Batallion and removing creatures from combat?
Asked by Yananas 11 years ago
So I was playing a casual game with a friend just now. I attacked him with Boros Elite and two other creatures (it were Burning-Tree Emissary 's, but that's not really relevant). He flashed in a Hollowhenge Spirit , removing one of my Burning-Tree Emissary from combat. He then blocked my Boros Elite with it, saying it would not have batallion since I was now only attacking with two. I thought it would have batallion since at the attack declaration, there were 3 attackers and thus batallion had already triggered. Now I'm wondering what really happened.
Timekeeper says... Accepted answer #2
The easiest way to think about this is that the act of attacking only happens once: at the "declare attackers" step. Battalion triggers when attackers are declared. After the "declare attackers" step players are given the option to use instant speed spells or creatures with flash, and then the game moves to the "declare blockers" step.
So this is how your situation goes down:
Combat phase begins.
The "declare attackers" step begins. You: Declare three attackers. The "declare attackers" step ends.
Boros Elite 's battalion triggers, giving him +2/+2.
Hollowhenge Spirit is cast, naming Burning-Tree Emissary .
No one else having anything to do, the "declare blockers" step begins. He: Declares Hollowhenge Spirit as blocking Boros Elite . The "declare blockers" step ends.
Combat damage is now assigned. Boros Elite deals 3 damage to Hollowhenge Spirit , which deals 2 damage in return. The unblocked Burning-Tree Emissary deals 2 damage to your opponent.
Combat phase ends.
May 14, 2013 6:57 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #3
Battalion only checks the number of attacking creatures at the time it would trigger, when you declare attackers. If it re-checked right before it started to resolve then it would be written with an "intervening if clause", probably looking something like: "Whenever this attacks, if at least two other creatures also attack, stuff happens". Because it isn't written like that, it only checks once, and removing an attacking creature from combat won't prevent the trigger from resolving.
May 14, 2013 7:22 p.m.
Basically, if your opponent wants to short-circuit your battalion by using Hollowhenge Spirit , he would have to do so before the declare attackers step, during your upkeep/draw steps, your first main phase, or the beginning of combat step. Once the declare attackers step begins, he can't do anything until after you declare attackers, at which point you've triggered Battalion which will resolve independently of its source.
In short, he can totally remove Burning-Tree Emissary after you declare your attack, but it won't negate the Battalion trigger on Boros Elite .
May 14, 2013 9:45 p.m.
@Kogarashi Hollowhenge Spirit only removes creatures from combat so there's no way of disabling batallion with it.
Yananas says... #1
Sorry for the typo's, apparently it's Battalion*
May 14, 2013 6:51 p.m.