Buzz
Uncover the secret MTG ninja technique for ambushing during combat
In the real world, ninjutsu involves tactics from unconventional warfare—think espionage, guerrilla strikes, and silent movement with a blade under a dark cloak. In Magic: The Gathering, ninjutsu is a slick game mechanic that lets you sneak ninjas into play during combat. Maybe it’s not cloak-and-dagger warfare, but for MTG fans who enjoy drawing extra cards and catching foes off guard, it’s even more thrilling. Let’s dive into how it all works.
How Does Ninjutsu Function in MTG?
Ninjutsu is a special activated ability that lets you switch an unblocked attacker with a ninja from your hand. Only a few ninja-type cards have it, but when used right, it’s a devastating surprise tactic in your MTG arsenal.
How to Use It
What does ninjutsu do?
Ninjutsu lets you swap unblocked attackers with sneaky ninja cards. This unique ability activates after blockers are chosen, but before combat damage is resolved. Pay the ninjutsu cost, return an unblocked creature to your hand, and slam your ninja into the battlefield, attacking in its place.
- Think of ninjutsu as a clever twist on flash—you’re just trading in an unblocked attacker mid-combat.
- Debuting in the Kamigawa block, ninjutsu is exclusive to ninja-type creatures and captures the surprise of a stealth assault.
- Most commonly found in blue and black cards, a few green and even one white card also feature this ability.
Ninjutsu in Action: A Scenario
Imagine this board state: You control an Elvish Mystic and a Grizzly Bear, while your opponent only has a Wall of Omens for defense.
You swing with both creatures. You enter the combat phase, tap the Bear and Elf, and declare: “I’m attacking with both.”
Your opponent assigns blockers. With your two attackers versus their one defender, something's bound to get through. They choose to block the 2/2 Grizzly Bear with their Wall, leaving Elvish Mystic unchallenged.
Now's the time for ninjutsu. You announce “before damage” and activate the ability by paying the ninjutsu cost. You return the unblocked Elvish Mystic to your hand and place the ninja onto the battlefield, attacking.
- Remember, ninjutsu cards can be played normally, but when using the ability, you only pay the special cost—not an extra fee like Kicker.
Ninjutsu creatures trigger ETB effects. Many ninjutsu cards offer bonus effects when they enter play this way. If your ninja has an ETB effect, it goes on the stack immediately.
- Take Azra Smokeshaper, for example—it makes a creature you control indestructible when it enters the battlefield.
Combat damage is dealt, and extra effects resolve. A lot of ninjutsu creatures come with combat damage triggers. If the card says “When this deals combat damage to a player...,” the effect happens right after damage is resolved.
- One example: Coiling Stalker gives a +1/+1 counter to a creature you control when it hits an opponent.
Ninjutsu Mechanics
Ninjutsu bypasses the stack. Typically, casting a card gives your opponent a chance to react—but not with ninjutsu. Since it doesn’t go on the stack, your opponent has no opportunity to respond.
- The official wording says: “Return an unblocked attacker you control to hand: Put this card onto the battlefield from your hand tapped and attacking.” Notice it doesn’t mention “cast”—this means the ninja arrives before your opponent can take action.
You can't counter ninjutsu with spells. Because the ability doesn’t use the stack, you can’t stop it with cards like Mana Leak, Counterspell, or Cancel.
Ninjutsu doesn’t let you change attack targets. If your original attacker was swinging at a planeswalker, the ninjutsu creature must hit the same one. If it was attacking the player, the ninja must do the same. No switching targets allowed.
Top Ninjutsu Cards
Fallen Shinobi Fallen Shinobi stands out as a premier ninjutsu threat, letting you play your opponent’s top-deck cards for free. It's a staple in formats like legacy and vintage, where stealing cards like Emrakul, the Promised End or Griselbrand can swing games.
- Among all ninjutsu cards, Fallen Shinobi is the only one consistently showing up in eternal formats (aside from pauper), and is widely considered the strongest of its kind.
- It’s also a frequent pick in vintage, legacy, and power cube drafts.
Ninja of the Deep Hours Ninja of the Deep Hours is a cornerstone of pauper. Every time it connects in combat, you draw a card—and in Magic, “draw a card” might be the most powerful phrase in the game. That alone secures its place in common-only formats.
- This ninja fits naturally into blue tempo decks in pauper and is a frequent inclusion.
Ingenious Infiltrator For ninja tribal decks, Ingenious Infiltrator is an all-star. It gives all your ninjas the same card draw power as Ninja of the Deep Hours. With a wide enough board, this one card can net you a full grip every turn.
- Most commonly seen in EDH ninja builds, though a niche legacy ninja list also exists.
What is commander ninjutsu?
Commander ninjutsu is the EDH variant of the ninjutsu ability. While technically a distinct keyword due to different wording, it behaves the same way functionally—except it allows the creature to be deployed from your hand or the command zone tapped and attacking.
- Only one card features this mechanic: Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow, the go-to commander for ninja-themed EDH decks.
