I'm 99% sure I did this right, but my opponent questioned it enough I want to be 100%.
I attacked with a pair of 3 power creatures, including a Byway Courier. He blocked each creature with a 3/5 creature. My creatures died, and Courier produced a Clue token. I announced that I was sacrificing the Clue to draw a card while we were still in combat. I drew Dissension in the Ranks, which I cast on his two 3/5 creatures. This would kill them both, since they already had 3 damage each on them and they would deal 3 more damage to each other.
The question is regarding the timing. Looking at the rules, I see that creatures don't get removed from combat until the End of Combat Step. Even though the attackers have already died, this should mean the 3/5 creatures are still considered "blocking creatures" and can thus be targeted by Dissension.
Yes, that's all correct. The 3/5s are still blocking creatures and can be targeted by Dissension.
509. Declare Blockers Step
(...)
509.1a. The defending player chooses which creatures that he or she controls, if any, will block. The chosen creatures must be untapped. For each of the chosen creatures, the defending player chooses one creature for it to block that's attacking him, her, or a planeswalker he or she controls.
(...)
509.1g. Each chosen creature still controlled by the defending player becomes a blocking creature. Each one is blocking the attacking creatures chosen for it. It remains a blocking creature until it's removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See rule 506.4.
(...)
510. Combat Damage Step
510.1. First, the active player announces how each attacking creature assigns its combat damage, then the defending player announces how each blocking creature assigns its combat damage. (...)
510.2. Second, all combat damage that's been assigned is dealt simultaneously. (...)
510.3. Third, any abilities that triggered on damage being assigned or dealt go on the stack. (See rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.")
510.4. Fourth, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
511. End of Combat Step
The Clue token is created in the Combat Damage Step. As you're specifically sacrificing it still on the Combat Damage Step, or maybe in the End of Combat Step, the Combat Phase hasn't ended yet so the blockers are still blockers.
All correct, yes. If an attacking or blocking creature isn't removed from combat otherwise, it remains as such until the game moves from the combat phase to the next phase.
508.1j Each chosen creature still controlled by the active player becomes an attacking creature. It
remains an attacking creature until it’s removed from combat or the combat phase ends,
whichever comes first. See rule 506.4.
509.1h An attacking creature with one or more creatures declared as blockers for it becomes a
blocked creature; one with no creatures declared as blockers for it becomes an unblocked
creature. 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.
511.3. As soon as the end of combat step ends, all creatures and planeswalkers are removed from
combat. After the end of combat step ends, the combat phase is over and the postcombat main phase
begins (see rule 505).
I attacked with a pair of 3 power creatures, including a Byway Courier. He blocked each creature with a 3/5 creature. My creatures died, and Courier produced a Clue token. I announced that I was sacrificing the Clue to draw a card while we were still in combat. I drew Dissension in the Ranks, which I cast on his two 3/5 creatures. This would kill them both, since they already had 3 damage each on them and they would deal 3 more damage to each other.
The question is regarding the timing. Looking at the rules, I see that creatures don't get removed from combat until the End of Combat Step. Even though the attackers have already died, this should mean the 3/5 creatures are still considered "blocking creatures" and can thus be targeted by Dissension.
Does that all sound correct? Thanks in advance.
509. Declare Blockers Step
(...)
509.1a. The defending player chooses which creatures that he or she controls, if any, will block. The chosen creatures must be untapped. For each of the chosen creatures, the defending player chooses one creature for it to block that's attacking him, her, or a planeswalker he or she controls.
(...)
509.1g. Each chosen creature still controlled by the defending player becomes a blocking creature. Each one is blocking the attacking creatures chosen for it. It remains a blocking creature until it's removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See rule 506.4.
(...)
510. Combat Damage Step
510.1. First, the active player announces how each attacking creature assigns its combat damage, then the defending player announces how each blocking creature assigns its combat damage. (...)
510.2. Second, all combat damage that's been assigned is dealt simultaneously. (...)
510.3. Third, any abilities that triggered on damage being assigned or dealt go on the stack. (See rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.")
510.4. Fourth, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
511. End of Combat Step
The Clue token is created in the Combat Damage Step. As you're specifically sacrificing it still on the Combat Damage Step, or maybe in the End of Combat Step, the Combat Phase hasn't ended yet so the blockers are still blockers.
508.1j Each chosen creature still controlled by the active player becomes an attacking creature. It
remains an attacking creature until it’s removed from combat or the combat phase ends,
whichever comes first. See rule 506.4.
509.1h An attacking creature with one or more creatures declared as blockers for it becomes a
blocked creature; one with no creatures declared as blockers for it becomes an unblocked
creature. 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.
511.3. As soon as the end of combat step ends, all creatures and planeswalkers are removed from
combat. After the end of combat step ends, the combat phase is over and the postcombat main phase
begins (see rule 505).
Former Rules Advisor
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