Does Crewing Count as Attacking in MTG?
The short, definitive answer is no, crewing does not count as attacking in Magic: The Gathering (MTG). Crewing is an activated ability that turns a Vehicle artifact into an artifact creature. While it prepares the Vehicle to potentially attack, the act of crewing itself isn’t considered an attack. The Vehicle only attacks when it is declared as an attacker during the Declare Attackers step of your turn.
To understand why, it’s crucial to break down the steps of a turn in MTG and the specific timing rules surrounding crewing.
A typical turn proceeds in the following phases:
- Beginning Phase: (Untap, Upkeep, Draw)
- Precombat Main Phase: This is where you can play lands, cast spells, and activate abilities, including crewing.
- Combat Phase:
- Beginning of Combat Step: Abilities that trigger at the beginning of combat happen here.
- Declare Attackers Step: This is where you choose which creatures (including newly crewed Vehicles) will attack.
- Declare Blockers Step: Your opponent chooses which creatures will block the attackers.
- Combat Damage Step: Combat damage is dealt simultaneously.
- End of Combat Step: Abilities that trigger at the end of combat happen here.
- Postcombat Main Phase: Another chance to play lands, cast spells, and activate abilities.
- Ending Phase: (End Step, Cleanup Step)
Crewing happens before the Declare Attackers step. You must crew a vehicle in your precombat main phase or, at the very latest, during your beginning of combat step, if you want it to attack. The act of tapping creatures to activate the Crew ability is separate from the action of declaring an attacker. Think of it as fueling up the vehicle – it’s necessary before the race, but not the race itself.
The distinction is important for several reasons:
- Triggered Abilities: Certain cards have abilities that trigger when a creature attacks. Crewing doesn’t trigger these abilities. Only actually declaring the Vehicle as an attacker does.
- Restrictions: Some effects might prevent you from attacking with certain creatures. These restrictions don’t prevent you from crewing a Vehicle with those creatures. However, if the restriction prevents the crewed Vehicle from attacking, crewing it becomes pointless for offensive purposes.
- Timing: Because crewing happens before attacking, your opponent has a chance to respond to the crewing ability with instant-speed spells or abilities before you declare attackers. They might destroy the Vehicle, tap your creatures, or otherwise disrupt your plan.
In essence, crewing is a preparatory action that allows a Vehicle to participate in combat. It doesn’t equate to an attack in the rules of MTG. This interaction highlights the importance of understanding the timing and sequencing of actions within the game.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Crewing and Attacking
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the mechanics of crewing and its relationship to attacking:
1. Can I crew a Vehicle during my opponent’s turn to block?
Yes! Crewing can be done at instant speed. So, you can crew a vehicle during your opponent’s turn before the Declare Blockers step to use it as a blocker. You must crew it before your opponent declares blockers. This makes Vehicles versatile defensive options.
2. If I crew a Vehicle and then my creature is removed, does the Vehicle stop being a creature?
Yes. The Crew ability lasts until the end of the turn. If the creatures that were tapped to Crew the Vehicle are removed from the battlefield, the Vehicle remains an artifact creature until the end of the turn.
3. Can I crew a Vehicle with a creature that has summoning sickness?
Yes. Creatures with summoning sickness can still be tapped to crew Vehicles. Summoning sickness only prevents a creature from attacking or using tap abilities the turn it enters the battlefield.
4. Does crewing a Vehicle tap the creatures permanently?
No. The creatures are only tapped as part of the cost of activating the Crew ability. They remain tapped for as long as they would normally be tapped. They are not “locked” to the Vehicle in any way.
5. If I have multiple Vehicles, can I crew them all with the same creature?
No. Each Vehicle requires its own distinct set of untapped creatures with sufficient power to activate its Crew ability. You can’t use the same creatures to crew multiple Vehicles simultaneously.
6. What happens if I crew a Vehicle with more power than required?
The extra power is irrelevant. For example, if a vehicle has Crew 1 and you tap a creature with power 5 to crew it, the extra 4 power doesn’t provide any additional benefit.
7. Can I crew a Vehicle in response to my opponent trying to destroy it?
Yes, absolutely! You can crew in response to targeted removal if you do it before the spell resolves. Turning it into a creature can make it a more difficult or impossible target, depending on the removal spell. You can use this to save your Vehicle from being destroyed by an artifact-only destruction spell.
8. Does crewing trigger abilities that trigger when a creature enters the battlefield?
No. Crewing does not cause the vehicle to enter the battlefield. It is already in play as an artifact.
9. If I control a Vehicle and a creature with “Whenever this creature attacks, draw a card,” will crewing the Vehicle trigger the draw ability?
No. Crewing itself doesn’t trigger the ability. You must declare the creature with “Whenever this creature attacks, draw a card” as an attacker for the ability to trigger.
10. If a Vehicle is already a creature due to another effect, can I still crew it?
Yes. You can crew a vehicle even if it is already a creature. Crewing will still change its power and toughness to what is printed on the Vehicle card, and the Crew ability still lasts until the end of the turn.
11. Can I use a Vehicle to crew another Vehicle?
Yes, as long as the first Vehicle has been crewed and is therefore an artifact creature. It can then be tapped (assuming it’s untapped and doesn’t have summoning sickness) to help crew another Vehicle, provided its power contributes to meeting the second Vehicle’s Crew cost.
12. Does Deathtouch apply when a Vehicle deals combat damage?
Yes, if the Vehicle is a creature (because it has been crewed). If a creature is dealt damage by a Vehicle with deathtouch, the creature is destroyed.
13. If I have a creature with a tap ability, can I use that ability and then tap it again to crew a Vehicle?
Yes, as long as you can pay the costs for both abilities.
14. What happens if a Vehicle is crewed and then loses its abilities?
If a Vehicle loses its abilities after being crewed, it will retain its artifact creature status and its power and toughness until the end of the turn, but any other abilities granted by the Vehicle card will be lost.
15. Where can I find more in-depth resources about MTG rules and strategy?
Numerous resources are available online, including the official Magic: The Gathering website, comprehensive wikis, and strategy websites. Exploring educational platforms focused on game-based learning, like the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org, can also provide insights into the cognitive skills developed through playing games like MTG.