Tazeem Raptor MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Bird
Abilities	Flying
Released	2020-09-25
Set symbol
Set name	Zendikar Rising
Set code	ZNR
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	43
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dan Scott

Key Takeaways

Land recovery makes Tazeem Raptor ideal for decks with landfall mechanics, aiding in extra plays and value.
Indirect resource acceleration is possible through strategic land plays, although it requires hand card availability.
In a meta with prominent landfall strategies, the Raptor’s abilities can significantly influence match outcomes.

Text of card

Flying When Tazeem Raptor enters the battlefield, you may return a land you control to its owner's hand.

"It's good to see the eagles circling the Lighthouse once again." —Tazri

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tazeem Raptor presents a unique opportunity to reclaim a land you’ve played earlier, essentially granting you an additional land drop. This ability can be particularly advantageous when you have lands with enter-the-battlefield effects, allowing you to gain extra value from them repeatedly.

Resource Acceleration: While Tazeem Raptor itself doesn’t directly accelerate your resources in terms of mana, the ability to return a land to your hand can be a form of indirect resource acceleration. This is especially true if you’re utilizing lands that tap for multiple mana or have other abilities that are triggered when they enter the battlefield.

Instant Speed: While Tazeem Raptor is a creature that’s played at sorcery speed, it pairs well with cards that allow you to put creatures onto the battlefield at instant speed. Integrating this card into a deck with such mechanics can surprise your opponent, disrupt their strategy, and potentially lead to favorable board states during their turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Tazeem Raptor helps you by putting a land card from your hand onto the battlefield, it doesn’t alleviate the need for having enough cards in hand. Without a surplus of land cards or ways to draw more, its land-returning benefit becomes less impactful, and you might find yourself at an unintended card disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Tazeem Raptor’s mana cost includes two plain mana symbols, which means it’s tailored for decks that strongly associate with white mana. This specificity can constrain deck building, particularly for multicolor decks that might struggle with the white mana requirement.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three mana for a 2/2 flyer, Tazeem Raptor may not be the most mana-efficient creature available. Other creatures in the same mana range could offer more impressive stats or valuable abilities, potentially limiting the raptor’s inclusion in competitive play.

Reasons to Include Tazeem Raptor in Your Collection

Versatility: Tazeem Raptor offers deck builders flexibility, effortlessly fitting into scenarios where returning a land to your hand is beneficial. This can trigger landfall abilities for extra advantage or simply ensure a land drop for the next turn.

Combo Potential: The land bounce effect of Tazeem Raptor can be crucial for combos that revolve around landfall triggers. Paired with cards that generate value when lands enter the battlefield, it can be part of a potent synergy engine.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where landfall decks are prevalent, Tazeem Raptor proves to be a valuable asset. Its flying ability also provides a way to counter strategies that lack flying or reach, maintaining pressure on your opponent while you build towards your win condition.

How to beat

The Tazeem Raptor’s return-to-hand ability can be a sharp double-edged sword in the world of Magic: The Gathering. This feathery creature offers players a tactical retreat option for their permanents, potentially reopening the door for additional enter-the-battlefield effects. However, opponents can flip this advantage with well-timed removal or bounce spells, making the raptor itself a temporarily grounded threat.

To counterplay Tazeem Raptor effectively, one could hold back on casting spells until the Raptor is played, minimizing the benefit gained from its land return ability. Additionally, engaging in combat only when the payoff outweighs the potential loss, or when you can ensure the Raptor’s removal from the battlefield, is a strategic move. Always consider the ramifications of bounce effects in your combat decisions when facing this winged adversary.

Mindful sequencing of spells and the judicious timing of removal can also mitigate the Raptor’s impact drastically. In essence, an opponent should aim to dismantle the synergy it relies upon, thereby nullifying any long-term value it may offer within decks that flourish on landfall mechanics or flicker strategies. This tactic ensures that Tazeem Raptor’s influence on the game is as fleeting as its flight.

Cards like Tazeem Raptor

Tazeem Raptor is a unique creature card that adroitly combines aerial threat with a landfall ability, enhancing its utility in Magic: The Gathering decks focused on playing numerous lands. Its kinship can be seen with cards like Fledgling Griffin, also a creature that gains advantages upon landfall. However, Tazeem Raptor’s capacity to return a land to its owner’s hand can be tactically used for retriggering other landfall effects, an option Fledgling Griffin doesn’t offer.

Roosting Roc is another avian creature to consider. While similar in mana cost and flying ability, Tazeem Raptor stands out due to the land synergy that the Roc lacks. Alternatively, Aven Gagglemaster also provides a degree of life gain upon entry but doesn’t promote the same land interaction. It’s these nuances that position Tazeem Raptor as a favorable option in MTG strategies that crave the repeated landfall triggers it facilitates.

Through comparative analysis, it is evident that Tazeem Raptor occupies a specialized niche, excelling in decks that capitalize on landfall mechanics to reap incremental advantages throughout a game of Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Tazeem Raptor by color, type and mana cost

Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tazeem Raptor MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar Rising, 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 Tazeem Raptor and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tazeem Raptor has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal