Pilgrim's Eye MTG Card


Ensures land drops for smooth mana curve, essential for maintaining pace in gameplay. 1/1 flier that supports airborne pressure while improving resource acceleration. Facilitates versatile deck inclusions, especially in artifact-centric and multicolored strategies.
Card setsReleased in 19 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeArtifact Creature — Thopter
Abilities Flying
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

Flying When Pilgrim's Eye enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.

The kor send their thopter kites to see if the land is in a welcoming mood.


Cards like Pilgrim's Eye

Pilgrim’s Eye presents a unique blend of utility for players who seek a balance between mana stability and creature presence on the battlefield. In the world of Magic: The Gathering, it shares a kinship with creatures like Skittering Surveyor and Solemn Simulacrum. Skittering Surveyor, much like Pilgrim’s Eye, allows you to search for a basic land card when it enters the battlefield, providing a reliable way to fix your mana. Yet, it does not share the flying trait, which gives Pilgrim’s Eye an edge in evasiveness.

On the theme of mana fixing and ramp, Solemn Simulacrum steps into the spotlight. It offers a similar land-tutoring effect upon entry, but instead of placing the land in your hand, it puts it directly onto the battlefield. Moreover, when it dies, it draws you a card, providing a dual benefit. Despite these advantages, its higher mana cost compared to Pilgrim’s Eye is a notable differentiator, impacting its early game utility.

Each of these cards presents an enticing option for commanders and players in various formats looking to smooth out their decks’ performance while offering added board presence. Pilgrim’s Eye stands out for its low cost, flying ability, and straightforward land-fetching capability, making it a dependable choice for many MTG decks.

Skittering Surveyor - MTG Card versions
Solemn Simulacrum - MTG Card versions
Skittering Surveyor - MTG Card versions
Solemn Simulacrum - MTG Card versions

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Sunglasses of Urza - MTG Card versions
Ebony Horse - MTG Card versions
Runed Arch - MTG Card versions
Bösium Strip - MTG Card versions
Clay Pigeon - MTG Card versions
Ashnod's Altar - MTG Card versions
Jalum Tome - MTG Card versions
Static Orb - MTG Card versions
Patchwork Gnomes - MTG Card versions
The Stasis Coffin - MTG Card versions
Captain's Hook - MTG Card versions
Wall of Spears - MTG Card versions
Spellweaver Helix - MTG Card versions
Scale of Chiss-Goria - MTG Card versions
Lightning Coils - MTG Card versions
Vedalken Shackles - MTG Card versions
Loxodon Warhammer - MTG Card versions
Sword of Feast and Famine - MTG Card versions
Training Drone - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pilgrim’s Eye is an artifact creature that, when it enters the battlefield, allows you to search your library for a basic land card and put it into your hand. This effect ensures you’re not falling behind in land drops, keeping your plays on track and smoothing out your mana curve.

Resource Acceleration: As a 1/1 flier, Pilgrim’s Eye can help pressure opponents in the air while also facilitating resource acceleration by guaranteeing land drops. This can be especially useful in formats where hitting each land drop is crucial and in decks that utilize the landfall mechanic.

Instant Speed: Though Pilgrim’s Eye doesn’t operate at instant speed, its entry effect is akin to fetching a land at the speed of an instant since it doesn’t require the land to enter the battlefield tapped or during a specific phase. This flexibility allows you to keep mana open for other spells and plans while still developing your resources.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Pilgrim’s Eye itself does not have a discard requirement, it is essential to note that using this card could take up a valuable slot in your hand that could otherwise be used for holding onto key spells or creatures that don’t necessitate a discard.

Specific Mana Cost: Pilgrim’s Eye requires three generic mana to cast which can be an advantage for its flexibility; however, in decks that are color-heavy and rely on utilising all of their mana every turn, having a cost that does not contribute to color-fixing may be less desirable.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Pilgrim’s Eye provides the added value of fetching a basic land upon entering the battlefield, its three mana cost is a significant investment for a 1/1 flyer. There are alternative cards available that could offer a stronger presence on the board or more immediate impact for the same or lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include Pilgrim’s Eye in Your Collection

Versatility: Pilgrim’s Eye is a flexible card that can easily fit into a variety of decks. It plays a vital role in ensuring you hit your land drops as it allows you to search for a basic land card when it enters the battlefield. This makes it a useful inclusion in multicolored decks to help stabilize your mana base.

Combo Potential: As an artifact creature, Pilgrim’s Eye has synergy with strategies that capitalize on artifacts. It can be used as a trigger for abilities that activate upon artifact creatures entering the battlefield or when sacrificing artifacts for an advantage. It is also a prime candidate for recursion in decks that aim to reuse enter-the-battlefield abilities.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where consistency is key to victory, Pilgrim’s Eye offers just that. The ability to fetch a land ensures smoother gameplay, by helping avoid mana problems that could otherwise hinder your strategy. It’s not just a utility player; it’s a card that can subtly shift the pace of the game in your favor.


How to beat

Pilgrim’s Eye is a versatile tool in Magic: The Gathering, notable for its ability to provide land consistency by fetching a basic land from your deck. While this utility artifact creature offers great value, conquering it in a match requires strategic plays. Consider tailoring your removal spells to efficiently handle creatures with low toughness, as this will allow you to allocate your resources more effectively, saved for more significant threats that may appear later in the game.

Direct damage spells or abilities that can target any creature or flying creature specifically are effective against Pilgrim’s Eye, negating its land advantage before the opponent can capitalize on it. Additionally, effects that prevent enter-the-battlefield abilities deny Pilgrim’s Eye its search utility, rendering it a mere blocker on the field.

It’s essential to weigh the opportunity cost when dealing with Pilgrim’s Eye. Would your resources be better spent addressing more potent threats? Or is denying your opponent that extra land pivotal at this stage in the game? Frequently, the decision to address Pilgrim’s Eye hinges on your deck’s strategy and the current board state.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving through MTG’s vast array of cards reveals gems like Pilgrim’s Eye, a card that shores up your mana and keeps your deck running smoothly. With pros like ensuring land drops and having artifact synergies, it’s a utility player that can bolster various strategies. While it has its cons, its potential to elevate your game makes it worth considering. We encourage you to continue refining your collections and strategies. If you’re intrigued by the subtle power plays Pilgrim’s Eye can offer, join our community to delve deeper. Discover how this unassuming card can become a pivotal part of your winning deck.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pilgrim's Eye MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake and Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth, 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 Pilgrim's Eye and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Pilgrim's Eye Magic the Gathering card was released in 19 different sets between 2010-02-05 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-02-05WorldwakeWWK 1282003NormalBlackDan Scott
22012-03-30Duel Decks: Venser vs. KothDDI 472003NormalBlackDan Scott
32013-11-01Commander 2013C13 2532003NormalBlackDan Scott
42014-11-07Commander 2014C14 2622015NormalBlackDan Scott
52015-10-02Battle for ZendikarBFZ 2262015NormalBlackDan Scott
62016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 2292015NormalBlackDan Scott
72017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 2242015NormalBlackDan Scott
82018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 2102015NormalBlackDan Scott
92018-08-09Commander 2018C18 2142015NormalBlackDan Scott
102018-11-16Game NightGNT 552015NormalBlackDan Scott
112019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 16202015NormalBlackDan Scott
122019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 6922015NormalBorderlessCosmin Podar
132020-09-26The ListPLST GNT-552015NormalBlackDan Scott
142020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 3322015NormalBlackDan Scott
152021-04-23Commander 2021C21 2572015NormalBlackDan Scott
162022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 3332015NormalBlackSean Murray
172022-07-07Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's GateHBG 2632015NormalBlackSean Murray
182022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 7912015NormalBlackDan Scott
192023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 4022015NormalBlackDan Scott

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pilgrim's Eye has restrictions

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