Taurean Mauler MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 11 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Shapeshifter
Abilities Changeling
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Incremental power boosts with the Taurean Mauler as opponents cast spells, enhancing your board strength subtly.
  2. The Mauler’s Changeling ability offers quick adaptive tribal synergies, greatly boosting its utility in various decks.
  3. In high-spell environments, especially multiplayer formats, the card’s power scales quickly, becoming an imposing threat.

Text of card

Changeling (This card is every creature type at all times.) Whenever an opponent plays a spell, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Taurean Mauler.

The power of a waterfall. The fury of an avalanche. The intellect of a gale-force wind.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Taurean Mauler’s prowess lies in its dynamic strength which grows with each spell your opponents cast, essentially garnering you an ever-increasing threat without the need to expend additional cards from your hand. This adaptability offers a subtle form of card advantage by compelling your opponent to deal with a single card that can rapidly overwhelm them.

Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct source of mana, Taurean Mauler’s Changeling ability allows it to slot into various tribal synergies, effectively accelerating your resource pool by counting as any creature type. Whether it’s buffing its power through global tribe-based enhancements or triggering tribal-related abilities, it enhances your board presence at no extra cost.

Instant Speed: While the Taurean Mauler itself isn’t an instant, its Changeling trait brings indirect benefits at instant speed. For instance, it can suddenly become the required creature type to benefit from instant-speed tribal spells or effects your deck might support, catching an opponent off guard during their turn or in response to a game-changing play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Cards like Taurean Mauler don’t directly require a discard, but given its ability to grow in power, it often becomes a priority target for opponents. This can lead to a situation where you’re forced to discard it from your hand to avoid losing it to an opponent’s removal spell.

Specific Mana Cost: The Mauler’s casting cost requires one red mana, which could potentially restrict deck-building options. Players aiming for a multi-color deck might have to adjust their mana base specifically to accommodate this card, ensuring they can always have red mana available when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of two and one red, the investment is sizeable in the early game. While it starts as a reasonable 3/3 creature, its reliance on opponent’s spells to become larger may result in a delayed power spike, making it less mana-efficient compared to other creatures that provide immediate value upon hitting the field.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Taurean Mauler’s ability to grow larger with each spell your opponents cast makes it a highly adaptable threat in a wide array of decks. It slips comfortably into aggressive strategies as well as those looking for a scalable creature that can keep pace with the developing game.

Combo Potential: Classified as a Changeling, Taurean Mauler counts as every creature type, thus offering immense synergy with tribal decks. This intrinsic trait opens the door for a myriad of combo interactions, capitalizing on various tribal buffs and mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where multiple players cast numerous spells, Taurean Mauler becomes a formidable force very quickly. Its relevance spikes in multiplayer games like Commander, where its power can escalate dramatically, representing a significant threat that demands an answer from the table.


How to beat

Taurean Mauler is a dynamic force in any MTG match, adapting to the growing number of players with its Changeling ability and piling up +1/+1 counters each time an opponent casts a spell. This attribute makes it increasingly challenging to manage as the game progresses. To effectively neutralize the threat of this creature, consider using removal spells before it gets too bulky. Direct damage spells or those that force a sacrifice, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile, are excellent choices that can bypass the growing counters.

Moreover, employing counterspells like Mana Leak or Negate can prevent the Mauler from entering the battlefield in the first place. If Taurean Mauler has already established its presence on the board, strategic plays with Ensnaring Bridge can prevent it from attacking, thus minimizing the impact of its size. Furthermore, recurring removals or board wipes such as Wrath of God ensure that even as the game lasts and the Mauler grows, it won’t be a persistent nuisance. Staying ahead of the curve and anticipating your opponent’s plays allows you to maintain control over Taurean Mauler before it becomes an insurmountable threat.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG demands not only insight into individual cards but also an understanding of their interplay within the wider game. Taurean Mauler is a prime example of a card with robust versatility and combo potential that can elevate your deck, especially in multiplayer formats. Fostering its growth and cleverly integrating it into tribal themes can prove decisive. With careful analysis and strategic planning, Taurean Mauler can be a powerhouse in your collection. Embrace the challenge of optimizing your plays and turn the tide of battle in your favor. Dive deeper with us and harness the full potential of your MTG arsenal.


Cards like Taurean Mauler

Taurean Mauler offers a unique spin on the creature-boost mechanic in Magic: The Gathering, standing out as a powerful inclusion in decks capitalizing on opponent’s actions. This card bears some resemblance to the changeling ability of Mirror Entity, which also allows itself to be every creature type and fits into various tribal strategies. However, Taurean Mauler distinguishes itself with its passive ability to grow in strength any time an opponent plays a spell, gaining +1/+1 counters without additional mana investment.

Comparably, Managorger Hydra operates on a similar axis, growing each time any player casts a spell. Although the Hydra doesn’t benefit from the changeling’s versatility in tribal synergies, it does have trample, enabling it to deal excess damage to a player even when blocked. Yet, the Mauler’s advantage is its lower initial mana cost and its immediate impact in tribal-themed decks.

In essence, while analyzing the dynamics of these creatures, Taurean Mauler presents itself as a formidable choice. Its ability to become a threat merely by opponents’ actions and its tribal flexibility makes it a standout card, especially in multiplayer formats where spells are cast more frequently.

Mirror Entity - MTG Card versions
Managorger Hydra - MTG Card versions
Mirror Entity - Lorwyn (LRW)
Managorger Hydra - Magic Origins (ORI)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Taurean Mauler MTG card by a specific set like Morningtide and Planechase, 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 Taurean Mauler and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Taurean Mauler Magic the Gathering card was released in 10 different sets between 2008-02-01 and 2022-02-18. Illustrated by Dominick Domingo.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12008-02-01MorningtideMOR 1092003normalblackDominick Domingo
22009-09-04PlanechaseHOP 672003normalblackDominick Domingo
32010-06-18ArchenemyARC 492003normalblackDominick Domingo
42015-11-13Commander 2015C15 1672015normalblackDominick Domingo
52016-11-11Commander 2016C16 1352015normalblackDominick Domingo
62018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 1222015normalblackDominick Domingo
72019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 10792015normalblackDominick Domingo
82020-09-26The ListPLST CM2-1222015normalblackDominick Domingo
92020-09-26The ListPLST MOR-1092003normalblackDominick Domingo
102021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 1432015normalblackDominick Domingo
112022-02-18Neon Dynasty CommanderNEC 1112015normalblackDominick Domingo

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Taurean Mauler has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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