Emergency Holographic CrewHow it works & interactions with other cards

Choosing Your Protocol

When Emergency Holographic Crew enters the battlefield, you must choose one of its two modes. The first mode targets a Spacecraft card in your graveyard to return to your hand, which requires a valid target as you put the ability on the stack. The second mode, Surveil 2, allows you to look at the top two cards of your library and decide their placement without needing any specific targets.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, the creature enters the battlefield, and its triggered ability is placed on the stack. You select your mode at this time; if you chose the first mode, you must declare the specific Spacecraft card you are targeting. When the ability resolves, you either move that card from the graveyard to your hand or perform the surveil action. If you surveil, you look at the top two cards and choose to put zero, one, or both into your graveyard, then return the rest to the top of your library in any order.

Timing and Strategy

Since this is an 'enters' trigger, it is most effective when you have ways to blink or recur the Holographic Crew. Use the Spacecraft retrieval mode when your key vehicles have been destroyed, or use the surveil mode early in the game to fix your mana draws or find specific answers to your opponent's threats.

Common Mistakes

A common error is trying to target a Spacecraft card that was put into the graveyard during the resolution of the Surveil 2 mode. Because you must choose the mode and target when the ability first triggers, you cannot use the surveil result to 'find' a target for the same ability instance. Additionally, remember that while this is an Illusion, it does not have the 'sacrifice when targeted' keyword common to many older Illusion creatures.

Interaction examples

Doubling the Crew's Efficiency

Roaming Throne

If you control Roaming Throne with 'Officer' or 'Illusion' chosen as the creature type, Emergency Holographic Crew's ability triggers an additional time. You can choose different modes for each trigger, such as returning a Spacecraft with the first and surveilling with the second.

Generating Value on Entry

Solemn Simulacrum

While these two cards don't have a direct keyword synergy, playing them in sequence allows you to stabilize your board. Solemn Simulacrum thins a land from your deck, increasing the likelihood that when you play Emergency Holographic Crew and choose Surveil 2, you will see non-land spells to keep on top of your library.