Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Top Cards to Elevate Auditore Ambush
Dimir shadows, a dash of Renaissance intrigue, and a quintessential “one-two punch” that can flip a game on a dime—Auditore Ambush brings a clever two-for-one dynamic to any blue-black shell. This rare sorcery from the Assassin’s Creed crossover set ( acr ) costs {2}{U}{B} and asks you to choose one or both: bounce a creature to its owner's hand, and/or search a player’s library and/or graveyard for Ezio, Blade of Vengeance, reveal him, and put him into that player's hand (with the shuffle clause if the library is searched). In the right hands, this is a humility-inducing disruption that also seeds the ultimate payoff. 🧙♂️🔥💎⚔️
Ezio, Blade of Vengeance, isn’t just flavor—he’s a literal “combo piece” that underpins a dramatic engine. Auditore Ambush sets up a two-part plan: reset a problematic threat by bouncing it (or keep their options in flux), then dig for Ezio to fuel a longer-term plan where you leverage Ezio’s presence to generate card advantage, pressure, or even a game-ending tempo swing. The card’s designer vine-tangle in the lore—Auditors ambushing from the rooftops, Ezio weaving through alleys—lands perfectly in tabletop form, where the art by Julia Vasilyeva and Scryfall’s presentation remind us that strategy and style aren’t mutually exclusive. 🎨🧭
Core synergy: Ezio as the anchor
Ezio, Blade of Vengeance is a legendary creature whose own presence elevates the ambush’s value. If you can tutor Ezio into your hand or library and then reveal or tuck him into play, Auditore Ambush becomes not just a suspension tool but a direct route to a potent battlefield presence. The ability to pull Ezio into hand when the moment is right—and to shuffle if you fetch him from the library—adds a layer of strategic timing: you’re not just answering a threat; you’re setting up a resource engine that can outlast opponents who expect a one-turn tempo swing. The synergy shines especially when you include a few blue and black staples to keep the flow uninterrupted. 🧙♂️🎯
Top supporting cards to weave into the plan
- Demonic Tutor (black): A classic, high-impact tutor that can fetch Ezio or any other crucial card the moment you need it. It’s not shy about helping you assemble the two-card combo behind Auditore Ambush, and in a Dimir shell, it’s a legitimate game finisher in the right moment. The risk is real—life and tempo can get eaten—but the payoff is equally epic. 🔥
- Vampiric Tutor (black): The underrated workhorse that gives you another line to Ezio or the exact spell you need to propel the engine forward. If Demonic Tutor tilts the balance, Vampiric Tutor tilts the dice for a clutch moment—at the cost of life, which is a small price for a big payoff in late-game scenarios. 💎
- Counterspell (blue) and/or Mana Drain (blue): Protection is part of the plan. Auditore Ambush can set up explosive turns, and having protection to weather removal or a well-timed discard spell can mean the difference between a reset and a cascade of value. In a control-leaning Dimir build, a pair of counters helps keep Ezio alive and the ambush ready to trigger again. ⚔️
- Rhystic Study (blue): Draw to keep the engine running is a necessity when you’re fishing for Ezio and keeping up pressure. Rhystic Study helps you sustain card advantage while your opponents juggle threats you’ve already bounced or forced into hand. The combination of card draw and tempo control is a classic Dimir recipe. 🎲
- Noxious Revival (blue/black): When Ezio or your key spell slips into the graveyard, Noxious Revival brings them back to your hand or top of library to re-enter the plan. Recursion for a two-card engine keeps Auditore Ambush from stalling out and makes your late-game draws feel like a second wind. 🔄
In practice, you’ll often start by casting Auditore Ambush mid-game, either bouncing a troublesome creature or steering Ezio into your hand from the graveyard or library. If Ezio is in your hand, you can set up a follow-up turn where Ezio drops into play (or into your hand via a tutor), triggering your Dimir draw engine while your opponent scrambles to respond. The cross-format flavor—Assassin’s Creed meeting the timeless elegance of MTG—makes every decision feel cinematic, like a rooftop chase across Venice with a glint of blue-black magic in the night. 🧙♂️🔥
Auditore Ambush is the kind of card that rewards careful sequencing. Bounce a threat, fetch Ezio, deploy your follow-up, and let the library shuffle do the heavy lifting for you. The thrill is in the timing and the flavor—two strategies in one spell, with Ezio as the star. 🔪🗡️
Practical deck-building cues
When you weave these cards into a deck around Auditore Ambush, aim for a balanced mix of tutors, draw, and counterplay. A lean engine with a reliable draw suite ensures you don’t stall while hunting for Ezio. Include a couple of bounce or removal spells to maximize the value of the “return target creature” clause, and lean into graveyard recursion to sustain Ezio’s entry points. The Assassin’s Creed crossover theme helps tie the strategy to a narrative arc—your plan starts with stealth, moves to a decisive reveal, and ends with the satisfaction of a well-executed ambush. 🎨
From a collector’s lens, Auditore Ambush sits as a rare card in a modern, dynamic world. Its EDHREC rank sits modestly in the 13k range, which speaks to its niche but passionate following among players who relish the Dimir pliability and the Ezio synergy. The set’s black border, the 2015 frame era nod, and Julia Vasilyeva’s art all contribute to a card that sits comfortably on display in both gameplay and conversation. If you’re chasing a flavorful engine that rewards precise sequencing and a little risk, this is a card to chase with a smile. 🧙♂️💎
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