"If unblocked" and Removing from Combat interactions

Asked by UniqueUserID 7 years ago

I read an user comment on gather about 2 very old cards and the interaction seemed a bit wonky/interesting.

Abyssal Nightstalker if unblocked will make the opponent discard a card. Reconnaissance can remove any creature from combat.

So if I use Reconnaissance on my Abyssal Nightstalker after I have declared attackers I can remove him from combat before blockers can be declared. Forcing them to discard a card every turn?

I feel like some oracle text is missing...

Boza says... Accepted answer #1

No.

A creature is considered not blocked only after the beginning of the declare blockers phase, obviously if it was not blocked. Until then it is simply an attacking creature.

Also, from Gatherer for Abyssal Nightstalker:

4/15/2013: An ability that triggers when something "attacks and isn't blocked" triggers in the declare blockers step after blockers are declared if (1) that creature is attacking and (2) no creatures are declared to block it. It will trigger even if that creature was put onto the battlefield attacking rather than having been declared as an attacker in the declare attackers step.

June 15, 2016 8:02 a.m.