Nirkana Assassin MTG Card
2015-10-02 - Number 118
2019-11-07 - Number 724
2022-12-02 - Number 449
2020-09-26 - Number BFZ-118
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Vampire Assassin Ally |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Deathtouch triggered by life-gain makes Nirkana Assassin a compelling tactical defender and attacker.
- Limited to black mana decks, it may not suit all strategies and comes with a significant mana cost.
- In the right environment, this card can pivot the momentum in combat, becoming a game-changer.
Text of card
Whenever you gain life, Nirkana Assassin gains deathtouch until end of turn. (Any amount of damage it deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)
Nirkana assassins craft incurable concoctions by mixing basilisk marrow and deathwillow sap with the vital fluids of a dozen other poisonous species.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When paired with life-gain synergies, Nirkana Assassin can be an unexpectedly powerful piece on the board, creating card advantage by posing as an ongoing threat that must be addressed by your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: Although not directly contributing to resource acceleration, Nirkana Assassin encourages a strategy that combines life-gain with card draw, indirectly accelerating your access to resources by helping maintain board presence.
Instant Speed: With its ability to gain deathtouch whenever you gain life, Nirkana Assassin thrives in decks with instant-speed life-gain effects. This allows for surprise defense tactics, potentially removing an opponent’s creature when they least expect it during combat, increasing the strategic depth of your plays.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One drawback of the Nirkana Assassin is that getting to activate its lifelink ability often involves additional card mechanics that require you to discard. While this might synergize with certain deck strategies, it can be a liability when you’re already behind in card advantage or you’re in need of every card in your hand.
Specific Mana Cost: The Nirkana Assassin comes with a mana cost that includes black mana. This means it can only be optimally utilized in decks that run black mana or have a reliable mana base to accommodate the cost, potentially limiting its versatility across various deck types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Nirkana Assassin may not be the most mana-efficient creature you could deploy. In the crowded three-mana slot, there are numerous alternatives that might provide more immediate board presence or effects that don’t rely on additional conditions to be effective.
Reasons to Include Nirkana Assassin in Your Collection
Versatility: Nirkana Assassin is a flexible card that can slide into multiple deck archetypes. Its ability to gain deathtouch whenever you gain life makes it a strategic blocker and a threatening attacker in decks that have even minor life gain components.
Combo Potential: This creature works wonders in synergy with cards that provide consistent life gain. It forms a potent combination with cards like “Drana’s Emissary” or “Kalastria Healer,” turning every life gain event into an opportunity to create a lethal threat.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where small creature combat is prevalent, Nirkana Assassin’s deathtouch ability becomes increasingly valuable. It can effectively deter opponents from attacking and can change the tide of battle when used correctly, especially in games where incremental advantages lead to victory.
How to beat
Navigating the challenges of Nirkana Assassin in the game of Magic the Gathering requires strategic management of the board. This formidable card becomes a serious threat when coupled with life-gain effects, activating its ability to gain deathtouch—a trait allowing it to destroy any creature it deals damage to, regardless of the creature’s toughness. To mitigate the Nirkana Assassin’s impact, players should consider removing it before their own life-gain engines are active or employing cards that negate the deathtouch mechanic.
Employing creatures or spells that can neutralize the Assassin without triggering its deathtouch, such as those that exile it from play or reduce its toughness to zero without combat, can be particularly effective. Additionally, it’s advisable to manage your life total carefully, as strategic losses in life can sometimes prevent the activation of the Assassin’s ability, diminishing its effectiveness and allowing for a more manageable board state.
Whatever your strategy, it’s worth noting that while Nirkana Assassin presents a clear danger in the right deck, it can be overcome with careful planning and the right countermeasures. By understanding its strengths and potential synergies within an opponent’s strategy, you can prepare adequate responses and maintain control of the game.
Cards like Nirkana Assassin
The Nirkana Assassin carves its niche in the vast array of creatures available in MTG. Its likeness is seen in cards like Vampire Nighthawk, a creature that not only shares the same creature types but also brings a similar blend of combat abilities to the battlefield. Unlike Nirkana Assassin, Vampire Nighthawk is equipped with flying and lifelink from the get-go, making it a more straightforward threat.
Another card worth mentioning is Ruthless Cullblade, which, similar to Nirkana Assassin, gains extra abilities when the opponent’s life total is under a certain threshold. Ruthless Cullblade gets a power boost while Nirkana Assassin gains deathtouch, arguably a more significant combat advantage. Finally, Guul Draz Vampire poses a closer comparison, a creature card that also thrives on the same conditional deathtouch mechanic, but it requires a tighter life total gap to activate its power.
So, assessing the overall utility and synergies, Nirkana Assassin stands out amid its counterparts with its deathtouch potential under the right circumstances. It can be a pivotal card in MTG strategies that revolve around controlling the opponent’s life total and maintaining board presence.
Cards similar to Nirkana Assassin by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Nirkana Assassin MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar and Mystery Booster, 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 Nirkana Assassin and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Nirkana Assassin Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2015-10-02 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Viktor Titov.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015-10-02 | Battle for Zendikar | BFZ | 118 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Viktor Titov | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 724 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Viktor Titov | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | BFZ-118 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Viktor Titov | ||
| 4 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 449 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Viktor Titov |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Nirkana Assassin has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Nirkana Assassin card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2015-08-25 | A creature with lifelink dealing combat damage is a single life-gaining event. For example, if two creatures you control with lifelink deal combat damage at the same time, the ability will trigger twice. However, if a single creature with lifelink deals combat damage to multiple creatures, players, and/or planeswalkers at the same time (perhaps because it has trample or was blocked by more than one creature), the ability will trigger only once. |
| 2015-08-25 | In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate won’t cause the ability to trigger, even though it causes your team’s life total to increase. |
| 2015-08-25 | The ability triggers just once for each life-gaining event, whether it’s 1 life from Drana’s Emissary or 7 life from Nissa’s Renewal. |
