Priority before declaring blockers
Asked by BlueScope 9 years ago
The situation that raised the question was: Player A attacks with a few creatures, Player B wants to animate their Inkmoth Nexus to block. Player A, however, has a Lightning Strike ready to take out the animated Nexus.
Now how does this play out... Player B argued that since Player A passed priority in the spell step of the declare attackers step, they would get priority to animate their Nexus, which Player A could respond to (however obviously, Lightning Strike can't target an un-animated Nexus). When the Nexus' ability resolves, the game moves on to the declare blockers step, and Player B would get to block before Player A could damage it away.
My opinion, however, was that the active player would receive priority again after Inkmoth Nexus 's ability resolves, even though they had passed it at first. Which is the correct way?
Thanks in advance!
Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #2
To explain the sequence more fully:
Player A declares attackers
Player A receives priority and passes
Player B receives priority and activates their Inkmoth Nexus 's animation ability
Player B receives priority (the player who activated an ability or cast a spell recieves priority after the casting/activation process is complete) and passes
Player A passes and the Inkmoth Nexus becomes animate
Player A receives priority and casts Lightning Strike
Player A receives priority and passes
Player B passes and Lightning Strike resolves killing the Nexus
Player A receives priority and passes
Player B passes
The game advances to declare blockers step
Gidgetimer says... #1
Phases and steps don't advance until all players pass in succession over an empty stack. After any object on the stack resolves the active player receives priority.
August 13, 2014 2:50 p.m.