Does Rubblebelt Rioters ability happen after it attacks?
Asked by ScionsStillLive 4 years ago
Rubblebelt Rioters ability says "Whenever Rubblebelt Rioters attacks, it gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the greatest power among creatures you control." Does the +X/+0 happen before it attacks or after?
Yes.
More precisely, the Combat Phase is broken down into the following:
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Beginning of Combat Step: things that trigger "at the beginning of combat" trigger here. Players receive priority to cast instants or activate abilities during this step.
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Declare Attackers Step: this is where effects that trigger "whenever a creature attacks" or similar trigger. First attackers are declared, and then players receive priority. Rubblebelt Rioters will trigger if declared as an attacker here, and when that trigger resolves (in this step), it will get +X/+0.
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Declare Blockers Step: first blockers are declared and assigned, and then players receive priority. Some things trigger "whenever a creature blocks" or similar and that will happen when the blockers are declared.
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Combat Damage Step: this is when combat damage is actually dealt, and that is the first thing that happens, after which players receive priority. This is the point where Rubblebelt Rioters will actually deal damage, which will be the X they gained from their trigger unless something else has modified it. An additional combat damage step will happen if a creature involved in combat had first strike or double strike.
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End of Combat Step: players receive priority before the game moves on to the next Main Phase.
So again, technically the +X/+0 happens after the Rioters attack (because them attacking is what triggers it), but will finish resolving before they actually deal damage.
Let's say you have the Rioters, a 4/4, and a 2/2 on your side of the battlefield. You declare Rioters as an attacker. The ability triggers, and when it resolves, it gets +4/+0 because that's the greatest power among your creatures. Then your opponent gets to decide if they're blocking and with what, and then damage is dealt.
Kogarashi says... #1
The phrase "whenever [this creature] attacks" specifically refers to it being declared as an attacker during the Declare Attackers step of combat. You declare Rubblebelt Rioters as an attacker, triggering its ability. Once the ability resolves, it will get +X/+0, which happens before blockers are assigned.
So in short, it happens after it attacks, but before any other part of combat is handled.
July 4, 2019 5:02 p.m.