Duergar Assailant MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Though it doesn’t directly let you draw cards, Duergar Assailant offers strategic advantage by acting as a deterrent against one-toughness creatures, keeping your opponent’s board in check.

Resource Acceleration: While Duergar Assailant isn’t a card that accelerates your resources in a traditional sense, its low mana cost enables you to deploy more threats or hold up mana for other plays, efficiently using your resources each turn.

Instant Speed: The ability to destroy a creature that has dealt damage to Duergar Assailant can be used defensively at instant speed, offering a surprise factor that can shift the tide of smaller skirmishes on the battlefield.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Duergar Assailant lacks such a requirement, but for players looking at other cards, this could be an area of critique, particularly in aggressive decks where each card in hand is precious for maintaining board presence and momentum.

Specific Mana Cost: While Duergar Assailant requires only red and generic mana, it’s fixed to a color that may not align with all strategies. Being a red creature, it slots specifically into red-centered or multicolored decks, potentially excluding it from mono-colored decks of a different hue.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its ability to destroy a blocking creature, Duergar Assailant’s mana cost is a point of contention when matched against other one-drop creatures that may offer more utility or power. In a format where efficiency is key, the mana invested in Duergar Assailant may not offer the same level of return when compared to other one-mana creatures in the game.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Duergar Assailant offers a reliable solution for decks aiming to control early-game board states. Its flexibility to act both as an attacker and a first strike defender makes it a solid choice for decks that need to establish presence or protect valuable assets on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: Although Duergar Assailant is straightforward in its application, its ability to deliver first strike damage can synergize effectively with equipment, auras, or abilities that capitalize on combat advantages. This increases its utility in decks designed around such synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where aggressive creature strategies are prevalent, Duergar Assailant can serve as a cost-effective method for deterring attackers and maintaining a board state conducive to your strategy. Its place in the meta depends on the current prevalence of early creature combat and the value of quick, efficient defenders.

How to beat

Duergar Assailant may seem like a minor threat in the world of Magic: The Gathering given its modest stats. However, this diminutive warrior poses a latent threat with its ability to destroy attacking or blocking creatures. Addressing the Assailant requires a strategic approach akin to handling utility creatures that may not win the game alone but can hinder your plan significantly.

One effective strategy is to neutralize the Assailant before it becomes a blocker. Removing it early with a cheap removal spell can prevent its damaging effect. Spells with a low mana cost, especially those that don’t require you to tap out, allow you to maintain tempo and shield your vital creatures from its ability.

Another tactic is to outpace the Assailant with aggressive strategies. Swarm the battlefield with numerous creatures to overload its capacity to block and use its ability. If your deck can withstand a one-for-one trade, you can often ignore the Assailant, focusing on diminishing your opponent’s life total swiftly before the Assailant’s ability impacts the board state significantly.

Ultimately, while Duergar Assailant may require a specific response, understanding its role in your opponent’s strategy and addressing it efficiently can ensure it becomes a minor obstacle in your path to victory.