Can I trigger a creature ability while blocking?
Asked by marvinrebong 7 years ago
Example: I am blocking a 3/3 creature with Ravenous Bloodseeker which is only 1/3. Can I trigger its discard card ability to make it 3/1 enough to kill the attacking creature as well? Same goes with Heir of Falkenrath Flip
The Combat Phase is made up of five steps;
- Beginning Of Combat Step
- Declare Attackers Step
- Declare Blockers Step
- Combat Damage Step
- End Of Combat Step
If no attackers are declared, the blockers and damage steps are skipped, though that is not relevant here.
To pass from one step to the next, each player must pass priority over an empty stack. You can activate any abilities when you have priority during the Combat phase, provided it has no timing restrictions. In this case, you can activate Ravenous Bloodseekers ability at the end of three phases for this to work; Beginning Of Combat, Declare Attackers or Declare blockers. Any time after these is too late, damage will have already been dealt.
May 13, 2016 10:43 p.m.
marvinrebong says... #3
I see, so it means with my example, I can still madness out creatures and cast it before Ravenous Bloodseeker goes to graveyard.
May 13, 2016 11:16 p.m.
As long as you do it before the damage step. By the time you receive priority in the damage step, the Ravenous Bloodseeker will be in the graveyard as a state-based action.
May 13, 2016 11:19 p.m.
marvinrebong says... #6
is this rule applies with the attacker? can they trigger a creature ability in response to a blocker's triggered ability.
Also, can an attacker trigger a creature's ability in after an opponent did not declare any blocker?
May 13, 2016 11:50 p.m.
marvinrebong says... #7
is this rule applies with the attacker as well? can they trigger a creature ability in response to a blocker's triggered ability.
Also, can an attacker trigger a creature's ability in after an opponent did not declare any blocker?
Erratum:
May 13, 2016 11:51 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #8
Just to clarify, these abilities are NOT triggered abilities. They're activated abilities.
A triggered ability is an ability written in the form "[at/when/whenever] [event], [effect]." Triggered abilities trigger automatically when the given event occurs.
An activated ability is an ability written in the form "[cost]: [effect]." Activated abilities must be manually activated.
You may activate an ability at any time you have priority. This means you can use it in response to a spell or another ability. Players may activate abilities after blockers are declared but before damage is dealt. Same with after attackers are declared but before blockers are declared. Any time players are given priority, they may activate an ability (unless the ability has timing restrictions on it).
TheFoilAjani says... #1
Yes. There is a phase/step before damage is actually dealt, so you can activate an ability before then. Someone can probably elaborate, but that's the short answer.
May 13, 2016 10:26 p.m.