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Hello guys!

I need a rules clarification:
A player declares an attacker. Then a player declares a blocker. The attacking player assumes priority and casts an isntant that removes
(e.g. exile) the creature declared as blocker. What happens next, in the combat damage step? Is the damage dealt to the player or not?

A blocked creature cannot deal combat damage to the player or planeswalker it attacked unless it has trample or a similar ability. Even if all blocking creatures are somehow removed, the creature does not become unblocked. If there is no creature blocking the attacker anymore, it simply deals no combat damage.

Nov 17, 2012 -- 3:00PM, rezzahan wrote:

A blocked creature cannot deal combat damage to the player or planeswalker it attacked unless it has trample or a similar ability. Even if all blocking creatures are somehow removed, the creature does not become unblocked. If there is no creature blocking the attacker anymore, it simply deals no combat damage.

Thank you for your answer, although your last sentence puzzled me more :P

 So, you are suggesting that even if a blocker is removed BEFORE the actual combat damage step (i.e. in the "declare blockers" step), the attacker's damage will NOT be dealt to the player, right?

Nov 17, 2012 -- 4:45PM, smouzak wrote:

Nov 17, 2012 -- 3:00PM, rezzahan wrote:

A blocked creature cannot deal combat damage to the player or planeswalker it attacked unless it has trample or a similar ability. Even if all blocking creatures are somehow removed, the creature does not become unblocked. If there is no creature blocking the attacker anymore, it simply deals no combat damage.

Thank you for your answer, although your last sentence puzzled me more :P

 So, you are suggesting that even if a blocker is removed BEFORE the actual combat damage step (i.e. in the "declare blockers" step), the attacker's damage will NOT be dealt to the player, right?

That's correct, unless the attacker has trample.  If the attacker has trample, all of the damage will go to the defending player/planeswalker.

Nov 17, 2012 -- 4:46PM, rudolf wrote:

Nov 17, 2012 -- 4:45PM, smouzak wrote:

Nov 17, 2012 -- 3:00PM, rezzahan wrote:

A blocked creature cannot deal combat damage to the player or planeswalker it attacked unless it has trample or a similar ability. Even if all blocking creatures are somehow removed, the creature does not become unblocked. If there is no creature blocking the attacker anymore, it simply deals no combat damage.

Thank you for your answer, although your last sentence puzzled me more :P

 So, you are suggesting that even if a blocker is removed BEFORE the actual combat damage step (i.e. in the "declare blockers" step), the attacker's damage will NOT be dealt to the player, right?

That's correct, unless the attacker has trample.  If the attacker has trample, all of the damage will go to the defending player/planeswalker.

Thank you for the clarification!

I have a question: How does trample damage go through if no damage was actually dealt to the blocking creature. As they never exchanged damage than there is no way for the game to "check for" trample damage. In this case wouldn't my removed deathtouch dreature still kill this trampler. 

I guess I understand it wrong but doesn't a creature with trample have to apply above and beyond damage to a creature for trample to even trigger? Would my removed Deathtouch creature still kill? 

in the "combat damage step" the attacking creature assigns lethal damage to the blockers and then the rest to the player
since there is no more blocking creature all damage goes to the player

your deathtouch creature is not around to deal damage, so the attacker will be fine

Nov 17, 2012 -- 10:14PM, Urzasapprentice wrote:

I guess I understand it wrong but doesn't a creature with trample have to apply above and beyond damage to a creature for trample to even trigger?

Trample isn't triggererd, activated or any other form of on/off ability.  It is always on and simply modifies the damage assignment order by including the defending player/planswalker as the last object in the list.  If you removed all blocking creatures, the defending player/planeswalker is the only legal choice for the attacking creature's damage since it's the only object in the damage assignment order.

702.18c If an attacking creature with trample is blocked, but there are no creatures blocking it when damage is assigned, all its damage is assigned to the player or planeswalker it’s attacking.

Nov 17, 2012 -- 10:16PM, Enigma256 wrote:

in the "combat damage step" the attacking creature assigns at least lethal damage to the blockers and then the rest to the player