Nautiloid ShipHow it works & interactions with other cards

What it Does

Nautiloid Ship has three main functions: it exiles a player's graveyard, it can be Crewed to become a 5/5 flyer, and it steals creatures from exile. When it enters the battlefield, you target a player and exile their entire graveyard. Later, whenever the Ship deals combat damage to a player, you can choose one of those exiled creature cards and put it directly onto your battlefield.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, when Nautiloid Ship enters, its triggered ability goes on the stack. You choose a target player, and their graveyard is moved to the exile zone. Second, you must use the Crew 3 ability to turn the Ship into a creature. Third, if the Ship deals combat damage to a player (any player, not just the one whose graveyard was exiled), its last ability triggers. At this point, you choose a creature card exiled by this specific Ship and put it onto the battlefield under your control.

Common Mistakes

The most important rule to remember is that the 'memory' of the Ship is tied to that specific instance on the battlefield. If Nautiloid Ship leaves the battlefield and returns, it is considered a new object. You cannot use the new Ship to put creatures into play that were exiled by the 'old' Ship. Additionally, the combat damage trigger only lets you pick cards currently in exile that were specifically put there by the Ship's enters-the-battlefield ability.

When to Play it

This card is best used against opponents who rely on their graveyard for value or reanimation. Since it has Flying, it is relatively easy to connect with an opponent's life total to trigger the recruitment ability. It provides excellent card advantage by using your opponent's best threats against them.

Interaction examples

Recruiting the Golem

Solemn Simulacrum

If your opponent has a Solemn Simulacrum in their graveyard, you can exile it when Nautiloid Ship enters. After crewing the Ship and dealing combat damage to a player, you can put that Solemn Simulacrum onto the battlefield under your control. This will trigger the Golem's ability, allowing you to search for a basic land.

Solo Flight

Even without specific interactions, Nautiloid Ship serves as a 5/5 flying threat. By exiling a graveyard, you remove potential recursive threats from the game permanently, even if you never manage to deal combat damage to return them.

Timing with Commander's Sphere

Commander's Sphere

If you use Commander's Sphere to draw a card, it is put into your graveyard. If an opponent then plays Nautiloid Ship and targets you, your Sphere is exiled. However, because Commander's Sphere is an artifact and not a creature card, the Ship's combat damage ability cannot return it to the battlefield.