Xantcha, Sleeper Agent

Secret Lair Countdown (SLC) #24 · Rare · Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Minion

Mana cost: {1}{B}{R}

Xantcha enters under the control of an opponent of your choice.
Xantcha attacks each combat if able and can't attack its owner or planeswalkers its owner controls.
{3}: Xantcha's controller loses 2 life and you draw a card. Any player may activate this ability.

Power/toughness 5/5 · Illustrated by Matthew Southworth · Released November 3, 2025

Prices

Nonfoil price since August 25, 2026: down $0.37 USD (22.8%) to $1.25 USD; low $1.16 USD, high $1.70 USD.

Printings

  1. Secret Lair Countdown #24 (this printing) · Rare · 2025 · $1.25 USD
  2. Secret Lair Countdown #51 (SLC) · Rare · 2025 · $16.37 USD foil
  3. Mystery Booster 2 #253 (MB2) · Rare · 2024 · $34.26 USD foil
  4. Commander Masters #362 (CMM) · Rare · 2023 · $1.91 USD
  5. Commander Masters #595 (CMM) · Rare · 2023 · $6.41 USD etched
  6. Secret Lair Drop #1271 (SLD) · Rare · 2023 · $14.42 USD foil
  7. The List #C18-50 (PLST) · Rare · 2023 · $4.28 USD
  8. Treasure Chest #70719 (PZ2) · Rare · 2018
  9. Commander 2018 #50 (C18) · Rare · 2018 · $1.46 USD

Legality

Rulings

  1. 2018-07-13 · wotc — Xantcha's controller may activate its last ability. In this case, the same player loses 2 life and draws a card.
  2. 2018-07-13 · wotc — Xantcha's first ability is a replacement effect that modifies how it enters the battlefield, not a triggered ability. Players can't take actions (such as activating its last ability) while Xantcha's on the battlefield before it's controlled by another player.
  3. 2018-07-13 · wotc — The player who draws a card when Xantcha's last ability resolves is the player who activated the ability.
  4. 2018-07-13 · wotc — If a player creates a token that's a copy of Xantcha, the player who creates the token is its owner, not the player under whose control it enters the battlefield. This is a change from previous rules.
  5. 2018-07-13 · wotc — If Xantcha can't attack for any reason (such as being tapped or having come under that player's control that turn), then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having it attack, the player isn't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack in that case either.
  6. 2019-08-23 · wotc — In a multiplayer game, if Xantcha's owner leaves the game, Xantcha leaves the game with them. If Xantcha's controller leaves the game, Xantcha is exiled. This is a change from previous rulings due to Xantcha's updated wording.

Played in these commander decks

  1. Deadpool, Trading Card · in 35% of 48 decks
  2. Queen Marchesa · in 34% of 50 decks
  3. Lynde, Cheerful Tormentor · in 13% of 48 decks

All cards in Secret Lair Countdown (SLC)