Hixus, Prison Warden dying the same moment it has entered the battlefield?

Asked by Tomahawk-Bang 8 years ago

We did a triple ORI draft the other day and the following situation took place:

I attack with 3 creatures while my opponent has no creatures in play to block, but has 5 mana open. After attackers have been declared he spends his 5 mana to flash Hixus, Prison Warden and makes him block one of my creatures that has 5 power and thus will kill him. Nothing else happens during combat and so damage is dealt. What exactly happens now?

Will the 2 creatures that deal damage to my opponent be exiled and stay in exile because of Hixus, Prison Warden's ability? Will they be exiled and return to the battlefield immediately after? Or won't they be exiled at all? It would be nice if someone could explain this situation in a step-by-step manner.

Lame_Duck says... Accepted answer #1

Gatherer has your answer: "If Hixus leaves the battlefield before its triggered ability resolves, the creature that dealt combat damage to you won't be exiled."

1. Damage is dealt, which triggers Hixus' ability.
2. The triggered ability is put on the stack then, before anyone gains priority, state-based actions are checked and Hixus is put into the graveyard because he has lethal damage assigned to him.
3. Assuming both players pass priority without doing anything, Hixus' ability resolves and, since he is no longer on the battlefield, it doesn't do anything.

March 30, 2016 9:20 a.m.

merrowMania says... #2

Short answer: your creatures will NOT be exiled.

Long answer: from where you left off in the Declare Blockers step
There is a Hixus blocking Hollowhenge Beast (for simplicity) and there are two unblocked Soldier tokens (again for simplicity).

None of these creatures have first or double strike, so there is only one damage step. In this step, damage is dealt simultaneously, so there are two triggers from Hixus (one for each Soldier token) and a Hixus is placed in your opponent's graveyard because it had lethal damage marked on it (there is also 4 damage marked on the Beast, but that can be ignored).

When the triggers go to resolve, the condition of "...until Hixus leaves the battlefield" has already been met, so the ability does nothing (the duration already passed).

March 30, 2016 9:24 a.m. Edited.