Typal coupling

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

Description

Tribal coupling provides synergy and broader applicability. In concept, it is very similar to batching. While many cards refer to their own two creature types, it comes across as a sharing of tribality, whereas deeper usage of tribal 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

Spiritcraft

One of the earliest forms of large-scale subtype coupling was done with a spell subtype, where Spirits were coupled with Arcane ("Spiritcraft"). However, these were largely all cast triggers, as opposed to the later tribal couplings which could use combat and searching effects.

Wolves and werewolves

Wolves and werewolves were first combined on three cards in 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 Tribal werewolf synergies without needing a high density of the space-limited double-faced cards.

Undead

An occasional theme across top-down designs collect some combination of Vampire, Zombie or Skeleton as "undead creatures". One card (Death Baron) combines Zombie and Skeleton together; two cards combine Vampire and Zombie; and two combine all three.

Relatedly, three cards in Innistrad combined Werewolves, Vampires and Zombies as "creatures of the night" as the main threats towards humanity on Innistrad; as expected for a horror plane, undead are a major aspect.

Party

Due to the Party mechanic 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.

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.

Serpents, octopuses, leviathans and krakens

Six cards over six different sets batch together Serpents, Octopuses, Leviathans and Krakens as a "sea creature" collective, each of which are too rare to have tribal effects on their own.

Assassins, mercenaries, and rogues

Mari, the Killing Quill from the Streets of New Capenna Commander decks is the first card to couple Assassins Mercenaries, and Rogues.

Warriors, berserkers, and barbarians

Lovisa Coldeyes from Coldsnap is the only Tribal card for Barbarians so far, and the only combat-based Berserker lord.

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. Ob Nixilis, the Adversary and Rakdos, the Showstopper couple Demons and Imps, and Rakdos also adds Devils.

Soldiers and knights

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