Pir's Whim MTG Card


Pir’s Whim excels in card advantage by combining land tutoring with opponent disruption in a single move. The card formalizes strategic planning with ramp benefits and instant-speed-like readiness for subsequent turns. Despite mana cost specifics, its unique dual utility positions it as a meta-relevant and versatile card.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Text of card

For each player, choose friend or foe. Each friend searches their library for a land card, puts it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffles their library. Each foe sacrifices an artifact or enchantment they control.


Cards like Pir's Whim

Pir’s Whim steps into the arena of versatile MTG cards, much like Selvala’s Stampede. Both cards deliver not just one but multiple capabilities by either fetching lands or forcing opponents to give up resources. Pir’s Whim goes a step beyond by offering the choice between boon and bane – players can benefit from land ramp or set their opponents back by effectively removing their artifacts or enchantments.

Another parallel can be drawn with Tempt with Discovery. This card also plays in the land tutor space, but instead of interaction with opponents’ boards, it tempts them into searching their own libraries for land cards, possibly ramping up their mana as well. Pir’s Whim, with its directive to opponents, adds a layer of strategy in deciding whether the benefit is worth the potential setups it gives to others.

Finally, there’s Explosive Vegetation, a straightforward ramp spell that’s focused solely on the player’s advantage without engaging opponents. While Explosive Vegetation provides an unquestionable boost to one’s mana base, it lacks the interactive element that makes Pir’s Whim uniquely tactical. Considering these aspects, Pir’s Whim offers a distinct combination of ramp and control, making it a compelling choice for players who appreciate cards with multifaceted uses in MTG.

Selvala's Stampede - MTG Card versions
Tempt with Discovery - MTG Card versions
Explosive Vegetation - MTG Card versions
Selvala's Stampede - MTG Card versions
Tempt with Discovery - MTG Card versions
Explosive Vegetation - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Pir's Whim by color, type and mana cost

Tsunami - MTG Card versions
Taste of Paradise - MTG Card versions
Splendid Genesis - MTG Card versions
Unyaro Bee Sting - MTG Card versions
Elven Cache - MTG Card versions
Creeping Mold - MTG Card versions
Bee Sting - MTG Card versions
Rejuvenate - MTG Card versions
Titania's Boon - MTG Card versions
Splinter - MTG Card versions
Pack Hunt - MTG Card versions
Reverent Silence - MTG Card versions
Nature's Resurgence - MTG Card versions
Invigorating Falls - MTG Card versions
Natural Order - MTG Card versions
Scapeshift - MTG Card versions
Explosive Vegetation - MTG Card versions
Reap and Sow - MTG Card versions
Joyous Respite - MTG Card versions
Seek the Horizon - MTG Card versions
Tsunami - MTG Card versions
Taste of Paradise - MTG Card versions
Splendid Genesis - MTG Card versions
Unyaro Bee Sting - MTG Card versions
Elven Cache - MTG Card versions
Creeping Mold - MTG Card versions
Bee Sting - MTG Card versions
Rejuvenate - MTG Card versions
Titania's Boon - MTG Card versions
Splinter - MTG Card versions
Pack Hunt - MTG Card versions
Reverent Silence - MTG Card versions
Nature's Resurgence - MTG Card versions
Invigorating Falls - MTG Card versions
Natural Order - MTG Card versions
Scapeshift - MTG Card versions
Explosive Vegetation - MTG Card versions
Reap and Sow - MTG Card versions
Joyous Respite - MTG Card versions
Seek the Horizon - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pir’s Whim serves multiple functions, allowing you to not only search for a land to put into play but also potentially disrupt your opponent by forcing them to sacrifice an artifact or enchantment, offering a significant swing in card parity.

Resource Acceleration: By fetching a land card directly onto the battlefield, you’re effectively ramping your mana sources, leading to an acceleration of your resources that can facilitate casting high-cost spells or activating abilities sooner than usual.

Instant Speed: Although Pir’s Whim is a sorcery, its ability to prepare you for subsequent turns where you might need that extra mana at the ready, resembles the flexibility often associated with instant speed spells in terms of strategic resource planning.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Pir’s Whim doesn’t have a discard requirement, it does necessitate a choice upon resolution which can become a disadvantage if not aligned with your current game plan or if it provides significant advantage to an opponent in a multi-player setting.

Specific Mana Cost: Pir’s Whim requires both green and generic mana, making it less flexible for many decks. This specific mana cost can complicate your mana base, especially in decks that run three or more colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For an investment of four mana, it’s worth noting that Pir’s Whim may not always provide as immediate or impactful of an effect compared to other cards at similar mana costs, which might present more dynamic and game-altering abilities. Therefore, it’s important to evaluate the potential impact Pir’s Whim will have in your deck compared to other options available.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Pir’s Whim is a multifaceted tool, useful across a diversity of deck builds. It grants you the ability to seek out any land card, ensuring you get exactly what’s needed for a particular situation, while also providing a simultaneous benefit or setback for your opponents, depending on their board state.

Combo Potential: Not only does it allow for deck thinning by land fetching, but in combination-heavy builds, it serves as a strategy enabler. This could result in significant swings in board advantage when paired with landfall mechanics or other cards that capitalize on lands entering or leaving the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: Its place in the meta should not be understated, as it can operate as an excellent support card. With its ability to disrupt opponents by forcing artifact or enchantment sacrifices, it provides a critical answer to opponent strategies reliant on those card types.


How to beat

Pir’s Whim is a versatile card from the Battlebond set that offers players a unique advantage in Magic: The Gathering. This sorcery not only lets the controller search for a land card and put it onto the battlefield, it also forces opponents to sacrifice an artifact or enchantment of their choosing. Overcoming the impact of Pir’s Whim requires strategic planning and a well-structured deck.

The key to countering Pir’s Whim lies in maintaining a flexible board state. Keep low-value artifacts or enchantments ready to be sacrificed as part of your game plan. Utilize instant-speed removal spells to answer Pir’s Whim before it can fully resolve, or have counter spells in hand to neutralize it outright. The ability to adapt to the battle and predict your opponent’s moves is crucial.

Deck building wisdom also plays a role; include enchantment and artifact protection or recursion abilities to mitigate the loss. In the end, being prepared for Pir’s Whim’s dual utility and responding proactively can mean the difference between a setback and maintaining control in your Magic: The Gathering duels.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the ebb and flow of MTG’s intricate game play often hinges on card choices that offer both utility and strategic depth. Pir’s Whim exemplifies such dual functionality, adeptly combining land acceleration with opponent disruption. While its distinctive mana cost and the necessity of choice upon resolution can be seen as setbacks, the card’s versatility and combo potential arguably make it a valuable asset in the right deck. Understanding its place within your specific strategy and the broader meta is key. For those intrigued by the tactical richness that Pir’s Whim introduces, dive deeper into its applications and optimal synergies with our comprehensive guide to augment your battlefield prowess and enrich your collection’s diversity.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pir's Whim MTG card by a specific set like Battlebond and The List, 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 Pir's Whim and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Pir's Whim Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-06-08 and 2018-06-08. Illustrated by Jakub Kasper.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-06-08BattlebondBBD 732015NormalBlackJakub Kasper
22020-09-26The ListPLST BBD-732015NormalBlackJakub Kasper

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pir's Whim has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2018-06-08 Friends perform their specified actions before foes. This means that a friend’s action may cause a triggered ability of a foe’s permanent to trigger before that foe’s action causes that permanent to leave the battlefield.
2018-06-08 Players can’t take actions in between the time that friends perform their actions and the time that foes perform theirs. If any abilities trigger from friends performing actions, those triggers won’t be put onto the stack until the foes perform their actions and the spell finishes resolving.
2018-06-08 The designation of friend or foe is only relevant to the spell that asks you to choose. A player you call your friend doesn’t become your teammate, and the next “friend or foe” spell you cast could name that player your foe.
2018-06-08 When Pir’s Whim resolves and your foes perform their actions, first the next foe in turn order (or, if it’s a foe’s turn, that foe) chooses an artifact or enchantment they control, then each other foe in turn order does the same, then all chosen permanents are sacrificed at the same time. Foes will know choices made by earlier players when making their choices.
2018-06-08 When Pir’s Whim resolves and your friends perform their actions, first the next friend in turn order (or, if it’s a friend’s turn, that friend) searches their library for a land without revealing the card they choose, then each other friend in turn order does the same. Then all the lands are put onto the battlefield at the same time.
2018-06-08 You make this choice for yourself as well as each other player. In some rare cases, you may wish to call yourself (or your teammate in a Two-Headed Giant game) a foe. You can do that.
2018-06-08 You may call a player a friend or a foe even if that player will be instructed to perform an impossible action. For example, for Regna’s Sanction, a foe may control no untapped creatures.