Assassin's Trophy MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 12 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Assassin’s Trophy offers versatile removal of any nonland permanent at instant speed, enhancing in-game adaptability.
  2. While potent, using this card can inadvertently ramp your opponent by allowing a basic land search.
  3. Its unique abilities make it a valuable addition for various playstyles and remain relevant in competitive MTG.

Text of card

Destroy target permanent an opponent controls. Its controller may search their library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle their library.

A power vacuum for the Azorius. A keepsake for Vraska.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Assassin’s Trophy offers a unique spin on card advantage by eliminating any nonland permanent. Although your opponent may search their library for a basic land card, removing key pieces on their board can dismantle their strategy and provide you with a tactical edge.

Resource Acceleration: Unlike traditional removal spells, Assassin’s Trophy does not restrict you to a specific card type, granting you the flexibility to accelerate your resource management by targeting your own permanents in a pinch, ensuring you’re never at a loss for options.

Instant Speed: As an instant, Assassin’s Trophy gives you the ultimate control to disrupt your opponent’s plays in real time. Whether it’s in the heat of combat or in response to an imminent threat, this spell’s speed is critical for keeping the tempo in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Assassin’s Trophy card does not directly involve a discard requirement; however, it is worth considering the potential card disadvantage. When you destroy an opponent’s permanent, they are allowed to search their library for a basic land card and put it into play, essentially replacing the resource you’ve removed and possibly even fixing their mana.

Specific Mana Cost: While Assassin’s Trophy is flexible in what it can destroy, its casting cost requires both black and green mana, which can sometimes be restrictive. Decks not running both colors or those without a dependable mana base may find it difficult to utilize this spell when it’s most needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although costing only two mana might seem low, in the context of other removal spells in the same mana value range, such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push, Assassin’s Trophy’s cost is comparatively higher, particularly when you consider the added benefit it gives your opponent in ramping their mana.


Reasons to Include Assassin’s Trophy in Your Collection

Versatility: Assassin’s Trophy stands out for its ability to target any permanent, offering a flexible response to threats across all decks. This instant removal tool adapts to various in-game situations, making it a staple in formats like Commander and Modern.

Combo Potential: This card seamlessly integrates into strategies that capitalize on your opponents’ resources, such as land destruction or graveyard synergy. Its versatility lends itself to diverse combo setups, enhancing deck consistency and performance.

Meta-Relevance: With the ever-shifting landscape of competitive play, Assassin’s Trophy remains highly relevant. It can disrupt prominent decks by removing key pieces, therefore asserting itself as a powerful mainstay in the current meta.


How to Beat

Assassin’s Trophy is a versatile removal spell in MTG known for its ability to target any permanent an opponent controls. Unlike other conditional removal spells that may limit what you can target, Assassin’s Trophy’s broad spectrum makes it a robust card to include in your deck. But its widespread nature also presents an Achilles’ heel: it grants the opponent a basic land card put onto the battlefield untapped, which can potentially accelerate their game plan.

To effectively counter Assassin’s Trophy, consider employing strategies that limit the downside of accelerated mana for your opponent. This can be done by minimizing the number of valuable targets in your deck or utilizing cards with landfall abilities to turn the downside into an advantage. Moreover, with the rise of graveyard-focused strategies, cards like Rest in Peace can hinder an opponent’s ability to retrieve targeted cards from the graveyard, which neutralizes the potency of Assassin’s Trophy. Remember, while this card can disrupt your board, strategic deck construction can transform this disruption into an opportunity for your MTG deck to thrive.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the nuances of Assassin’s Trophy can markedly improve your gameplay in MTG. Its flexibility to target any nonland permanent at instant speed makes it an exceptional toolkit at your disposal. Whether you’re disrupting enemy strategies or refining your own deck, this card proves indispensable in various formats. Take advantage of our insights and enhance your collection with this versatile spell. Delve deeper into MTG and discover optimal strategies, card synergies, and the meta’s evolution. Elevate your play and outmaneuver opponents with informed choices. Gather more knowledge and command your matches with confidence by learning from our extensive MTG resources.


Cards like Assassin's Trophy

Assassin’s Trophy has swiftly become a staple for its versatile removal capabilities in Magic: The Gathering. It grants players the power to eliminate any permanent, not just creatures or artifacts. Comparable to cards such as Path to Exile or Vindicate, Assassin’s Trophy offers adaptable solutions. Path to Exile excels in creature removal and is more cost-efficient, trading an opposing creature for a basic land. Vindicate, on the other hand, targets any permanent just like Assassin’s Trophy but without giving an opponent a land, making it slightly more potent in terms of card disadvantage it causes.

Exploring further, Abrupt Decay provides a similar utility by dealing uncounterable removal, albeit limited to nonland permanents with a converted mana cost of 3 or less. While it avoids giving the opponent any additional resources, the scope is narrower compared to the all-encompassing reach of Assassin’s Trophy. Then there’s Maelstrom Pulse, with its capacity to wipe out multiples of the same nonland permanent – effective against tokens or identical threats but lacking the instant speed and flexibility of Assassin’s Trophy.

Analyzing these alternatives, it’s clear that within the realm of permanent removal spells in Magic: The Gathering, Assassin’s Trophy is distinguished by its unparalleled flexibility and immediate impact on the game’s state.

Path to Exile - MTG Card versions
Vindicate - MTG Card versions
Abrupt Decay - MTG Card versions
Maelstrom Pulse - MTG Card versions
Path to Exile - Wizards Play Network 2009 (PWP09)
Vindicate - Apocalypse (APC)
Abrupt Decay - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Maelstrom Pulse - Grand Prix Promos (PGPX)

Cards similar to Assassin's Trophy by color, type and mana cost

Grisly Salvage - MTG Card versions
Rushed Rebirth - MTG Card versions
Abrupt Decay - MTG Card versions
Golgari Charm - MTG Card versions
Tend the Pests - MTG Card versions
Infuse with Vitality - MTG Card versions
Tear Asunder - MTG Card versions
Grisly Salvage - Historic Anthology 5 (HA5)
Rushed Rebirth - Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos (PSTX)
Abrupt Decay - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
Golgari Charm - Explorer Anthology 3 (EA3)
Tend the Pests - Strixhaven: School of Mages (STX)
Infuse with Vitality - Strixhaven: School of Mages (STX)
Tear Asunder - Dominaria United (DMU)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Assassin's Trophy MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Guilds of Ravnica, 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 Assassin's Trophy and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Assassin's Trophy Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2024-02-10. Illustrated by 4 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 1023072015normalblackRon Spears
22018-10-05Guilds of RavnicaGRN 1522015normalblackSeb McKinnon
32018-10-05Guilds of Ravnica PromosPGRN 152p2015normalblackSeb McKinnon
42018-10-05Guilds of Ravnica PromosPGRN 152s2015normalblackSeb McKinnon
52019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 1392015normalborderlessScott Buoncristiano
62022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 4742015normalblackSeb McKinnon
72022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 3722015normalborderlessRon Spears
82022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 1752015normalblackSeb McKinnon
92024-02-09Murders at Karlov ManorMKM 1872015normalblackDmitry Burmak
102024-02-09Murders at Karlov ManorMKM 4122015normalblackDmitry Burmak
112024-02-10Murders at Karlov Manor PromosPMKM 187p2015normalblackDmitry Burmak
122024-02-10Murders at Karlov Manor PromosPMKM 187s2015normalblackDmitry Burmak

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Assassin's Trophy has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2018-10-05 If the permanent’s controller doesn’t search their library, they don’t shuffle their library.
2018-10-05 If the target permanent is a legal target but isn’t destroyed, most likely because it has indestructible, its controller may search their library.
2018-10-05 If the target permanent is an illegal target by the time Assassin’s Trophy tries to resolve, the spell doesn’t resolve. No player searches their library.

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