Most Valuable Slayer

Strategy & Gameplay

Most Valuable Slayer is a compelling mid-range creature that offers consistent offensive pressure while enhancing your entire attacking team's combat effectiveness. At three mana for a 2/4 body, you're getting a reasonable rate that allows the card to function as both an aggressive threat and a combat enabler in red-based strategies. The real power lies in its triggered ability, which targets any attacking creature and grants it +1/+0 plus first strike until end of turn whenever you attack. This means that on the turn you cast Most Valuable Slayer, it immediately pumps itself or another attacker, and continues to provide incremental benefits every subsequent turn you attack. First strike is particularly valuable since it allows your creatures to damage or kill opposing blockers before taking damage themselves, dramatically improving combat outcomes and reducing losses from trades. This card fits naturally into aggressive red decks across multiple formats, including Standard, Pioneer, Modern, and Commander variants. It pairs exceptionally well with wide token strategies, go-wide red strategies, and any deck looking to turn sideways consistently. In Standard and Brawl formats, Most Valuable Slayer provides the evasion-like benefit of first strike without requiring evasive creatures, making it particularly effective with larger creatures or multiple attackers. Commander and Brawl players appreciate how it scales throughout the game, becoming more impactful as you develop additional creatures. The card's flexibility, reasonable cost, and ability to generate meaningful combat advantage make it an attractive pickup for players building aggressive red strategies looking for repeatable combat enhancement that doesn't require additional mana investment turn after turn.