Dauthi Slayer MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Dauthi Soldier
Abilities Shadow
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Dauthi Slayer’s aggression disrupts foes, potentially gaining you card advantage through forced responses.
  2. It indirectly accelerates resources by pressuring opponents, demanding swift answers to its presence.
  3. Instant speed enhancements increase Dauthi Slayer’s combat impact and versatility during play.

Text of card

Shadow (This creature can block or be blocked by only creatures with shadow.) Each turn, Dauthi Slayer attacks if able.

"They have knives for every soul." —Lyna, Soltari emissary


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The relentless aggression offered by Dauthi Slayer can disrupt your opponent’s strategy, thereby potentially netting you card advantage as they’re forced to deal with this threat.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly contributing to resource acceleration, Dauthi Slayer demands answers quickly, which can slow down your opponent’s development, indirectly accelerating your position.

Instant Speed: Dauthi Slayer can benefit from instant speed spells that enhance its power or give it additional abilities, thus allowing it to make an immediate impact upon entry or during combat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Dauthi Slayer doesn’t directly necessitate discarding cards, its unforgiving synergy with discard mechanics or effects could leave your hand depleted, a significant setback when vying for control.

Specific Mana Cost: The Dauthi Slayer commands a precise mana requirement: two black mana. This cost may constrict deck-building options, especially for multicolored decks seeking to maintain a flexible mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a creature with its abilities, the Dauthi Slayer’s mana cost might feel steep. In the realm of two-mana creatures, players often seek more impactful effects or greater versatility than what the Dauthi Slayer might offer in certain gameplay scenarios.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Dauthi Slayer is a flexible inclusion, effortlessly sliding into aggro and rogue strategies that value unblockable creatures. Its reliability in battle makes it a staple for decks focused on consistent player damage.

Combo Potential: Its shadow ability ensures it pairs well with cards that profit from successful combat damage, such as equipment that provides card draw or buffs on hitting an opponent.

Meta-Relevance: In a format where creature-based strategies dominate, Dauthi Slayer’s natural evasion makes it a potent threat that bypasses crowded battlefields, staying relevant in numerous meta environments.


How to beat

Dauthi Slayer is a creature known for its shadow ability, making it only blockable by creatures with shadow. To outmaneuver this stealthy adversary in Magic: The Gathering, players need to employ creative strategies as conventional blocking tactics simply won’t suffice. The slayer’s shadow trait can often make it seem invincible and sneak past your defenses to chip away at your life total.

In dealing with this elusive threat, one could turn to removal spells that don’t rely on blocking. Consider using targeted removal like “Swords to Plowshares” or “Path to Exile” to handle the Dauthi Slayer without engaging it in combat. Alternatively, spells that change a creature’s abilities, such as “Lignify” or “Darksteel Mutation,” can be used to strip the Dauthi Slayer of its shadow, rendering it blockable.

A well-structured deck with ample control elements can also keep the Dauthi Slayer in check. Cards that manipulate or clear the board, such as “Wrath of God” or “Damnation,” can sweep the board clean, taking the relentless Slayer along with it. Thus, while the Dauthi Slayer may pose a unique challenge, armed with the right tactics and cards, overcoming it is well within reach for savvy players of Magic: The Gathering.


Cards like Dauthi Slayer

Dauthi Slayer stands out in the stealth realm of Magic: The Gathering creatures, embodying the shadow ability that allows it to be unblockable except by creatures with shadow. It stands shoulder-to-shoulder with other creatures that can bypass defenders like Phantom Ninja, which also cannot be blocked. However, while Dauthi Slayer boasts the strength of being perpetually unblockable with its automatic attack feature, Phantom Ninja requires a payment of mana to achieve the same effect each turn.

In the echelons of two-drop creatures, cards like Silhana Ledgewalker shares a snippet of Dauthi Slayer’s charm, providing an elusive creature with hexproof. This makes it not only hard to block but also challenging to target, a trait that Dauthi Slayer does not have. The comparison becomes fascinating when considering Thorn of the Black Rose, which bestows the controller with the monarchy, a different approach to obtaining card advantage, although without the inherent unblockability.

Surveying the battlefield of MTG, Dauthi Slayer may not bring additional boons like hexproof or monarchy, yet its inherent shadow ability firmly positions it as a staple for players crafting decks around evasive, aggressive strategies.

Phantom Ninja - MTG Card versions
Silhana Ledgewalker - MTG Card versions
Thorn of the Black Rose - MTG Card versions
Phantom Ninja - Modern Horizons (MH1)
Silhana Ledgewalker - Guildpact (GPT)
Thorn of the Black Rose - Conspiracy: Take the Crown (CN2)

Cards similar to Dauthi Slayer by color, type and mana cost

Drudge Skeletons - MTG Card versions
Erg Raiders - MTG Card versions
Cuombajj Witches - MTG Card versions
Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions
Bog Imp - MTG Card versions
Wall of Corpses - MTG Card versions
Blighted Shaman - MTG Card versions
Rabid Rats - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Bat - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Flesh Reaver - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdler - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Shade - MTG Card versions
Piper of the Swarm - MTG Card versions
Undead Augur - MTG Card versions
Shepherd of Rot - MTG Card versions
Swarm of Rats - MTG Card versions
Skullsnatcher - MTG Card versions
Nezumi Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Stromgald Crusader - MTG Card versions
Drudge Skeletons - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Erg Raiders - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Cuombajj Witches - Chronicles (CHR)
Order of the Ebon Hand - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Bog Imp - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Wall of Corpses - Mirage (MIR)
Blighted Shaman - Mirage (MIR)
Rabid Rats - Stronghold (STH)
Dakmor Bat - Portal Second Age (P02)
Ravenous Rats - Invasion (INV)
Flesh Reaver - Urza's Saga (USG)
Bloodcurdler - Odyssey (ODY)
Nantuko Shade - Commander 2014 (C14)
Piper of the Swarm - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Undead Augur - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Shepherd of Rot - Onslaught (ONS)
Swarm of Rats - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Skullsnatcher - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Nezumi Cutthroat - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Stromgald Crusader - Coldsnap (CSP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dauthi Slayer MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and Arena League 2002, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Dauthi Slayer and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Dauthi Slayer Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2015-05-06. Illustrated by Dermot Power.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-10-14TempestTMP 1261997normalblackDermot Power
22002-01-01Arena League 2002PAL02 41997normalblackDermot Power
32002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 360321997normalblackDermot Power
42006-10-06Time Spiral TimeshiftedTSB 411997normalblackDermot Power
52015-05-06Tempest RemasteredTPR 972015normalblackDermot Power

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dauthi Slayer has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dauthi Slayer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2021-03-19 If an attacking creature has multiple evasion abilities, such as shadow and flying, a creature can block it only if that creature satisfies all of the appropriate evasion abilities.
2021-03-19 Multiple instances of shadow on the same creature are redundant.
2021-03-19 Once a creature has been blocked, that creature remains blocked and will deal and be dealt combat damage even if it gains or loses shadow or if the blocking creature gains or loses shadow.

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