Say I have five 3/3 creatures, one of them has Trample, Double Strike, and Quietus Spike, the other four are plain creatures. I attack with all five, and my opponent blocks with his only creature, a 1/1, because my deck is awesome and I've been kicking butt. He blocks the 3/3 Double Strike w/QS. Does the blocked creature deal an initial 2 trample damage, activate Quietus Spike, lose half their life, then take 15 damage more in the next damage phase? Or does Quietus Spike take it effects after all combat damage has been resolved? Would it matter if my creature had First Strike instead of Double Strike (my guess is no)? What if two of my other four creatures have First Strike? Thanks in advance!
Also, my assumption is that Quietus Spike does its halving before the 15 damage. And if two of my other four have First Strike, then my opponent will take 8 damage, lose half their life, then take 9 more damage.
During the First Strike damage step, your creature will assign 1 damage to the blocking 1/1, and 2 damage to the defending player (due to trample). The damage will then be dealt, and the token will die. Quietus spike will trigger, and then the player will lose half their life. Once all triggers are resolved, and both players pass priority with no abilities/spells on the stack, the game will proceed to the next Step in the Combat phase: Regular damage step.
At this point, all 5 creatures are eligible to deal damage, and as there are no remaining blockers in front of anything, all 15 damage will be assigned to the defending player and then dealt. Should the player somehow still be alive, Quietus spike will again trigger on combat damage being dealt, and halve the defending player's life again.
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If other creatures also have first strike, they would deal their damage in the First Strike step. Unless they also have double strike, they will then be inelligible to deal damage in the regular step.
It would go: [First Strike + Double Strike creatures damage] => Trigger Quietus spike, lose half life => [Regular + Double Strike damage] => Trigger Quietus spike, lose half life.
Rules in question:
506.1. The combat phase has five steps, which proceed in order: beginning of combat, declare attackers, declare blockers, combat damage, and end of combat. The declare blockers and combat damage steps are skipped if no creatures are declared as attackers or put onto the battlefield attacking (see rule 508.8). There are two combat damage steps if any attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see rule 702.7) or double strike (see rule 702.4).
510.4. If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see rule 702.7) or double strike (see rule 702.4) as the combat damage step begins, the only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are those with first strike or double strike. After that step, instead of proceeding to the end of combat step, the phase gets a second combat damage step. The only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are the remaining attackers and blockers that had neither first strike nor double strike as the first combat damage step began, as well as the remaining attackers and blockers that currently have double strike. After that step, the phase proceeds to the end of combat step.
603.2. Whenever a game event or game state matches a triggered ability’s trigger event, that ability automatically triggers. The ability doesn’t do anything at this point.
603.3. Once an ability has triggered, its controller puts it on the stack as an object that’s not a card the next time a player would receive priority. See rule 117, “Timing and Priority.” The ability becomes the topmost object on the stack. It has the text of the ability that created it, and no other characteristics. It remains on the stack until it’s countered, it resolves, a rule causes it to be removed from the stack, or an effect moves it elsewhere.
Also, my assumption is that Quietus Spike does its halving before the 15 damage. And if two of my other four have First Strike, then my opponent will take 8 damage, lose half their life, then take 9 more damage.
At this point, all 5 creatures are eligible to deal damage, and as there are no remaining blockers in front of anything, all 15 damage will be assigned to the defending player and then dealt. Should the player somehow still be alive, Quietus spike will again trigger on combat damage being dealt, and halve the defending player's life again.
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If other creatures also have first strike, they would deal their damage in the First Strike step. Unless they also have double strike, they will then be inelligible to deal damage in the regular step.
It would go: [First Strike + Double Strike creatures damage] => Trigger Quietus spike, lose half life => [Regular + Double Strike damage] => Trigger Quietus spike, lose half life.
Rules in question:
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek