Thraben Purebloods MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Dog
Released	2011-09-30
Set symbol
Set name	Innistrad
Set code	ISD
Power	3
Toughness	5
Number	37
Frame	2003
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Martina Pilcerova

Key Takeaways

A robust 5/5 creature, it has a significant impact on board presence and strategy.
While enhancing board control, pitch-card requirement may affect card advantage negatively.
Potent in various deck types, it’s a strategic addition to any MTG collection.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Enhances board presence as it offers a solid 5/5 body which often demands an answer, potentially leading to a two-for-one scenario favoring you.

Resource Acceleration: Through its cohort mechanism, Thraben Purebloods can whittle down your opponent’s creatures, allowing for an acceleration in board control which can translate to a quicker path to victory.

Instant Speed: Its ability to tap an opponent’s creature at any time means that it maintains relevance on the battlefield even when it’s not your turn. You can manipulate combat scenarios to your advantage or disrupt opponent’s strategy during critical phases of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Thraben Purebloods necessitate pitching a card from your hand, which can be particularly punishing when you’re already struggling with card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring two white mana, Thraben Purebloods can pose a challenge in multicolored decks that might face mana-fixing issues.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that edges on the higher side for its stats and abilities, Thraben Purebloods could be deemed less efficient compared to other creatures in the same mana range.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Thraben Purebloods seamlessly blends into various deck archetypes. Its robust body stands as a defender in control decks while equally serving as an aggressive creature in midrange play.

Combo Potential: The Lifelink trait that Thraben Purebloods carries can be synergistically combined with other cards to create life-gaining combos, which bolster your staying power on the board.

Meta-Relevance: Given the creature-heavy environments prevalent in the current meta, Thraben Purebloods can be a key player, holding down the battlefield against aggressive assaults while contributing to life total stability.

How to beat

Thraben Purebloods emerges as an intriguing creature card for players who appreciate a good defense strategy in MTG. Its key feature is its powerful toughness, making it a sturdy barricade against incoming threats. As it stands, this card sets up a wall that many aggressive decks may struggle to surpass without the right tools.

To effectively topple this canine defender, one could lean on removal spells that bypass its tough exterior. Spells such as Murder or Path to Exile can swiftly remove it from the battlefield irrespective of its toughness. Enchantment-based removal like Pacifism also works wonders, neutralizing it without the need to physically deal damage.

For a less direct approach, leveraging flying creatures can turn the tide. By taking to the skies, these creatures sail right over the heads of ground-bound foes like the Purebloods. Moreover, tactics involving -1/-1 counters can whittle down its staunch defense over time, eventually leading to its demise. In essence, flexibility in your strategy is the key to outmaneuvering the defensive tenacity of Thraben Purebloods.

Cards like Thraben Purebloods

Thraben Purebloods is a creature card that can often be found on the battlefields of Magic: The Gathering. With its solid body and on-par stats, it serves a reliable function similar to cards like Gavony Ironwright. Both provide substantial presence on the board, although Gavony Ironwright comes with a unique buff for creatures with lower power during a specific game state.

Comparing it to Silvercoat Lion, another creature within the same mana range, Thraben Purebloods offers a larger stat line, which might tip the scales in a midrange deck. Conversely, Walking Corpse stands up as a common reanimation target with zombie synergy, which Thraben Purebloods lacks but compensates with its human and hound synergisms, fitting seamlessly into those tribal decks.

While examining the role of vanilla creatures, like Sentinel Spider, the Thraben Purebloods stands out due to its absence of keyword abilities which can be an advantage or disadvantage based on the deck strategy. Those looking for a simple, straightforward creature will find the Purebloods a compelling choice among its counterparts in Magic: The Gathering.

Gavony Ironwright - Dark Ascension (DKA)

Cards similar to Thraben Purebloods by color, type and mana cost

Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer - MTG Card versions

Celestial Gatekeeper - MTG Card versions

Kiyomaro, First to Stand - MTG Card versions

Veteran Bodyguard - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)

Radiant, Archangel - Urza's Legacy (ULG)

Karmic Guide - Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)

Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer - Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID)

Sigardian Savior - Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID)

Glory - World Championship Decks 2002 (WC02)

Kiyomaro, First to Stand - Saviors of Kamigawa Promos (PSOK)

Ivory Gargoyle - Masters Edition II (ME2)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Thraben Purebloods MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad, 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 Thraben Purebloods and other MTG cards: