Attackers becoming defenders
Asked by kanofudo 11 years ago
Say my opponent is attacking me with a creature, a Craterhoof Behemoth say. And I decide to petrify it with Xathrid Gorgon . It becomes a defender.
What happens? Does this remove it from combat? Does it's attack finish?
You could do it before declare attacks, but that'd mean that you couldn't block as your gorgon is tapped, and I'm fairly sure epoch is right about after declare attacks.
September 4, 2013 2:01 a.m.
The only thing the keyword "Defender" does is prevent the creature from being declared as an attacker.
702.3b A creature with defender can't attack.
The rules do not remove the creature from combat. Craterhoof Behemoth will proceed through the combat phase as normal, but cannot attack in later turns unless another effect allows it to do so.
September 4, 2013 2:28 a.m.
johnnyk1299 says... #4
Once a creature is declared as an attacking creature, it will remain an attacking creature until combat ends or that creature is removed from combat by regenerating, control change, or something specifically saying "remove [ex: target creature] from combat." Giving a creature defender does none of these, so that Craterhoof Behemoth is still going to hit something. Hard.
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #1
The rules are not very clear on what happens, but I believe the creature remains in combat. Defender merely means "this creature can't attack," which, in turn, means "this creature can't be declared as an attacker." Craterhoof Behemoth was already declared as an attacker, so I don't think giving it defender will retroactively remove it from combat.
September 4, 2013 12:24 a.m.