Typal coupling

Coupling is a R&D slang term used for the action of combining two or more creature types in rules text.

Description

Typal coupling provides synergy and broader applicability. In concept, it is very similar to batching.^[1][2][3] While many cards refer to their own two creature types, it comes across as a sharing of types, whereas deeper usage of typal coupling takes two or more types that otherwise don't have or wouldn't have enough representation in the set. Often coupling is used when the flavor distinction is to be preserved.

History

Djinni and efreets

The first cards to make a typal coupling were the cards related to the Arabian Nights story of Suleiman, where both King Suleiman and Suleiman's Legacy destroyed Djinni and Efreet creatures. There was no particular mechanical distinction between them at the time, suggesting a general flavor motivation, and set-based typal themes stuck to single-type effects until the border change in Mirrodin. With the release of Modern Horizons 3 in 2024, Efreet were made obsolete in favor of Djinn.^[4][5]

Soldiers and knights

Auriok Steelshaper from Mirrodin combined Soldiers and Knights due to the lack of Knights at the time; War Falcon from M13 did as well, but seemed to do so more for flavor reasons.

Warriors, berserkers, and barbarians

Lovisa Coldeyes from Coldsnap boosted Warriors, Berserkers, and Barbarians.

Saprolings

The Mycotyrant, Pallid Mycoderm and Sporecrown Thallid batch Saproling with Fungus, and Verdeloth the Ancient batches them with Treefolk; Verdeloth was one of the rare old-border typal batches due to the low number of Treefolk and the lack of Saprolings as cards. Kirri, Talented Sprout thematically follows by coupling Plant and Treefolk.

Wolves and werewolves

Wolves and werewolves were first combined on three cards in the Innistrad block. The concept of coupling these creature types was expanded upon in Shadows over Innistrad (four cards), Eldritch Moon, War of the Spark, Core Set 2020 (one card each), Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (seven cards), Innistrad: Crimson Vow (eight cards) and Alchemy: Innistrad (two cards). In most cases, the coupling enabled typal werewolf synergies without needing a high density of the space-limited double-faced cards typically seen on Werewolves.

Undead

An occasional theme across top-down designs collects some combination of Vampire, Zombie, and/or Skeleton as "undead creatures". Death Baron combines Zombie and Skeleton together; Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet and Blazing Torch combine Vampire and Zombie; and Death-Priest of Myrkul and Undead Slayer combine all three. Master of Dark Rites takes its own two types of Vampire Cleric and couples Demon, a thematic link in a different context.

Related to Undead batches, three cards in Innistrad (Slayer of the Wicked, Elite Inquisitor, and Victim of Night) combined Werewolves, Vampires and Zombies as "creatures of the night", creating the main threats towards humanity on Innistrad; as expected for a horror plane, the undead are a major aspect.

Angels and humans

As the polar opposite to the undead, three Innistrad cards (Herald of War, Bladed Bracers and Bruna, the Fading Light) combine Angel and Human on the same side of the Innistrad conflicts. Sigarda, Font of Blessings is also from Innistrad, but from an age far further in the timeline.

Demigods and gods

Altar of the Pantheon batched Gods with Demigods, and added legendary enchantments, largely as a nod to the fact that the Therosian Gods won't have types when "inactive". Invasion of Theros added Auras, as neither God nor Demigod was particularly prevalent as something to tutor for in that environment.

Clerics, warriors, wizards and rogues

Due to the Party mechanic from Zendikar Rising being a counting mechanic, four cards combined the types of Cleric, Warrior, Wizard, and Rogue in their text for referencing them outside of the battlefield. Four more were printed in the next use of party, Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate.

Ninjas and rogues

Four cards in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty combined ninjas and rogues, allowing for backwards-compatibility, especially with party cards.

Samurai and warriors

Ten cards in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty and one card in Alchemy: Kamigawa combine samurai and warriors, allowing for backwards-compatibility, especially with party cards.

Goblins and orcs

The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth features cards that benefit both Goblins and Orcs, on theme for the forces of Sauron. One adds Army to allow Amass compatibility, as prior Amass spells made Zombie Armies.

Serpents, octopuses, leviathans and krakens

Eight cards over seven different sets batch together Serpents, Octopuses, Leviathans, and Krakens as a "huge sea creature" collective, each of which is too rare to have typal effects on their own. One added Merfolk for flavor.

Dragons, demons, and angels

Kaalia, in both forms (Kaalia of the Vast, Kaalia, Zenith Seeker), batches the three iconic races together. Baneslayer Angel uses Demon and Dragon as a flavorful opposition effect, and Power Word Kill adds Devil to the list of mythical beings it can't affect.

Demons, devils, imps and tieflings

Ob Nixilis, the Adversary couples Demons and Devils, Rakdos, the Showstopper adds Imps, and Raphael, Fiendish Savior from Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate and Tiefling Outcasts from Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate add Tieflings. These are grouped as infernal beings.

Ancient Cellarspawn groups Demons with Horror and Nightmare, a different selection of accursed.

Horses, pegasi and unicorns

Thurid, Mare of Destiny is a Lord for Horses, Pegasi and Unicorns. Princess Twilight Sparkle previously combined these alongside the Acorn types Pony and Alicorn.

Gorgons and snakes

Aphelia, Viper Whisperer pair Gorgons with Snakes, partially because of their biological link, and partially because 1/1 Gorgons would be unusual sizing.

Spellcasters

Mentor's Guidance batches the five spellcaster classes (Cleric, Druid, Shamans, Warlocks and Wizards, plus planeswalker) which generally are not recognized as a collective in mechanics. Robe of the Archmagi (Baldur's Gate) equips Shamans, Warlocks and Wizards, and Harmonic Prodigy batches Shamans and Wizards.

The Archimandrite collects Advisors, Monks and Artificers as "learned occupations".

Outlaws

Outlaws of Thunder Junction introduced the term Outlaw, which batches Assassins, Mercenaries, Pirates, Rogues and Warlocks. Previously, a portion of these were batched on Mari, the Killing Quill from the Streets of New Capenna Commander decks, referring only Assassins, Mercenaries, and Rogues.

Kaheera and Ikoria's species

Each of the five triomes of Ikoria has a signature species, and as an animalistic foster-carer, Kaheera, the Orphanguard boosts Cats, Elementals, Nightmares, Dinosaurs, and Beasts.

Varied real animal species

Three cards batch a series of invasive or nuisance species, with Spider and Insect appearing on both lists: Blex, Vexing Pest (also Pests, Bats, and Snakes), Swarmyard and Swarmyard Massacre (also Rat and Squirrel). The Swarmweaver groups Spider and Insect specifically. Fumulus, the Infestation groups Insect, Leech, Slug and Worm, a selection with previously ungrouped types. Sword of the Squeak groups Rat, Squirrel, Hamster and Mouse, three of which are of the Bloomburrow types.

Tangentially, Animal Sanctuary groups Birds, Cats, Dogs, Oxen, Goats, and Snakes. Tawnos, the Toymaker and Radagast, Wizard of Wilds groups Bird and Beast. Kibo, Uktabi Prince groups Ape and Monkey.

Bloomburrow has typal of ten creature types over all ten color pairs, but in order to cross-synergize, those that share a color are coupled on two cycles, plus Splash Portal. For example, Valley Questcaller is a white card, and hence it couples the four white animal types of Rabbit, Bat, Bird and Mouse. The other six are Rat, Lizard, Raccoon, Squirrel, Frog and Otter; some of which appear in the above lists.

References