Hi all,
So after playing this game for 25+ years something that I should know by heart led to a rules misunderstanding yesterday. The situation:
My opponent attacks me with a 3/3 menace.
i double block with a 3/3 and a 2/2.
My opponent assigns his damage to the 3/3.
Before damage is dealt I use an instant (can't remember the name) that gives my 3/3 +1/+1 and indestructible until end of turn.
In response to my spell, my opponent Lightning Strikes my 3/3.
And here is when it gets confusing because my opponent says the damage of his creature will now be done to the 2/2 while given the 3/3 is gone but I tought the damage once assigned cannot be changed anymore. I mean if you can change damage this way how do you use combat tricks in double blocks effectively?
Could someone please explain what the correct outcome of this situation is and more importantly, why?
Combat tricks with double blocks and damage assignment
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- Ertai Planeswalker
- Posts: 143
- Joined: 4 years ago
- Pronoun: he / him
- Location: Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
Accepted Answer
The combat steps are:
I will call out that if your combat trick had succeeded and your 3/3 creature were grown to a 4/4 indestructible, then your opponent would have been forced to assign 3 points of damage to it, and both it and the 2/2 would have survived. On the flip side, if you hadn't used a combat trick and given your opponent priority, then the trade would have gone through, and both their 3/3 and your 3/3 would have died - they wouldn't have the opportunity to do something like Giant Growth their creature, because they already passed priority.
Go to full post- Start of combat
- Declare attackers
- Declare blockers
- Combat damage
- End of combat
I will call out that if your combat trick had succeeded and your 3/3 creature were grown to a 4/4 indestructible, then your opponent would have been forced to assign 3 points of damage to it, and both it and the 2/2 would have survived. On the flip side, if you hadn't used a combat trick and given your opponent priority, then the trade would have gone through, and both their 3/3 and your 3/3 would have died - they wouldn't have the opportunity to do something like Giant Growth their creature, because they already passed priority.
The combat steps are:
I will call out that if your combat trick had succeeded and your 3/3 creature were grown to a 4/4 indestructible, then your opponent would have been forced to assign 3 points of damage to it, and both it and the 2/2 would have survived. On the flip side, if you hadn't used a combat trick and given your opponent priority, then the trade would have gone through, and both their 3/3 and your 3/3 would have died - they wouldn't have the opportunity to do something like Giant Growth their creature, because they already passed priority.
- Start of combat
- Declare attackers
- Declare blockers
- Combat damage
- End of combat
I will call out that if your combat trick had succeeded and your 3/3 creature were grown to a 4/4 indestructible, then your opponent would have been forced to assign 3 points of damage to it, and both it and the 2/2 would have survived. On the flip side, if you hadn't used a combat trick and given your opponent priority, then the trade would have gone through, and both their 3/3 and your 3/3 would have died - they wouldn't have the opportunity to do something like Giant Growth their creature, because they already passed priority.
You appear to have overlooked a change that happened in 2009, so that combat damage no longer uses the stack:Ertai Planeswalker wrote: ↑1 year agoCould someone please explain what the correct outcome of this situation is and more importantly, why?
https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/a ... 2009-06-10
Here is the sequence for what happened in your game:510. Combat Damage Step
510.1. First, the active player announces how each attacking creature assigns its combat damage, then the defending player announces how each blocking creature assigns its combat damage. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. A player assigns a creature's combat damage according to the following rules:
510.2. Second, all combat damage that's been assigned is dealt simultaneously. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. No player has the chance to cast spells or activate abilities between the time combat damage is assigned and the time it's dealt.
- Opponent's combat phase begins. Beginning of combat step begins.
- Opponent gets priority and passes.
- You get priority and pass.
- Beginning of combat step ends.
- Declare attackers step begins.
- Opponent declares Veinwitch Coven (or whatever) as an attacking creature and taps it.
- Opponent gets priority and passes.
- You get priority and pass.
- Declare attackers step ends.
- Declare blockers step begins.
- You declare your 3/3 and 2/2 as blockers for Veinwitch Coven.
- Opponent declares the damage assignment order for the Veinwitch Coven: First the 3/3 then the 2/2.
- Opponent gets priority and passes.
- You get priority and cast Mortal's Resolve (or whatever). You choose your 3/3 as the target and pay the cost using obtained in an unspecified way.
- You get priority and pass.
- Opponent gets priority and casts Lightning Strike. Opponent chooses your 3/3 as the target and pays the cost using obtained in an unspecified way.
- Opponent gets priority and passes.
- You get priority and pass.
- The top object on the stack (the spell cast in step 16) resolves. Lightning Strike deals 3 damage to your 3/3. Lightning Strike goes to opponent's graveyard.
- Opponent would get priority, but there is a state-based action to perform. Your 3/3 has lethal damage and is destroyed.
- Opponent gets priority and passes.
- You get priority and pass.
- The top object on the stack (the spell cast in step 14) resolves. But its only target is gone, so instead it just goes to your graveyard.
- Opponent gets priority and passes.
- You get priority and pass.
- Declare blockers step ends.
- Combat damage step begins
- Opponent assigns damage from the Veinwitch Coven to its remaining blockers: 3 damage to your 2/2. You assign 2 damage from your 2/2 to the Veinwitch Coven.
- Combat damage is dealt as assigned. Veinwitch Coven deals 3 damage to your 2/2 as your 2/2 deals 2 damage to Veinwitch Coven.
- Opponent would get priority, but there is a state-based action to perform. Your 2/2 has lethal damage and is destroyed.
- Opponent gets priority and ....
Why bother with mere rulings when so many answers can be found in the Rules?
- Ertai Planeswalker
- Posts: 143
- Joined: 4 years ago
- Pronoun: he / him
- Location: Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
Thanks for clarifying this. I knew damage did not use the stack anymore, but somehow I couldn't figure this one out.