Can the attacking player reorder blockers?
Asked by ptownazkikr 5 years ago
I attack with a 6/6 and it gets double blocked by a 4/4 and a 2/2. I decide to deal damage to the 4/4 first and then to the 2/2. My opponent then casts and resolves a spell that gives the 4/4 +3/+3, making it a 7/7. Am I able to reorder the blockers to instead damage the 2/2 before damaging the 7/7?
Tyrant-Thanatos says... #2
Your opponent never gets an opportunity to cast or resolve a spell or ability. No player receives priority between combat damage assignment and damage being dealt. There is a round of priority during the Declare Blockers step, after blockers have been declared, and there is a round of priority during the Combat Damage step, after combat damage has been dealt.
October 27, 2018 5:34 p.m. Edited.
Damage assignment order happens during the declare blockers step, immediately after blockers are declared. I think that's what OP was talking about "deciding to deal damage to the 4/4 first." This would be before priority happens during the declare blockers step.
So the blockers are ordered so that the 4/4 is going to be dealt damage first. Then the opponent casts Giant Growth or similar when they receive priority. OP wanted to reorder the blockers so they could take out the 2/2 first instead, which isn't doable.
October 27, 2018 7:41 p.m.
Tyrant-Thanatos says... #4
Ah okay I see. I had this mixed up with the damage assignment during the combat damage step.
Kogarashi says... Accepted answer #1
Once the damage order has been set, you can't rearrange it to respond to a buff spell played on one of your opponent's creatures. You would have to find a way to buff your 6/6 somehow in order to be able to assign lethal damage to the 7/7 before your creature can even touch the 2/2 (whether through your own buff like Titanic Growth, some deathtouch effect like Status, or other things), or remove the 7/7 from combat somehow (like Unexplained Disappearance).
October 27, 2018 3:37 p.m.