Skip to content
Mukotai Ambusher, art by Raymond Swanland
Art by Raymond Swanland · ™ & © Wizards of the Coast · image via Scryfall
Selected printing · USD
$0.24
checked Jun 14, 2026 · Scryfall
Scryfall page →

Mukotai Ambusher

{3}{B} · Artifact Creature — Rat Ninja

Ninjutsu {1}{B} ({1}{B}, Return an unblocked attacker you control to hand: Put this card onto the battlefield from your hand tapped and attacking.) Lifelink

Rulings (7)

Feb 18, 2022 · 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).

Feb 18, 2022 · 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.

Feb 18, 2022 · The creature with ninjutsu enters the battlefield attacking the same player or planeswalker that the returned creature was attacking. This is a rule specific to ninjutsu; in other cases, when a creature is put onto the battlefield attacking, that creature's controller chooses which player or planeswalker it's attacking.

Feb 18, 2022 · The ninjutsu ability can be activated only after blockers have been declared. Before then, attacking creatures are neither blocked nor unblocked.

Feb 18, 2022 · The ninjutsu ability can be activated during the declare blockers step, combat damage step, or end of combat step. In most cases (see below), if you wait until the combatdamage step or end of combat step, it will be after combat damage has been dealt, so the Ninja won't deal combat damage.

Feb 18, 2022 · As you activate a ninjutsu ability, you reveal the Ninja card in your hand and return the attacking creature. The Ninja card stays revealed and isn't put onto the battlefield until the ability resolves. If it leaves your hand before then, it won't enter the battlefield at all.

Feb 18, 2022 · Puff of smoke not included.

LegacyLegal
VintageLegal
ModernLegal
PioneerLegal
StandardNot legal
PauperLegal
PremodernNot legal
cEDHLegal

Where it’s played now

Inclusion by archetype · Pauper

% of archetype's lists running it · last 30 days · n=88 decks
ArchetypeFormatInclusionCopiesDecks (n)
Esper AffinityPauper100%2
Cat AltarPauper100%1
Esper MidrangePauper100%1
Dimir FaeriesPauper80.3%1–2×71
Orzhov MidrangePauper30.8%2–4×13
Data as of Jun 14, 2026 · MTGO + papercasthaven.com

Price

Mukotai Ambusher — price trend

Daily cheapest printing · USD · last 90 days · n=2 snapshots
Data as of Jun 14, 2026 · Scryfallcasthaven.com

Recent qualifying decks