Nightkin Ambusher
Creature — Mutant Warrior
Ward 
(Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays .)
When this creature enters, target player gets four rad counters.
This creature can't be blocked as long as defending player has a rad counter.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- BU
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Fallout
- Price
- $0.28
- EDHREC rank
- #6806
Nightkin Ambusher enters with a flash of removal — killing a creature with counters on it the moment it lands — and that on-board impact comes stapled to a body that distributes rad counters, making it a two-for-one in any deck that cares about that mechanic. The Wise Mothman turns it into a full engine piece, and outside that shell it's still a flash creature that answers threats while advancing your board.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
The Wise Mothman
The Wise Mothman's entire game plan revolves around milling opponents with rad counters and then profiting from the creature types they mill — Nightkin Ambusher feeds that loop by adding counters to every opponent on entry while simultaneously removing a countered threat blocking your path.
The Master, Transcendent
The Master, Transcendent creates and buffs creature tokens with counters on them, and Nightkin Ambusher's flash-speed removal clears the way for those tokens to connect while the rad counter distribution chips away at opponents' libraries.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Nightkin Ambusher belongs — the rad counter mechanic is designed for multiplayer, and hitting all opponents simultaneously on entry is far more potent at a four-player table than in any one-on-one setting. In Legacy and Vintage, Nightkin Ambusher is technically legal but has no competitive presence; the power ceiling in those formats demands far more than a four-mana conditional removal spell. Oathbreaker shares Commander's multiplayer structure, so the same rad-counter synergies apply there, though the smaller deck size makes it easier to assemble the dedicated Fallout-themed shells where Nightkin Ambusher earns its slot.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.28 bulk tier
At $0.28, Nightkin Ambusher is deep bulk — easy to pick up as a four-of filler or throw into any Fallout-themed Commander list without budget concern. Bulk rares in niche mechanical spaces rarely climb unless a breakout commander pulls them up, so treat it as a cheap role-player and nothing more.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.