Pirates are back in Magic: The Gathering, ready to loot, burn, and pillage. The Lost Caverns of Ixalan set delivers fast-paced and fun gameplay offering players new opportunities to engage in high-stakes battles with a distinctly swashbuckling flair.
Lost Caverns of Ixalan marks a thrilling resurgence of aggressive and dynamic playstyles, especially marked by the card design of the Pirate creatures of the set. Their obsession with gold, specifically in the shape of treasure tokens, is more evident than in previous Ixalan sets.
The best Pirate cards from MTG’s Lost Caverns of Ixalan
7. Goblin Tomb Raider
- Mana Cost: R
- Type: Creature – Goblin Pirate
- Rarity: Rare
- Ability: As long as you control an artifact, Goblin Tomb Raider gets +1/+0 and has haste.
Goblin Tomb Raider is reminiscent of one infamous goblin heavily played in mono-red Modern decks—Goblin Guide. A 2/2 with haste for only one mana sounds too good to be true until you read the full text. The Goblin Pirate necessitates an artifact to get +1/+0 and haste. Ideally, in games of Limited like Sealed or Draft the player casts a Spyglass Siren on turn one and a Goblin Tomb Guide on turn two. The player can then swing in for three power on turn two.
6. Enterprising Scallywag
- Mana Cost: 1R
- Type: Creature – Goblin Pirate
- Rarity: Common
- Ability: At the beginning of your end step, if you descended this turn, create a Treasure token. (You descended if a permanent card was put into your graveyard from anywhere.)
A 2/2 Goblin Pirate for two mana is your average “bear” for Limited games. But Enterprising Scallywag shines with his passive ability. If a permanent was put into the player’s graveyard from anywhere this turn, the player creates a Treasure token. Even if Enterprising Scallywag only survives for a turn or two, it is always beneficial to set up extra mana for the next turn. If this bearded goblin stays alive for longer than that, it can consistently generate Treasure tokens and create a significant advantage over time.
5. Spyglass Siren
- Mana Cost: U
- Type: Creature – Siren Pirate
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Ability: Flying. When Spyglass Siren enters the battlefield, create a Map token. (It’s an artifact with “One, Tap, Sacrifice this artifact: Target creature you control explores. Activate only as a sorcery.)
Spyglass Siren can put early pressure on opponents by using its Map token ability on itself. If the Siren Pirate gets a +1/+1 counter from the explore mechanic, it becomes a 2/2 with evasion as early as turn two. This card is a solid pick for Drafts and Sealed games. This card could even take a spot in some blue decks in Standard that are looking for that extra piece of aggressiveness.
4. Captain Storm, Cosmium Raider
- Mana Cost: UR
- Type: Legendary Creature – Human Pirate
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Ability: Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on target Pirate you control.
Perfect for Commander playstyles that can generate copious amounts of treasure tokens, Captain Storm, Cosmium Raider inflates the stats of Pirate creatures. This booty-crazed scoundrel boosts his fellow pirates with +1/+1 counters. Her ability can trigger multiple times for each artifact that enters the battlefield.
These could be treasure tokens, but they could be any other type of token, like Food tokens or the new Map tokens. Pirate players will welcome Captain Storm with open arms as she serves as a sort of Pirate “lord,” even though +1/+1 counters are not typical of Izzet color pairing.
3. Breeches, Eager Pillager
- Mana Cost: 2R
- Type: Legendary Creature – Goblin Pirate
- Rarity: Rare
- Ability: First Strike. Whenever a Pirate you control attacks, choose one that hasn’t been chosen this turn – Create a Treasure token. Target creature can’t block this turn. Exile the top card of your library. You may play it this turn.
Breeches, Eager Pillager asks the question: What if Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer was designed to be balanced and not to break a format completely? Breeches is a fair version of Ragavan that costs three mana and only activates one of his abilities at a time unless the player controls more Pirate creatures. His first strike ability allows this monkey-looking goblin to hold his ground in combat. Breeches is a very solid inclusion in Limited as well as with Commander decks with a focus on Pirates.
2. Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel
- Mana Cost: 1U
- Type: Legendary Creature – Siren Pirate
- Rarity: Rare
- Ability: Whenever Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel deals combat damage to a player, put a chorus counter on it. Draw a card, then discard a card. If there are four or more chorus counters on Malcolm, you may cast the discarded card without paying its mana cost.
Clearly designed for Commander gameplay, Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel has a unique and powerful ability that truly shines when the player manages to keep him alive for a few turns. Once he reaches four chorus counters, Malcolm’s ability lets the player cast one spell for free each turn. Ideally, the player should pair Malcolm with repeat combat step spells such as Savage Beating and Seize the Day.
1. Kitesail Larsonist
- Mana Cost: 2U
- Type: Creature – Human Pirate
- Rarity: Rare
- Ability: Flying. Ward 1. When Kitesail Larsonist enters the battlefield, for each player, choose up to one other target artifact or creature that player controls. For as long as Kitesail Larsonist remains on the battlefield, the chosen permanents become Treasure artifacts with “Tap, Sacrifice this artifact. Add one mana of any color” and lose all other abilities.
This pirate, who seems to be enjoying herself flying high on a kite, is a major game changer. Her enter-the-battlefield ability to turn one creature from each player into a treasure token is some of the best removal in blue from this set. Kitesail Larsonist shines most brightest in Commander, where she can turn a larger number of permanents into Treasure tokens. Donating your opponents one mana is a small downside, considering their best creature just turned into a token that can only sacrifice itself.
