Taunt Tactics: Protection and Evasion in MTG

In TCG ·

Taunt by Phil Foglio — Portal (1997) card art

Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Guarding Against the Unexpected: A Blue Approach to Protection and Evasion

Blue has always loved to bend the rules of the battlefield, and Taunt is a prime example from the Portal era that leans into the psychology of combat. For just one mana, you cast a spell that shifts the entire dynamic of the next turn: target opponent’s creatures must attack you if they can. It’s not a shield in the traditional sense, but it’s a clever piece of protection and evasion all in one—blue artistry at its most mischievous 🧙‍♂️🔥💎.

In practice, Taunt can turn a seemingly straightforward board state into a chess match. If you’re facing a board that’s just ripe for a big combat swing, Taunt buys you a turn of strategic breathing room. On the opponent’s next turn, their creatures are compelled to swing toward you, not your planeswalker, not your teammate, but you—the brave pilot of the strategy. The effect lasts only for that next turn, so timing is everything. You’re betting on a misstep, a misallocation of blockers, or a stumble in their attack sequence. It’s a classic heads-up play that rewards planning and nerve, all wrapped in a humble blue package 🧙‍♂️⚔️.

Why Taunt Changes the Combat Equation

  • Redirection as defense: By forcing an opponent’s board to attack you, you can protect more vulnerable board pieces or your life total, while you готовить for a targeted defensive plan. The spell doesn’t grant you invulnerability; it simply reorders the battlefield’s priorities.
  • Tempo and information: Taunt telegraphs intent. Your opponent knows they must plan around this forced attack window, which can open opportunities for counterplay with countermagic or removal on their turn—trading pounds for time, a blue hallmark 🔮.
  • Synergy with evasive or resilient threats: When your own creatures are evasive or tough to block, Taunt’s forced attack can create favorable trades or pressure points. The key is to align your threats so that your guy on defense can survive the onslaught and punch back on your turn 💥.
  • Limitations to respect: If the board has no creatures to attack you, or if all creatures are tapped or otherwise unable to attack, Taunt’s impact diminishes. It’s a moment to seize what you can, not a guarantee of inevitability—the spell rewards careful anticipation rather than reckless bravado.

Protection and Evasion: Blue’s Subtle Tools in Concert

Taunt is not a single standalone fortress; it’s a piece of a larger blue-oriented toolkit. In a well-tuned deck, you pair such a disruption engine with counterspells, bounce effects, and late-game card advantage to weather the forced-attack storm. Blue’s strength lies in bending timing, denying your opponent’s plan, and then overloading the next turn with a carefully chosen row of defensive draws. When you’re weaving this kind of plan, remember: you’re not building a wall so much as a labyrinth 🌀.

From an artful, lore-rich perspective, Taunt sits in Portal’s early-magic era—a rare card from 1997 that shows how the game’s designers explored humor, strategy, and tempo in new ways. Phil Foglio’s illustration carries a playful energy, and the spell’s text-cut humor mirrors the era’s experimental spirit. It’s a reminder that MTG’s long history isn’t just about power cards; it’s about moments that provoke smiles and exhale-worthy “gotcha” reactions during casual games or meta-laden tournaments 🎨.

For collectors and players alike, Taunt’s rarity and era offer a nostalgic value. While it isn’t a cornerstone of modern competitive archetypes, it embodies the zeal for tactical misdirection that blue mages relish. It’s the sort of card you tuck into a quirky cube or use to teach newer players how combat math and sequencing can tip a match. The mana cost is tiny, the payoff is delightfully situational, and the memory of flipping a board state with a well-timed Taunt lingers long after the last card is drawn 🧙‍♂️💬.

In a broader sense, the card’s presence reinforces how language in MTG evolves alongside play: a single sentence—“During target player's next turn, creatures that player controls attack you if able.”—becomes a pivot point for strategy, a tool for teaching timing, and a bridge between classic Portal rules and the enduring mechanics of modern formats. The ripple effect across playgroups and casual nights—where friends test theories and laugh at the oddball synergies—embodies the community’s heartbeat 🔥⚔️.

As you consider integrating Taunt into a blue shell—whether in a curated Portal-flavored deck or a casual duel night—the important thing is to lean into its purpose: to bend combat to your tempo, to force decisions, and to reward players who read the table correctly. And yes, sometimes it’s just plain fun to watch an opponent’s curious plan crumble under miscalculated bravery. That’s MTG at its most memorable, wrapped in a neat card with a wink and a nudge 🧙‍♂️🎲.

Custom Neon Gaming Mouse Pad 9x7 Neoprene with Stitched Edges

More from our network