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Newbie here trying to learn all rules. I have a couple simple question about attacking/blocking and playing instances.

Case #1: Offender has 1 creature, defender has  2 creatures. Offender elects to attack, defender elects to block with one of his creatures. Offender plays an instant creature kill card on the Defender's creature that is blocking and kills it. Questions..

1) Does the attacking creature's damage then pass through to the player/planeswalker? Or at the time of the block was declared, that attacking creature is then establised to deal damage to the creature and not the player, therefore the instant kills the creature leaving the attacking creature to 'wiff' his attack on the creature?


2) In the same scenerio above, after the instant was played on the defending creature elliminating it, can the defending player then elect to block with his other creature? Or, after blocking is declared, you cannot change your blocking?


Thanks in advance.

Thanks for the replay Bowshewicz, ok, the first answer suprised me. I think we have been playing it where it then hit the player. Now, if that that #1 scenerio if that attacking creature had trample, would it then pass to the player since you killed the defending creature and all its defence is now gone?

Ok, from what I understand all combat would first be resolved before you can play your instant. For example, in #1, if both the attacking and defending player were 2/2, then both would be put in the graveyard (then no need to play the instant then of course). If I understand correctly then, if the attacker with a 2/2 is being blocked by a 2/2, you CANNOT play the instant to kill the blocker to save your attacker (attacking creature takes no damage, but is still blocked). Is this correct? Or, you can play the instant and kill the blocker saving the attacking creature?

Jan 16, 2013 -- 9:41AM, Kafaldsbylur wrote:

You get an opportunity in the Declare Blockers step to play Instants and abilities after the blockers are assigned, but before damage is dealt. You can kill the blocker at that time if you want

Hmm.. see, from what you said 'but before damage is dealt' would lead me to believe that if I used an instant to kill the blocker then the attacker's damage would go to the player. But, I guess not from what was explained above. So basically then, the block still exists, but you can play an instant before the damage is resolved killing the blocker and saving your attacking creature.

I guess the confusing part was that if you killed a creature that was blocking, then I would think that it is would no longer be considered blocking the attacker and it would be then played as if there was no blocker at all. It appears that the only thing it does then is elliminate any need for damage dealing on both sides and the attacker remains on the battlefield no matter what the x/x was for each of them. (trample aside of course).

We were playing it like - Declare Attacker, Declare Block, Cast spells (instance in this case), resolve Battle. In our 'limited knowledge' we easily thought that if the blocker was no longer there after the casting of spells were resolved, then when it was time to resolve the battle there wouldn't be a blocker left to block the attack so it was as if there was never a blocker.


Your two examples Bowshewicz sound logical to me, because in the Curtain of Light example acts as a blocking creature anyways, BUT lets say that my opponent cast that instead of blocking with a creature and I cast something that hexproofs that attacking creature. I would think that the stack would resolve by first hexproofing the attacking creature, then the Curtain of Light would be resolve doing nothing, and the creature would attack as normal to the player. Unlike what happens if it was a creature attacking.


On your second example with double strike, that seems logical to me just because the attacker had to 'deal' with the blocker during the whole attack turn, so therefore it would never reach the player.


I'm not arguing, just trying to understand everything. I think I am visualizing events in my head like a real battle and trying to understand the rules on how they are. lol. I just like going by the rules of course, even in casual play.  I have a feeling that the 'stack' thing might not be straight with me either. Arrghh.. it's card night today with friends, so just trying to work out some details before all us noobs go at it. haha