<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lydia Frye" href="#" target="_blank">Lydia Frye</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/aliena85" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mandy Jurgens</a></em></p>
<p>When it comes to old-school <em>Magic</em>, few creatures are as evocative and iconic as the sadly-not-legendary <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Royal Assassin" href="#" target="_blank">Royal Assassin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The stealthy throat-slitter has been removing threats over and over since <em>Alpha</em>, including plying its dark trade in the controversial <em>Assassin’s Creed</em> set.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Royal Assassin"></div></div>
<p>While that set may have released a number of cards into the pool to little fanfare, due in part to a strange change in distribution, it did revitalize and coalesce the creature type. With several new legendary Assassins in tow, the creature type has been revolutionized.</p>
<p>One of these new commanders, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lydia Frye" href="#" target="_blank">Lydia Frye</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, acts as the perfect bridge between the old and the new, as wlll be shown in this deck tech!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lydia Frye"></div></div>
<p>Assassins kill stuff. In other news, people breathe air and water is wet. Whether reflected in mafia-style hit men in <em>New Capenna</em> or Shakespearean apothecary-style poisoners in <em>Conspiracy</em>’s Fiora, they largely stay true to that singular aim.</p>
<p>Some have targeted abilities that kill, while others imbue their weapons with poisons or magic that grants them deathtouch. No matter what, they turn sideways and stuff dies, both of which synergize with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lydia Frye" href="#" target="_blank">Lydia Frye</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>So, who is this Kill Bill-style commander of killers? And what makes her so special?</p>
<h2>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lydia Frye" href="#" target="_blank">Lydia Frye</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lydia Frye" href="#" target="_blank">Lydia Frye</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the relatively new commanders from the <em>Assassin’s Creed</em> expansion, who kind of snuck under the radar, but perfectly straddles the old and the new.</p>
<p>She’s an aggressively-costed Dimir (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) commander - a 3/2 for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-ub" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, making her extremely easy to cast early and often. She also has built-in evasion, sneaking past opposing creatures with three or more power, so it’s unlikely that she'll die in combat without taking something with her.</p>
<p>Perhaps the most important ability of hers is the last, however: at the beginning of our end step, we surveil X, where X is the number of tapped Assassins we control. Whether they were tapped to kill creatures, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Royal Assassin" href="#" target="_blank">Royal Assassin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or tapped from combat, we’re getting a lot of card selection and creature-growing, forming a synergistic core.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ezio Auditore da Firenze"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Altaïr Ibn-La&#039;Ahad"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Queen Marchesa"></div></div>
<p>Assassins have a bevy of options for commanders; there may even be enough playable legendary Assassins for a five-color legendary Assassins deck, which <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ezio Auditore da Firenze" href="#" target="_blank">Ezio Auditore da Firenze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could helm!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Altaïr Ibn-La&#039;Ahad" href="#" target="_blank">Altaïr Ibn-La&#039;Ahad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could make a strong Mardu Assassin Reanimator deck, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Queen Marchesa" href="#" target="_blank">Queen Marchesa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes Assassin tokens and benefits off of Assassins connecting to reclaim the monarchy.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Etrata, Deadly Fugitive"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ramses, Assassin Lord"></div></div>
<p>Within Dimir, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etrata, Deadly Fugitive" href="#" target="_blank">Etrata, Deadly Fugitive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has deathtouch and cloaks the top card of opposing libraries when an Assassin connects. Stealing opponents' cards is more Pirate-coded than Assassin-coded, however. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ramses, Assassin Lord" href="#" target="_blank">Ramses, Assassin Lord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has the title, deathtouch, and the Lord ability, but the alternate win-con ability, while cool, doesn't feel flavorful.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lydia Frye" href="#" target="_blank">Lydia Frye</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p>Lydia wants our creatures tapped, and there are two primary ways to do that: attacking and tapping to activate abilities.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cover of Darkness"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Levitation"></div></div>
<p>Attacking safely is paramount to winning a game with small creatures, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cover of Darkness" href="#" target="_blank">Cover of Darkness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Levitation" href="#" target="_blank">Levitation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are excellent ways to make sure our opponents can’t block. Fear and flying aren’t infallible, but they do put heavy limits on what can block. And they stack, making blocking less and less likely.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evie Frye" href="#" target="_blank">Evie Frye</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an excellent Assassin, looting cards like the Incarnations, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Filth" href="#" target="_blank">Filth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wonder" href="#" target="_blank">Wonder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, into the grave, so our creatures gain swampwalk or flying, respectively.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evie Frye"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Filth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wonder"></div></div>
<p>While some Assassins can tap themselves, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evie Frye" href="#" target="_blank">Evie Frye</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and others can get through in combat with global evasive effects, there will be times when the setup isn’t there and we need to tap our Assassins some other way.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Opposition" href="#" target="_blank">Opposition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an excellent external tapping ability, as it lets us tap our creatures to tap opposing creatures or lands. Since tapping our creatures is part of paying the cost, we can use our summoning sick Assassins to tap opposing blockers and sneak extra damage in, even if we don’t have evasion.</p>
<p>We can also tap lands in a pinch, in order to force or prevent counterplay so we can land key spells or avoid blowouts.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Opposition"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Negate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smoke Bomb"></div></div>
<p>Speaking of sneaking, Assassins are known for being masters of disguise and deception, using these to protect themselves as they sneak up on their unsuspecting targets. For us, those abilities take the form of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects to protect our board, as well as global protection effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smoke Bomb" href="#" target="_blank">Smoke Bomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to avoid removal.</p>
<p>We’re the masters of killing, after all, so it makes sense that we’ve mastered avoiding death as well!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Holdout Settlement"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Survivors&#039; Encampment"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scene of the Crime"></div></div>
<p>Our nonbasic lands provide additional ways to tap our creatures that are summoning sick, helping us to meet our commander’s requirement. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Holdout Settlement" href="#" target="_blank">Holdout Settlement</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Survivors&#039; Encampment" href="#" target="_blank">Survivors&#039; Encampment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scene of the Crime" href="#" target="_blank">Scene of the Crime</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all tap our creatures as part of paying a cost, rewarding us with mana of any color.</p>
<p>While fixing mana in a two-color deck isn’t terribly important, it does serve a relevant function, in addition to synergizing with our commander.</p>
<h2>How Does This Lydia Frye Commander Deck Win?</h2>
<p>The goal of the deck is to use card filtering to find mass evasion effects to break parity and enable open attacks. We have the ability to remove threats and protect our own, all while using our commander’s ability to grow our creatures.</p>
<h2>Lydia Frye Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Lydia Frye Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Lydia Frye
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Achilles Davenport
*1 Assassin Initiate
*1 Aven Heartstabber
*1 Basim Ibn Ishaq
*1 Blood Operative
*1 Cruel Sadist
*1 Dark Impostor
*1 Desmond Miles
*1 Evie Frye
*1 Ezio, Blade of Vengeance
*1 Filth
*1 Guul Draz Assassin
*1 Hired Poisoner
*1 Hookblade Veteran
*1 Interceptor, Shadow&#039;s Hound
*1 Jacob Frye
*1 Kiku, Night&#039;s Flower
*1 Mari, the Killing Quill
*1 Merciless Harlequin
*1 Midnight Assassin
*1 Mothdust Changeling
*1 Poison-Blade Mentor
*1 Ramses, Assassin Lord
*1 Rooftop Assassin
*1 Royal Assassin
*1 Ruthless Ripper
*1 Scarblade Elite
*1 Silumgar Assassin
*1 Stronghold Assassin
*1 Telethopter
*1 Thorn of the Black Rose
*1 Towering Viewpoint
*1 Unstoppable Slasher
*1 Virtus the Veiled
*1 Wonder
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Aura of Dominion
*1 Cover of Darkness
*1 Koskun Falls
*1 Levitation
*1 Lost in the Maze
*1 Opposition
*1 Zephyr Charge
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Memorial
*1 Eldrazi Monument
*1 Glaring Spotlight
*1 Hair-Strung Koto
*1 Moonsnare Prototype
*1 Smoke Bomb
*1 Springleaf Drum
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Breaking Wave
*1 Shared Discovery
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Change of Plans
*1 Countersquall
*1 Louisoix&#039;s Sacrifice
*1 Negate
*1 Silumgar&#039;s Command
*1 Unified Will
*1 Unwind
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Arch of Orazca
*1 Brotherhood Headquarters
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 Command Tower
*1 Holdout Settlement
*15 Island
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Scene of the Crime
*1 Survivors&#039; Encampment
*15 Swamp
*1 War Room
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>Assassins kill stuff, but these Assassins have a plan. We're looking to kill stuff and play a political game by picking and choosing our marks for ourselves and positioning ourselves to win the game.</p>
<p>But how would you build Assassins? And what are some hidden gems from <em>Assassin’s Creed</em> that have been overlooked?</p>
<h3>More <em>Assassins</em>:</h3>
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lydia frye

Building an Assassin Deck with Lydia Frye