Talus Paladin MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Human Knight Ally |
| Released | 2010-02-05 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Worldwake |
| Set code | WWK |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 21 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | normal |
| Border | black |
| Illustred by | Svetlin Velinov |
Key Takeaways
- Generates card advantage and life gain with every allied creature played, reinforcing hand resources.
- Contributes to strategy by enabling instant-speed interactions, allowing for tactical surprises.
- Demands specific mana and a built-up board of allies to unlock its full potential in play.
Text of card
Whenever Talus Paladin or another Ally enters the battlefield under your control, you may have Allies you control gain lifelink until end of turn, and you may put a +1/+1 counter on Talus Paladin.
"Why fill pockets with gold when you can fill hearts with conviction?"
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Talus Paladin shines by potentially bolstering your hand size with each ally you summon. Every time an ally enters the battlefield under your control, you have the option to gain life and if you do, draw a card. This synergy perfectly aligns with the ally strategy, fostering a card advantage that can stack as the game progresses.
Resource Acceleration: While the Talus Paladin itself doesn’t directly offer traditional mana acceleration, it does contribute to resource acceleration in the broader sense. The life gain feature can fuel cards and abilities that require a healthy life total, which indirectly accelerates your game plan, giving you an edge to deploy more threats or utilize life-dependent abilities sooner.
Instant Speed: Although Talus Paladin is not an instant-speed spell, its ability to trigger and potentially draw a card happens at instant speed whenever an ally enters the battlefield. This means that with flash-enabling cards or ally creatures with flash, you can create surprise interactions during your opponent’s turn, adding unexpected value and maintaining momentum in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Talus Paladin offers an ally-based bolstering ability, it requires significant ally presence on the field to optimize its potential. Without other allies to trigger its benefits, it can end up being a subpar play.
Specific Mana Cost: Talus Paladin demands a precise combination of mana to cast—two colorless, one white, and one blue. This mana restriction means it fits primarily into white-blue ally decks, potentially limiting its versatility across various deck types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four-mana casting cost, Talus Paladin competes with other four-drop creatures and spells that could provide immediate impact or more substantial board presence. Some players might find it less appealing when building efficient and fast-paced strategies.
Reasons to Include Talus Paladin in Your Collection
Versatility: Talus Paladin provides flexibility to your deck by offering both life gain and creature strengthening. It’s a solid choice for ally-themed decks or any strategy that rewards you for gaining life.
Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with other allies, enabling various powerful interactions that can steadily increase your board presence and life total, often overwhelming your opponents.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where aggressive decks are prevalent, the life gain and buff effects Talus Paladin brings can be the edge needed to stabilize and turn the tides in your favor.
How to beat
Talus Paladin is an intriguing creature in the landscape of MTG with its ability to bolster other allies through lifelink. Its standout feature is the ally mechanic triggering whenever another ally enters the battlefield under your control. This presents rising lifegain and a potential threat that can swiftly escalate if left unchecked.
Countering Talus Paladin effectively often requires preemptive measures or a well-timed removal. Utilize board wipes like Wrath of God to reset the playing field before the Paladin’s ability becomes overwhelming. Spot removal spells such as Path to Exile are perfect to remove the Paladin directly, thwarting the lifegain synergy before it even begins. It’s also wise to keep creature counterspells like Essence Scatter at hand, negating the Paladin’s play outright. Playing removal spells during the owner’s turn also ensures the Paladin doesn’t trigger the ally mechanic.
Ultimately, when facing a deck with Talus Paladin, maintaining control and eliminating key creatures quickly is crucial. Immediate action will prevent the incremental advantage the Paladin offers and keep the opponent’s board manageable, preserving your chances of victory against this ally-centered strategy.
Cards like Talus Paladin
Talus Paladin is an intriguing creature card within Magic: The Gathering, slotting nicely into Ally tribal decks. It shares its themes with cards like Ondu Cleric, another Ally which provides life gain, though instead of scaling with the number of Allies, it offers a consistent amount of life per Ally entering the battlefield. Compared to Talus Paladin, Ondu Cleric doesn’t provide the same boost in creature strength but can be a more immediate source of life.
Kabira Evangel is also in the conversation when talking about powerful Allies. While it doesn’t directly boost life totals or creature power, it provides protection by granting allies temporary protection from a color of your choice upon entering the battlefield. This effect can turn the tides during combat but doesn’t offer the incremental growth or staying power afforded by the Paladin’s abilities.
Assessing these options, the Talus Paladin stands out for its ability to significantly impact the board state and health of its controller over time. Its combination of ally synergy and life-link attribute makes it a compelling choice for players looking to sustain in prolonged games and outlast opponents with the constant life gain and power increase.
Cards similar to Talus Paladin by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Talus Paladin MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake, 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 Talus Paladin 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 Magic products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Talus Paladin 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 Talus Paladin card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2010-03-01 | The choices you make as Talus Paladin’s ability resolves are made individually. First you decide whether to have Allies you control gain lifelink until end of turn. Then, regardless of that decision, you decide whether to put a +1/+1 counter on Talus Paladin. |
