Cateran Persuader MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Mercenary
Released	1999-10-04
Set symbol
Set name	Mercadian Masques
Set code	MMQ
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	124
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Carl Critchlow

Key Takeaways

Recruit ability provides potential for significant card advantage, reinforcing your Mercenary tribal strategies.
Through resource acceleration, it bypasses typical mana costs, allowing quicker deployment of Mercenaries.
Instant speed recruitment offers tactical flexibility and can disrupt opponent strategies during combat.

Text of card

o1, oc T: Search your library for a Mercenary card with converted mana cost 1 or less and put that card into play. Then shuffle your library.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Cateran Persuader offers a unique interaction with the Mercenary tribe, allowing you to potentially recruit more powerful cards from your library. By tapping into your deck’s synergy, the Persuader can lead to a gradual accumulation of battlefield presence, tipping the scales in your favor round after round.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Persuader doesn’t directly produce additional mana or tokens, its recruit ability can help you bypass mana costs of other Mercenaries in your library. Accessing these creatures more rapidly than through natural land drops can generate an indirect form of resource acceleration as you deploy threats ahead of the typical mana curve.

Instant Speed: The ability to use the Persuader’s recruit at instant speed provides tactical flexibility. You can wait until the end of your opponent’s turn to decide whether to bring in a new Mercenary, allowing you to adapt to their moves and maintain the element of surprise. This instant-speed interaction can also allow for strategic blocking or ambushes during combat phases, potentially disrupting your opponent’s plans.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Cateran Persuader, much like other cards that provide utility or a tactical edge, comes with a price. In the case of the Persuader, that cost may entail parting with valuable cards from your hand. This requirement could put you at a disadvantage by diminishing your options and strategic depth, particularly when your hand is already running low on cards.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that requires both black and generic mana, Cateran Persuader demands a commitment to a specific mana base. This can be limiting, especially in formats where mana flexibility is crucial. If your deck is not solidly within the black mana color pie, it may be challenging to reliably cast the Persuader without experiencing mana issues.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating the efficiency of creature cards, mana cost is a key factor. Cateran Persuader’s mana cost may be viewed as steep considering what it brings to the battlefield. There are other creatures and spells available at a lower cost that may provide equal or greater utility, power, or toughness, making the Persuader a potentially less appealing choice for players seeking maximum efficiency.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Cateran Persuader can be a flexible addition to a variety of decks. Its mercenary type and the ability to search for another mercenary make it highly adaptable to any deck theme centered around tribal synergies or creature-based strategies.

Combo Potential: This card allows players to search their libraries for other mercenaries, potentially unlocking combos with other cards that share the type. As a 2/1 for two mana, it easily fits into curves and can provide early board presence while setting up for more potent plays.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature interactions are crucial, Cateran Persuader’s tutor effect can help you consistently find the right pieces to address the board state. Moreover, as the game evolves, having access to a toolbox of creatures can be the key to overcoming diverse threats.

How to Beat Cateran Persuader

Cateran Persuader is an interesting card to encounter in the world of Magic: The Gathering. With its Mercenary subtype and the ability to tutor for other Mercenaries, it can incrementally improve a player’s board presence. When faced against this menace, it’s crucial to disrupt this synergy. Instant speed removal spells are highly effective, allowing you to respond to the activation of its tutoring ability before your opponent can benefit from it.

Control strategies can also be formidable when playing against Cateran Persuader. Counterspells and board wipes deal with the creature and prevent the tutor chain from starting. Additionally, employing graveyard hate is a savvy tactic, as it can stifle strategies revolving around recurring these Mercenary cards from the graveyard. Cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void will ensure that any Mercenary sent to the graveyard stays there.

Ultimately, while the Cateran Persuader can create a card advantage over time, a well-timed reaction can neutralize its threat. Keeping up mana for responsive plays or implementing a solid control strategy can maintain the balance of the game in your favor and keep the persuasive power of the Cateran at bay.

Cards like Cateran Persuader

The Cateran Persuader is an intriguing creature card that resonates with those who appreciate the Mercenary tribe in Magic: The Gathering. With its subtle ability to recruit other Mercenaries, it bears similarities to cards like Cateran Enforcer, which also facilitates the growth of your Mercenary army. While both cards share this thematic link, the Enforcer offers a larger body on the battlefield, begging the question of raw power versus recruitment tactics.

Delving into the realm of Mercenaries, the Precise Strike card emerges as another comparison. It shares the same mana cost but focuses on enhancing a creature’s combat capabilities rather than expanding your mercenary contingent. The ability to give a creature first strike can be pivotal in combat, offering a different strategic avenue.

Analyzing these parallels, the Cateran Persuader’s distinct advantage in Mercenary decks becomes apparent. The potential to chain Mercenary creatures turn after turn can quickly outvalue the singular benefits afforded by the others. This card epitomizes a niche but potent role for those dedicated to a Mercenary-themed strategy in their Magic: The Gathering decks.

Cards similar to Cateran Persuader by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cateran Persuader MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Cateran Persuader and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cateran Persuader has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-10-04	Because the “search” requires you to find a card with certain characteristics, you don’t have to find the card if you don’t want to.