Assassins are cool. It's just too bad there aren't more of them in the game - I've included nearly every non-changeling assassin, even those that have been errataed but weren't originally printed with the word. Obviously, some weren't good enough to make the final cut, and others are just plain hard to find. I had a 60-card casual assassin deck that rocked, but 100 card singleton really dilutes their power - we just plain need more assassins (hint, hint, Wizards). This deck was a random stab at having fun and mostly just an attempt to see if it could be done.
So there's the build I've come up with. I like the assassins as a theme, but the cards are a mixture of power. For example, Lys Alana Scarblade would be fairly useless in this deck, while Merfolk Assassin is mostly useless unless I get War Barge out (the main islandwalker I see in EDH has shroud). The two mono-red goblins are hilariously bad. So do I provided them with some backup in the form of "creatures that kill". And decided to run a Zombie subtheme (need to get a Call to the Grave). Please, give me suggestions. What should I add, what needs to be cut?
And bonus for anyone who gets the title without googling it.
Ink-Eyes is already there (along with Throat Slitter) because Ninjas are rockin' assassins. I had actually considered adding more ninjas but just didn't feel that any others fit the theme very well.
And I agree, Quietus Spike would be a great addition.
I probably won't add too many tribal helpers just because I have a lot of non-assassins, but I think it would be very appropriate for them to operate under Cover of Darkness. Thanks for the suggestion.
Serrated Arrows isn't quite as "assasin-y" as Gnarled Effigy, but certainly a better card that has the same purpose. Not sure how much you want to stretch, though arrows can certainly be assassination tools too.
Serrated Arrows isn't quite as "assasin-y" as Gnarled Effigy, but certainly a better card that has the same purpose. Not sure how much you want to stretch, though arrows can certainly be assassination tools too.
Really? I feel that voodoo-type magics are less assassin-esque than arrows. Poisoned arrows especially are an assassin standby in fantasy. The flavor text on the Effigy even makes it seem like a magically made cursing tool.
While I agree the old art is appropriate, and I do have a copy of it, I just don't know if I could bring myself to play it when I have this sitting in my trade binder. I'll have to think about using it.
Serrated Arrows isn't quite as "assasin-y" as Gnarled Effigy, but certainly a better card that has the same purpose. Not sure how much you want to stretch, though arrows can certainly be assassination tools too.
I actually find Serrated Arrows more assassiny, but the effigy is reusable beyond three times. Maybe I could toss in both.
I just compared dagger to arrows in the art honestly, but even though you can use the Effigy more than once, the activation cost for the effect is pretty terrible.
I haven't played it nearly as much as I should have. It was pretty hard to get the last few assassins and I kept waiting to play. The deck sorta took the back-burner. It's mostly complete, and I'll make sure to play it a few times soon to see what it needs. It's definitely not as good a a 60-card 4-of where you just run the best assassins, but it is fun and flavorful.
1 Thraximundar
The Bureau
1 Big Game Hunter
1 Final-Sting Faerie
1 Garza's Assassin
1 Guul Draz Assassin
1 Hunter of Eyeblights
1 Kiku, Night's Flower
1 King's Assassin
1 Merfolk Assassin
1 Mogg Assassin
1 Moonglove Changeling
1 Murderous Redcap
1 Nekrataal
1 Nightshade Assassin
1 Notorious Assassin
1 Orzhov Enthusiast
1 Rathi Assassin
1 Royal Assassin
1 Scarblade Elite
1 Silent Assassin
1 Stalking Assassin
1 Stronghold Assassin
1 Suq'Ata Assassin
1 Unliving Psychopath
1 Weed-Pruner Poplar
1 Ashling, the Extinguisher
1 Avatar of Woe
1 Deathbringer Thoctar
1 Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief
1 Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
1 Nirkana Cutthroat
1 Sygg, River Cutthroat
1 Throat Slitter
1 Vein Drinker
The Backup
1 Cemetery Reaper
1 Fleshbag Marauder
1 Helldozer
1 Kaervek the Merciless
1 Lich Lord of Unx
1 Lightning Reaver
1 Prince of Thralls
1 Twisted Abomination
1 Withered Wretch
Tricks of the Trade
1 Assassinate
1 Assassin's Blade
1 Cruel Ultimatum
1 Decree of Pain
1 Kiku's Shadow
1 Nameless Inversion
1 Cover of Darkness
1 Cloak and Dagger
1 Gnarled Effigy (Hunter of Eyeblights combo)
1 Heartseeker
1 Oversold Cemetery
1 Quicksilver Dagger
1 Quietus Spike
1 Serrated Arrows (Hunter of Eyeblights combo)
1 Thornbite Staff
1 Trip Noose (Royal Assassin combo)
1 Unscythe, Killer of Kings
1 War Barge (Merfolk Assassin combo)
1 Whispersilk Cloak
Mana
1 Crumbling Necropolis
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Expedition Map
1 Grixis Panorama
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
1 Leechridden Swamp
1 Quicksand Assassin-land
1 Rakdos Carnarium
1 Terramorphic Expanse
8 Island
8 Mountain
13 Swamp
Cards from my original list that didn't make it in (either I don't have them yet or they weren't good enough to make the cut):
Assassins: Abyssal Hunter, Goblin Assassin, Lys Alana Scarblade, Ramses Overdark, Tsabo's Assassin, Wei Assassins, Zombie Assassin
Others: Bloodfire Colossus, Cabal Executioner, Dauthi Cutthroat, Deepfire Elemental, Midnight Banshee, Nefashu, Plaguebearer, Reiver Demon, Skinthinner, Zombie Cutthroat, Mindleech Mass, Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker, Call to the Grave, Viridian Longbow, Sneak Attack
And bonus for anyone who gets the title without googling it.
2023 Average Peasant Cube|and Discussion
Because I have more decks than fit in a signature
Useful Resources:
MTGSalvation tags
EDHREC
ManabaseCrafter
Also, Thrax is @#$%ing metal \m/
B Lover Since '09 ~
Standard:
meh.
Modern:
Urzatron GR
Vintage:
Contol-Slaver UBR
EDH:
Drana B
Jhoira UR
Savra BG
Turned into:
Adun Oakenshield BGR
Sharuum BUW
Turned into:
Memnarch U
KiKi-Jiki R
Turned into:
Godo R
Turned into:
Aurelia RW
The Mimeoplasm UBG
Rasputin Dreamweaver UW
Turned into:
Geist of Saint Traft -French 1v1 UW
Nekusar UBR
Ink-Eyes is already there (along with Throat Slitter) because Ninjas are rockin' assassins. I had actually considered adding more ninjas but just didn't feel that any others fit the theme very well.
And I agree, Quietus Spike would be a great addition.
I probably won't add too many tribal helpers just because I have a lot of non-assassins, but I think it would be very appropriate for them to operate under Cover of Darkness. Thanks for the suggestion.
2023 Average Peasant Cube|and Discussion
Because I have more decks than fit in a signature
Useful Resources:
MTGSalvation tags
EDHREC
ManabaseCrafter
twitter.com/bccarlso
Really? I feel that voodoo-type magics are less assassin-esque than arrows. Poisoned arrows especially are an assassin standby in fantasy. The flavor text on the Effigy even makes it seem like a magically made cursing tool.
While I agree the old art is appropriate, and I do have a copy of it, I just don't know if I could bring myself to play it when I have this sitting in my trade binder. I'll have to think about using it.
I actually find Serrated Arrows more assassiny, but the effigy is reusable beyond three times. Maybe I could toss in both.
EDIT - looks like Gwafa beat me to it
2023 Average Peasant Cube|and Discussion
Because I have more decks than fit in a signature
Useful Resources:
MTGSalvation tags
EDHREC
ManabaseCrafter
twitter.com/bccarlso
Sig by the amazing RIVENOR
BRWKaalia of the VastBRW
GWRMayael the AnimaGWR
GWRUril the MiststalkerGWR
GRThromok the InsatiableGR
2023 Average Peasant Cube|and Discussion
Because I have more decks than fit in a signature
Useful Resources:
MTGSalvation tags
EDHREC
ManabaseCrafter