The Aces turned a reasonable day's cricket into a great day with a triple strike to leave Otago reeling at 12 for three at stumps on day one at Colin Maiden Park.
Otago made the worst possible start to its reply.
Chasing Auckland's moderate total of 298, experienced openers Craig Cumming and Aaron Redmond and the in-form Neil Broom all went cheaply.
And it was Auckland's trusted trio of Kyle Mills, Daryl Tuffey and Andre Adams creating the havoc.
Mills struck first, removing Redmond without scoring.
Tuffey trapped Cumming in front for eight and Adams completed the carnage when he dismissed the dangerman Broom for a duck.
Broom was fresh from posting an undefeated double century against Northern Districts in Queenstown last week.
Cumming, Redmond and Broom have easily been the best-performed batsman for the province in the last three years and their dismissals leave Auckland firmly in control of the Plunket Shield fixture.
Any recovery will have to be led by batsman Darren Broom and the all-rounders Nathan McCullum and Sam Wells.
Otago battled back from similar positions against Northern Districts last week but the hole is pretty deep this time.
Earlier, Auckland made its own shaky start and was wavering at 45 for three.
Promising left-hander Jeet Raval was in a menacing mood, whacking five quick boundaries and offered a glimpse of his enormous potential before Neil Wagner found the edge of the batsman's bat when he was on 31.
The Otago left-armer struck again, removing former Otago batsman Greg Todd without scoring.
But it was Ian Butler who made the initial breakthrough, catching Bradley Cachopa on the hop with a rising deliver.
The home side fought back through the contrasting styles of Zimbabwean-born all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme and up-and-coming right-hand batsman Andrew de Boorder.
De Boorder was prepared to look for singles, whereas de Grandhomme swatted seven boundaries in a 49-ball half century.
The pair added 65 for the fourth wicket before Otago wicketkeeper Derek de Boordermade a sharp catch to dismiss his younger brother on 22.
Grandhomme combined with Anaru Kitchen to add 50 for the fifth wicket, and with the pitch flattening out he would have been setting his sights on a fifth first-class 100.
Wagner intervened when the batsman was on 73 and, later, picked up a fourth wicket when he bowled Tuffey.
Adams smashed two sixes and two fours in making 29 to help his side close on 300.
Grant Elliott guided Wellington out of trouble against Northern Districts in the capital yesterday, NZPA reports.
Elliott crafted a sixth first-class century as Wellington reached 255 for seven at the Basin Reserve.
He made 122 in a six-hour knock which ended on the final ball of the day.
Plunket Shield leader Central Districts snatched control on day one against Canterbury at Nelson Park in Napier yesterday.
Canterbury recovered from 25 for three to reach 266, butby stumps Central Districts was 104 without loss.
Michael Mason took five wickets for Central.