Silent Assassin MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Human Mercenary Assassin
Released	1999-10-04
Set symbol
Set name	Mercadian Masques
Set code	MMQ
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	160
Frame	1997
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	rk post

Key Takeaways

Combining board control with card draw, Silent Assassin keeps hand resources replenished while managing threats.
Instant speed execution allows strategic responses to disrupt opponent plays, enhancing its utility.
Despite mana specificity and discard costs, Silent Assassin’s versatility makes it a valuable collection asset.

Text of card

o3o B: Destroy target blocking creature at end of combat.

She feels no need to disturb her victim's slumber.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Silent Assassin not only removes a threat from the board but also replaces itself by allowing you to draw a card upon a successful hit. This dual functionality ensures that you maintain pressure on your opponent without sacrificing your hand resources.

Resource Acceleration: Although Silent Assassin doesn’t directly produce mana or Treasure tokens, the card’s ability to efficiently deal with opponents’ creatures can indirectly accelerate your game plan. Eliminating key threats lets you use your mana more effectively in subsequent turns.

Instant Speed: The key to Silent Assassin’s strength lies in its deployment at instant speed. This feature gives you the flexibility to disrupt opponents during their turn, potentially saving you from incoming attacks or disrupting complex combos they plan to execute.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Silent Assassin’s activation necessitates discarding a card, potentially leaving you at a card advantage loss when your hand is already depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands both black and blue mana, potentially restricting it to decks that can consistently produce both colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in at three mana, Silent Assassin might compete with other options in your deck that provide immediate board impact or more cost-effective removal alternatives.

Reasons to Include Silent Assassin in Your Collection

Versatility: Silent Assassin’s ability to seamlessly integrate into various deck archetypes makes it an exceptional pick. Its utility in both aggressive and control strategies adds value to your arsenal, adeptly removing threats on the board.

Combo Potential: This card excels in combinations that capitalize on repeatable creature removal. Pairing it with ways to untap creatures or proliferate counters enlarges its potential to control the game board.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-based decks often dominate the game, having Silent Assassin in your repertoire ensures you have a reliable answer to on-field powerhouses, keeping you competitive regardless of the shifting meta.

How to Beat Silent Assassin

Silent Assassin is a stealthy creature within Magic the Gathering that can pose quite a challenge to unprepared players. It has the ability to slip through defenses and take out high-value targets with precision. However, like every card, it has its weaknesses and that’s where strategy comes into play.

To counter this elusive threat, one effective strategy is to remove it before it has a chance to become a nuisance. Employing instant-speed removal spells is key. Consider cards like Naturalize or Disenchant that can directly target and eliminate Silent Assassin. Another tactic is to use cards that restrict creature abilities, such as Cursed Totem or Linvala, Keeper of Silence, which can neutralize its activated abilities and render it a non-threat. Lastly, increasing your defenses with cards that provide protection or hexproof to your important creatures can also be pivotal in safeguarding them against Silent Assassin’s fatal touch.

In essence, dealing with Silent Assassin on the board requires foresight and timely reactions. By incorporating these strategies into your game plan, you’ll be able to nullify the threat and keep your crucial creatures safe from its deadly mission.

Cards like Silent Assassin

In Magic: The Gathering, Silent Assassin operates within the realm of creature removal with subtlety. It draws a parallel to cards like Royal Assassin, which similarly carries the ability to destroy tapped creatures. Silent Assassin, however, requires a bit more setup with its tap and mana activation requirement, allowing for more strategic plays but with additional cost.

Murderous Cut delves into the same sphere of removing creatures, but by utilizing the delve mechanic, the mana cost can be drastically reduced, making it a swifter option at times. Nonetheless, it does not offer the reusability that Silent Assassin provides. Another akin card is Avatar of Woe. While it boasts a potent tap ability to destroy creatures without any mana cost, it necessitates having numerous creature cards in all graveyards, which is a condition that’s more restrictive than the Silent Assassin’s setup.

All things considered, Silent Assassin holds a niche of control and precision within the creature removal segment of Magic: The Gathering. Its flexibility and repeatability render it a card that can command the pace of the game under the right circumstances.

Royal Assassin - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Silent Assassin by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Nether Shadow - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)

Erg Raiders - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)

Cyclopean Mummy - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)

Order of the Ebon Hand - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)

Piper of the Swarm - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Silent Assassin MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Silent Assassin and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Silent Assassin has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-04-15	If you activate the ability during the end of combat step, the creature will be destroyed at the beginning of the next end of combat step, even if that step occurs during a different turn.