Tatsumasa, the Dragon's Fang MTG Card

Tatsumasa, the Dragon's Fang - Champions of Kamigawa

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Rare
Type	Legendary Artifact — Equipment
Abilities	Equip
Released	2004-10-01
Set symbol
Set name	Champions of Kamigawa
Set code	CHK
Number	270
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Martina Pilcerova

Key Takeaways

Generates a 5/5 Dragon, offering a significant card advantage through its powerful token creation.
Instant speed token ability allows for flexible and surprising defensive or offensive plays.
Demanding mana cost poses deck-building limitations and may affect resource efficiency.

Text of card

Equipped creature gets +5/+5. , Remove Tatsumasa, the Dragon's Fang from the game: Put a 5/5 blue Dragon Spirit creature token with flying into play. Return Tatsumasa to play under its owner's control when that token is put into a graveyard. Equip

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tatsumasa, the Dragon’s Fang offers a unique avenue for card advantage in the form of a 5/5 flying Dragon creature token. Once on the battlefield, this can lead to gaining an upper hand by providing a powerful blocker or an aggressive attacker that can pressure the opponent.

Resource Acceleration: Although the initial investment is steep, Tatsumasa’s ability to become a creature means it can effectively be a mana-free creature play once enough mana has been invested in it. This can free up resources for other spells and actions within your turn, contributing to a more efficient resource management strategy.

Instant Speed: The Dragon token creation can be activated at instant speed, giving flexibility in response to an opponent’s actions. This adaptability can create favorable combat situations or surprise blockers, all while keeping your mana untapped for other instant speed interactions up until the moment you decide to create the Dragon.

Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Tatsumasa, the Dragon’s Fang features a demanding casting cost that is color-intensive, requiring six mana, with a heavy emphasis on the color blue. This requirement can potentially restrict its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce this mana composition.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total mana cost of six, this legendary artifact can be a hefty investment, particularly in the early game. Its activation cost is also substantial, and there may be situations where deploying or utilizing the card is not the most mana-efficient play.

Discard Requirement: There isn’t a direct discard requirement for Tatsumasa itself, but in trading card game ecosystems where card advantage is key, the opportunity cost of investing such significant resources into one card can be detrimental if it doesn’t yield a proportional impact on the game.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Tatsumasa, the Dragon’s Fang offers flexibility in deck construction, fitting into a variety of strategies. Its dual nature as a weapon and creature token provider ensures it’s never a dead card in hand.

Combo Potential: This artifact has excellent synergy with decks focusing on equipment or legendary creatures. It can also be part of intricate combos, involving sacrificing or reanimating to capitalize on its ability to create a massive dragon token.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where versatility is key, Tatsumasa can shape the battlefield. Whether you need a strong attacker or blocker, this card adjusts to the current board state, making it a valuable addition to collections geared towards metagame adaptability.

How to beat

Tatsumasa, the Dragon’s Fang is a unique artifact in Magic: The Gathering, offering both a formidable equipment boost and the ability to create a dragon token. To overcome the dual nature of this card, focus on timing and resource management. It’s crucial to maintain artifact or creature destruction abilities, such as Naturalize or Doom Blade, for when your opponent tries to equip a creature or generate the token.

In addition, counter spells are key in preventing Tatsumasa from resolving in the first place. Should the dragon token manifest, board wipes like Wrath of God can reset the playing field. It’s also beneficial to force your opponent to use the token creation prematurely, leaving them without the powerful equipment later on. Keep in mind that once the token is in play, the opponent cannot equip Tatsumasa, providing an opportunity to shift the game in your favor without the lingering threat of recurring equipment bonuses.

Strategically managing these options can help players effectively navigate around the challenges posed by Tatsumasa, the Dragon’s Fang, ensuring control over the game and preventing opponents from leveraging its full potential.

Cards like Tatsumasa, the Dragon's Fang

Tatsumasa, the Dragon’s Fang is an iconic card in Magic: The Gathering not only for its versatility but also for its ability to bring a formidable creature token into play. In the realm of such multifaceted artifacts, we can draw comparisons to cards like Sword of the Animist. Both equip creatures for greater effect, but Tatsumasa stands out with its unique ability to detach and become a dragon creature token when needed, providing a significant tactical advantage on the battlefield.

Moreover, we look at Moonsilver Spear as a comparable item that also generates creatures. However, it creates an Angel token with flying on attack, offering a more defense-oriented approach. While Tatsumasa, the Dragon’s Fang demands a notable mana investment to convert into a creature, it grants you a potentially huge, game-ending dragon rather than incremental advantage with each swing.

The versatility and the potential immediate impact of Tatsumasa are what put it in a distinct position within MTG’s pantheon of creature-generating equipment. True, others offer creature production or buffs, but few do so with the same capacity for tactical transformation that Tatsumasa, the Dragon’s Fang offers. Such an attribute is what elevates this card to a treasure in its own right, adding layers of strategy to every duel.

Sword of the Animist - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Tatsumasa, the Dragon's Fang by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tatsumasa, the Dragon's Fang MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa, 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 Tatsumasa, the Dragon's Fang and other MTG cards: