Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Ally
Abilities Partner
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Bruse Tarl provides card advantage in multiplayer by enhancing creatures during combat without using extra cards.
  2. Boosting creatures with double strike and lifelink, Bruse Tarl accelerates victory while increasing your life total stability.
  3. Despite its strengths, a limited board or specific mana costs can hinder Bruse Tarl’s effectiveness in some decks.

Text of card

Whenever Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder enters the battlefield or attacks, target creature you control gains double strike and lifelink until end of turn. Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Bruse Tarl Boorish Herder offers a unique form of card advantage in multiplayer games. Every time Bruse Tarl enters battle or attacks you get to choose a new target for his ability, essentially drawing value from the combat phase without spending extra cards from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly creating mana or treasure tokens, Bruse Tarl’s ability to give double strike can lead to faster elimination of opponents, effectively accelerating your path to victory. In addition, Lifelink can be considered a resource that bolsters your life total, granting you more stability to execute your strategy.

Instant Speed: While Bruse Tarl himself does not operate at instant speed, his double strike and lifelink granting ability can instantly turn the tide of combat, making your creatures more threatening and enabling surprise comebacks during pivotal combat phases.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Bruse Tarl Boorish Herder necessitates two creatures to optimize its ability. This becomes a downside when you have a limited board presence, potentially leaving you unable to harness its full potential and subsequently discarding the card for better options.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes two specific mana symbols, Boros decks primarily find a home for Bruse Tarl. The card is restricted in its usage, limiting deck-building options and potentially hindering mana flexibility in multi-colored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Commanding four mana to summon, Bruse Tarl might be overshadowed by other commanders or creatures that offer immediate impact or more cost-efficient abilities. Its presence on the battlefield requires strategic planning, especially in a game that emphasizes tempo and resource management.


Reasons to Include Bruse Tarl Boorish Herder in Your Collection

Versatility: Bruse Tarl Boorish Herder is a flexible card that can fit into various Commander decks. Its ability to give a creature double strike and lifelink on attack makes it an excellent addition for strategies that aim to deliver powerful swings or gain substantial life.

Combo Potential: Bruse Tarl excels in combinations by synergizing with equipment and auras that can make the most of its triggered abilities. When paired with cards that have strong enter-the-battlefield effects or those that enhance combat damage, Bruse Tarl helps craft overwhelming battlefield states.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors aggressive or voltron strategies, Bruse Tarl stands out. Not only does it significantly bolster your creatures, but its lifelink ability can also turn the tides by providing a crucial life buffer against opponents, making it a valuable asset in your deck arsenal.


How to beat

Bruse Tarl Boorish Herder marks his territory in the realm of MTG as a unique commander option, bestowing double strike and lifelink to creatures under your command, thereby amplifying their damage and your life total. Despite its allure, countering Bruse Tarl requires strategic play. Adaptation to his double strike capability demands creatures with first strike to minimize combat damage, or even better, creatures with deathtouch to ensure his creatures are removed before the damage doubles.

Control the battlefield: Board wipes and removal spells are your friends against Bruse Tarl. Clear the board before he can leverage those abilities. Cards like Wrath of God or Doom Blade can keep the board in check, hindering his impact on the game.

Counterplay strategies: Bruse Tarl shines in combat, but proactive interaction can stop him in his tracks. Counterspell, for instance, prevents him from entering the fray, and constant disruption makes it challenging for Bruse Tarl to ever make a significant impact. Manage your resources and choose your moments carefully to maintain dominance in the game.

Analyze the risk-reward of engaging Bruse Tarl in combat. Stifle his lifegain with cards that limit life total changes, such as Erebos, God of the Dead, and always be one step ahead with surprise blocks or instant-speed tricks. With these strategies, the boorish herder may just become a manageable adversary on the battlefield.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the dynamics of Bruse Tarl Boorish Herder in MTG is crucial for any player looking to enhance their gameplay. This legendary creature can turn the tide of battle with its powerful ability, and knowing how to leverage it effectively can be the difference between victory and defeat. For those keen on further developing their combat strategies and deck-building skills, diving deeper into Bruse Tarl’s potential is essential. We encourage players to explore various synergy and interaction possibilities that this card presents. Elevate your gameplay and embrace the challenge—dive into our comprehensive guide to master the boorish herder’s battlefield prowess.


Cards like Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder

Bruse Tarl Boorish Herder carves out a unique niche in the realm of MTG’s legendary creatures. Positioned similarly to creatures like Tana, the Bloodsower, Bruse Tarl offers a potent benefit upon dealing combat damage. While Tana creates Saproling tokens to expand your army, Bruse Tarl leverages his ability to grant double strike and lifelink to another attacking creature, synergizing substantially with strategies that focus on combat and life-gain.

Analogous to Bruse Tarl in the battle-focused strategy is Aurelia, the Warleader. Aurelia also grants additional combat phases, although she doesn’t directly offer lifelink or double strike, her ability can compound the effects of Bruse Tarl’s, potentially leading to significantly large life swings. Another contender with similar flavor is Gisela, Blade of Goldnight, who doubles damage to opponents and halves damage to you, complementing Bruse Tarl’s focus on battlefield dominance and survivability.

While each of these commanders carries their strengths, Bruse Tarl stands out for those aiming to maximize individual combat encounters and pivot them into game-changing advantages. Especially in formats like Commander, his specific pairing of lifelink and double strike proves to be a highly valuable asset in the right deck.

Tana, the Bloodsower - MTG Card versions
Aurelia, the Warleader - MTG Card versions
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight - MTG Card versions
Tana, the Bloodsower - Commander 2016 (C16)
Aurelia, the Warleader - Gatecrash (GTC)
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight - Open the Helvault (PHEL)

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander 2016, 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 Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2016-11-11 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by Anthony Palumbo.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 861562015normalblackAnthony Palumbo
22016-11-11Commander 2016C16 302015normalblackAnthony Palumbo
32016-11-16Treasure ChestPZ2 562015normalblackAnthony Palumbo
42020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 5172015normalblackAnthony Palumbo

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-11-10 An effect that checks whether you control your commander is satisfied if you control one or both of your two commanders.
2020-11-10 Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards (or 58 cards in a Commander Draft game) of your deck are shuffled to become your library.
2020-11-10 If something refers to your commander while you have two commanders, it refers to one of them of your choice. If you are instructed to perform an action on your commander (e.g. put it from the command zone into your hand due to Command Beacon), you choose one of your commanders at the time the effect happens.
2020-11-10 If your Commander deck has two commanders, you can only include cards whose own color identities are also found in your commanders' combined color identities. If Falthis and Kediss are your commanders, your deck may contain cards with black and/or red in their color identity, but not cards with green, white, or blue.
2020-11-10 Once the game begins, your two commanders are tracked separately. If you cast one, you won't have to pay an additional the first time you cast the other. A player loses the game after having been dealt 21 damage from any one of them, not from both of them combined.
2020-11-10 The triggered ability triggers both when Bruse Tarl enters the battlefield and whenever it attacks. You don't have to choose only one.
2020-11-10 To have two commanders, both must have the partner ability as the game begins. Losing the ability during the game doesn't cause either to cease to be your commander.
2020-11-10 You can choose two commanders with partner that are the same color or colors. In Commander Draft, you can even choose two of the same commander with partner if you drafted them. If you do this, make sure you keep the number of times you've cast each from the command zone clear for "commander tax" purposes.

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