Assault on Osgiliath
Sorcery
Amass Orcs X, then Goblins and Orcs you control gain double strike and haste until end of turn. (To amass Orcs X, put X +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth
- Price
- $0.56
- EDHREC rank
- #8920
Assault on Osgiliath puts three 1/1 Orc tokens into play, draws you a card, and forces each opponent to sacrifice a creature — all on one card for five mana. In Saruman, the White Hand decks specifically, it does triple duty: fuels the amass trigger, replaces itself, and answers a threat before it becomes a problem.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Saruman, the White Hand
Assault on Osgiliath is close to purpose-built for Saruman, the White Hand — the instant produces tokens that trigger amass, draws a card to keep the hand full, and the forced sacrifice clears blockers or removes a dangerous creature at instant speed, all in one spell.
Sauron, the Dark Lord
Sauron, the Dark Lord wants spells cast by opponents and an ever-growing Army token, and Assault on Osgiliath contributes directly to the latter while also stripping an opponent's board piece — a clean fit even if the synergy ceiling is lower than Saruman's.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Assault on Osgiliath earns its slot, specifically in Tolkien-themed Orc and amass strategies where every piece of text on the card lines up with what those decks want. The forced sacrifice is particularly valuable in a multiplayer context — edicts that hit all opponents simultaneously are rare at this mana cost. In Legacy and Vintage it's legal but competes with far more efficient threats and interaction, so it doesn't see meaningful play there. Oathbreaker mirrors Commander's dynamic: lower overall power, but the card still fits any amass shell.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.56 bulk tier
At $0.56, Assault on Osgiliath sits squarely in bulk territory, which makes it an easy include for any deck that wants it. Bulk rares with narrow thematic homes tend to stay in this range — don't expect movement unless amass strategies spike in popularity.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.