Deathtouch and (activated) indestructibility
Asked by rogueheretic24 11 years ago
In the combat damage phase, a creature with deathtouch deals combat damage to another. Is it possible to respond with an instant that would give the creature receiving the deathtouch damage indestructibility (say...Boros Charm and once the damage has been dealt)?
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #2
As soon as combat damage is dealt, state-based actions are checked. Your creature must be indestructible or have a regeneration shield when these SBAs check if it is to survive lethal damage. You can't retroactively give the creature indestructible or a regeneration shield.
Your last opportunity to use Boros Charm to save the creature would be at the end of the declare blockers step.
July 8, 2013 10:11 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #3
@raithe000: SBAs check before triggered abilities are put onto the stack.
July 8, 2013 10:11 p.m.
@Epochalyptik: Are you sure? Because the official comprehensive rules say:
704.3. Whenever a player would get priority (see rule 116, Timing and Priority), the game checks for any of the listed conditions for state-based actions, then performs all applicable state-based actions simultaneously as a single event. If any state-based actions are performed as a result of a check, the check is repeated; otherwise all triggered abilities that are waiting to be put on the stack are put on the stack, then the check is repeated. Once no more state-based actions have been performed as the result of a check and no triggered abilities are waiting to be put on the stack, the appropriate player gets priority. This process also occurs during the cleanup step (see rule 514), except that if no statebased actions are performed as the result of the steps first check and no triggered abilities are waiting to be put on the stack, then no player gets priority and the step ends.
and
510.2. Second, all combat damage thats been assigned is dealt simultaneously. This turn-based action doesnt use the stack. No player has the chance to cast spells or activate abilities between the time combat damage is assigned and the time its dealt. This is a change from previous rules.
510.3. Third, any abilities that triggered on damage being assigned or dealt go on the stack. (See rule 603, Handling Triggered Abilities.)
510.4. Fourth, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
July 8, 2013 10:24 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #5
510.4 isn't contradicting what 704.3 says about checking SBAs first, it's just skipping that part in the explanation of what happens when damage is dealt. Note that 510.3 references 603, which is the full explanation of how and when triggered abilities are put onto the stack. SBAs are always checked first.
July 8, 2013 11:11 p.m.
As 704.3 says, Whenever a player would get priority, the game checks for any of the listed conditions for state-based actions.. Thus, state-based actions will be checked and performed just prior to obtaining priority in 510.4.
July 9, 2013 12:03 a.m.
My point actually was that rule 510.3 says to put triggered abilities on the stack, but no state-based actions can be checked until rule 510.4, which occurs afterward. At least, that's how I thought it read...
July 9, 2013 1:07 a.m.
That is correct, but what triggered abilities exist in this entire thread?
July 10, 2013 8:30 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #9
It was mentioned tangentially in the first reply, but it has no bearing on the question itself.
raithe000 says... #1
No. Combat damage is dealt all at once, and can't be responded to. Then all triggers are put on the stack, then all state-based action resolve. By the time you can cast a spell, your creature is already in the graveyard. There is nothing stopping you from casting the spell before combat damage is dealt and after blockers are declared, however (assuming the spell is instant speed).
July 8, 2013 10:11 p.m.