Royal Assassin MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 26 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Assassin
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Royal Assassin impacts MTG gameplay by controlling combat, forcing opponents to reconsider their attack strategies.
  2. Flexibility of instant speed ability allows Royal Assassin to disrupt opponent plans and protect against creature abilities.
  3. In MTG, Royal Assassin’s efficient cost-to-effect ratio outcompetes similar creature destruction cards in control decks.

Text of card

Tap to destroy any tapped creature.

Trained in the arts of stealth, the royal assassins choose their victims carefully, relying on timing and precision rather than brute force.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Royal Assassin gives you a real edge by taking out an opponent’s tapped creature. The threat it poses forces opponents to think twice before attacking or tapping out their creatures, indirectly limiting their combat options and potentially starving them of valuable resources every turn.

Resource Acceleration: Royal Assassin may not offer direct mana acceleration, but it having this creature on your side can accelerate your game by taking out key creatures from the playing field, potentially upsetting your opponents’ plans and thus, clearing a path for your victorious onslaught.

Instant Speed: The Royal Assassin’s ability can be activated at instant speed, making it a flexible utility card. This feature allows you to eliminate threats during your opponent’s turn, or in response to them activating abilities of their tapped creatures, disrupting their strategy in a swift, surprising blow.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One major downside of Royal Assassin is that it requires a strategic approach to gameplay, potentially causing you to discard a crucial card. If you are low on cards, this can put you at a severe disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The Royal Assassin card has a specific mana requirement, needing one black mana and two of any kind, which could restrict its applicability. If your deck does not frequently pull black mana or lacks versatility, you might end up rarely using this card.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The Royal Assassin card has a comparatively high mana cost, requiring three in total. While this may seem beneficial due to its potential to destroy any tapped creature, there are others in the MTG universe that can accomplish this feat or offer more beneficial outcomes for the same or less mana.


Reasons to Include Royal Assassin in Your Collection

Versatility: The Royal Assassin card brings a unique flair to various types of decks. Predominantly, these are arrangements that take advantage of its instant creature killing ability which is advantageous in combat situations.

Combo Potential: This MTG card combines efficiently with cards that tap opponents’ creatures, enhancing its assassination ability. Royal Assassin can turn strategic moves into game-changing victories when paired right.

Meta-Relevance: In the current meta-game landscape where creature-based strategies are dominant, the value of Royal Assassin cannot be overstated. This card provides profound board control, disrupting opposing setups time and time again.


How to Beat

Royal Assassin is a compelling utility creature hailing from the early sets of Magic: The Gathering, revered for its ability to destroy tapped creatures. Think of it as an effective deterrent for aggressors as attacking leaves creatures tapped and susceptible to this assassins’ skill.

However, Royal Assassin is no invincible threat. Your primary defense lies in removal cards. Spells such as Murder, Doom Blade, and Terminate can efficiently dispose of the pesky assassin before it causes havoc. Remember, the assassin is a creature, making it vulnerable to many common removal spells across different formats.

On another note, employing creatures with vigilance can also be useful. Vigilant creatures do not tap to attack, thereby eluding the assassins’ reach. Lastly, consider cards with untap abilities. Cards like Twiddle or effects that grant instant untap can neutralize the assassin’s prowess by keeping your creatures untapped.

To sum up, Royal Assassin, while a formidable adversary, can be effectively countered. Leveraging removal spells, vigilant creatures, and untap cards empowers you with the strategy to tackle this classic MTG card effectively.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring MTG strategies with a card like Royal Assassin can significantly impact your playstyle and overall deck efficacy. The ability to remove key creatures at instant speed can be a game changer, discouraging opponents from aggressive plays and maintaining board control. When building a deck with the Royal Assassin, it’s essential to consider how it fits with your overall strategy and synergizes with other cards. Remember that while it’s a powerful tool, it’s also susceptible to removal, and a savvy opponent will be prepared for it. For further insights into maximizing the impact of Royal Assassin in your MTG endeavors, enhancing your deck-building skills, and countering opposing threats, we invite you to join our community and delve deeper into the world of Magic the Gathering.


Cards like Royal Assassin

Undeniably, Royal Assassin in Magic: The Gathering has left its mark in the realm of creature destruction. It stands in comparison to other cards like Avatar of Woe. The latter shares the common ability of destroying target creatures, however, the Royal Assassin can do so for only three mana compared to the Avatar of Woe’s eight mana – even though it can potentially cost less under specific circumstances.

Another card worthy of comparison is Visara the Dreadful. Also capable of destroying opponent’s creatures unconditionally, it possesses a high power and toughness. Nonetheless, it needs an investment of six mana, double the cost of deploying the Royal Assassin. Furthermore, Visara does not have the defensive ability the assassin has- destruction of any attacking or blocking creature, making it an efficient deterrent for enemy offenses.

Summing up, Royal Assassin is a solid addition to any MTG deck that focuses on control or destruction, given its lower cost and strategic advantage over similar cards. Its unique capacity as a deterrent and destroyer makes it an asset in most game scenarios.

Avatar of Woe - MTG Card versions
Visara the Dreadful - MTG Card versions
Avatar of Woe - Prophecy (PCY)
Visara the Dreadful - Onslaught (ONS)

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

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Plague Rats - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Wall of Bone - 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 Lasher - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Husk - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Plague Rats - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Wall of Bone - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Masters Edition (ME1)
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 Lasher - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Nantuko Husk - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Vesper Ghoul - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Royal Assassin MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Royal Assassin and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Royal Assassin Magic the Gathering card was released in 22 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2023-01-13. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 1231993normalblackTom Wänerstrand
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 1241993normalblackTom Wänerstrand
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 1241993normalwhiteTom Wänerstrand
41993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 1241993normalblackTom Wänerstrand
51993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 1241993normalblackTom Wänerstrand
61994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 1251993normalblackTom Wänerstrand
71994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 1251993normalwhiteTom Wänerstrand
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 1251993normalwhiteTom Wänerstrand
91995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 1571993normalwhiteTom Wänerstrand
101995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 1571993normalblackTom Wänerstrand
111999-12-01Junior Super SeriesPSUS 112003normalblackTom Wänerstrand
122002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 351602003normalblackTom Wänerstrand
132003-01-01Japan Junior TournamentPJJT 2N052003normalblackTom Wänerstrand
142003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 159★2003normalblackMark Zug
152003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 1592003normalwhiteMark Zug
162005-01-01Junior Series EuropePJSE 2E052003normalblackTom Wänerstrand
172005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 1592003normalwhiteMark Zug
182005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 159★2003normalblackMark Zug
192007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 1742003normalblackMark Zug
202009-07-17Magic 2010M10 1102003normalblackMark Zug
212010-07-16Magic 2011M11 1162003normalblackMark Zug
222011-07-15Magic 2012M12 1052003normalblackMark Zug
232022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 4171997normalblackTom Wänerstrand
242022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 1202015normalblackTom Wänerstrand
252023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 1012015normalblackMark Zug
262023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 3101997normalblackMark Zug

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Royal Assassin has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 Can't target itself because you choose the target before you tap him. At that time he is not yet a legal target.
2004-10-04 If the creature is no longer tapped when the Assassin's ability resolves, then the ability doesn't resolve.

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