Crew — what does it mean?
Tap creatures with total power equal to or greater than the crew number to turn this Vehicle into a creature that can attack and block this turn.
Crew appears on 186 cards.
How does Crew work?
Crew appears on Vehicles: artifacts that normally aren't creatures (rule 702.122). ‘Crew 3’ means: tap any number of other untapped creatures you control with total power 3 or more, and this Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn. It's an activated ability that uses the stack, and you can activate it any time you have priority, including on your opponent's turn to block.
Tapping for crew isn't a tap ability of those creatures. That means summoning-sick creatures can crew. The Vehicle itself does care about summoning sickness: to attack, it has to have been under your control since your turn began. The creatures that crew become tapped, so they can't attack this turn and can't block until they untap. You can tap more power than you need, and a creature with 0 power can join in but adds nothing.
A Vehicle can't crew itself, since the ability says ‘other’ creatures. A Vehicle that's already crewed is a creature, though, so it can crew another Vehicle. You can also activate crew when the Vehicle is already a creature, for example to trigger an ability that cares about it becoming crewed. Because a Vehicle usually isn't a creature outside your turn, it dodges removal and sweepers that only hit creatures. Crewing at the beginning of combat rather than in your main phase gives your opponent less room to answer it with sorcery-speed removal.
An example at the table
You have a 4/4 Vehicle with crew 3 that's been on the battlefield since last turn. This turn you cast a 2/2, and you already had a 1/1. At the beginning of combat you tap the 2/2 (summoning sickness doesn't matter) and the 1/1: 3 total power. The ability goes on the stack and resolves, and the Vehicle is now a 4/4 artifact creature that attacks. At end of turn it's just an artifact again. Without vigilance it stays tapped until your next untap step.
Cards with Crew
Hedge ShredderIllustration: Cristi Balanescu
Smuggler's CopterIllustration: Florian de Gesincourt
Imposter MechIllustration: Andrew Mar
Shorikai, Genesis EngineIllustration: Wisnu Tan
The IndomitableIllustration: Samuel PerinCommon mistakes
- Thinking summoning-sick creatures can't crew. They can; crew isn't a tap ability of the creature itself.
- Thinking a Vehicle you cast this turn can attack once crewed. The Vehicle itself has summoning sickness.
- Thinking you need exactly the crew number. You need at least that much power; more is fine.
- Thinking a crewed Vehicle stays a creature until your next turn. It only lasts until end of turn.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I crew on my opponent's turn to block?
- Yes. Crew works any time you have priority, so you can crew before blockers are declared.
- Can summoning-sick creatures crew?
- Yes. Tapping for crew isn't a tap ability of those creatures.
- Can a crewed Vehicle crew another Vehicle?
- Yes. It's a creature then, so it can count for another Vehicle, but never for itself.
- Does a creature with 0 power count?
- You can tap it, but it contributes 0 power.
Official rule: Comprehensive Rules 702.122. More on where this rulebook comes from under Sources.
Often seen with
FlyingTrampleVigilanceHasteTreasure
Which cards with Crew do you own? →
Last updated: 26 October 2026