Ninjutsu

For the theme deck, see Ninjutsu (deck).

Ninjutsu (Commander Ninjutsu)
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Icon Ninjutsu.png}}|70x70px]]
Keyword Ability
Type	Activated
Introduced	Betrayers of Kamigawa
Last used	Thunder Junction Commander
Reminder Text	Ninjutsu [cost] (Return an unblocked attacker you control to hand: Put this card onto the battlefield from your hand tapped and attacking.) Commander ninjutsu [cost] (Return an unblocked attacker you control to hand: Put this card onto the battlefield from your hand or the command zone tapped and attacking.)
Storm Scale	7
Statistics	39 ninjutsu cards 2.6% 38.5% 35.9% 10.3% 12.8% 1 commander ninjutsu card 100%
Scryfall Search
keyword:"Ninjutsu" keyword:"Commander ninjutsu"

Ninjutsu (NIN-joot-soo) is a keyword ability designed by Mark Rosewater that was introduced in Betrayers of Kamigawa. It is exclusive to Ninja creatures.

Description

Ninjutsu represents the stealth of the Ninjas by allowing a creature that attacks and isn't blocked to be exchanged with a Ninja in the controlling player's hand, such that the Ninja is attacking and unblocked instead of the original creature, which is returned to the owner's hand.

To incentivize this gameplay, all Ninjas printed in Betrayers of Kamigawa had a saboteur ability, making for more interesting payoffs rather than putting a large creature in cheaply. Future sets expanded on the available designs of how Ninjas operate.

History

The keyword first appeared in Standard during Betrayers of Kamigawa, and was exclusively on black or blue Ninja cards. It first returned on some cards in the Night of the Ninja deck of Planechase 2012, then later it reappeared in Modern Horizons. In these sets, some different applications of Ninjutsu were used; Sakashima's Student played in slightly different space as a clone, while in Modern Horizons Azra Smokeshaper used an enters-play ability that varied combat situations. Ninja of the New Moon went for the "large creature" approach, being otherwise virtual vanilla.

It reappeared in Standard with Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. The designs for Ninjutsu ranged from simply getting a clean hit with a powerful creature, to one-time saboteur abilities, to the unique "if this entered from your hand while attacking".

Disguise

A variant called Disguise was considered as the Dimir mechanic for Guilds of Ravnica. In this variant, the creature with disguise swaps with the attacking creature, meaning that anything connected to it (enchantments enchanting it, equipment equipped to it, counters on it, etc.) are still attached to the new creature as it was treated as the same object.

Zareth San, the Trickster

A similar ability can be found in the Zendikar Rising set on Zareth San, the Trickster. While the two abilities are mostly the same, there are a couple of differences between Zareth San's ability and ninjutsu. Zareth San requires an unblocked Rogue, ninjutsu does not specify a creature type. Additionally, Zareth San can be attacking a different player/planeswalker than the one that the returned creature was attacking, which is not case for the creature put onto the field by the ninjutsu ability.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Ninjutsu

A keyword ability that lets a creature suddenly enter combat. See rule 702.49, “Ninjutsu.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

• 702.49. Ninjutsu
  • 702.49a Ninjutsu is an activated ability that functions only while the card with ninjutsu is in a player’s hand. “Ninjutsu [cost]” means “[Cost], Reveal this card from your hand, Return an unblocked attacking creature you control to its owner’s hand: Put this card onto the battlefield from your hand tapped and attacking.”
  • 702.49b The card with ninjutsu remains revealed from the time the ability is announced until the ability leaves the stack.
  • 702.49c A ninjutsu ability may be activated only while a creature on the battlefield is unblocked (see rule 509.1h). The creature with ninjutsu is put onto the battlefield unblocked. It will be attacking the same player, planeswalker, or battle as the creature that was returned to its owner’s hand.
  • 702.49d Commander ninjutsu is a variant of the ninjutsu ability that also functions while the card with commander ninjutsu is in the command zone. “Commander ninjutsu [cost]” means “[Cost], Reveal this card from your hand or from the command zone, Return an unblocked attacking creature you control to its owner’s hand: Put this card onto the battlefield tapped and attacking.”

Commander ninjutsu

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Commander Ninjutsu

A variant of the ninjutsu ability. See rule 702.49, “Ninjutsu.”

Commander ninjutsu is a variant of ninjutsu which works from both the hand and the command zone. This was featured on Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow in Commander 2018.

Rulings

• The ninjutsu ability can be activated during the declare blockers, combat damage, or end of combat steps if you have an unblocked attacking creature.
• Activating the ninjutsu ability during the declare blockers step allows the Ninja to deal combat damage. Using ninjutsu during the combat damage or end of combat steps will mean the unblocked attacking creature is dealing combat damage.
• The Ninja will be attacking the same player or planeswalker the original attacking creature was attacking. This is a rule specific to ninjutsu; in other cases, the controller of a creature put onto the battlefield attacking chooses which player or planeswalker it attacks.
• Although the Ninja is attacking, it was never declared as an attacking creature (for purposes of abilities that trigger whenever a creature attacks, for example).
• The Ninja should be revealed while announcing the ability, but it doesn't leave your hand until the ability resolves.
• If a creature in combat has first strike or double strike, you can activate the ninjutsu ability during the first-strike combat damage step. The Ninja will deal combat damage during the regular combat damage step, even if it has first strike.

Examples

Example 1

Ninja of the Deep Hours
Creature — Human Ninja
2/2
Ninjutsu (, Return an unblocked attacker you control to hand: Put this card onto the battlefield from your hand tapped and attacking.)
Whenever Ninja of the Deep Hours deals combat damage to a player, you may draw a card.

Example 2

Okiba-Gang Shinobi
Creature — Rat Ninja
3/2
Ninjutsu (, Return an unblocked attacker you control to hand: Put this card onto the battlefield from your hand tapped and attacking.)
Whenever Okiba-Gang Shinobi deals combat damage to a player, that player discards two cards.

Cards granting Ninjutsu

• Satoru Umezawa — creatures in your hand gain Ninjutsu
• A-Satoru Umezawa — creatures in your hand gain Ninjutsu
• Silver-Fur Master — reduces Ninjutsu costs by
• A-Silver-Fur Master — reduces Ninjutsu costs by