Can you respond to blocking in MTG?

In Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the question of whether you can respond to blocking is a crucial one, and the answer is yes, you can respond after blockers are declared, but not directly to the declaration of blockers itself, as declaring blockers is a turn-based action that doesn’t use the stack. The opportunity to respond comes after blockers have been declared, during the Declare Blockers Step, where you can cast instants and activate abilities before moving on to the Combat Damage Step.

Understanding Blocking in MTG

What is Blocking?

Blocking in MTG is a crucial defensive mechanism that allows players to defend against attacking creatures. A creature must be untapped to block, and each creature can only block a single attacker, but multiple creatures can block the same attacker.

FAQs about Blocking in MTG

1. Can you tap in response to blocking? Yes, you can tap a blocking creature after it has been declared as a blocker to activate its ability, as long as the ability doesn’t require it to be untapped.

2. What are the rules for blocking in Magic? The main rules include that a creature must be untapped to block, each creature can only block one attacker, but multiple creatures can block the same attacker.

3. Can you respond after blockers are declared? Yes, after blockers have been declared, during the rest of the Declare Blockers Step, you can cast instants and activate abilities.

4. Can you block with multiple creatures? Yes, you can block an attacking creature with as many creatures as you want, and the attacking player will then decide the order in which the blockers receive damage.

5. Is blocking considered combat damage in Magic? Blocking is part of the combat process, and a blocking creature assigns combat damage among the attacking creatures it blocks.

6. How many times can you block in Magic? Each creature can block only one attacking creature, but any number of creatures can block the same attacking creature.

7. Does first strike work when blocking? Yes, creatures with first strike will deal combat damage before creatures without first strike, even when blocking.

8. Do you tap to block in MTG? No, blocking itself doesn’t require a creature to tap; the creature can use its abilities after blocking if those abilities don’t require tapping.

9. Can you pump a creature after blockers are declared? Yes, you can play pump spells during the priority phase of the Declare Blockers Step, after blockers have been assigned but before damage is dealt.

10. Can you sacrifice a creature that is blocking? If you sacrifice a blocking creature during the Declare Blockers Step, it won’t deal combat damage, but if you wait until the Combat Damage Step, the creature will be destroyed before you can sacrifice it if it’s dealt lethal damage.

11. Can you double block in MTG? Yes, you can declare multiple blockers against a single attacker, and the attacking player decides the order in which they receive damage.

12. What happens if a creature with first strike blocks a creature with deathtouch? The creature with first strike will hit first and can kill the deathtouch creature before it has a chance to deal damage.

13. Can a creature with summoning sickness block? Yes, a creature with summoning sickness can block but cannot attack or use abilities that require tapping.

14. Is blocking offensive or defensive? Blocking is a defensive action used to prevent or mitigate damage from an attacking creature.

15. Can you respond to blockers being declared the way you could respond to a player casting an Instant? No, declaring blockers is a turn-based action that doesn’t use the stack, so you cannot respond to it in the same way you would to an Instant being cast.