Serpent Assassin MTG Card

Serpent Assassin excels in creature removal, enhancing board control and maintaining strategic presence. It offers instant speed utility for dynamic plays, disrupting opponent plans and keeping them off balance. Despite advantages, it requires careful hand management and specific mana investments, affecting its deck compatibility.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Snake Assassin
Released	1997-05-01
Set symbol
Set name	Portal
Set code	POR
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	108
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Roger Raupp

Text of card

When Serpent Assassin comes into play from your hand, you may choose to destroy any one creature that isn't black.

Cards like Serpent Assassin

The Serpent Assassin card offers a unique blend of tactics and value that stands out in the creature landscape of MTG. When examining cards of similar functionality, Ohran Viper emerges as a candidate for comparison. Both creatures boast the ability to take down an opponent’s creature upon dealing damage, yet Ohran Viper also presents card draw, trading versatility for Serpent Assassin’s direct removal capability.

Murderous Redcap is another creature card that garners attention for its similarity. It doesn’t have deathtouch but can remove a creature or deal direct damage to players thanks to persist, thereby re-emerging on the battlefield to potentially eliminate another threat. Although the Redcap can recur, Serpent Assassin’s immediate deathtouch impact and potential evasion with flying can be more relevant in certain gameplay scenarios.

While assessing these comparable cards, it is important to consider the specific strategy and synergy within your deck. Although each option offers its own merits, Serpent Assassin’s ability to fly and serve as an immediate removal threat makes it a formidable choice for decks that benefit from its stealthy, deadly nature.

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

Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Serpent Assassin provides a significant edge by enabling you to systematically remove opponent’s creatures, effectively reducing their resources while maintaining your own board presence.

Resource Acceleration: By potentially clearing the path of blockers, it paves the way for your other creatures to strike unimpeded, potentially accelerating the damage you can inflict on your opponent’s life total.

Instant Speed: The instant-speed nature of this card’s abilities allows for dynamic play, giving you the flexibility to disrupt your opponent’s strategy during their turn or at the end of their turn to maximize the element of surprise and tactical advantage.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Serpent Assassin card demands a card discard as an additional cost. This can significantly hinder your play if your hand is already running low on cards, forcing you to lose potentially crucial resources.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost includes not just a specific color but often a combination of colors which can restrict the card’s incorporation into multi-colored decks and can disrupt your deck’s mana curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its higher mana requirement, Serpent Assassin may not always be the most efficient choice, particularly when you’re in need of a swift response or facing down a faster-paced opponent with lower cost creatures and spells.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Serpent Assassin is a multi-functional addition, able to adapt to varying play styles. Its ability to slither into control or tempo decks adds a layer of unpredictability against opponents.

Combo Potential: With its potent enter-the-battlefield effect, this card becomes a powerhouse when combined with flicker or recursion strategies, making it a lynchpin for complex and rewarding combos.

Meta-Relevance: As player decks often rely on key creatures, Serpent Assassin’s targeted removal ensures relevance in a creature-centric meta, disrupting opponents’ boards and paving the way for victory.

How to beat

Serpent Assassin presents a stealthy challenge as a creature card with potential board control capabilities. Its unique ability allows it to destroy target tapped creatures, making it a calculated threat in any MTG game. Staying aware of the card’s presence and its activation cost is key. You can cleverly navigate around this assassin by carefully choosing which creatures to tap and when to commit them to battle.

Utilizing instant-speed removals before the Assassin’s ability comes online is an effective strategy. This includes harnessing targeted removals like Fatal Push or Path to Exile to preemptively remove this serpent from the field before it gets the chance to exert its influence. Additionally, granting your creatures indestructibility or utilizing hexproof can be a game-changer against such targeted abilities.

Flexibility and strategic creature management become critical in outmaneuvering the potential control Serpent Assassin can have. By adapting your gameplay strategies and making informed decisions on the battlefield, you can minimize the impact of Serpent Assassin and maintain the upper hand in your MTG matches.

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Serpent Assassin has restrictions

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