Unnerving Assault MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Instant
Released	2008-07-25
Set symbol
Set name	Eventide
Set code	EVE
Number	114
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ron Spencer

Key Takeaways

Unnerving Assault offers board control and strategic advantage at instant speed.
Requires card discard and red mana, potentially limiting versatility.
Aligns with aggressive strategies, making it a competitive meta choice.

Text of card

Creatures your opponents control get -1/-0 until end of turn if was spent to play Unnerving Assault, and creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn if was spent to play it. (Do both if was spent.)

The scales of battle rarely balance.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Unnerving Assault offers strategic benefits to a player by potentially removing multiple creatures from the equation. This can disrupt an opponent’s board presence and grant you a significant advantage in the current state of the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Unnerving Assault itself does not provide direct resource acceleration, its potential to hinder multiple creatures can indirectly accelerate your resource advantage by affecting the tempo of the game and allowing you to maintain control over the battlefield.

Instant Speed: The card’s instant-speed nature provides the flexibility to react to threats at the most opportune time. This can be particularly advantageous during the combat phase or in response to opponent’s spells, making Unnerving Assault an excellent tool for controlling the pace of the match and protecting your interests on the fly.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unnerving Assault demands that you discard a card to activate its ability. This can be a steep price, especially when your hand is already dwindling and each card holds significant potential or value.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s activation is not just about the cost but also the color. Needing a precise combination of red mana means it can only be optimally utilized in decks that run heavily on that color, perhaps limiting its versatility in multi-colored or colorless decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Given the current meta and available options, Unnerving Assault’s mana cost might appear high. Players often compare its cost-effectiveness with other available cards in the same mana range, which might offer either a more instant impact on the game or less restrictive requirements for activation.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Unnerving Assault slots into a variety of decks, particularly those that rely on creatures attacking and enacting chaos on the battlefield. The card’s ability to disrupt opponent strategies while supporting your aggressive tactics makes it a multi-faceted tool for numerous game scenarios.

Combo Potential: With the capacity to enable creature-focused combos, Unnerving Assault amplifies synergy with cards that benefit from frequent combat phases or multiple untapping opportunities. It’s a catalyst for turn-based strategies that can lead to a swift victory.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where aggressive strategies are at the forefront, Unnerving Assault provides a significant edge by offering extra combat phases. This card plays a pivotal role, ensuring your gameplay is aligned with the competitive landscape and maintaining relevance against various deck types.

How to beat Unnerving Assault

Navigating the threats in MTG requires tactical awareness, especially when faced with cards designed to disrupt your game plan. Unnerving Assault introduces a layer of complexity, demanding a strategic response. Similar to how Disallow counters any spell or ability, thwarting Unnerving Assault relies on timing and key card interactions. One potential strategy is to rely on instant-speed removal spells that can handle creatures before the assault triggers. Think of cards like Fatal Push or Path to Exile that offer swift responses without taxing your mana pool too much.

Counter spells also stand as sentinels against threats. A well-timed Counterspell or Negate can neutralize Unnerving Assault before it even becomes a problem. It’s akin to erecting a shield at the right moment – anticipation is key. Furthermore, by maintaining card advantage and a diverse set of responses, players can often outmaneuver this daunting challenge. The dance is intricate, a balance of predictive play and resource management that can disrupt your opponent’s rhythm and turn the tide in your favor.

Ultimately, overcoming Unnerving Assault requires a blend of foresight and adaptability, as with many of the complexities encountered in the deep, strategic realms of MTG.

Cards like Unnerving Assault

Unnerving Assault stands as a unique strategic piece in MTG, sharing similarities with cards such as Radiant Performer. Similarly to Unnerving Assault, Radiant Performer thrives in multi-target situations but focuses on copying instant or sorcery spells. While Unnerving Assault is not a spell duplicator, it does echo the tactics of affecting numerous targets across the battlefield, enhancing each encounter.

Expanding our scope, we encounter cards like Electrostatic Field and Firebrand Archer, which also react to casting spells. Their damage delivery mechanism is direct, with each noncreature spell cast triggering incremental damage to opponents. Unnerving Assault echoes this ability to capitalize on casting spells but takes it further by also impacting creatures and their combat capabilities. It’s valuable to acknowledge the breadth of influence these cards possess, stretching beyond damage to impact board presence and tactical advantages.

Overall, in the realm of MTG where combat tricks and spell synergies can turn the tide, Unnerving Assault carves out its niche. It both hinders the adversaries while opening up strategic plays for the controller, making it a noteworthy option for players who enjoy a nuanced approach to battlefield manipulation and spell-slinging.

Cards similar to Unnerving Assault by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Unnerving Assault MTG card by a specific set like Eventide, 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 Unnerving Assault and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Unnerving Assault has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-08-01	If a creature changes controllers later in the turn, that won’t change how Unnerving Assault affected it.
2008-08-01	If the spell is copied, the copy will never have had mana of the stated color paid for it, no matter what colors were spent on the original spell.
2008-08-01	The spell cares about what mana was spent to pay its total cost, not just what mana was spent to pay the hybrid part of its cost.
2008-08-01	The spell checks on resolution to see if any mana of the stated colors was spent to pay its cost. If so, it doesn’t matter how much mana of that color was spent.
2008-08-01	Unnerving Assault affects only creatures on the battlefield at the time it resolves. If a creature enters the battlefield later that turn, it won’t be affected.