Why do they insist on using the same horrendous art?
LTJZamboni
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Glad to see it back. Art is horrendous, card has only ever been marginally playable, but it's still a great, classic card that's GILDIC.
don_miguel
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(4 votes)
i like that art!
ByGoblinsBeDriven
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(5 votes)
It's good to see you again, old friend. Keep on making my opponent's too scared to swing in with their Baneslayers.
Demonic_Angel13
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(5 votes)
The Gatherer's favourite card. The cencors love it. *SARCASM* Horrible art though. Wizards, if you ever change the art, fix the Gatherer to stop the stupid cencoring.
rsyd
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Stupid thing made me lose two rounds...
Gezus82
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(5 votes)
this art is beautiful. the content is a little strange, but the skills that created it are amazing. Mark Zug is a great artist.
also this is an amazing card, being able to tap in response to an attack being declared or an ability being activated is brilliant.
sure it's body is small but you'r not really gonna b attacking with, him. he's boltable but resists doom blades and such.
overall a great card.
Ameisenmeister
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(4 votes)
Finally also a new flavor text for the As$as$in. Not that the older one was bad but it's nice to see new ideas since it's first appearence.
AkumaHellkite
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(7 votes)
I Heart Royal Assassin but I wish Wizards would take him down to the uncommon level like they did for Serra Angel... he's just not good enough to keep taking a Rare slot. It suck... He's not total crap but he's a crap rare to pull... I cant ever trade him away. 2/5
U-caster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Sleep.
n00bmag1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Still one of my favorites to make black/blue decks around. Though apparently overlooked more often than not, he's still a very real threat. 4/5 for iconic badassness.
VoidedNote
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A friend of mine has deck around him, he puts flying and shroud on it, then uses cards like sleep and deluge to kill a bunch of creatures when he feels the need.
MoeRapples
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I hate this thing so much. He is the epitome of nasty. He can swing a game if used right.
Acefox17
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Royal Assassin is better now than he use to be. It use to be a complaint that his one toughness made him way too killable, but now every creature is pretty killable. If he sticks, he can really do some damage. Also, while he may be of uncommon quality for constructed, this card should most definitely be a rare for limited. It would be crazy to see that many assassins going around a draft table.
RichardJesperson
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Great nostalgia card. Given the average power of creatures these days, I suppose he is more powerful than ever.
ChippyForever
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(35 votes)
Classic card, shame gatherer makes it so hard to comment on assassins. I mean, seriously, I have amassed so many assassins that I've assimilated them into almost all my decks. And yet due to the way gatherer assesses comments, my unassuming eyes are constantly assailed by an assault of asterisks, making it impossible to assess any of the comments. I will only be assuaged when the assembly at wizards re-classifies when gatherer can assert its censorship.
Combo with Rathi Trapper or something alike. You can tap a creature with Rathi Trapper and kill it with Royal Assassin
gwydion9
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
He's ridiculously good, cheap creature removal. Fantastic on his own, he's even better when combines with cards like Sleep and Blinding Mage.
JaxsonBateman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
He's a fantastic card, and a true limited bomb (not in the "I'll stomp on your head" sense, but the "I can completely control the battlefield" sense). If they can't get rid of him, very little can attack. It should be noted that he's also in black - the color of graveyard digging. So getting rid of him once may not be enough.
In competitive play he's not quite as good, because he's not very proactive - the power to have a creature be killed is in your opponent's hands, rather than your own. Compare it to something like Basilisk Collar-Cunning Sparkmage, or 2-for-1 creatures like Skinrender, and you'll see why it often doesn't make the cut. But really, the little guy could work in more controlling black builds - if they can't get rid of him, you can pseudo-fog for a few turns while you set up your game. Could even make Diabolic Tutor viable as you don't have to worry about being attacked while your mana's tapped out. Of course, I'm not naive enough to think he'll suddenly spring into tier 1 decks, but he's got actually a pretty nifty dude for someone who doesn't see much play.
He's also recurrable by Sun Titan and could go under a Mimic Vat... other things to consider, at least in standard.
cats_and_me
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This is probably one of the creature that benefits the most from Thousand-Year Elixir, because your opponent doesn't get to untap.. Also, you get to destroy two different tapped creatures for only four mana! :)
Luke_BPC
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Would it be too evil to throw this with Soliton on a UB Necrotic Ooze deck? :D
DacenOctavio
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Dang. He just got beat up by Hornet Sting. Reverse color hate FTW!
slip a lightning greaves on him and he completely rules the game. I like the art as well.
SIlverSkyz
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(14 votes)
I truly love Royal Assassin because, except for vigilance creatures, there is nothing he can't deal with
THE FILTER FOR ASS IS GONE! ding dong the witch is dead!
BALDOF
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
assassinate!
Ekibyougami
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
If I went to tap say, Shauku, Endbringer to remove him from the game would he be able to respond and kill her? Does tapping the creature function as an instant on the stack or is it the effect? Just curious.
omgitztommy
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Can you destroy an attacking creature before the combat damage occurs with Royal Assassin's ability?
Ferlord
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The art makes me think of this guy of some creep who takes up creepy hobbies... like Magic (ironic laugh) and ventriliquism... or, I dunno... PUPPETEERING?! Puppet Strings FTW.
crystalisdraco
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
I combo him with Blinding mage to kill one creature for 1 white mana.
ThisisSakon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Since Emrakul only has protection from colored SPELLS, doesn't that mean this guy can kill him? Annihilate 6 aside, you spared yourself some terrible death (but probably not really if your opponent could cast Emrakul)
My question is, how does that work flavor-wise? How would a human assassin manage to kill a floating mass of tentacles and sponge with that tiny knife?
Henrietta
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ekibyougami: Tapping to activate an ability is a cost, not an effect. You would pay the cost, and then the effect would go on the stack, and your opponent could respond to it by, for example, tapping Royal Assassin and killing it.
omgitztommy: Yes. Combat is split into several steps: Beginning of Combat, Declare Attackers, Declare Blockers, Combat Damage, and End of Combat. Once the Declare Attackers step begins, attackers are immediately declared before anything else is done, and then instants and abilities can be played. The same applies with the Declare Blockers step. Damage is not dealt until the beginning of the Combat Damage step, therefore you have two opportunities to destroy a creature that's attacking before it can do damage - after attackers are declared in the Declare Attackers step, and after blockers are declared in the Declare Blockers step. It is always better to wait until the Declare Blockers step to use Royal Assassin to destroy a creature, in case the opponent decides to play a pump spell or anything of the sort after you declare your blockers.
ThisisSakon: Yes, Royal Assassin can destroy Emrakul. It probably won't make much of a difference, though, as your opponent got an extra turn and made you sacrifice 6 permanents.
draco_nite
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
They got rid of the filter for ass?
starcrusher
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
royal assasin+ thornbite staff= you never have to worry about your opponents attacking in mass amounts again. unless of course they have vigilance.
His productivity is going to go way up once he starts working for Urabrask, The Hidden. Unless your opponent casts a lot of creatures in one turn, or they have protection/shroud or can break up the combo, it's total control over all his/her new creatures.
Feralsymphony
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Whenever I kill a Baneslayer with this, I tell my opponent that they should've been running Serra Angel.
un_diplomatic
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
1/1 body 10/10 footprint, 5 stars.
RowanKeltizar
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Thinking about splashing black for this in my mono white sunblast angel deck... ugh!
angelheartvial
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Poor ChippyForever. Now his comment isn't as clever and funny,
Tynansdtm
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Yeah, I'm just gonna fix those autocard tags. Combos ridiculously with Thornbite Staff (it just destroys all tapped creatures). Also combos well with Urabrask the Hidden (@colvinced there's no comma, unlike ", the" dragons.
@Henrietta: Tapping Royal Assassin is irrelevant, because the cost is immediate and doesn't use the stack. They can kill Royal Assassin, but his ability is still on the stack and will still resolve.
chives5602
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(4 votes)
An example of a so called great card that is nothing more than just spell fodder. Not impressed with him and don't see why everyone loves Storm Crow. But then again I tend to beat that snot out of people using the so called awesome cards with cards they say is junk. Then after I beat them they change their statements.
ScissorsLizard
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Dear ChippyForever, I hope you attribute this victory to your magnificent comment. I certainly do.
SweetoothTKC
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
@ChippyForever
Bravo, sir. Bravo.
LunarAvenger
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
In this version the original flavor text was changed
Dabok
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Royal Assassin : Haha! Attack my planeswalker boss, I dare you to! Serra Angel : ... Royal Assassin : Oh...um...I didn't um...hey Sengir Vampire said you've gotten fat! Sengir Vampire : Why you backstabbing son of a ---
Comments (48)
also this is an amazing card, being able to tap in response to an attack being declared or an ability being activated is brilliant.
sure it's body is small but you'r not really gonna b attacking with, him.
he's boltable but resists doom blades and such.
overall a great card.
He is the epitome of nasty. He can swing a game if used right.
Assert your analysis! Do not assume that there is no way to discuss your assimilation of the very classic Royal Assassin! ;-)
What shall we discuss next? Relentless Assault? Accumulated Knowledge? Eldrazi Conscription?
You can tap a creature with Rathi Trapper and kill it with Royal Assassin
In competitive play he's not quite as good, because he's not very proactive - the power to have a creature be killed is in your opponent's hands, rather than your own. Compare it to something like Basilisk Collar-Cunning Sparkmage, or 2-for-1 creatures like Skinrender, and you'll see why it often doesn't make the cut. But really, the little guy could work in more controlling black builds - if they can't get rid of him, you can pseudo-fog for a few turns while you set up your game. Could even make Diabolic Tutor viable as you don't have to worry about being attacked while your mana's tapped out. Of course, I'm not naive enough to think he'll suddenly spring into tier 1 decks, but he's got actually a pretty nifty dude for someone who doesn't see much play.
He's also recurrable by Sun Titan and could go under a Mimic Vat... other things to consider, at least in standard.
Tumble Magnet
THE FILTER FOR ASS IS GONE!
ding dong the witch is dead!
like Magic (ironic laugh) and ventriliquism... or, I dunno... PUPPETEERING?! Puppet Strings FTW.
My question is, how does that work flavor-wise? How would a human assassin manage to kill a floating mass of tentacles and sponge with that tiny knife?
omgitztommy: Yes. Combat is split into several steps: Beginning of Combat, Declare Attackers, Declare Blockers, Combat Damage, and End of Combat. Once the Declare Attackers step begins, attackers are immediately declared before anything else is done, and then instants and abilities can be played. The same applies with the Declare Blockers step. Damage is not dealt until the beginning of the Combat Damage step, therefore you have two opportunities to destroy a creature that's attacking before it can do damage - after attackers are declared in the Declare Attackers step, and after blockers are declared in the Declare Blockers step. It is always better to wait until the Declare Blockers step to use Royal Assassin to destroy a creature, in case the opponent decides to play a pump spell or anything of the sort after you declare your blockers.
ThisisSakon: Yes, Royal Assassin can destroy Emrakul. It probably won't make much of a difference, though, as your opponent got an extra turn and made you sacrifice 6 permanents.
Combos well with Repel the Darkness, new card Dispatch, one half of Blinding Beam, all five versions of Blinding Mage. I see UBW control.
@Henrietta: Tapping Royal Assassin is irrelevant, because the cost is immediate and doesn't use the stack. They can kill Royal Assassin, but his ability is still on the stack and will still resolve.
Bravo, sir. Bravo.
Serra Angel : ...
Royal Assassin : Oh...um...I didn't um...hey Sengir Vampire said you've gotten fat!
Sengir Vampire : Why you backstabbing son of a ---