What happens when Engulfing Slagwurm blocks an Engulfing Slagwurm
Asked by wreckedd 12 years ago
As they have the ability "Whenever Engulfing Slagwurm blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, destroy that creature. You gain life equal to that creature's toughness." if it was to be blocked by another Engulfing Slagwurm would they then both die? And if one had a First Strike ability would this make any difference? (I'm guessing it wouldn't as the damage is dealt during the declare blockers step not the combat phase).I had my Slagwurm cloned in a game and we were both basically too scared to block each other with the same creature as we weren't sure what would happen.
shifterfox says... #2
what Epochalyptik said. xD I'm learning more and more, the more I read these Q&As I was always curious how the priority order of a stalemate of activating of effects on both sides were triggered. Now I know. "Active player's effect/ability gets placed lower in the stack."
August 22, 2012 3:37 p.m.
http404error says... #3
Note that in a ridiculous corner case, this allows the attacking player to kill the defending player (who is at 5 life) with a Brimstone Volley between trigger resolutions. Wacky.
August 22, 2012 5 p.m.
kldfjlaksdj says... #4
To add on to the answer, if one of the slag worms has first strike as you asked, only the side with the first strike would gain life. Combat damage is a phase of combat on its own after the declare blockers step. First strike damage is resolved prior to regular combat damage and since the first strike slag worm deals its damage first, it would kill the opposing slag worm before it had the chance to deal it back.
August 22, 2012 5:14 p.m.
shifterfox says... #5
@kldfjlaksdj: the only problem with that is that firststrike does not affect triggering abilities. The slagwurms die from their triggered abilities before a damage step ever occurs. They trigger during the declare defenders step.
August 22, 2012 5:19 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #6
@http404error: This is not the case; the defending player's ability would resolve first and cause them to gain life. Unless a creature had died earlier in the turn, there is no time at which the attacking player could cast a morbid-enabled Brimstone Volley and kill the defending player. Remember, abilities are stacked in APNAP order, meaning the attacker's ability is on the bottom of the stack.
@kldfjlaksdj: Were Engulfing Slagwurm 's ability dependent upon it dealing combat damage, you would be correct. However, the ability triggers during the Declare Blockers step and the game will not progress to the combat damage step until it has resolved.
August 22, 2012 5:30 p.m.
One Wurm having First Strike would not change the outcome, since the abilities are both triggered during the Declare Blockers step, and they would both be dead long before any combat damage would be dealt.
August 22, 2012 5:30 p.m.
http404error says... #8
Gah, it's the other way around then. The defender's does indeed trigger first, so they could Volley the attacking player.
August 22, 2012 5:36 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #10
Technically they trigger simultaneously. The only reason their order on the stack is always set is because they are controlled by different players.
August 22, 2012 5:48 p.m.
kldfjlaksdj says... #13
Whoops, turns out I need to read the cards better. Posting from my phone and all is probably a bad idea!
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #1
A technical nitpick, no damage is being dealt in this case.
Each Engulfing Slagwurm 's ability will trigger. As the active player, the attacking player's trigger will go on the stack below the defending player's trigger. When the blocking Engulfing Slagwurm 's ability resolves, it will destroy the attacking Engulfing Slagwurm and the defending player will gain 7 life. Then, the attacking player's ability will resolve, destroying the blocking Engulfing Slagwurm and gaining the attacking player 7 life.
August 22, 2012 1:56 p.m.