Dire Tactics (IKO)

Instant

Exile target creature. If you don't control a Human, you lose life equal to that creature's toughness.

Reliable removal for Orzhov midrange and control decks. Dire Tactics offers efficient creature exile at instant speed, sidestepping indestructible and regeneration while cleanly answering threats in the mid-game. The life loss drawback is negligible in Human-focused strategies and manageable in broader control shells, making it a solid answer in Pioneer and Modern where it competes favorably against other two-mana removal options.

Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths — Uncommon