Will sacrificing a blocking creature before damage prevent trample and/or life link?
Asked by troyfunk 8 years ago
I play abzan aristocrats and my wife plays g/w hardened scales. If I block her 6/6 Managorger Hydra with a 1/1 thopter token then sac the token to Nantuko Husk before damage does the Hydra still trample through? I don't think so because trample only works when it deals damage but I'm not sure.
Colten_Lee says... #2
702.19c: If an attacking creature with trample is blocked, but there are no creatures blocking it when damage is assigned, all its damage is assigned to the player or planeswalker it's attacking.
October 25, 2015 6:01 p.m.
dragonstryke58 says... Accepted answer #3
From the comprehensive rules regarding trample:
702.19c If an attacking creature with trample is blocked, but there are no creatures blocking it when damage is assigned, all its damage is assigned to the player or planeswalker its attacking.
Regarding the second part in your question about lifelink, if the attacking creature has lifelink (and not trample), you can sacrifice your thopter through some sac outlet to prevent you opponent's attacking creature from dealing damage and having them gain life. Their creature will be blocked and will do no damage since the creature blocking it will no longer be on the battlefield.
canterlotguardian says... #1
Wrong. Trample works when the creature assigns lethal damage, not when it deals it. If a creature with trample is blocked by a creature and then the blocking creature is sacrificed before the combat damage step, the game sees nothing in the trampler's way and it will deal its entire power worth of damage to you/a PW you control.
October 25, 2015 3:41 p.m.