How late can a ninjutsu cost be paid?
Asked by AcryiA 6 years ago
If a creature is not declared as blocked during the declare blockers step, it is considered not to be blocked. Would it be possible to resolve combat damage, putting any triggers from that damage being dealt on the stack, and then return that creature to it's owner's hand via a ninjutsu ability? The ninja card would not assign any combat damage.
Rhadamanthus says... #2
Yes, that works. The creature will be considered an "unblocked attacking creature" through the end of the End of Combat step. Once the Post-Combat Main Phase starts, it's too late.
September 20, 2017 5:36 p.m.
chosenone124 says... #3
Hey Rhadamanthus, I wanna do a quick check in this. If you attack with an unblocked Master of Cruelties, can you let him do his first strike hit (for 0), then Ninjutsu Ninja of the Deep Hours in for lethal?
September 20, 2017 5:40 p.m.
Tyrant-Thanatos says... #4
chosenone124 That should work. First strike essentially creates an entire second combat damage step, during which there is a round of priority where you could ninjutsu in before the regular damage step.
September 20, 2017 6:33 p.m.
Tyrant-Thanatos says... #5
On second thought, First strike isn't even relevant. Master of Cruelties triggers when he's "attacked and isn't blocked" which would be during the Declare Blockers step, after blockers are declared. You could ninjutsu at that point, either in response to his triggered ability, or after it has resolved. Which happens even before First strike matters.
September 20, 2017 7:49 p.m. Edited.
Rhadamanthus says... #6
Confirming Tyrant-Thanatos' 2nd post. You can do it any time in-between Master of Cruelties' trigger getting put onto the stack and "regular" combat damage being dealt.
chosenone124 says... Accepted answer #1
It can be activated whenever you have a valid attacking creature that is unblocked. You can use it in declare attackers (after declaring attacks), declare blockers (after blocks have been declared), combat damage, or end of combat. Not before or after.
Of course, if you use it a during combat damage or later the combat damage will be calculated as if the original unblocked creature dealt the damage. IF you look at how the combat damage step works:
510.1 Attacking player tells board how he wants to assign damage. Then the defending player announces.
510.2 The damage is dealt
510.3 You get priority. Wanna ninjutsu it up?
September 20, 2017 5:35 p.m. Edited.