Tajuru Stalwart MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Elf Scout Ally |
| Abilities | Converge |
| Released | 2015-10-02 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Battle for Zendikar |
| Set code | BFZ |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 194 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Wesley Burt |
Key Takeaways
- Tajuru Stalwart boosts board presence aiding indirectly in resource conservation and posing threats to opponents.
- Efficient in multicolor strategies, this ally is a resource accelerator, amplifying the effects of allied buffs.
- Its adaptability makes it a versatile contender, fitting into various builds and enhancing deck resilience.
Text of card
Converge — Tajuru Stalwart enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana spent to cast it.
"In its time of hardship, all of Zendikar cries out in pain. Are you listening?"
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Tajuru Stalwart itself doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it reinforces your board presence, which indirectly contributes to card advantage. By having a formidable presence on the board, you compel your opponent to answer your threats, potentially leading them to lose resources while you maintain your card count.
Resource Acceleration: This ally creature’s synergy with other cards that care about the number of creatures you control or their creature types can be seen as a form of resource acceleration. The more allies you have, the greater the impact of ally-based buffs or effects, which could effectively accelerate your game plan.
Instant Speed: Although Tajuru Stalwart doesn’t operate at instant speed, its presence in a deck that can manipulate creature stats or features at instant speed becomes quite relevant. For instance, flashing in an effect that buffs its toughness before the Converge mechanic counts the number of colors used can amplify its impact during play.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Even though Tajuru Stalwart doesn’t require a card discard itself, it often plays in strategies where discarding could strengthen its Converge ability. This requirement might pressure you into making unwanted sacrifices when your hand is already running low.
Specific Mana Cost: The Converge mechanic of Tajuru Stalwart incentivizes a deck with a diverse color palette. Yet, its base cost demands green, which might restrict its incorporation in mono or dual-color decks that could benefit from its scalability without committing to a full-multicolor build.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a base casting cost of three mana, Tajuru Stalwart can be a commitment in terms of resources. Considering its potential payoff is directly tied to the number of colors spent to cast it, achieving its maximum is often a steep climb, especially when there are other lower-costed creatures that provide an immediate and guaranteed impact on the board.
Reasons to Include Tajuru Stalwart in Your Collection
Versatility: Tajuru Stalwart offers adaptability across various deck builds, attributing to its converge ability which scales up in power depending on the colors of mana used to cast it. This makes it a flexible addition to multicolor decks, adjusting its strength based on the player’s mana base.
Combo Potential: In decks that reward you for playing creatures with different power or for having creatures with +1/+1 counters, Tajuru Stalwart seamlessly blends in. Its potential to come in as a 3/4 creature enables synergy with +1/+1 counter strategies and other support cards that capitalize on the stat boost.
Meta-Relevance: As metagames shift towards multifarious strategies, Tajuru Stalwart holds its ground by fitting into the curve of ally decks and supplementing the board presence with a respectable body that can either defend against early aggression or apply pressure on the opponent.
How to beat
Tajuru Stalwart is a creature card that thrives in decks abundant with landfall and converge mechanics. Its strength comes from the utilization of colors – with each color of mana spent to cast it, the Stalwart gains an additional +1/+1 counter. To confront this adaptable adversary, strategic removal is key. Cards that allow targeted creature destruction or exile, such as Path to Exile or Doom Blade, can be played in response to the Stalwart’s casting, preventing any landfall benefits or counter accumulation.
Alternatively, controlling the battlefield becomes paramount. Board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation are highly effective at resetting the playing field, negating the advantage that Tajuru Stalwart might have gained. It’s important to consider the timing of such spells, as it’s more efficient to wait for the opponent to commit multiple creatures, including the Stalwart, to the board before sweeping away their advantages.
Lastly, combat tricks can turn the tables during the battle phase. Simple de-buff spells or ones that switch power and toughness can unexpectedly neutralize Tajuru Stalwart, making it formidable in appearance yet manageable in practice. The key to victory lies in preparation and recognizing the right moment to strike.
Cards like Tajuru Stalwart
Tajuru Stalwart holds its own ground in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, threading the veins of ramp and creature-based strategies. When we look at cards like Leaf Gilder, we notice a shared Llanowar Elves-esque knack for mana acceleration, although Tajuru Stalwart brings more to the table with a potentially higher power and toughness courtesy of the converge mechanic. Unlike Leaf Gilder, the Stalwart’s strength flexes with the diversity of mana played, thriving in a multi-color deck.
Comparatively, Skyrider Elf also utilizes converge, flying high with its own potential as a multicolored creature. Yet, the inherent flexibility of Tajuru Stalwart being a non-flying but stronger ground creature offers a different avenue of board presence. Standing tall next to these is Joraga Treespeaker. While Treespeaker brings an elf-centric, scalable mana boost, it lacks the direct power impact on the board that Tajuru Stalwart can exert if played in a multicolored setting.
All in all, while there are other creatures that dip into the mechanics of mana versatility and development, Tajuru Stalwart presents a unique harmony between being a sizable creature and playing well with the vast spectrum of a deck’s colors in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Tajuru Stalwart by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Tajuru Stalwart MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar, 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 Tajuru Stalwart and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Tajuru Stalwart has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Tajuru Stalwart card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2015-08-25 | If a spell with a converge ability is copied, no mana was spent to cast the copy, so the number of colors of mana spent to cast the spell will be zero. The number of colors spent to cast the original spell is not copied. |
| 2015-08-25 | If there are any alternative or additional costs to cast a spell with a converge ability, the mana spent to pay those costs will count. For example, if an effect makes sorcery spells cost more to cast, you could pay to cast Radiant Flames and deal 4 damage to each creature. |
| 2015-08-25 | If you cast a spell with converge without spending any mana to cast it (perhaps because an effect allowed you to cast it without paying its mana cost), then the number of colors spent to cast it will be zero. |
| 2015-08-25 | The maximum number of colors of mana you can spend to cast a spell is five. Colorless is not a color. Note that the cost of a spell with converge may limit how many colors of mana you can spend. |
| 2015-08-25 | Unless a spell or ability allows you to, you can’t choose to pay more mana for a spell with a converge ability just to spend more colors of mana. Likewise, if a spell or ability reduces the amount of mana it costs you to cast a spell with converge, you can’t ignore that cost reduction in order to spend more colors of mana. |
