Goblin Sharpshooter
Asked by RainbowDevil 6 years ago
Hey all,
Just to clarify, am I correct in assuming there is no delay between when one creature is dealt damage in combat and the next is? So, no effect or spell can be activated between one creature dying/getting injured and the next?
My main reason for asking, is the Goblin Sharpshooter. Let's say I tap him to cause one damage to a creature, and then attack with my creatures (or the opponent does). If 5 creatures die, I can't untap him (and then tap him again) in between each creature dying and the next, thus resulting in 5 extra shots with him since 5 creatures died?
Regards,RD
Gidgetimer says... #2
You are correct in assuming that all combat damage is dealt at the same time and all of the creatures will die at the same time. You are incorrect in assuming that Goblin Sharpshooter untaps immediately upon a creature dying and that this mass extinction will only untap him once. Goblin Sharpshooter's untap ability is a triggered ability that will trigger for each creature dying and each of the triggers can be responded to. So while you can not tap him between creatures dying for 5 extra damage, you can tap him between untap triggers resolving for 5 extra damage in this scenario.
September 29, 2017 10:29 p.m.
RainbowDevil says... #3
Hmm... I'm a little bit confused about this then. I can understand that the untapping would trigger five times - once for each creature that died - however if there's no delay between when Goblin A dies and Goblin B dies, how can he then use his tapping ability to do one damage to someone else for each death? Even if the argument is that the tapping is an interrupt, that'd therefore make his tapping take place before the very event that enabled him to untap in the first place, no? Perhaps I'm looking at it in too linear a fashion? I do find the new dynamics (well, new as in before I stopped playing - 1998) a little confusing! If what you say about him being able to do one damage per creature that died in this situation, he's even more powerful than I thought! Yay for the Goblin Sharpshooter! :D
September 30, 2017 1:13 a.m.
chosenone124 says... #4
Here's what happens.
Combat damage step: 5 creatures have been dealt lethal combat damage.
Game checks state based actions. Game notes that 5 creatures have lethal damage marked on them and forces them to die.
Goblin Sharpshooter notes each creature as it dies, triggering once for each. At this stage, triggering doesn't do anything. It just notes it down.
The game checks for state based actions. It notes that nothing needs to be done.
5 triggers of Goblin Sharpshooter's untap are placed on the stack in any order the owner wishes.
Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
September 30, 2017 5:41 a.m. Edited.
The top untap ability resolves, then the active player gets priority and can cast an instant or activate an ability. This is where you'll activate Goblin Sharpshooter (or a moment later when the active player passes priority to you). Then both players will pass priority and the damage ability will resolve. Both players will pass priority again and the new top untap ability will resolve and the whole thing will repeat itself until the stack is empty. In total 5 extra damage should be dealt, but if this results in more creatures dying there will be more untap triggers and more damage.
September 30, 2017 11:08 a.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #6
The key thing to keep in mind is that the "creature died" event just causes the ability to trigger, not to immediately resolve. Multiple spells and abilities can't resolve simultaneously. They have to be handled one at a time, and after one of them resolves everyone is allowed to make more responses before the next one starts resolving.
Rhadamanthus says... Accepted answer #1
Well, it's true that combat damage is all dealt simultaneously (except when first strike or double strike is involved) but it turns out that doesn't matter for your actual question.
Goblin Sharpshooter's triggered ability (a triggered ability starts with "when", "whenever", or "at") will trigger every time a creature dies. If 5 creatures die simultaneously then the ability will trigger 5 times. The triggers have to be put onto the stack separately and be resolved separately from each other. In-between each trigger resolving, you can activate Goblin Sharpshooter's last ability to deal 1 damage to something.
September 29, 2017 10:25 p.m.