Can the Ninjutsu ability return an unblocked attacker with Shroud?
Asked by The_Potato_Judge 8 years ago
If I have some Ninjas in my hand, I'm I'm attacking with a Calciderm or Blastoderm, or some other creature that can't be the target of spells or abilities, will I be able to bump it back to my hand to use for the ability of a Ninja of the Deep Hours or a Mistblade Shinobi?
Does the Ninjutsu ability target the unblocked creature? I would appreciate some help.
DarknessGrace says... #2
Returning an unblocked creature you control to hand is a cost, not a spell or ability, so you can return an unblocked creature with shroud.
January 4, 2016 10:35 p.m.
PookandPie says... #3
The Ninjutsu ability does not target the attacking creature, therefore it has no interactions with shroud.
January 5, 2016 7:32 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #4
To clarify the given answers: Costs are part of the casting process for spells, the activation process for activated abilities, and the resolution process for some spells and abilities. Costs never target because you simply pay them; the targeting process is used to determine what some spells or abilities will affect when they resolve.
In this case, we have an activated ability (ninjutsu) that includes returning an unblocked attacker you control to its owner's hand as part of its cost. The unblocked attacker is not targeted, so it can have shroud and still be returned. Ninjutsu as a whole does not target anything, but that's somewhat irrelevant for the purposes of this question.
PartyJ says... #1
Comprehensive rules:
113.1c. An activated ability is targeted if it identifies something it will affect by using the phrase "target [something]," where the "something" is a phrase that describes an object, player, or zone. The target(s) are chosen as the ability is activated; see rule 602.2b.113.1e. Some keyword abilities, such as equip and provoke, represent targeted activated or triggered abilities. In those cases, the phrase "target [something]" appears in the rule for that keyword ability rather than in the ability itself. (The keyword's reminder text will often contain the word "target.") See rule 702, "Keyword Abilities."
Returning the creature is a cost to activate the Ninjutsu ability. Ninjutsu's rules text does not contain the word target. So you can legally return your creature with shroud to your hand
January 4, 2016 10:35 p.m. Edited.