Tamanoa MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Spirit |
| Released | 2006-07-21 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Coldsnap |
| Set code | CSP |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | 132 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | rk post |
Text of card
Whenever a noncreature source you control deals damage, you gain that much life.
When Freyalise spoke the World Spell, the tamanoa rose to bring a new morning to Terisiare.
Cards like Tamanoa
Tamanoa occupies a unique space in Magic: The Gathering with its rare capability to convert non-combat damage into life gain. It’s somewhat analogous to creatures like Firesong and Sunspeaker which offer additional value on spells that cause damage. Yet, Tamanoa has a lower casting cost and applies to all damage sources, not just instant and sorcery spells.
Comparatively looking, we can consider Searing Meditation as a parallel card effect, requiring a player to pay mana to convert damage into life gain. Tamanoa exempts the mana cost, enabling a passive effect that is both constant and free. This can lead to substantial life gain in decks focused on damage-dealing effects. Another card, the enchantment Licia, Sanguine Tribune, has the potential to gain life from damage dealt, but its high mana cost and additional prerequisites to gain life make its benefits less immediate than Tamanoa’s allure.
Through considering these aspects, it’s clear Tamanoa stands out among its MTG kin for its efficient damage conversion and low-cost advantage. It may not be as well-known as other life gain sources, but its unique utility positions it favorably for players crafting specific synergistic deck themes.
Cards similar to Tamanoa by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The unique ability of Tamanoa to convert any life gained from non-creature sources into card draw with certain synergies magnifies its potential for card advantage. Decks built around this card often include damage-dealing effects that benefit from Tamanoa’s life gain, potentially drawing into more threats or answers, thus keeping the pressure on the opponent while refilling your hand.
Resource Acceleration: Utilizing damage-dealing mana rocks or enchantments that deal damage can turn into a form of resource acceleration with Tamanoa. The life gain can translate into additional spells cast per turn when paired with cards like “Grove of the Burnwillows” or similar, keeping you well ahead of your opponent in both life and on the battlefield.
Instant Speed: While Tamanoa itself does not operate at instant speed, it encourages a deck-building style that can capitalize on instant-speed interactions. By including cards that deal damage or lifegain triggers on your opponents’ turns, Tamanoa’s ability remains relevant throughout the entire game cycle, allowing players to maintain a responsive and versatile stance during play.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Tamanoa itself does not impose a discard requirement, integrating this card into a deck may necessitate employing other spells that cause you to discard as a way to fuel its abilities. This can be a serious downside if your hand size is consistently pressured by your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Tamanoa necessitates a precise mana composition of one red, one green, and one white to be cast. This tricolor requirement can restrict the card to only those decks that can reliably produce all three types of mana, potentially limiting its versatility across various deck builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the card costs three mana to cast, in the fast-paced modern meta of MTG, this cost can be considered on the higher side for creatures of its stats. It requires a substantial mana investment before it starts making an impact on the game, which may be too slow against more aggressive decks that aim to finish the game quickly.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Tamanoa’s unique ability to gain life from noncreature sources offers a level of adaptability that’s hard to match. This enchantment creature can be a noteworthy addition to any deck that deals damage with spells, enchantments, or abilities, transforming that damage into a life-gaining asset.
Combo Potential: With Tamanoa, players unlock a treasure trove of combo options, coupling it with cards that inflict damage across the board to create a life-gaining engine. The synergy between Tamanoa and continuous damage effects or repeated damage spells amplifies its impact on the game.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where burn strategies prevail or where dealing noncombat damage is prevalent, Tamanoa’s capability to convert that into a life cushion can be immensely impactful. It not only stabilizes your health but can also disrupt opponent tactics dependent on reducing life totals quickly.
How to beat
The Tamanoa card in Magic: The Gathering offers a unique challenge due to its ability to convert noncombat damage into life gain for its controller. When facing Tamanoa, it is crucial to limit sources of damage that the Tamanoa player can direct at their own permanents or life total, thus controlling the life swings this card can cause. Reach for removal spells that can bypass potential protection or hexproof by using board wipes or spot removal that doesn’t target, such as “Wrath of God” or “Toxic Deluge.” These ensure that Tamanoa leaves the battlefield without directly targeting it.
Pressure is also key – apply it early in the game to prevent the Tamanoa player from establishing their synergies and gaining an insurmountable life lead. Focus on steady creature attacks to reduce their life total before Tamanoa can take over the game. Additionally, considering graveyard strategies, cards such as “Rest in Peace” or “Grafdigger’s Cage” can be powerful against recursion mechanics that may try to bring Tamanoa back from the graveyard for another round.
Ultimately, by understanding the mechanics of the Tamanoa card and preparing appropriate countermeasures, players can effectively neutralize this unique threat and maintain control of the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Tamanoa MTG card by a specific set like Coldsnap, 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 Tamanoa and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Tamanoa has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Tamanoa card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2006-07-15 | A noncreature source is a source that doesn’t have the type creature. If a creature card that’s not on the battlefield deals damage (for example, a cycled Gempalm Incinerator), Tamanoa’s ability won’t trigger. |
| 2006-07-15 | Tamanoa’s ability triggers no matter who the recipient of the damage is: another player, a creature, or even you. If a noncreature source you control deals damage to you that drops your life total to 0 or less, you’ll lose the game before Tamanoa’s ability can resolve. |