MTG Salvation

Thrill-Kill Assassin 1B
Deathtouch
Unleash
1/2

Black is known to get the shafted end of nearly everything, and many cards that wouldn't even be a consideration for other colors make it into the cube as black cards (see Knight of Infamy). Thrill-Kill Assassin is easy to cast and is quite difficult to trade with when unleashed. Is he making it into your cube?

I can't see myself adding this guy. I just think that the death touch on a 2/3 that can't block is not that interesting.

This guy is probably good enough for my 720, but he might not be.

2 power for 2 mana is pretty weak, even if he has a large butt and deathtouch. I like how you can play him defensively or offensively, but he's really not amazing in either mode.

I'd say he's a 630+ card, but he might not even be that good.

Black has too many stellar two-drops in both aggro and control roles to run this in my opinion. He's not shabby, but not great either. Kinda wish that he was 2/1.

I really don't think that black has that many cubable 1B creatures. People are running stuff like Wretched Anurid, Blind Creeper and Knight of Infamy! And the Assassin looks certainly better than those three.

From the RtR main thread:

Quote from Star Slayer »

I really like Kill-Thrill Assassin. As a 2/3, most 2-drops can't really block her and deathtouch gives her some kind of pseudo-evasion (or guarantees a trade at least). All for the cost of 1B. And if you are under pressure, you can chose to keep her leashed* and trade with the biggest attacker.

* Now the official term for choosing not to put a +1/+1 counter on a creature with Unleash.

Quote from Star Slayer

I really don't think that black has that many cubable 1B creatures. People are running stuff like Wretched Anurid, Blind Creeper and Knight of Infamy! And the Assassin looks certainly better than those three.

From the RtR main thread:

Disagree...when I'm beating down 3 power >>>>> 2 power. People hate on cards like Anurid and Blind Creeper, but they have done work for me on a consistent basis around here.

Quote from Darkmindtone

Disagree...when I'm beating down 3 power >>>>> 2 power. People hate on cards like Anurid and Blind Creeper, but they have done work for me on a consistent basis around here.

2 power with evasion = 3 power without evasion. And deathtouch on a 2/3 comes pretty close to evasion in the early game. They can't killblock the Assassin with most 2-drops and also not with some 3-drops and trading a 4-drop or bigger for your 2-drops is bad, too. The opponent is therefore highly discouraged to block her.

Creeper trades with any 2-drop, unless you skip casting spells that turn. Anurid has way too much uncontrollable life loss. Knight's exalted doesn't play that well with the usual aggro plan that prefers attacking with two or more creatures at once. Overall, I think the Assassin is better than those three.

My assessment of this card is in line with that of Star Slayer. I think this creature is better than Vampire Interloper, we'll probably be making that swap.

I suppose the deathtouch & 3 toughness allows it to trade up in combat for a higher casting cost creature, but generally, isn't deathtouch something you want on your defense? Such an off creature. I'm passing on him.

Doesn't impress me. I'll be passing on him at 500 for sure.

Quote from mook1e

I suppose the deathtouch & 3 toughness allows it to trade up in combat for a higher casting cost creature, but generally, isn't deathtouch something you want on your defense? Such an off creature. I'm passing on him.

Considering that deathtouch can help push through damage (especially on a relatively high toughness creature), it's a fine keyword even on an offensive creature.

Comparing Stupid-Name Assassin to Vampire Interloper, I see a creature that is much more resilient, also good at pushing through damage, and is more versatile because it can also serve a defensive role as a topdeck. Seems better overall.

Quote from Wildfire393

A lot of the unleash card seem like they're just shy of being really good - I feel they were a little too afraid of pushing the mechanic.

That's what I thought too. And then; Rakdos Cackler.

I don't think deathtouch can be compared to flying. Flying with equipment gets you over tokens and anything they're willing to chump block with. If I'm aggro and they're trading their tokens with my 2/3 deathtouch, I don't think I'm going to win.

Some seem to forget that you don't have to unleash him. If you need a blocker, just keep the leash on and use him as a scary deathtouch wall. You might say that this is not what a deck playing this wants to do, but in reality all decks are sometimes forced on the defensive.

I think we will be testing this for sure. If you support black aggro, the quality of two drops goes down quite a bit after the top level cards. Swapping one mediocre card for a this one should make no big impact if you are pessimistic. And it might just be a lot better in cube then some might think.

Quote from Wildfire393

Cackler is GOOD, no doubt, but is it "really good"?

Yes.

Quote from Wildfire393

Cackler is GOOD, no doubt, but is it "really good"?

Yes. Yes it is.

Quote from Wildfire393

It's about on par with recent 2-power one drops like Diergraf Ghoul, Vampire Lacerator, Tattermunge Maniac, and similar.

It's far better than those cards. And it goes in twice as many decks.

Quote from wtwlf123

It's far better than those cards. And it goes in twice as many decks.

how is it "far better" than diregraf ghoul? certainly it's a more valuable card to the cube because it's hybrid, but i don't think it's a stronger card on the battlefield. and it doesn't go into twice as many decks as tattermunge maniac.

Quote from Darkmindtone

Disagree...when I'm beating down 3 power >>>>> 2 power. People hate on cards like Anurid and Blind Creeper, but they have done work for me on a consistent basis around here.

+1 on this. Anurid may be on his way back into the cube, I've been missing him. He's better than people give him credit for. And definitely better than this guy.

Quote from quitequieter

how is it "far better" than diregraf ghoul? certainly it's a more valuable card to the cube because it's hybrid, but i don't think it's a stronger card on the battlefield. and it doesn't go into twice as many decks as tattermunge maniac.

It's far better because when it's in an RB deck it's way easier to cast than any of those listed (except tattermunge).

Quote from Wildfire393

The twice as many decks part is true, but I'm failing to see the "far better" here, besides the fact that it's hybrid.

I guess it's probably the second best Red 1-drop, after Guide. But as far as black one-drops go, it's about par for the course with their standard suite of 2/2's with minor drawbacks.

The can't block drawback is optional when you draw it later and you need to chump and it doesn't damage you. Seems better than all the black aggro 1-drops to me (except Gravecrawler, of course).

Quote from Power Conduit

It's far better because when it's in an RB deck it's way easier to cast than any of those listed (except tattermunge).

that's true, it's just a colorless card in rakdos aggro.

I like Vampire Interloper and Fledgling Djinn more than the Assassin, since they have real evasion in the form of flying. I do like the Assassin more than Nezumi Cutthroat though and will cut the rat for the Unleash card.

Quote from JeffDerek

+1 on this. Anurid may be on his way back into the cube, I've been missing him. He's better than people give him credit for. And definitely better than this guy.

Losing life for every creature really hurts. You will want to play a few more creatures, because you are an aggro deck. When your opponent is also dropping creatures every turn, the life loss really racks up. Your opponent having control over the amount of life you lose has proven to be a real pain (pun intended). And pray he doesn't have any token making cards...