Ninja of the Deep Hours

Ninja of the Deep Hours was originally introduced in the 2005 Betrayers of Kamigawa expansion, designed to highlight the Ninjutsu mechanic, which allows players to swap an attacking creature with a ninja from their hand. The design intent was to create a tempo-focused card that rewarded players for landing direct hits on their opponents, granting them the ability to draw cards as a reward for successful strikes. It quickly became a staple in blue-black deck archetypes due to its efficiency and ability to generate consistent card advantage throughout a match.

The Planechase 2012 printing features updated card frames consistent with the set's release, which focused on the multidimensional nature of the Magic: The Gathering multiverse. Illustrated by Daren Bader, the artwork captures the stealthy, aquatic aesthetic of the Kamigawa ninjas, emphasizing their role as elusive shadows of the deep. Within the competitive community, the card is widely regarded as one of the most effective common-rarity creatures ever printed for constructed formats, maintaining its popularity among players who favor interactive and sneaky gameplay styles.