EDH Optimizer
Pippin, Guard of the Citadel
Legendary Creature — Halfling Soldier · WU
Color identity: Blue · White · Azorius
Pippin, Guard of the Citadel is Azorius (blue and white): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
Vigilance, ward {1}
{T}: Another target creature you control gains protection from the card type of your choice until end of turn. (It can't be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, enchanted, or equipped by anything of that type.)
Reference price of the card: €0.71
Average lands in decks for Pippin, Guard of the Citadel: 34
ControlHatebearsHumansPillow FortSoldiersStaxCard DrawAggro
Build your Pippin, Guard of the Citadel deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Pippin, Guard of the Citadel 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Pippin, Guard of the Citadel deck starts over 4,000 games
The list people actually play (the 99 most-included cards, with its average land count), simulated with the EDH Optimizer engine: hands, mulligans, lands, curve and commander. It does not model opponents; it measures whether the plan gets going.
Deck health of the average list: B (68/100)
- Consistency25
- Speed58
- Interaction100
- Resilience78
- Closing72
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 34 lands (22 nonbasic, 8 Plains, 4 Island)
Sol Ring · Arcane Signet · Swords to Plowshares · Path to Exile · Mother of Runes · Counterspell · Talisman of Progress · Dovin's Veto · Azorius Signet · Boromir, Warden of the Tower · Ioreth of the Healing House · Arcane Denial · Danitha, Sword of Hope · Generous Gift · Faramir, Prince of Ithilien · Giver of Runes · Supreme Verdict · Esper Sentinel · Propaganda · An Offer You Can't Refuse · Swiftfoot Boots · Ghostly Prison · Negate · Sun Titan · Lightning Greaves · Thought Vessel · Flowering of the White Tree · Thalia, Heretic Cathar · Flawless Maneuver · Keeper of the Accord · Teferi's Protection · Austere Command · Myrel, Shield of Argive · Prince Imrahil the Fair · Bastion Protector · Bident of Thassa · Drumbellower · Elspeth, Sun's Champion · Skystrike Officer · Cathar Commando · Enduring Curiosity · Horn of Gondor · Lavinia, Azorius Renegade · Mentor of the Meek · Mind Stone · Rhystic Study · Cyclonic Rift · Loran of the Third Path · Ponder · Smothering Tithe · Stroke of Midnight · Grand Arbiter Augustin IV · Harbin, Vanguard Aviator · Skrelv, Defector Mite · Swan Song · Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow · Brainstorm · Land Tax · Mana Drain · Odric, Master Tactician · Patriar's Seal · Sting, the Glinting Dagger · Daxos of Meletis · Captain of the Watch · Champions of Minas Tirith · Command Tower · Glacial Fortress · Prairie Stream · Hallowed Fountain · Adarkar Wastes · Port Town · Deserted Beach · Sea of Clouds · Reliquary Tower · Temple of Enlightenment · Flooded Strand · Azorius Chancery · Minas Tirith · Skycloud Expanse · Irrigated Farmland · Mystic Gate · Minamo, School at Water's Edge · Rivendell · Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire · Hengegate Pathway // Mistgate Pathway · Otawara, Soaring City · Floodfarm Verge
🃏 Recommended cards for Pippin, Guard of the Citadel
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Pippin, Guard of the Citadel, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Mother of Runes | 46% | +42% |
| Boromir, Warden of the Tower | 36% | +34% |
| Danitha, Sword of Hope | 33% | +33% |
| Ioreth of the Healing House | 35% | +32% |
| Giver of Runes | 32% | +29% |
| Faramir, Prince of Ithilien | 32% | +29% |
| Minas Tirith | 30% | +26% |
| Flowering of the White Tree | 24% | +21% |
| Myrel, Shield of Argive | 22% | +21% |
| Keeper of the Accord | 23% | +20% |
| Thalia, Heretic Cathar | 24% | +20% |
| Rivendell | 24% | +20% |
| Skystrike Officer | 20% | +19% |
| Bastion Protector | 21% | +18% |
| Elspeth, Sun's Champion | 20% | +17% |
| Cathar Commando | 19% | +17% |
| Prince Imrahil the Fair | 22% | +17% |
| Horn of Gondor | 19% | +17% |
| Mentor of the Meek | 19% | +16% |
| Flawless Maneuver | 23% | +16% |
| Harbin, Vanguard Aviator | 17% | +16% |
| Minamo, School at Water's Edge | 24% | +16% |
| Sun Titan | 26% | +16% |
| Odric, Master Tactician | 16% | +15% |
💰 The best cards for your Pippin, Guard of the Citadel deck, by budget
Three tiers based on the maximum price PER CARD you are willing to pay. Paste your list and hit Optimize: you pick that cap and the AI only suggests swaps that fit under it.
Tier 1 · Budget up to €2/card
The most value for almost nothing. Coming from a precon? Start here.
- Danitha, Sword of Hope
- Ioreth of the Healing House
- Faramir, Prince of Ithilien
- Keeper of the Accord
- Thalia, Heretic Cathar
- Rivendell
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Mother of Runes
- Boromir, Warden of the Tower
- Giver of Runes
- Minas Tirith
- Flowering of the White Tree
- Flawless Maneuver
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Myrel, Shield of Argive
- Minamo, School at Water's Edge
- Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
- Ancient Gold Dragon
- Bard, Heir of Girion
- Esper Sentinel
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Pippin, Guard of the Citadel
- Hullbreaker Horror + Sol Ring → Infinite colorless mana, Infinite storm count
- Tidespout Tyrant + Sol Ring → Infinite colorless mana, Infinite storm count
- Narset's Reversal + Isochron Scepter → Infinite turns, Lock
- Approach of the Second Sun + Windfall → Win the game
- Approach of the Second Sun + Mystical Tutor → Win the game
- Marvin, Murderous Mimic + Ioreth of the Healing House → Infinite untap of legendary creatures you control, Infinite mana legendary creatures you control can produce
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Pippin, Guard of the Citadel's color identity?
Pippin, Guard of the Citadel is Azorius (blue and white): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones. Color identity comes from every mana symbol on the card, including those in the rules text, not just the casting cost.
What turn does Pippin, Guard of the Citadel come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Pippin, Guard of the Citadel deck (the 99 cards most played with it, with 34 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 2.2 on average and is on the battlefield before turn 7 in 100 % of games. It misses at least one land drop in the first six turns 31 % of the time and floods 28 %. Deck health: B (68/100).
How many lands should a Pippin, Guard of the Citadel deck run?
Real Pippin, Guard of the Citadel decks run 34 lands on average. That is a starting point, not a rule: a lower curve can shave one or two, big-mana builds want more. The EDH Optimizer simulator tells you, over 10,000 games, how often you get mana screwed or flooded with your exact count.
What are the best cards for Pippin, Guard of the Citadel?
The three highest-synergy cards are Mother of Runes, Boromir, Warden of the Tower, Danitha, Sword of Hope. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Pippin, Guard of the Citadel decks.
What combos does Pippin, Guard of the Citadel have?
Pippin, Guard of the Citadel has 6 known combos. The most popular one is Hullbreaker Horror + Sol Ring. Note that two-card combos raise your deck's bracket, so it is worth knowing which ones you are running before you sit down.
How much does a Pippin, Guard of the Citadel deck cost?
You can start cheap: Danitha, Sword of Hope, Ioreth of the Healing House, Faramir, Prince of Ithilien are under €2 each. The "Level up" section on this page splits the best cards into three price caps PER CARD (up to €2, up to €10 and no cap), and the optimizer only suggests swaps that fit the cap you pick.