing players to exert it to put a creature card from hand onto the battlefield. Yet, it requires combat and can be more readily anticipated by opponents.

Elvish Piper continues to be a unique piece in the pantheon of Magic: The Gathering, providing unrivaled utility through its tribal affiliation and instant-speed activation, making it a formidable enabler in creature-heavy decks.

Quicksilver Amulet - MTG Card versions
Norwood Priestess - MTG Card versions
Champion of Rhonas - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Amulet - MTG Card versions
Norwood Priestess - MTG Card versions
Champion of Rhonas - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Elvish Piper by color, type and mana cost

Giant Spider - MTG Card versions
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Order of the Sacred Bell - MTG Card versions
Anaconda - MTG Card versions
Dauntless Dourbark - MTG Card versions
Giant Spider - MTG Card versions
Marsh Viper - MTG Card versions
Scarwood Bandits - MTG Card versions
Carnivorous Plant - MTG Card versions
Erhnam Djinn - MTG Card versions
War Mammoth - MTG Card versions
Aurochs - MTG Card versions
Lhurgoyf - MTG Card versions
Jackalope Herd - MTG Card versions
Golden Bear - MTG Card versions
Argothian Swine - MTG Card versions
Erithizon - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Cutter - MTG Card versions
Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Fungusaur - MTG Card versions
Monkey Monkey Monkey - MTG Card versions
Matsu-Tribe Birdstalker - MTG Card versions
Order of the Sacred Bell - MTG Card versions
Anaconda - MTG Card versions
Dauntless Dourbark - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Elvish Piper has the powerful ability to circumvent the traditional mana costs of creatures. This not only saves resources but also effectively grants access to your heavy hitters earlier than usual. By putting creatures directly onto the battlefield, you gain significant in-game leverage and potential board dominance, ensuring that you are always ahead in terms of threats presented.

Resource Acceleration: The Piper’s ability to cheat creatures into play is one of the most formidable forms of resource acceleration in MTG. It bypasses the need for extensive mana resources, allowing a rapid deployment of high-cost creatures that can turn the tides of the game. This acceleration can be an absolute game-changer in the mid to late stages, giving you a distinct advantage over opponents who are still building their mana base.

Instant Speed: Her capacity to activate at instant speed is crucial, allowing you to wait until the end of your opponent’s turn before deciding which creature to put into play. This tactical flexibility ensures that your strategy remains hidden and that you can adapt to the evolving game state, putting your opponents on the back foot as they try to anticipate your next big play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Elvish Piper allows for the potential to cheat creatures onto the battlefield, it can be a double-edged sword when met with hand disruption tactics. If your hand is forced empty, this card loses its strategic edge, preventing you from utilizing its ability to its full extent.

Specific Mana Cost: Elvish Piper’s activation cost requires a dedicated green mana, which may not always be readily available in multicolored decks. This can limit its versatility and prompt careful consideration in deck building to ensure consistent playability.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, Elvish Piper competes directly with other impactful four-drop creatures or spells in the same slot. Considering this, some players might find it less efficient, especially if they’re aiming for a more aggressive or streamlined mana curve in their deck builds.


Reasons to Include Elvish Piper in Your Collection

Versatility: Elvish Piper serves as a powerful enabler in green decks, allowing players to cheat high-cost creatures onto the battlefield. This makes it a valuable card in strategies that focus on playing large monsters sooner than typically possible.

Combo Potential: Its ability to put any creature card from your hand onto the battlefield at instant speed creates opportunities for unexpected combos and can turn the tide of a game by surprising opponents with game-ending threats.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that is packed with creature-based strategies, Elvish Piper can be a game-changer. It thrives in environments where establishing a significant board presence quickly can outpace control decks and overpower mid-range opponents.


How to beat

Elvish Piper is a green creature card in Magic: The Gathering that allows players to cheat mana costs and put creature cards directly onto the battlefield. To counter the Elvish Piper’s ability, consider using instant speed removal spells such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push, which can eliminate the Piper before its ability is used. Speed is crucial, as letting an Elvish Piper linger can quickly turn the tide of a game.

Additionally, board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation are excellent in resetting the playing field, ensuring that even if a massive creature was put onto the battlefield through the Piper’s ability, it can be cleared away. Players can also employ counterspells like Mana Leak or Negate to prevent the Elvish Piper from hitting the field in the first place, preserving a balanced board state.

In practice, maintaining control and being prepared to act swiftly are key strategies in mitigating the substantial advantage that Elvish Piper offers to the opponent. Always consider modifying your deck with preemptive answers to powerful creature-based strategies for a well-rounded approach in your MTG games.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the atomic impact that Elvish Piper can have on MTG gameplay is both thrilling and transformational. As a powerful facilitator of creature decks, its ability to summon formidable creatures for a mere green mana ignites the potential for spellbinding victories. If you seek to fortify your deck with a tactical edge, the inclusion of Elvish Piper is a savvy move that could reshape your playstyle and enhance your effectiveness in the match. Dive deeper with us as we unwrap the strategic nuances and deck-building synergies that Elvish Piper can anchor in your MTG collection. Elevate your game and embrace the path to becoming a more formidable contender in the sprawling universe of MTG.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Elvish Piper MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Destiny and Seventh Edition, 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 Elvish Piper and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Elvish Piper Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 1999-06-07 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by 4 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11999-06-07Urza's DestinyUDS 1041997NormalBlackScott M. Fischer
22001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 2421997NormalWhiteTristan Elwell
32001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 242★1997NormalBlackTristan Elwell
42003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 244★2003NormalBlackTristan Elwell
52003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 2442003NormalWhiteTristan Elwell
62005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 239★2003NormalBlackRebecca Guay
72005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 2392003NormalWhiteRebecca Guay
82007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 2622003NormalBlackRebecca Guay
92009-07-17Magic 2010M10 1772003NormalBlackRebecca Guay
102018-03-16Masters 25A25 1682015NormalBlackRebecca Guay
112023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 2392015NormalBlackJoshua Raphael

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Elvish Piper has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2007-05-01 Putting the card onto the battlefield is optional. When the ability resolves, you can choose not to.
2009-10-01 A "creature card" is any card with the type creature, even if it has other types such as artifact, enchantment, or land. Older cards of type summon are also creature cards.