Desecration Demon & the beginning of combat
Asked by brownkidd 11 years ago
If I have an untapped Desecration Demon , do I just have to declare that I'm entering my combat phase, or does the combat phase only begin once attackers are declared?
Trying to see if I can bluff people into sacking dudes and then just attack with something else that isn't Desecration Demon .
Thanks.
It should be specifically declared. The triggered ability goes onto the stack (regardless of your desire to attack, or their desire to sac) and they get priority before it resolves, and all this happens before you should be declaring attackers.
603.5. Some triggered abilities' effects are optional (they contain "may," as in "At the beginning of your upkeep, you may draw a card"). These abilities go on the stack when they trigger, regardless of whether their controller intends to exercise the ability's option or not. The choice is made when the ability resolves. Likewise, triggered abilities that have an effect "unless" something is true or a player chooses to do something will go on the stack normally; the "unless" part of the ability is dealt with when the ability resolves.
December 14, 2013 8:19 p.m.
Thanks. Do they still have a chance to sac a creature AFTER I declare Desecration Demon as an attacker? The way it's worded on the card, you'd think they couldn't, but I've played against people where at the beginning of combat I'd ask "Do you want to sac anything" and they're like "Well... it depends" and then they sac after I declare attackers.
December 18, 2013 8:24 a.m.
No. Their one and only time to do it is as the trigger resolves. Once it is established that the stack empty and both players pass priority, you move into the Declare Attackers step and it's too late.
Matsi883 says... #1
No. There is a "beginning of combat" phase where Desecration Demon 's ability, however you can not attack after they don't sack.
December 14, 2013 7:53 p.m.