Blinking creatures that have been declared attackers or blockers.
Asked by CandyAngel 7 years ago
I'm seeking a little clarification on what happens when you blink (with Momentary Blink specifically) a creature that has been declared as an attacker or blocker. I'm particularly wondering about with Geist of Saint Traft. Can you call him to attack, blink him, and the angel remains to attack while Graft is safe from other defenders?
I'm also curious about declaring Fiend Hunter to block, blinking him, and exiling an opponent's attacking creature. Is this ever a good idea? What happens to all the damage?
Thanks for your time in helping a confused noobie.
Wait derp, you're attacking with Geist. so don't mind the trample comment.
June 27, 2016 10:43 a.m.
Rhadamanthus says... Accepted answer #3
A creature will get removed from combat if it either changes control or leaves the battlefield during combat. This means it won't deal or be dealt any combat damage. Any blocks that have already been declared will still be in place, even though the blocking creature isn't there anymore. As omalike pointed out, the blocked attacker won't deal any combat damage to the defending player unless it has trample.
June 27, 2016 11:32 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #4
When an attacking or blocking creature leaves the battlefield or changes controllers, it's removed from combat. That creature won't deal or receive combat damage.
Note, however, that once an attacking creature is blocked, it remains blocked for the rest of combat.
Blinking Geist of Saint Traft will not affect the Angel token.
Blocking with a creature and then blinking that creature will cause the attacker to remain blocked, even though the blocking creature has been removed from combat.
June 27, 2016 11:32 a.m.
CandyAngel says... #5
Very helpful responses and confirms what I've been starting to suspect. The game seems to define blocking and attacking as the act of declaring them, so it's irrelevant if the creature is there to follow through on the act (correct me if I'm wrong).
But in regards to Fiend Hunter, let's say I only have him available to defend, and my opponent has a nothing special 4/3 flyer and a 2/2 deathtouch ground creature. My opponent declares both to attack. If I declare Hunter as a defender against the 2/2 deathtouch and then cast blink to blink Hunter, and upon his return, I exile the attacking flyer (allowing whatever Hunter was exiling before to come back of course), what happens? I know the 2 damage from the deathtouch creature is blocked, but did I save Fiend Hunter? Did he get any damage at all? What about the flyer's damage?
Thank you all for your responses so far. Y'all are wonderful.
June 27, 2016 12:17 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #6
It is very relevant whether or not an attacking or blocking creature is still in combat when it's time to assign and deal combat damage. A creature that isn't actually in combat can't deal or be dealt combat damage.
As we described, Fiend Hunter is removed from combat when it leaves the battlefield, as is the creature it targeted in your example. Neither of them will deal or be dealt any combat damage. The blocked creature is still blocked (even though the blocking creature has disappeared), so it also won't deal any damage to you.
June 27, 2016 1:11 p.m.
CandyAngel says... #7
I think I've got it now. I worded that badly, but it makes sense now.
Except for this."also with fiend hunter you can play him, exile a creature then cloudshift him before his second sentence goes off and exile a second creature, the first creature exiled will be exiled forever."
Is this true? How does this work? When fiend hunter leaves, wouldn't the first exiles creature return?
June 27, 2016 1:21 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #8
What that person said was about a different kind of trick you can do with Fiend Hunter and Cloudshift that doesn't apply to your question. It involves playing around with the different triggered abilities on the card and the fact that they're linked to each other.
When Fiend Hunter enters the battlefield, his ETB ability triggers and you choose a target for it. Before the ability resolves, you can respond by casting Cloudshift on the Hunter. As Cloudshift resolves his LTB ability triggers, then his ETB ability triggers again and you choose a different target for this one.
It doesn't really matter what order you put the new triggers onto the stack. The new ETB will exile something, but the LTB won't return anything from exile to the battlefield, because it's linked to the original ETB trigger that hasn't resolved yet. When the original ETB finally resolves, the target will be put into exile. It won't return to the battlefield if Fiend Hunter leaves again, because the LTB linked to the ability that put it there doesn't exist anymore (changing zones made Fiend Hunter a new game object).
omalike says... #1
Funny thing, I just build a flicker deck Blink but in your first question, so long as the attacking creature doesn't have trample you can blink Geist of Saint Traft and the angel will stay, attack then vanish. personally Cloudshift is just an amazing card for any type of blink/flicker, also with fiend hunter you can play him, exile a creature then cloudshift him before his second sentence goes off and exile a second creature, the first creature exiled will be exiled forever.
June 27, 2016 10:42 a.m.