Stronghold Assassin MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Phyrexian Zombie Assassin
Power 2
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Stronghold Assassin allows efficient removal of opponent creatures, enhancing gameplay strategy.
  2. The card requires another creature to sacrifice, potentially impacting board presence.
  3. Instant speed activation provides flexibility, making it a surprising in-game element.

Text of card

oc T, Sacrifice a creature: Destroy target nonblack creature.

The assassin sees only throats and hears only heartbeats.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Stronghold Assassin offers considerable value by allowing you to remove key creatures from your opponent’s battlefield, effectively hindering their strategy and potentially shifting the game in your favor without losing card equity.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly contributing to mana acceleration, the Assassin permits efficient use of creatures that are no longer useful by turning them into an elimination tool for the opposition’s threats, which can be seen as a form of indirect resource optimization.

Instant Speed: With its ability to be activated at instant speed, the Stronghold Assassin provides flexibility, allowing you to disrupt your opponent’s plays during their turn or in response to certain actions, maintaining constant pressure and an element of surprise within the match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the limitations of Stronghold Assassin is its reliance on having another creature to sacrifice. This requirement can be a significant drawback, especially if your board presence is low or you need to maintain a strong defense.

Specific Mana Cost: The Assassin demands a specific blend of mana – one black and two of any color. This can occasionally be restrictive and may not seamlessly fit into multicolor decks that aren’t heavily skewed towards black mana resources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the ability to destroy target creatures is powerful, the casting cost for Stronghold Assassin is somewhat steep seeing that it’s a three-mana card. In some instances, players might prefer lower-cost removal options that are easier to incorporate into their mana curve and present less of a tempo loss.


Reasons to Include Stronghold Assassin in Your Collection

Versatility: Stronghold Assassin is a powerful addition to black-themed decks, offering a reliable way to remove threats on the board. Its ability to fit into both control and combo decks enhances its utility within various strategies.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that generate creature tokens, Stronghold Assassin can become a repeating source of creature removal, providing consistent control over the battlefield and tilting the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creatures dominate, having an efficient and reusable creature removal option can prove invaluable. Stronghold Assassin can disrupt opponent strategies and maintain board presence, making it a valuable asset when facing creature-heavy decks.


How to beat

Stronghold Assassin stands out in MTG as a tactical creature card capable of changing the state of the game with its targeted removal ability. Players can activate its ability to destroy a creature at the cost of sacrificing a creature, which can seem daunting to overcome. Yet, this card can be neutralized.

To get ahead, consider the timing of your plays. Since Stronghold Assassin’s ability relies on tapping, keeping it tapped down either through constant pressure or by using cards that prevent it from untapping could give you an edge. Creature cards with hexproof or indestructible also pose a challenge for Stronghold Assassin, as they are less susceptible to its removal power.

Furthermore, enchantments that deny activated abilities, such as Cursed Totem or Linvala, Keeper of Silence, are effective measures. Instant-speed removal in response to its activation can also thwart the assassin’s ploy, preserving your board presence. Recognize the strategic element of cards that counteract such threats, thus allowing you to maintain the upper hand when facing this menacing creature.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG is a craft combining knowledge, strategy, and the ability to adapt to the ever-evolving battlefield. The Stronghold Assassin brings a unique edge to your deck with its creature elimination capabilities, ideal for disrupting opponents and maintaining control. Its synergy with token-generating cards and ability to strike at instant speed makes it a compelling choice for specific deck builds. While this card has its drawbacks, such as requiring creature sacrifices and specific mana needs, the trade-offs can be justified in the right deck. Dive deeper into your strategic playbook and learn how to optimize the Assassin’s potential within your collection by visiting our comprehensive guide. Your path to victory awaits!


Cards like Stronghold Assassin

Stronghold Assassin, a notorious creature card in MTG, shares the limelight with other sneaky killers like Royal Assassin. Both cards thrive on the power to destroy target tapped creatures, but what sets Stronghold Assassin apart is its tribal synergy with other Rogues, making it a complementary piece in Rogue-themed decks.

Looking at Nekrataal, another card with a similar vein of removing creatures, the difference lies in its one-time use effect upon entering the battlefield, whereas Stronghold Assassin offers a recurring threat, able to be activated each turn. This persistence makes the assassin a looming danger for opponents with creatures on the frontline. Murderous Rider is a more recent parallel that offers both creature removal and potential as an attacker or blocker, but it lacks the specific condition of targeting tapped creatures, granting it broader utility at the expense of precision.

In terms of strategy and versatility within the game’s assassins, Stronghold Assassin manages to carve out its own niche. It promises repeatable control over the board state, especially in environments where tapping creatures is a common occurrence, aligning it with powerful tactics in MTG.

Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
Nekrataal - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Nekrataal - Visions (VIS)

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

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
Plague Rats - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Dusk Imp - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Royal Assassin - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Plague Rats - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Mischievous Poltergeist - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Strongarm Thug - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Razortooth Rats - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ghastly Remains - Legions (LGN)
Lord of the Undead - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Deepwood Ghoul - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Dross Prowler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Vesper Ghoul - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Hypnotic Specter - Magic Player Rewards 2006 (P06)
Dusk Imp - Tenth Edition (10E)

Where to buy

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

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Stronghold Assassin Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1998-03-02 and 2015-05-06. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-03-02StrongholdSTH 711997normalblackMatthew D. Wilson
22001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 166★1997normalblackRon Walotsky
32001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 1661997normalwhiteRon Walotsky
42013-11-01Commander 2013C13 932003normalblackMatthew D. Wilson
52015-05-06Tempest RemasteredTPR 1202015normalblackMatthew D. Wilson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Stronghold Assassin has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks