Suq'Ata Assassin MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Assassin
Abilities	Fear
Released	1997-02-03
Set symbol
Set name	Visions
Set code	VIS
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	69
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Gary Gianni

Key Takeaways

Suq’Ata Assassin grants card advantage and can tilt games in your favor when damaging opponents.
It applies pressure, encouraging strategic play with its potential for unblocked attacks.
The Assassin’s demand for black mana and discard cost can challenge deck diversity and hand size.

Text of card

Suq'Ata Assassin cannot be blocked except by artifact or black creatures. If Suq'Ata Assassin attacks and is not blocked, defending player gets a poison counter. If any player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Suq’Ata Assassin Forge equips you with a powerful ability to potentially unbalance the game in your favor. If it deals damage to an opponent, you’re granted an extra card which could make all the difference by bolstering your hand and putting you ahead in the duel.

Resource Acceleration: Although not a direct source of resource acceleration, the fear mechanic allows this assassin to often slip through enemy lines unnoticed. By forcing opponents to commit resources to block or remove it, you’re effectively accelerating your board position relative to theirs.

Instant Speed: Suq’Ata Assassin itself might not operate at instant speed, but its inherent ability to apply pressure can keep opponents on their toes, saving your instant speed resources for pivotal moments. It encourages a playstyle where managing your maneuvers and instants becomes key, giving you an edge as the game progresses.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Suq’Ata Assassin demands a sacrifice too steep for some strategies. By insisting players discard a card to utilize its full potential, it tests deck resilience, putting a strain on your hand and resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Tailored for a distinct mana pool, this assassin is loyal only to decks doused in black mana. Its rigid cost can handcuff deck builders, leaving little room for a colorful coalition of spells.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: In the vast universe of cards, the Assassin’s services don’t come cheap. For three mana, seasoned players may err on the side of alternatives that wield more power or subtlety to control the battlefield.

Reasons to Include Suq’Ata Assassin in Your Collection

Versatility: Suq’Ata Assassin is a flexible card able to fit in a variety of decks, particularly those harnessing the power of evasion mechanics or wanting to capitalize on unblockable creatures for consistent hits.

Combo Potential: With its ability to grant a poison counter on a successful hit, Suq’Ata Assassin works well within decks centered around proliferation or infect strategies, allowing for quicker win conditions against your opponent.

Meta-Relevance: Given the current landscape where creature-based tactics are prevalent, having Suq’Ata Assassin can provide an edge by slipping past imposing creatures and delivering critical poison counters, thus disrupting common defensive setups.

How to beat

Confronted with the Suq’Ata Assassin in Magic: The Gathering, players are challenged by its poison ability, which potentially puts them on a clock towards defeat. Unlike straightforward damage, poison counters work differently, creating a sense of urgency as they accumulate. To effectively neutralize the threat of the Assassin, it’s crucial to consider strategies that remove it from the battlefield or mitigate its impact.

One effective tactic is to deploy creature removal spells that can target the Assassin before it gets the chance to attack. This stems the tide of poison counters and disrupts the opponent’s game plan. Spells such as Cast Down or Doom Blade offer straightforward solutions. Ensnaring the Assassin with spells that tap it down or prevent it from untapping can also be a temporary but effective deterrent. Cards like Frost Lynx showcase this tactic well.

Alternatively, shoring up your defenses with creatures that have high toughness or feature the reach ability to block fliers allows you to withstand the Assassin’s attacks. Not to be overlooked, enchantments that preclude the Assassin from attacking or dealing combat damage are also valuable tools in your arsenal. By evaluating the card’s strengths and weaknesses, devising a clear strategy and leveraging your deck’s resources, you can overcome the Suq’Ata Assassin and maintain control of the game.

Cards like Suq'Ata Assassin

In the realm of creature cards with potent abilities, Suq’Ata Assassin holds its own as a formidable force. This card is stealthy in nature, granting it the ability to sneak past defenses with fear, making it unblockable except by artifact creatures and/or those that share a color. When we look at Dauthi Slayer, we find a creature with a similar unblockable trait, shadow, allowing it to evade defenders in much the same way. Yet, it lacks the Assassin’s venomous touch that gives opponents poison counters. This mechanic is a subtle yet lethal weapon that steadily edges opponents closer to defeat.

Comparatively, Blighted Agent is another parallel, imbued with infect and unblockability in the same vein. What sets it apart is that it is unblockable by any creatures due to its inherent ability, rather than being dictated by color. Although Blighted Agent exchanges fear for infect and is a blue card, it mirrors Suq’Ata Assassin in its approach to bypassing enemy lines and delivering a toxic blow directly to the opponent.

Although each of these cards carries its unique strategic advantages, Suq’Ata Assassin remains a distinctive choice for delivering calculated and unrelenting pressure on the battlefield thanks to its amalgamation of evasiveness and poisonous aggression.

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Suq'Ata Assassin has restrictions

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

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Suq'Ata 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	An ability that triggers when something “attacks and isn’t blocked” triggers in the declare blockers step after blockers are declared if (1) that creature is attacking and (2) no creatures are declared to block it. It will trigger even if that creature was put onto the battlefield attacking rather than having been declared as an attacker in the declare attackers step.