Ninjutsu

Keywords · intermediate

Ninjutsu swaps a Ninja into combat in place of an unblocked attacker. It reads "Ninjutsu [cost]."

How it works

• After blockers are declared, you may activate ninjutsu from your hand: pay the cost and return an unblocked attacker you control to its owner's hand.
• The ninjutsu creature enters the battlefield tapped and attacking, in the returned creature's place.

Rules notes

• The ninjutsu creature is put onto the battlefield, not cast, so its enters-the-battlefield abilities trigger but its cast triggers do not.
• It is already attacking, so it can deal combat damage that turn even though it just arrived.
• Returning a small unblocked attacker to swap in a large Ninja is the core trick.

Rule reference

[702.49]