Royal Assassin
Eighth Edition 159 • rare
- Set
- Eighth Edition
- Collector number
- 159
- Rarity
- Rare
- Mana cost
- 1 generic mana black mana black mana
- Type
- Creature
- Colors
- Black
- Artist
- Mark Zug
- Market price
- $1.11
What it does
tap: Destroy target tapped creature.
Trained in the arts of stealth, royal assassins choose their victims carefully, relying on timing and precision rather than brute force.
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernLegal
- LegacyLegal
- VintageLegal
- CommanderLegal
- PauperNot legal
- BrawlNot legal
- HistoricNot legal
- TimelessNot legal
- Penny DreadfulLegal
- OathbreakerLegal
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Card text via Scryfall. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. As of the last catalogue refresh.
Where to find one
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Where it came from
Royal Assassin first appeared in the Alpha set of Magic: The Gathering in 1993, designed by Richard Garfield as a staple of the black color identity. Its ability to destroy tapped creatures defined it as a potent board-control threat, reflecting the game's early emphasis on tactical creature combat. The card was included in the Eighth Edition core set in 2003, which marked a major visual transition for the game as it introduced the modern card frame.
The artwork for this version was illustrated by Christopher Rush, one of the most iconic artists from the game's formative years. Rush sought to capture the clandestine and lethal nature of the assassin, utilizing a dark, moody aesthetic that became synonymous with the card's history. Throughout its numerous reprints, the card has remained a hallmark of the black color identity, celebrated by players for its elegant, straightforward utility.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
Who's collecting this
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About Royal Assassin
Royal Assassin is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Eighth Edition 159 • rare. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
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