Timing for Energy Counters on attacking creatures
Asked by MrShhh 8 years ago
I'm just curious if I am forced to pay the energy cost to put a +1/+1 counter on Thriving Rats & other creatures like it when I declare it as an attacker or if I can wait & see if my opponent will block my creature first to do so? It would seem I should be able to wait since it says when the creature attacks and not specific such as "when the creature is declared as an attacker".
TheVectornaut says... Accepted answer #2
From the rules on the combat phase: "508.2a Abilities that trigger on a creature attacking trigger only at the point the creature is declared as an attacker." In other words, the trigger goes on the stack during the declare attackers step and will have already resolved by the time the declare blockers step rolls around.
November 15, 2016 3:49 p.m.
For cards like Longtusk Cub and Bristling Hydra however, because they are activated abilities rather than triggered abilities, you can activate them after blockers are delcared. Or when you block with them. Or any other time you have priority and enough energy.
Rhadamanthus says... #1
"Whenever (something) attacks..." is the game's standard rules shorthand for "Whenever (something) is declared as an attacker..." An ability like that on Thriving Rats will trigger when attackers are declared, which means it will also resolve during the "declare attackers" step of combat. You have to make your decision about what to do with the energy before the "declare blockers" step begins.
November 15, 2016 3:42 p.m.