Can You Sacrifice a Blocker in MTG? Mastering Combat Tricks
Absolutely, you can sacrifice a blocker in Magic: The Gathering (MTG)! In fact, this is a common and strategically important play. Understanding the nuances of sacrificing blockers can drastically improve your gameplay. You can declare a creature as a blocker during the declare blockers step, and then, before combat damage is dealt, you can sacrifice that blocker. This is especially useful when you want to trigger sacrifice abilities, deny your opponent combat damage from trample, or protect your own life total. Let’s delve into the details.
Timing is Everything: The Combat Phase Breakdown
Understanding the phases of combat is crucial for executing this play effectively. Here’s a brief overview:
- Beginning of Combat Step: Untap, upkeep, and draw steps occur here. Nothing relevant to our discussion happens here.
- Declare Attackers Step: The attacking player declares which creatures are attacking and who or what they are attacking (player, planeswalker, or battle).
- Declare Blockers Step: The defending player declares which creatures are blocking which attackers. This is where you decide which creatures will initially block.
- Combat Damage Step: Creatures deal combat damage simultaneously. This is the crucial moment where, after blockers have been declared, you can sacrifice a blocker before damage is dealt.
- End of Combat Step: Cleanup and other end-of-combat triggers resolve.
The key is to sacrifice after the Declare Blockers Step but before the Combat Damage Step. This allows you to legally declare a blocker, fulfilling the blocking requirement, and then sacrifice it to activate an ability or trigger another effect before it takes damage.
Why Sacrifice a Blocker? Strategic Advantages
There are several compelling reasons to sacrifice a blocker:
- Activating Sacrifice Abilities: Many cards have abilities that trigger when a creature is sacrificed. This is the most common reason to sacrifice a blocker. For example, you might sacrifice a creature to deal damage, gain life, or draw cards.
- Preventing Trample Damage: If an attacker has trample, it deals excess damage to the defending player or planeswalker after dealing lethal damage to the blocker. By sacrificing the blocker, you prevent it from receiving any damage, meaning the trampling attacker still deals damage to the blocker as if it were there, and thus there is no excess damage to trample over.
- Avoiding Negative Effects: Perhaps your creature has a negative triggered ability, such as one that causes you to lose life when it dies. Sacrificing it in combat allows you to control when that trigger occurs, potentially at a more advantageous time.
- Chump Blocking and Preventing Damage: You can declare a block to prevent damage from an attacker from hitting you or a planeswalker. Then, you can sacrifice the blocker, still preventing the damage, even though the creature is no longer there.
- Dodging Removal: If your opponent is planning to destroy your blocker during the combat damage step with removal spells, sacrificing it yourself can disrupt their plans and net you an advantage.
- Disrupting Combat Calculations: Sacrificing a blocker can throw off your opponent’s combat calculations. They may have planned to attack based on certain creatures being available to block, and your sacrifice can force them to make new decisions on the fly.
Key Considerations
- The Stack: Remember that sacrificing a creature is an activated ability that goes on the stack. Your opponent has a chance to respond to the ability before it resolves.
- Timing Restrictions: Make sure you can legally activate the sacrifice ability at the right time. Some abilities can only be activated at sorcery speed.
- Opportunity Cost: Consider the cost of sacrificing the creature. Is the benefit of the sacrifice worth losing the blocker?
FAQs: Your Burning Questions Answered
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the rules and strategic implications of sacrificing blockers in MTG:
Can I sacrifice a blocker and still block?
Yes, you can block and then, in the Declare Blockers Step, sacrifice it before damage is dealt. The attacker remains blocked, preventing combat damage to the player/planeswalker unless it has trample or other related abilities.
Can you destroy a blocker MTG, and what happens then?
Yes. If a blocking creature is destroyed (or exiled, bounced, etc.) after blockers are declared, the attacking creature is still considered blocked and won’t deal damage to the player/planeswalker unless it has trample or is blocked by another creature.
Can you sacrifice a defending creature outside of combat?
Yes, you can. You can sacrifice a creature at almost any time you have priority, provided you have a way to do so. The only real catch is that you cannot sacrifice your opponent’s creatures unless you control them.
Does protection prevent sacrifice?
No. Protection prevents being damaged, enchanted/equipped, targeted, and blocked by sources of the specified quality (e.g., protection from red). Sacrifice isn’t any of those things.
Does sacrifice negate indestructible?
Yes. Indestructible means a permanent can’t be destroyed. However, sacrifice isn’t destruction; it’s a game action. Indestructible permanents can be sacrificed.
What should you never sacrifice in MTG?
This is highly situational! However, consider carefully before sacrificing key creatures that are vital to your game plan, like your mana dorks early game, or creatures with powerful static abilities. Always consider the long-term consequences.
What are the rules for blocking in Magic: The Gathering?
A creature must be untapped to block. Each creature can block only one attacker, but multiple creatures can block the same attacker. Both players can cast instants and activate abilities after blockers are declared.
Can a creature with protection block?
Yes. Protection doesn’t prevent a creature from blocking. It only prevents being targeted, damaged, enchanted/equipped, and blocked by sources of the specified quality.
Can I sacrifice my opponent’s creatures?
Only if you control the creature. You can only sacrifice permanents you control.
Can you counter a blocker?
You cannot counter a blocker since declaring blockers is a turn-based action that does not use the stack. You can counter creature spells though.
Can I respond to declare blockers?
No. Declaring blockers is a turn-based action that doesn’t use the stack. However, you can respond after blockers are declared but before the Combat Damage Step.
Do blockers assign damage?
Yes. Blocking creatures assign combat damage to the creatures they are blocking. An attacking creature that is not blocked assigns combat damage to its target (player, planeswalker, or battle).
Does indestructible prevent deathtouch?
Yes, indestructible creatures ignore deathtouch, because deathtouch causes destruction through dealing damage.
Does protection stop deathtouch?
Yes. Protection prevents all damage from the specified source. Since deathtouch relies on dealing damage, protection effectively stops it.
Can you double block in magic?
Yes. Multiple creatures can block the same attacker. The attacking creature chooses the order in which the blockers assign damage.
Conclusion: Master the Art of Sacrifice
Sacrificing blockers is a powerful and versatile tool in Magic: The Gathering. By understanding the timing, the strategic advantages, and the relevant rules, you can elevate your gameplay and make more informed decisions. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different sacrifice synergies and find what works best for your play style. This skill has the potential to turn the tides of battle in your favor, leading to more victories and greater enjoyment of the game. Want to learn even more about the game? Visit the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org for resources and insights into the educational aspects of gaming!