blocking order, how does it work?
Asked by Resurrector_of_the_Soulslayer 13 years ago
Why does blocking order matter? How does it work exactly? Why did they change it in the last core set?
Resurrector_of_the_Soulslayer says... #2
Oh got ya, thanks I've been so confuse even after reading the rules from wizards. Sometimes it is just better to get ur answer from another player, so thank you!
January 22, 2011 10:59 a.m.
That's not entirely true.
With the M10 rules change, damage doesn't use the stack anymore, but is "assigned" in a blocking order. This is even true when one attacker is being blocked by multiple creatures. The blocked creature deals damage now in an order determined by the attacking player (still in the declare blockers step). You can then cast spells or abilities.
So let's say you're attacking with a 4/4 and I block it with a 3/3 and a 1/1.
You then say "I'm dealing damage to the 3/3 first, then the 1/1 second."
So damage is dealt to 3/3, then the 1/1. They're still put in the graveyard at the same time (the next time state-based effects check.)
Now, if I played a card like Healing Salve on my 3/3, then the attacker would try to do all 4 damage to the 3/3.
MagnorCriol says... Accepted answer #1
Blocking order matters if you've got one creature blocking multiple attackers.
Let's say you've got a 3/4 that can block any number of creatures. His controller chooses to block a 1/1, a 2/1, and a 3/3 with him.
Blocking order is important because it determines how damage is assigned. The defending player could choose to assign lethal damage to the 1/1 and the 2/1, which would kill them but leave the 3/3 alive with one point of damage on him. Or he could assign all three points to the 3/3 to kill him and leave the 1/1 and 2/1 unharmed.
This also is important to creatures with deathtouch, who have the ability to assign lethal damage - which would be just one point since they have deathtouch - to each creature they're blocking.
They changed it because the old damage assignment rules were EXTREMELY unintuitive. Combat damage used the stack, which meant that you could do something like have a 5/1 and a 2/2 fight, put their combat damage on the stack, then cast a spell that switches P/T so the 5/1 becomes a 1/5. The 5 damage that was put on the stack kills the 2/2, while the 2 damage the other creature put on the stack suddenly can't kill the now-1/5-creature. OR you could cast Unsummon after damage was put on the stack to save your creature, allowing it to essentially throw a punch while not being there at the same time.
January 21, 2011 10:42 p.m.