Can instants be blocked by creatures

Your opponent is allowed to pump up his creatures after you decline to block, resulting in you taking the damage, or you playing a spell or an ability to prevent the damage or kill that creature. Because you do not block, he can now pump his creature up and swing at you for X. These spells are now on the stack, and because yours was the last spell played, it resolves first. Yes, he can play those instants after you declined to block. That's one of the most useful things to do with instant spells, and is done a lot after blockers are announced.

Keep in mind about the stacking: if he stacks an instant on top of yours, it may well counteract what you're trying to do. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. Can instants be played after I decide not to block?

Ask Question. Asked 8 years, 10 months ago. Active 3 years, 1 month ago. Viewed k times. I'm really confused about it all, and would like to get an answer once and for all for this. Improve this question. Infect would have a really had time winning if it wasn't for post-block pumping : — corsiKa.

Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. I think the best way to answer your question is to give a brief outline of the rules regarding the game steps, and timing of playing spells and abilities Game Phases and Steps In a nutshell, here are the phases and steps in a turn of a game of Magic.

If the stack is empty and all players pass priority, the game moves to the next step or phase. Learn more. Instants - are the creatures blocked or not? Asked 4 years, 11 months ago. Active 4 years, 11 months ago. Viewed times. Improve this question. TheThirdMan 7, 1 1 gold badge 21 21 silver badges 52 52 bronze badges. Add a comment. Each one is blocking the attacking creatures chosen for it.

See rule This remains unchanged until the creature is removed from combat, an effect says that it becomes blocked or unblocked, or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. A creature remains blocked even if all the creatures blocking it are removed from combat. The relative order among the remaining blocking creatures is unchanged. The relative order among the remaining attacking creatures is unchanged.

It triggers if the creature is declared as a blocker. It will trigger if that creature becomes blocked by at least one creature declared as a blocker.

Note that the choice may be dictated by the variant being played or the options chosen for it. That player becomes the defending player.

Only a creature can attack or block. Only a player or a planeswalker can be attacked. It continues to be an attacking creature, although it is attacking neither a player nor a planeswalker. It may be blocked. If it is unblocked, it will deal no combat damage. It may be cast only before or after the declare attackers step begins, regardless of whether any attackers are actually declared. See rule It may be cast only before or after the declare blockers step begins, regardless of whether any blockers are actually declared.

If a turn has multiple combat phases, such spells may be cast at an appropriate time during any of them.