Midnight Crusader Shuttle is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Midnight Entity — Whenever this Vehicle attacks, defending player faces a villainous choice — That player sacrifices a creature of their choice, or you gain control of a creature of your choice that player controls until end of turn. If you gain control of a creature this way, tap it, and it's attacking that player. Crew 2
Complete guide
The Midnight Crusader Shuttle is a powerful Vehicle that forces your opponents into a lose-lose situation every time it swings into combat. By utilizing the 'Villainous Choice' mechanic, it ensures that your attack is always backed by a devastating moral dilemma for your foes. Whether they lose a permanent or temporarily lose control of their best blocker, the Shuttle keeps the pressure high.
Understanding the Villainous Choice
When Midnight Crusader Shuttle attacks, the defending player must choose between two options: sacrificing a creature they choose, or allowing you to take control of a creature you choose until the end of the turn. This choice is made by the defending player, but if they choose the latter, you gain the benefit of an extra attacker that is immediately tapped and attacking them. Crucially, a player can choose an option even if they cannot fully fulfill it; for instance, a player with no creatures can choose to sacrifice a creature, resulting in nothing happening.
Resolution Step-by-Step
First, the Shuttle must be crewed and declared as an attacker during the Declare Attackers step. Once it is legal, the 'Midnight Entity' ability triggers and goes on the stack. Upon resolution, the defending player first chooses which path to take. If they choose sacrifice, they pick a creature and put it into their graveyard. If they choose the second option, you then choose a creature they control. That creature shifts to your control, becomes tapped, and is suddenly an attacking creature. Because it 'becomes' attacking rather than being 'declared' as an attacker, it bypasses restrictions like defender.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is assuming that taking control of a creature triggers 'whenever a creature attacks' abilities. Since the creature you gain control of enters the attacking state after the Declare Attackers step has already passed, those specific triggers will not fire. Additionally, remember that if you gain control of a creature, it stays under your control until the end of the turn, even if the Shuttle is destroyed or the creature is removed from combat.
When to Deploy the Shuttle
The Shuttle is most effective when your opponent has a single high-value blocker or a creature you desperately want to use against them. Since you choose which creature to take if they select the second option, you can effectively clear a path for the Shuttle itself. It is also a fantastic tool for triggering 'leaves the battlefield' effects on your opponent's side if they are forced to sacrifice their own utility creatures.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf your opponent controls Solemn Simulacrum and chooses to let you take control of a creature, you can pick the Simulacrum. It becomes tapped and attacking your opponent. At the end of the turn, control reverts to them. However, if they choose to sacrifice it instead, they will get to draw a card from its 'dies' trigger, but they lose their blocker immediately.
Commander's SphereWhile Commander's Sphere cannot crew the Shuttle alone (as it is not a creature), you might use the mana it generates to cast a creature to help pay the Crew 2 cost. Once the Shuttle attacks and the ability triggers, if the opponent has no creatures, they can still choose to 'sacrifice a creature.' In this case, the choice is made, nothing is sacrificed, and the ability finishes resolving with no effect.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Midnight Crusader Shuttle
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
When a creature becomes attacking this way, it wasn't declared as an attacker, so triggered abilities that trigger when a creature attacks won't trigger. Similar, all restrictions or costs to attack are ignored. For example, if the chosen creature has defender, it could still end up being an attacking creature this way.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
When a player faces a villainous choice, they first choose one of the two options, then all actions in the chosen option are performed.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell or ability requires multiple players to face a villainous choice, the result is a little different from other effects in Magic. In that case, the first player in turn order makes their choice and the action for that choice is performed before the next player makes their choice. Then each of the remaining players repeat this process in turn order.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
A player facing a villainous choice can always choose either option, even if one or both of the options are impossible. For example, if one of the options is to sacrifice a creature, a player who controls no creatures can still choose that option.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Midnight Crusader Shuttle
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