Assassin's Blade
Instant
Cast this spell only during the declare attackers step and only if you've been attacked this step.
Destroy target nonblack attacking creature.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- The List
- Price
- $0.15
- EDHREC rank
- #22900
Assassin's Blade destroys target creature with deathtouch until end of turn, which is a roundabout way of saying it kills whatever blocks or gets blocked by a creature you control — at instant speed, for two mana. Efficient, clean removal with no conditions beyond combat.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Assassin's Blade is legal in Commander, Legacy, Vintage, and Oathbreaker, but the only format where it's realistically competing for a slot is Commander. In Legacy and Vintage, two-mana instant removal has a much higher bar — Swords to Plowshares and Fatal Push exist — and Assassin's Blade doesn't clear it. In Commander, it's a passable budget option in decks that can reliably trigger the combat damage requirement, but it asks you to set up a block or attack, which means it doesn't answer a combo piece or an activated ability the way a hard removal spell does.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.15 bulk tier
At $0.15, Assassin's Blade is firmly bulk — pick it up without thinking if you need a budget removal slot. Don't expect the price to move; there's no competitive demand pulling it anywhere.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.