---
name: "Nightshade Assassin"
mana_cost: "{2}{B}{B}"
cmc: 4
type_line: "Creature — Human Assassin"
colors: []
color_identity: ["B"]
keywords: ["Madness", "First strike"]
set: "TSR"
set_name: "Time Spiral Remastered"
collector_number: "128"
rarity: "uncommon"
artist: "Alan Pollack"
oracle_id: "370c5e5f-709b-415b-9b65-3f224d6ef1c7"
canonical_url: "https://avascry.com/printing/nightshade-assassin-tsr"
legalities:
  commander: "legal"
  standard: "not_legal"
  modern: "legal"
  pioneer: "not_legal"
  legacy: "legal"
  vintage: "legal"
  pauper: "not_legal"
  penny: "not_legal"
---

# Nightshade Assassin
- **Mana Cost:** `{2}{B}{B}` (CMC: 4)
- **Type:** Creature — Human Assassin
- **Keywords:** Madness, First strike

## Oracle Text
First strike
When this creature enters, you may reveal X black cards in your hand. If you do, target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn.
Madness {1}{B} (If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)

## Top 4096-Dim Neural Synergies
1. [Nekrataal](/printing/nekrataal-ema.md) — Creature — Human Assassin
2. [Notorious Assassin](/printing/notorious-assassin-mmq.md) — Creature — Human Spellshaper Assassin
3. [Nightshade Seer](/printing/nightshade-seer-uds.md) — Creature — Human Wizard
4. [Scent of Nightshade](/printing/scent-of-nightshade-uds.md) — Instant
5. [Hooded Assassin](/printing/hooded-assassin-frf.md) — Creature — Human Assassin
6. [Razorkin Needlehead](/printing/razorkin-needlehead-dsk.md) — Creature — Human Assassin

## Printing Details
- **Set:** Time Spiral Remastered (TSR) #128
- **Rarity:** Uncommon
- **Artist:** Alan Pollack

## Format Legalities
Commander: `legal` | Standard: `not_legal` | Modern: `legal` | Pioneer: `not_legal` | Legacy: `legal` | Vintage: `legal` | Pauper: `not_legal` | Penny: `not_legal`

## Official Rulings
- *(2021-03-19)* If the target creature becomes an illegal target, you don't reveal any cards.
- *(2021-03-19)* You choose how many cards to reveal and which as Nightshade Assassin's triggered ability resolves. Players can't take actions between the time you reveal cards and the time the target creature gets -X/-X.
- *(2022-12-08)* If you discard a card with madness while a spell or ability is resolving, it moves immediately to exile. Continue resolving that spell or ability, noting that the card you discarded is not in your graveyard at this time. Its madness triggered ability will be placed onto the stack once that spell or ability has completely resolved.
- *(2022-12-08)* To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a madness cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined by only its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast that spell was.
- *(2022-12-08)* If you choose not to cast a card with madness when the madness triggered ability resolves, it's put into your graveyard. Madness doesn't give you another chance to cast it later.
- *(2022-12-08)* Casting a spell with madness ignores the timing rules based on the card's card type. For example, you can cast a sorcery with madness if you discard it during an opponent's turn.