Can I Sacrifice a Declared Blocker in Magic: The Gathering? The Definitive Guide
Absolutely, you can sacrifice a declared blocker in Magic: The Gathering! This is a fundamental and often strategically vital aspect of the game. Once you’ve declared a creature as a blocker, you’re not necessarily locked into letting it trade blows. You have a window of opportunity to activate abilities or cast instants before combat damage is dealt, and this includes sacrificing that blocker. The attacker remains blocked, but the sacrificed creature won’t deal or receive combat damage. Understanding the nuances of this interaction is crucial for skilled gameplay.
Timing is Everything: The Declare Blockers Step
To fully grasp this concept, you need to understand the Declare Blockers step within the combat phase. After the attacking player declares their attackers, you, as the defending player, get the opportunity to declare which of your untapped creatures are blocking which attacking creatures. Once blockers are declared, priority passes to both players. This means you and your opponent can now cast instants and activate abilities. This is where the magic (pun intended!) happens.
Why Sacrifice a Blocker?
There are numerous strategic reasons why you might want to sacrifice a blocker after it’s been declared:
- Triggering Abilities: Many cards have abilities that trigger when a creature is sacrificed. You can sacrifice a blocker to get value from such abilities. Imagine sacrificing a creature to Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord to deal damage to your opponent equal to its power!
- Preventing Damage: Perhaps the attacking creature is too powerful, and you don’t want your blocker to die a pointless death. Sacrificing it prevents the attacker from dealing damage to it (although it won’t save you from trample, more on that later).
- Disrupting Your Opponent’s Plan: Sometimes, the psychological impact of sacrificing a blocker can be more valuable than the actual sacrifice. It can force your opponent to reconsider their attack strategy or waste resources.
- Activating Death Triggers: If you have abilities that trigger when a creature dies, sacrificing a blocker is a way to ensure that trigger happens on your terms and at the right time.
Example Scenario: A Practical Application
Let’s say your opponent attacks with a massive 8/8 creature. You block with your humble 2/2 creature. Instead of letting your 2/2 get squashed, you sacrifice it to an ability that draws you a card. The 8/8 is still blocked (assuming it doesn’t have trample), so it deals no damage to you or your planeswalker, and you’ve turned a potentially disastrous situation into card advantage.
FAQs: Mastering the Art of the Sacrifice
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the rules surrounding sacrificing blockers:
1. Does the Attacker Remain Blocked?
Yes. The key here is that the act of blocking happens during the Declare Blockers step. Once a creature is blocked, it remains blocked for the rest of combat, even if the blocker is removed. The attacker won’t assign combat damage to the player or planeswalker it’s attacking (unless it has trample or a similar ability).
2. What About Trample?
Trample changes everything! If the attacking creature has trample, it will deal damage to the defending player or planeswalker equal to its power minus the toughness of the blocker. If you sacrifice the blocker, it has effectively zero toughness at the time damage is calculated. Therefore, the trample damage dealt to the defending player or planeswalker will be equal to the full power of the attacking creature.
3. Can I Sacrifice a Blocking Creature with Decayed After Combat Damage?
Yes, you can. After the combat damage step, the Decayed trigger (which requires sacrificing the creature) goes on the stack. You receive priority before that trigger resolves. This gives you the opportunity to sacrifice the creature for another effect before the Decayed ability forces the sacrifice.
4. If I Sacrifice a Blocker, Does Lifelink Still Trigger?
No. Lifelink triggers based on damage dealt by the creature. Since the sacrificed creature deals no combat damage, lifelink won’t trigger.
5. Can I Use an Instant to Make the Attacking Creature Unblockable After Blockers Are Declared?
No. Being unblockable only matters during the Declare Blockers step. If you grant unblockability after this point, it has no effect, and the creature remains blocked.
6. What Happens if My Blocker Phases Out?
If a blocker phases out, it’s treated as though it doesn’t exist on the battlefield. The attacking creature remains blocked, and no damage will be dealt to the phased-out blocker.
7. Can I Stack Blockers (Double Block) and Then Sacrifice One?
Yes, you can. If two creatures block a single attacker, you can sacrifice one of the blockers. The attacking player still has to assign combat damage equal to the blocking creature’s toughness to the remaining blocker. If that blocked creature has Menace the blocking player is required to block with two creatures if able.
8. Can I Sacrifice a Creature I Own But Don’t Control?
No. You can only sacrifice permanents you control. Sacrifice abilities specifically require the controller of the permanent to move it to the graveyard.
9. Can I Sacrifice a Creature at Any Time?
No. You can only sacrifice a creature when an ability or spell allows you to do so. You can’t just arbitrarily sacrifice a creature.
10. Can I Pump a Blocking Creature After Blockers are Declared?
Yes, you can cast instant-speed spells to pump a blocking creature after blockers are declared, but before combat damage is dealt. This can change the outcome of combat significantly.
11. Does Deathtouch Cancel Deathtouch?
The quote “Any two instances of the Deathtouch ability against one another cancel out the Deathtouch ability” is incorrect. Deathtouch simply means that any amount of damage a creature with deathtouch deals to another creature is enough to destroy it. Two instances of the Deathtouch do not cancel each other out. If a creature with Deathtouch blocks or is blocked by a creature with Deathtouch, both creatures will die if combat damage is exchanged.
12. Does Blocking Count as Combat Damage?
Blocking does not deal damage by itself, but blocking creatures assign combat damage to the creatures they’re blocking. The amount of damage assigned depends on the attacking creature’s power and any relevant abilities (like first strike or double strike).
13. Can I Intentionally Fail to Find a Card When Searching My Library?
Yes, in some cases. If the search requires you to find cards with a specific characteristic (like different names, as with Gifts Ungiven), you can legally fail to find those cards, even if they exist in your library.
14. Can I Activate Abilities After Blockers are Declared?
Absolutely! This is a crucial part of the game. You have a chance to activate abilities after blockers are declared, but before damage is dealt, allowing you to modify the combat outcome.
15. Does Copying Count as Casting?
No, copying a spell or ability is not the same as casting it. Copies don’t trigger effects that trigger when a spell is cast.
Refining Your Strategy
Mastering the art of sacrificing blockers opens up a wide range of strategic possibilities in Magic: The Gathering. By understanding the timing, the rules interactions, and the various card abilities that synergize with sacrifice effects, you can significantly improve your gameplay and outmaneuver your opponents. Always consider the potential benefits and drawbacks before making the decision to sacrifice, and be mindful of trample!
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