Ninjutsu Mechanic

[Mooglar]

Hey, i made the Ninja Scroll deck for Cangd and i had some questions regarding the mechanic. First off... is Ninjutsu an activated or triggered ability if it is can you stifle it? If it's activated can it be pithing needled.

My second question is if i have 2 attacking creatures and i have Ninja of the deep in my hand and 4 mana untapped and lets say after no blockers have been declared they play wing shards for 2 storm copies can i pay 4 mana and activate ninjutsu twice and return both my creatures to my hand while only switching ninja of the deep into play, can i activate nunjutsu twice but and return 2 creatures while only putting 1 into play? my friend says i can but i am unsure >< Thank You =)

http://magiccards.info/scans/en/bok/44.jpg

[Nihil Credo]

1) Activated, so it can be Needled.

2) Yes, you can play the ability twice, returning two creatures to hand. When #1 resolves, you'll put Ninja into play (where it will soon die); when #2 resolves, nothing happens.

[quicksilver]

The key to telling the difference between an activated and triggered ability is seeing the colon. The colon after the costs and before the effects indicates that it is an activated ability.

[Sigar]

But Ninjutsu doesn't use the stack does it?

I mean, you can't like return and unblocked creature to your hand, and then your opponent responds by casting stifle, that would make no sense.

[Jak]

Yes it does. You counter the ability being activated. Returning the creature activates it. You counter what is after the colon.

[quicksilver]

But Ninjutsu doesn't use the stack does it?

I mean, you can't like return and unblocked creature to your hand, and then your opponent responds by casting stifle, that would make no sense.

Of course it does, you can stifle the ninjitsu. I fail to see what part doesn't make sense.

[Sigar]

It just seems weird since the creature with the ability never will be shown to the opponent if the ability is countered.

[nitewolf9]

It just seems weird since the creature with the ability never will be shown to the opponent if the ability is countered.

That is the way of the ninja. The mystery is at times...overwhelming.

[Pinder]

That is the way of the ninja. The mystery is at times...overwhelming.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoooOoOOhh......

[Tacosnape]

Ugh, okay, look. Here's how this works. The opponent -does- get to see your Ninjutsu creature. Here's why.

Point 1: Activated abilities have three parts to them. Cost, The Colon, Effect.

The Colon is the divider between what is cost and what is effect.

Anything before the colon is a cost. It happens as the player plays the activated ability. You can't do a damn thing to respond to anything in an activated ability's cost.

Anything after the colon is the effect. Unless it directly produces mana (which Ninjutsu does not), It happens once the ability has been placed on the stack, both players pass priority without responding to it, and it then resolves. Therefore, anything after the colon won't happen if you Stifle it.

Point 2: Now, specifically for Ninjutsu:

502.43a - 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 creature you control to its owner's hand: Put this card into play from your hand tapped and attacking."

What I have in Bold is the overall cost of the ability. Therefore, when you announce Ninjutsu, you pay the Ninjutsu's mana or other cost, reveal the card with Ninjutsu, and return the unblocked creature to your hand.

NOW, At this point, your Ninjutsu ability goes on the stack.

If your opponent Stifles it, the part in Italics, the effect of Ninjutsu, doesn't happen. Therefore, if Ninjutsu is stifled, your creature is back in your hand, you've paid your mana, and your opponent gets to see what creature you were using Ninjutsu for. You just don't get to put your guy in play attacking. He stays in your hand.

Hope that covers it.

[Pinder]

Way to ruin the mystery. :rolleyes:

But yeah, he's totally right.

[Sigar]

The "reveal this card from your hand" part makes the whole difference, since that's not printed on the actual card(s). All the other clever words don't really explain much.

[Media314r8]

1) Activated, so it can be Needled.

2) Yes, you can play the ability twice, returning two creatures to hand. When #1 resolves, you'll put Ninja into play (where it will soon die); when #2 resolves, nothing happens.

For clarification, if your opponent wing shards'd for two with your two attacking, unblocked creatures, you would (retaining priority) want to activate the ability once, paying 1U, revealing ninja, and returning one of your attackers to hand. Then (as you retained priority) you pay the cost again, 1U, reveal ninja, return attacker number two to hand. This will prevent your opponent from killing said attackers, as returning them is part of the cost and he cannot respond. The ability activated for attacker number two would resolve, as it was put on the stack last, and ninja would CiP tapped and attacking. The second ability would fizzle, and no ninja would be put into play. The net effect being your attackers safe in hand, and a brave, brave ninja giving his life and 2UU for the greater good.

(retaining priority is essential as if you do not specify this, your opponent can simply say "no response" the ninjitsu for guy # 1 would resolve, and guy #2 and ninja would bite it, as ninja's ability puts him into play, thereby restricting you from activating his ability a second time to save dude #2.

MY question is: can ninjitsu be activated at any time so long as the attacking creature has not had blockers declared for it?

EX: You are on the play, and go turn 1 "island, flying men, pass". Your opponent goes "plains, pass". Turn two, you play a second island, and enter beginning of combat. During the declare attackers step, before declare defenders step, your opponent deems flying men too much of a threat and taps his plains to cast StP targeting fyling men. Can you, in response, activate Ninja of the deep hours' ninjitsu ability, as even though it is still the declare attackers step, flying men is as of the moment not being blocked? (= an unblocked creature?) Infeasible situation is infeasible, but a similar situation came up while playing mental magic a few days back. (or cube, something odd)

[Anusien]

EX: You are on the play, and go turn 1 "island, flying men, pass". Your opponent goes "plains, pass". Turn two, you play a second island, and enter beginning of combat. During the declare attackers step, before declare defenders step, your opponent deems flying men too much of a threat and taps his plains to cast StP targeting fyling men. Can you, in response, activate Ninja of the deep hours' ninjitsu ability, as even though it is still the declare attackers step, flying men is as of the moment not being blocked? (= an unblocked creature?) Infeasible situation is infeasible, but a similar situation came up while playing mental magic a few days back. (or cube, something odd)
No, creatures don't become "unblocked" until after Blockers are declared.