Can the Master of Cruelties protect your other creatures from being forced to attack.
Asked by carpecanum 5 years ago
If a card says all creatures must attack if able, can I attack with Master of Cruelties, who can only attack alone, so that my other creatures are NOT able to attack?
That's if there's an effect that says your creatures attack if able, such as because there's an Thantis, the Warweaver on the battlefield. If you just have a creature that has to attack, like Frontline Rebel, it will have to attack, which will prevent Master of Cruelties from attacking at all.
Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #1
If you have a single other creature, then yes it can save that creature. If you have 2 or more other creatures they will attack and master won't.
The way determining attacks and blocks works when there are multiple requirements and restrictions is that you have to fulfill the most requirements that you can without violating any restrictions. If you have master out and two or more other creatures you fulfill more requirements by the others attacking than with just him attacking.
508.1d The active player checks each creature they control to see whether it’s affected by any requirements (effects that say a creature attacks if able, or that it attacks if some condition is met). If the number of requirements that are being obeyed is fewer than the maximum possible number of requirements that could be obeyed without disobeying any restrictions, the declaration of attackers is illegal. If a creature can’t attack unless a player pays a cost, that player is not required to pay that cost, even if attacking with that creature would increase the number of requirements being obeyed. If a requirement that says a creature attacks if able during a certain turn refers to a turn with multiple combat phases, the creature attacks if able during each declare attackers step in that turn.
August 20, 2018 8:04 p.m.