hunter9000 says... #2
No. You can play it during the declare blockers step, which comes after the 3/3 becomes blocked, but before combat damage is assigned.
January 27, 2013 12:06 p.m.
@GoblinsInc: If you wait til after combat damage then it's no longer blocked and the target is illegal.
January 27, 2013 1:35 p.m.
GoblinsInc says... #4
Not true. Once blocked it remains so until the combat phase ends, unless shenanigans happen to remove it sooner.
509.1h. An attacking creature with one or more creatures declared as blockers for it becomes a blocked creature; one with no creatures declared as blockers for it becomes an unblocked creature. This remains unchanged until the creature is removed from combat, an effect says that it becomes blocked or unblocked, or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. A creature remains blocked even if all the creatures blocking it are removed from combat.
511.3. As soon as the end of combat step ends, all creatures and planeswalkers are removed from combat. After the end of combat step ends, the combat phase is over and the postcombat main phase begins (see rule 505).
January 27, 2013 1:40 p.m.
Yes, nevermind. I, for whatever odd reason, assumed the Combat phase ended once damage had been dealt. I don't know why I'd do that.
January 27, 2013 1:47 p.m.
MagnorCriol says... #6
It's really not an unreasonable assumption. There's little that happens in the end of combat step, and even less that's actually player-controlled as opposed to automatic triggers, so it's uncommon for it to not just be glazed over.
The best use I can think of, in recent memory anyhow, of this exchange of priority is Dispense Justice . By waiting until after damage was dealt and creatures died, you had a better chance of making them sac a big creature as opposed to a chump.
January 27, 2013 2:44 p.m.
GoblinsInc says... #7
That and I've seen an abyssal persecutor get blasted after damage.
GoblinsInc says... Accepted answer #1
Not if you use smite during the declare blockers step. If you wait until after damage has been dealt, then yours dies.
January 27, 2013 12:05 p.m.