Assassin's Strike MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Removes creatures and disrupts opponents by forcing card discard, adding strategic depth.
  2. Demanding six mana cost can be restrictive, yet offers high impact removal.
  3. Its unique traits make it a worthwhile inclusion in black-inclusive control decks.

Text of card

Destroy target creature. Its controller discards a card.

When Selesnya missionaries moved into the Shanav Quarter, they faced scorn, ridicule, and ultimately martyrdom.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Assassin’s Strike not only removes a creature your opponent controls but also compels them to discard a card, potentially disrupting their strategy and swinging the momentum in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While this card doesn’t directly accelerate resources, removing a key creature can set your opponent back and slow down their game plan, giving you a defacto acceleration in board presence.

Instant Speed: Although Assassin’s Strike is a sorcery and must be played during your main phases, the advantage gained by decimating your opponent’s resources can be worth the trade-off of instant speed flexibility.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Assassin’s Strike forces the target opponent to discard a card upon resolution. While disrupting your opponent’s hand can be beneficial, this effect is conditional on the spell resolving, and therefore, can be lackluster against strategies that easily refill their hand or have no valuable cards to discard.

Specific Mana Cost: Costing both black and additional mana, the card demands a commitment to heavy black influence in your deck. This requirement may limit your flexibility in deck building, particularly in multicolored decks that require a stable mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of six mana, including one black, Assassin’s Strike is considered expensive for its removal effect, especially when compared to other removal spells in the MTG universe that are more cost-effective or offer additional benefits for the same or lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include Assassin’s Strike in Your Collection

Versatility: Assassin’s Strike proves to be a flexible removal option suitable for any black-inclusive decks looking to manage opposing threats. Its added benefit of forcing an opponent to discard a card can disrupt an opponent’s plan, making it a valuable two-for-one.

Combo Potential: This card works well in decks that capitalize on discard mechanics or benefit from opponents losing resources. Paired with effects that trigger on discard or opponents’ card losses, Assassin’s Strike can become a key component in a synergistic strategy.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-heavy decks are prevalent, having reliable removal is crucial. Assassin’s Strike can be particularly potent in a meta defined by crucial creatures and tight hand resources, giving black decks an edge in control and attrition wars.


How to beat

Assassin’s Strike is a potent card in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, asserting a strong presence on the battlefield. Within the game, encountering this card can drastically alter the flow of play due to its dual effects: destroying a creature and forcing the opponent to discard a card. Overcoming this can be challenging, but strategy is key.

To successfully navigate against Assassin’s Strike, it’s essential to prepare for its high mana cost. Be ready to counteract with instant-speed removal or counterspells before it affects your hand and board. Shielding your most valuable creatures with hexproof or indestructible abilities is another method to mitigate the impact of this spell. Additionally, maintaining card advantage and having a diverse hand will soften the blow of the forced discard. Another tactic is to bait out the spell with less critical creatures, conserving your high-value targets for when the coast is clear.

Deftly managing your resources and keeping a cool head when Assassin’s Strike is played can turn the tides to your favor, despite the initial disruption it may cause.


Cards like Assassin's Strike

Assassin’s Strike stands out in the array of removal spells available in MTG. It is akin to cards like Murder, which offers a straightforward creature removal with no additional effects. Assassin’s Strike takes it a step further by adding a layer of disruption, forcing the opponent to discard a card. This can sometimes turn a simple creature elimination into a significant setback for your opponent.

On another note, there’s Mind Rot, an iconic card that purely focuses on the discard aspect, making an opponent lose two cards from their hand. Without creature destruction, it serves a different strategic purpose. Then we look at cards like Unmake the Graves which, like Assassin’s Strike, have a dual functionality. Unmake the Graves offers recursion capabilities, bringing creatures back from the graveyard to the hand, yet it lacks the immediate board impact of eliminating an opponent’s creature.

To sum up, Assassin’s Strike provides a unique blend of removal and hand disruption within the MTG repertoire. Its ability to interrupt an opponent’s hand while dealing with threats on the board gives it an edge in decks that capitalize on reducing an opponent’s resources.

Murder - MTG Card versions
Mind Rot - MTG Card versions
Unmake the Graves - MTG Card versions
Murder - Magic 2013 (M13)
Mind Rot - Portal (POR)
Unmake the Graves - Magic 2015 (M15)

Cards similar to Assassin's Strike by color, type and mana cost

Kiss of Death - MTG Card versions
Dark Offering - MTG Card versions
Rain of Daggers - MTG Card versions
Corrupt - MTG Card versions
Poison Arrow - MTG Card versions
Morbid Hunger - MTG Card versions
Haunting Voyage - MTG Card versions
Zombie Apocalypse - MTG Card versions
Nightmare Incursion - MTG Card versions
Beseech the Queen - MTG Card versions
Stolen Grain - MTG Card versions
Blood Tribute - MTG Card versions
Essence Feed - MTG Card versions
Hex - MTG Card versions
Grave Exchange - MTG Card versions
Undercity Plague - MTG Card versions
Sip of Hemlock - MTG Card versions
Spiteful Blow - MTG Card versions
Reign of the Pit - MTG Card versions
Endless Obedience - MTG Card versions
Kiss of Death - Portal Second Age (P02)
Dark Offering - Starter 1999 (S99)
Rain of Daggers - The List (PLST)
Corrupt - The Brothers' War (BRO)
Poison Arrow - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Morbid Hunger - Odyssey (ODY)
Haunting Voyage - Kaldheim Promos (PKHM)
Zombie Apocalypse - Starter Commander Decks (SCD)
Nightmare Incursion - Eventide (EVE)
Beseech the Queen - The List (PLST)
Stolen Grain - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Blood Tribute - Commander 2017 (C17)
Essence Feed - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Hex - Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate (CLB)
Grave Exchange - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Undercity Plague - Gatecrash (GTC)
Sip of Hemlock - Theros (THS)
Spiteful Blow - Journey into Nyx (JOU)
Reign of the Pit - New Capenna Commander (NCC)
Endless Obedience - Zendikar Rising Commander (ZNC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Assassin's Strike MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica and Battlebond, 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 Assassin's Strike and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Assassin's Strike Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2012-10-05 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Chase Stone.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-10-05Return to RavnicaRTR 572003normalblackChase Stone
22018-06-08BattlebondBBD 1382015normalblackChase Stone
32020-07-17JumpstartJMP 2002015normalblackChase Stone

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Assassin's Strike has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2012-10-01 If the creature is an illegal target when Assassin’s Strike tries to resolve, it won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. Its controller won’t discard a card.
2012-10-01 You must be able to target a creature to cast Assassin’s Strike.
2013-07-01 If Assassin’s Strike resolves but the creature isn’t destroyed (perhaps because it regenerated or has indestructible), its controller will discard a card.

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