Typal coupling

Coupling is a R&D slang term used for the action of combining two or more 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

Djinni and efreets

The first cards to make a tribal 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 tribal themes stuck to single-type effects until the border change.

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

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 tribal batch due to the low number of Treefolk and the lack of Saprolings as cards.

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 Tribal 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 collect 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.

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, 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.

Demigods and gods

Altar of the Pantheon batched Gods with demigods, and added legendary enchantments, to improve the trinket text that would otherwise be too specific.

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.

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. Some add Merfolk for flavor.

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.

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

Raphael, Fiendish Savior from Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate is a Lord for Demons, Devils, Imps and Tieflings.

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 Archmagic (Baldur's Gate) equips Shamans, Warlocks and Wizards, and Harmonic Prodigy batches Shamans and Wizards.

Kaheera and Ikoria's species

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

Varied real animal species

Two 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) and Swarmyard (also Rat and Squirrel). Tangentially, Animal Sanctuary groups Birds, Cats, Dogs, Oxen, Goats and Snakes.