Full disclosure: I don’t know too terribly much about Assassin’s Creed. Of course, I played the games, but I was just leaving middle school and entering high school. I had tons of fun ignoring the main missions, sneaking off the side to murder unsuspecting evildoers, and eagle-diving into a haystack. Heck, I even dressed up in the Brotherhood’s Garb for a friend’s wedding (it was a costume wedding, before you ask).
So did I love the games? Immensely, but I stopped playing right as Black Flag came out. I think I aged out of it. So color me surprised to see its continuation into 2024, let alone its presence in Magic! Preview season for Magic: The Gathering – Assassin’s Creed has only been upon us for two days as of writing this article, and already we have over 200 cards and variants ready for our hungry eyes to take in. So many reprints and new cards to explore!
I will definitely be returning to analyze the full set once preview season is over; however, I can’t help but highlight a handful of cards that excite me.
Haystack
I mentioned it in the intro, so I had to talk about it here. Haystack is probably my favorite card in the entire Assassin’s Creed line. It is peak design in my eyes, as it is the perfect blend of flavor and function. In the video games, you often escape capture or detection by jumping off a high place and landing in a haystack (though it always baffled me as to how Ezio wouldn’t break his back after a ten-story plummet). Haystack is a simple artifact that allows you to phase out target creature you control for a measly two mana. It’s baby’s first Guardian of Faith, a fun piece of protection that feels like a great option for budget players or those who simply don’t want to wade into the power level pool of Teferi’s Protection.
The Capitoline Triad
I don’t know much about these women, but boy do I love them! It’s exciting to see a ten-mana colorless mythic that isn’t an Eldrazi or some sort of artifact. They feel so few and far between. Another thing that draws me to this card is that it is the first creature to create an emblem. In fact, it is the first non-planeswalker-related card to do so. This is groundbreaking!
From the perspective of a commander player, this card will rarely be ten mana in the command zone, as getting historic cards in your graveyard is pretty easy. Historic spells cover artifacts, legendaries, and Sagas, meaning you have a lot to work with (even though you are limited to just colorless spells). Once out, you can exile those cards from your graveyard to get an emblem that gives creatures you control base power and toughness 9/9. This can turn things like your tiny Myr tokens into beaters, which tickles me greatly. It’s an interesting design for sure, and I can’t wait to see it at the helm of a commander deck.
Smoke Bomb
Much like Haystack, Smoke Bomb is another flavorful piece that makes me giggle in excitement. It’s such a fun design that hits the sweet spot for me. It also functions as anti-Nadu, Winged Wisdom tech, which is a big necessity, trust me. Damn that bird boy to hell. Always, Smoke Bomb is an artifact that can be flashed in to give all creatures shroud. The flavor is ridiculously on point.
But wait, there’s more! At the beginning of your upkeep, you must sacrifice Smoke Bomb. When you do, it makes one creature you control unblockable that turn. Much like a literal smoke bomb, your creature essentially becomes a sneaky, stealthy little guy. Wizards of the Coast! Make more cards like Smoke Bomb and Haystack, and my life is yours!
Bleeding Effect
A handful of years ago, I was told that I was too afraid to go to combat. This confused me, since I have a The Locust God deck, but go off, king (I guess). However, ever since then, I have made a greater effort to be more interactive in my games of Commander. I will admit, it is fun to swing more.
Pieces like Bleeding Effect make combat a lot more fun for me. Bleeding Effect is the enchantment equivalent of Odric, Lunch Marshal… but make it graveyard. Creatures you control gain keywords until end of turn if creatures in your graveyard have those keywords. If there is an Adeline, Resplendent Cathar in the graveyard, then congrats, your creatures have vigilance during combat!
Not only this is a strong piece, but I actually can explain the flavor to you! Desmond, the main character of the first few games, relives his ancestors’ memories via a machine called The Animus in order to locate the Pieces of Eden. Your creatures learn from and thus gain the skills (keywords) of their dead brethren via the graveyard. It is cheeky and flavorful. While it doesn’t make me feel that weird giddy silliness that Haystack and Smoke Bomb make me feel, I really enjoy this spell. It will definitely be brutal to play against.
Become Anonymous
Lastly, we have a card that made me audibly laugh when I first saw it previewed: Become Anonymous. You literally make a creature anonymous at instant speed. You exile it and the top two cards of your library face down in a pile, shuffle it, and cloak them tapped. It’s basically a game of three-card monte and I find it hysterical. It’s a good way to protect your win condition or your commander in a pinch.
In a weird, backwards sort of way, Become Anonymous can function as a long-winded form of card advantage. Flavor-wise, it is interesting to make your creature blend in to the crowd of your other cards. Casting this in response to a Path to Exile just feels so ridiculous, and yet I am desperate to see this spell resolve in a future pod of mine. Whether you’re an Assassin’s Creed fan or not, this is just a really fun design.
The Creed
These five cards are a mere drop in the bucket of what Assassin’s Creed has to offer. While my knowledge may be a bit rusty, I still find myself enjoying the bits of flavor that I can recall. These cards have conjured up memories almost lost to time. Hey, maybe I can hop into The Animus and remember…haha…no? Okay. That’s super fair.
Anyway, once the set is previewed in its entirety, rest assured that I shall return to excitedly and loudly gush over my other handful of favorite pieces. Happy assassinating, deckbuilders… please don’t assassinate anyone.
***
SCG CON is coming to Tampa, FL on September 6-8! The world’s premier trading card game convention features three full days of Magic: The Gathering, Flesh and Blood, Disney Lorcana, and Star Wars Unlimited action:
- Magic: The Gathering Modern $10Ks on Friday and Saturday; cEDH $5K; Super Sunday Regional Championship Qualifiers in Standard, Pioneer, and Modern; and Commander Celebration
- Flesh and Blood Rosetta World Premiere, Calling, and Battle Hardened events
- Disney Lorcana Core Constructed $2K and $1K events
- Star Wars Unlimited Premier Constructed $2K and $1K events
- Side events all weekend long
And so much more!
Plus, meet fan-favorite special guests and artists!
Best of all, SCG CON is free to attend!
Make your plans for SCG CON Tampa!
