This might be obvious, but I just wanted to check.
If Living Lore deals combat damage to a creature at the same time that creature deals lethal combat damage to Living Lore (i.e. a trade or chump-block situation), can you still sacrifice it to cast the exiled instant or sorcery? Or does it die to the damage before you have a chance to sac it?
When Living Lore deals combat damage, you may sacrifice it. If you do, you may cast the exiled card without paying its mana cost.
The answer is no. This is a triggered ability, with an intervening if. Here's what would happen.
Living Lore is dealt lethal combat damage in combat.
Living Lore dies as a state based effect.
Living Lore's triggered ability is put on the stack, but Lore cannot be sacrificed then the ability resolves, preventing the spell from being cast from exile.
Because of the intervening if, an opponent can also respond to the trigger going on the stack by killing the
Lore, which then cannot be sacrificed and prevent the spell from being cast from exile.
I not sure what you mean with "it's sorcery". You mean its ability, or the sorcery (that could be an instant instead) that the ability lets you cast?
Combat damage itself doesn't use the stack. In the Combat Phase, when the Combat Damage step starts first the combat damage is assigned and dealt, immediately and without response. Then you check to see if any creature died, and then abilities that triggered from those events go to the stack (even if their source is gone by this point).
If multiple triggered abilities want to go to the stack at the same time, the player who controls them choose their order. If they are controlled by different players, the Active Player (whose turn is the current one) puts his or her abilities on the stack first, and then the Non-Active Player does the same for his or her abilities. Remember that the last one to go to the stack will be the first one to resolve.
(1) Living Lore attacks and is blocked by a 1/1. They deal combat damage to each other, the 1/1 dies and Lore survives. Lore's ability triggers and goes to the stack. When the ability resolves, you have the choice of sacrificing the Lore or not. If you choose to sacrifice it, you may cast the exiled instant or sorcery for free.
(2) Living Lore attacks and is blocked by a 1/1 with deathtouch. They deal combat damage to each other, and they both die. Lore's ability triggers and goes to the stack. When the ability resolves, you are unable to sacrifice Living Lore because it is already on the graveyard, so the ability does nothing.
(3) Living Lore attacks and is blocked by a Black Cat. They deal combat do each other, and the Cat dies while the Lore survives. Both Lore's ability and the Cat's own ability are to go to the stack at the same time. As the Active Player is the one attacking, the Lore's ability goes to the stack first, and then the Cat's ability is put on the stack above the Lore's. When they resolve, the attacking player will discard a card at random before getting to choose whether to sacrifice the Lore to cast the exiled instant or sorcery.
If Living Lore deals combat damage to a creature at the same time that creature deals lethal combat damage to Living Lore (i.e. a trade or chump-block situation), can you still sacrifice it to cast the exiled instant or sorcery? Or does it die to the damage before you have a chance to sac it?
Hanna, Ship's Navigator - WU Enchantments Control
Wort, the Raidmother - RG Copy ALL the Spells!
Rakdos, Lord of Riots - BR Group Murder-Hug
Reaper King - WUBRG Token Copies
Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker - B Sacrifice Engine
Grenzo, Dungeon Warden - BR Randomized Toolbox
Karametra, God of Harvests - GW Ramp
The answer is no. This is a triggered ability, with an intervening if. Here's what would happen.
Living Lore is dealt lethal combat damage in combat.
Living Lore dies as a state based effect.
Living Lore's triggered ability is put on the stack, but Lore cannot be sacrificed then the ability resolves, preventing the spell from being cast from exile.
Because of the intervening if, an opponent can also respond to the trigger going on the stack by killing the
Lore, which then cannot be sacrificed and prevent the spell from being cast from exile.
Hanna, Ship's Navigator - WU Enchantments Control
Wort, the Raidmother - RG Copy ALL the Spells!
Rakdos, Lord of Riots - BR Group Murder-Hug
Reaper King - WUBRG Token Copies
Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker - B Sacrifice Engine
Grenzo, Dungeon Warden - BR Randomized Toolbox
Karametra, God of Harvests - GW Ramp
Combat damage itself doesn't use the stack. In the Combat Phase, when the Combat Damage step starts first the combat damage is assigned and dealt, immediately and without response. Then you check to see if any creature died, and then abilities that triggered from those events go to the stack (even if their source is gone by this point).
If multiple triggered abilities want to go to the stack at the same time, the player who controls them choose their order. If they are controlled by different players, the Active Player (whose turn is the current one) puts his or her abilities on the stack first, and then the Non-Active Player does the same for his or her abilities. Remember that the last one to go to the stack will be the first one to resolve.
(1) Living Lore attacks and is blocked by a 1/1. They deal combat damage to each other, the 1/1 dies and Lore survives. Lore's ability triggers and goes to the stack. When the ability resolves, you have the choice of sacrificing the Lore or not. If you choose to sacrifice it, you may cast the exiled instant or sorcery for free.
(2) Living Lore attacks and is blocked by a 1/1 with deathtouch. They deal combat damage to each other, and they both die. Lore's ability triggers and goes to the stack. When the ability resolves, you are unable to sacrifice Living Lore because it is already on the graveyard, so the ability does nothing.
(3) Living Lore attacks and is blocked by a Black Cat. They deal combat do each other, and the Cat dies while the Lore survives. Both Lore's ability and the Cat's own ability are to go to the stack at the same time. As the Active Player is the one attacking, the Lore's ability goes to the stack first, and then the Cat's ability is put on the stack above the Lore's. When they resolve, the attacking player will discard a card at random before getting to choose whether to sacrifice the Lore to cast the exiled instant or sorcery.