Attacking Creature gaining defender

Asked by NixTheThird 9 years ago

What happens if a creature has been declared as an attacker and then gains Defender before combat damage is resolved? Does the damage still occur or is the creature now considered unable to attack?

An example of this occurring in game:

Your opponent attacks with a Grave Titan and a Geralf's Messenger. You then first declare Xathrid Gorgon as a blocker against Geralf's Messenger and then you activate Xathrid Gorgon's ability, targeting Grave Titan.

As I understand it, the damage would go through because Defender is only checked when attackers are first declared.-

Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #1

702.3b. A creature with defender can't attack.

"Can't attack" only applies to the process of declaring attackers. A creature with defender can't be declared as an attacker, but it can be an attacking creature if it gained defender after it attacked. Gaining defender doesn't change anything about an attacking creature. It remains in combat and deals (and is dealt) combat damage as it would have otherwise.

January 19, 2015 1:32 p.m.

Slycne says... #2

You are correct, defender only means that the creature can't be declared as an attacker. So an creature gaining defender mid combat won't suddenly remove it from combat.

January 19, 2015 1:33 p.m.