Crewing a Vehicle: Does It Count as Entering the Battlefield?
No, crewing a vehicle does not count as it entering the battlefield. The vehicle is already on the battlefield when you activate its Crew ability. Crewing simply turns it into an artifact creature until end of turn. It’s a transformative effect, not a new object entering play. Think of it like putting a pilot in a cockpit – the plane (the vehicle) is already there; you’re just giving it life (making it a creature).
Understanding Crew in Magic: The Gathering
The Crew ability is a fascinating mechanic that allows you to temporarily transform your artifacts into powerful creatures. It’s a cornerstone of many Magic: The Gathering (MTG) strategies, providing versatility and strategic depth to deck building and gameplay. However, the nuances of the Crew ability can sometimes lead to confusion, especially when interactions with other rules and abilities are involved. Let’s break down the basics.
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Crew Defined: Crew is an activated ability found on Vehicle cards. The ability “Crew N” means “Tap any number of untapped creatures you control with total power N or greater: This permanent becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.”
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Activation Timing: You can activate the Crew ability at any time you could cast an instant, meaning you can do it in response to your opponent’s actions. This makes Vehicles versatile defensive options, allowing you to turn them into blockers when needed.
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Staying Power: Once you’ve crewed a vehicle, it remains an artifact creature until the end of the turn, even if the creatures you tapped to crew it leave the battlefield. This is because the effect is applied directly to the vehicle itself.
The Importance of Knowing the Rules
Knowing the precise rulings regarding Crew is crucial for competitive play and avoiding misplays. Incorrect assumptions can cost you games, especially in formats where Vehicles are prevalent. For example, mistaking crewing for an “enters the battlefield” trigger could lead you to expect an effect that will never happen, impacting your strategic decisions. You can check out the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org for more educational information about games.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Crewing
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about crewing, providing further clarity and addressing common points of confusion:
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Can you crew a vehicle when it enters the battlefield?
Yes! Because the Crew ability doesn’t require tapping the vehicle itself, you can tap other untapped creatures, even ones that just entered the battlefield that turn (or even another animated vehicle), to crew it. Just remember, you can’t both crew the vehicle and attack with the creatures you used to crew it, as tapping them to crew takes priority.
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Does crewing a vehicle trigger “enters the battlefield” effects?
Absolutely not. The vehicle is already on the battlefield. Crewing simply changes its type temporarily.
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Does crewing a vehicle count as a creature coming into play?
No. Again, it’s an existing artifact changing into an artifact creature. No new creature is entering the battlefield.
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Can you crew a vehicle to defend?
Yes, you can crew a vehicle in response to an attack, before the declare blockers step. This allows you to turn it into a creature and declare it as a blocker.
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Does crew get around summoning sickness?
Interestingly, yes. The creatures you tap to crew can have summoning sickness, as the vehicle itself is the creature attacking or blocking, not the creatures used to crew it. The summoning sickness rules apply only to creatures, not to the act of tapping them for an ability.
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Do vehicles with crew have summoning sickness?
A vehicle will have summoning sickness if you haven’t controlled it continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn, after it becomes a creature. If it was already on the battlefield and you crew it, that’s fine. If you played it this turn, it has summoning sickness.
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Can you crew a tapped vehicle?
Yes, you can crew a tapped or untapped vehicle. However, crewing a tapped vehicle won’t untap it. If it’s tapped, it cannot attack or block, even after you crew it.
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Can vehicles crew themselves?
No, not anymore. A rules change specifically prevents a vehicle from crewing itself.
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Can I Crew on my opponent’s turn?
Yes! You can activate the Crew ability whenever you could cast an instant. This allows for strategic plays on your opponent’s turn, especially if you have creatures with vigilance.
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Can Planeswalkers Crew vehicles?
Only if the Planeswalker is a creature. If a Planeswalker has been animated into a creature, it can be tapped to crew a vehicle just like any other creature.
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Is crewing instant speed?
You can activate the Crew ability at instant speed, meaning whenever you could cast an instant spell. This provides tactical flexibility during your opponent’s turn.
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Does blinking cause summoning sickness?
Yes. If you “blink” a creature (exile it and return it to the battlefield), it’s treated as a new creature and will have summoning sickness unless you’ve controlled it continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn after it returns. This is important to note since you may use blinking effects with creatures that will be tapped for Crew purposes.
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Do incubate tokens have summoning sickness?
When you transform an Incubator token into a Phyrexian creature, it will have summoning sickness if the token entered the battlefield this turn. If the token entered on a previous turn, the transformed creature can attack immediately.
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Does Deathtouch work on vehicles?
Yes, if the Vehicle is a creature. If a creature with Deathtouch deals damage to a crewed vehicle, the vehicle will be destroyed, as Deathtouch effects trigger on damage dealt to creatures. The tapped creatures are not affected.
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Can you crew the same vehicle twice?
Yes! You can crew a vehicle multiple times in a turn, provided you have the necessary creatures to tap and pay the crew cost each time.
By understanding these rules and FAQs, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the complexities of the Crew ability and make informed decisions in your MTG games. The Crew ability offers a unique blend of offense and defense, making it a versatile tool in any player’s arsenal.