Cateran Brute MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Horror Mercenary |
| Released | 1999-10-04 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Mercadian Masques |
| Set code | MMQ |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 120 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | normal |
| Border | black |
| Illustred by | Edward P. Beard, Jr. |
Key Takeaways
- Cateran Brute’s tribal synergy accelerates board presence in Mercenary decks, offering strategic advantages.
- The card’s specific mana requirement can limit its inclusion in non-black or multicolored decks.
- Versatility and combo potential make Cateran Brute a valuable addition in the right MTG deck context.
Text of card
, oc T: Search your library for a Mercenary card with converted mana cost 2 or less and put that card into play. Then shuffle your library.
The Cateran guild prefers to call them "public relations."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While the Cateran Brute itself does not directly contribute to card advantage, its recurring nature makes it a persistent threat that requires repeated answers from opponents, indirectly pressuring their hand resources over time.
Resource Acceleration: As part of the Mercenary tribe, this creature can be involved in a tribal synergy that accelerates your board presence. Utilizing the Mercenary mechanic, a player can potentially search for more powerful Mercenary cards from their library, increasing the speed of their strategic deployment.
Instant Speed: Although Cateran Brute does not operate at instant speed, its low casting cost allows a player to keep mana available for other spells and actions during the game. This provides strategic flexibility, maintaining the ability to respond to an opponent while continuing to develop their own board.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Cateran Brute demands a card to be discarded upon activation, which can deplete your hand and reduce your strategic options, especially when you need to maintain card advantage against your opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires not just any mana but specifically one black and two additional. This specific mana requirement may not seamlessly fit into multicolored decks, thereby restricting its playability to mainly black-themed decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of three for a 2/2 creature, Cateran Brute’s cost-effectiveness comes into question when compared to other options in the same slot. There are creatures with similar or better abilities and stats that might be more mana-efficient for your deck’s curve.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Cateran Brute offers significant versatility in Mercenary or aggressive decks seeking an early board presence. Its low cost allows for quick deployment, supporting strategies that aim to outpace the opponent early in the game.
Combo Potential: This card can serve as a foundational piece in a Mercenary-themed deck, utilizing its ability to search for another Mercenary, thereby streamlining your ability to fetch key creatures and enhancing combo consistency.
Meta-Relevance: Given its utility in specific deck archetypes, Cateran Brute can be quite relevant in a meta where creature-based synergies are valuable. Its role in enabling combo assembly and maintaining tempo can be crucial in particular gameplay environments.
How to Beat
The Cateran Brute may initially seem like a challenging adversary on the battlefield due to its immunity to both white and blue spells. This versatility makes it a troublesome foe for certain control decks in MTG. Yet, there are strategies to handle this mercenary. One method is to utilize black removal spells, such as Murder or Doom Blade, which can swiftly eliminate the Cateran Brute without having to engage in combat. Alternatively, red spells that deal damage directly, like Lightning Bolt or Shock, can also prove to be efficient in overcoming this obstacle.
Another strategy is to employ creatures with deathtouch, capable of destroying any creature they deal damage to, regardless of the Brute’s resistances. Additionally, since the Brute is not inherently powerful, having a strong board presence and overwhelming your opponent with more formidable creatures could force them to sacrifice the Brute in defense. Lastly, global removals like Wrath of God or Damnation can clear the field without targeting specific protections, bypassing the Brute’s immunities altogether.
Mastering the balance between direct removal and board control is key to outmaneuvering opponents who utilize the Cateran Brute. With the correct combination of tactics, the seeming disadvantage of facing this mercenary can be turned to your favor in the rich strategy terrain of MTG.
Cards like Cateran Brute
In Magic: The Gathering, Cateran Brute is a creature that holds its own when compared to similar cards. Like Cateran Brute, Rathi Trapper also interacts with tapped creatures, though it functions by tapping potential threats, preventing them from untapping. Unlike the brute’s recurring mechanism, the trapper’s ability is a one-time effect and requires mana each time you wish to use it.
When considering Prowling Pangolin, another similar beast, both demand a sacrifice from the opponent as part of their mechanics. However, Cateran Brute’s demand occurs upon dealing combat damage, while Prowling Pangolin requires the sacrifice as an entering-the-battlefield effect. Though the pangolin has a sturdier body, it doesn’t provide the card search advantage that the brute offers if its mercenary trait is leveraged.
Conclusively, while each card has its individual benefits and fits different strategic niches, Cateran Brute stands out for its potential to consistently disrupt the opponent’s creature base and supply strategic card advantage, which can be pivotal during multi-player sessions or long-grinding matches.
Cards similar to Cateran Brute by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Cateran Brute MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Cateran Brute 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 Cateran Brute has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Cateran Brute card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | Because the “search” requires you to find a card with certain characteristics, you don’t have to find the card if you don’t want to. |
