Does a creature have to be declared as an attacker in the "Declare Attackers" phase to be considered having 'attacked'?
This stems from a discussion about Berserk. If I attack with Brimaz, King of Oreskos, his token comes into play, and during "Declare Blockers" phase, cast Berserk on the token, will the token die at the next End Step?
What about casting Berserk on Ninja of the Deep Hours that was Ninjitsu'd into play? Does he die at end of turn?
Another scenario, I attack with a bunch of creatures in a multiplayer game. Berserk resolves on one. Opponent casts Illusionist's Gambit. Before new Declare Attackers, the Berserked creature becomes tapped and cannot be declared as an attacker again. Will the creature still die at end of turn for being declared as an attacker in the first combat phase?
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"You are what you pretend to be, so you must be careful what you pretend to be" from Mother Night
"Attacked this turn" means that the creature was declared as an attacker at any point of the turn before the delayed triggered ability resolves, whether or not it assigned combat damage. Entering the battlefield attacking (for example, with ninjutsu or Brimaz's first triggered ability) doesn't count as having "attacked" (C.R. 508.4).
EDIT (August 4): Note that Illusionist's Gambit untaps all attackers, including the creature under the effect of Berserk. They don't stay tapped if they already were. A player usually taps a creature he or she declares as an attacker (C.R. 508.1f), but besides that, the rules provide no window for players to tap permanents (including creatures) except as an incidental part of another action or event (such as tapping to pay a cost or as part of an effect).
"Attacked" is shorthand for "Declared as an attacker":
508.4. If a creature is put onto the battlefield attacking, its controller chooses which defending player or which planeswalker a defending player controls it’s attacking as it enters the battlefield (unless the effect that put it onto the battlefield specifies what it’s attacking). Such creatures are “attacking” but, for the purposes of trigger events and effects, they never “attacked.”
So, in your first couple scenarios, Berserk will not destroy that creature since it never attacked.
In the last scenario it would be destroyed since it did attack this turn. It doesn't matter that it didn't attack at every possibility. It attacked once and that is enough to trigger Berserk's "destroy" clause.
This stems from a discussion about Berserk. If I attack with Brimaz, King of Oreskos, his token comes into play, and during "Declare Blockers" phase, cast Berserk on the token, will the token die at the next End Step?
Another scenario, I attack with a bunch of creatures in a multiplayer game. Berserk resolves on one. Opponent casts Illusionist's Gambit. Before new Declare Attackers, the Berserked creature becomes tapped and cannot be declared as an attacker again. Will the creature still die at end of turn for being declared as an attacker in the first combat phase?
Yes it will. It did attack, that it got removed from combat afterwards doesn't change that fact.
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I'm a former judge (lapsed), who keeps up to date on rules and policy. Keep in mind that judges' answers aren't necessarily more valid than those of people who aren't judges; what matters is we can quote the rules to back up our answers. When in doubt, ask for such quotes.
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This stems from a discussion about Berserk. If I attack with Brimaz, King of Oreskos, his token comes into play, and during "Declare Blockers" phase, cast Berserk on the token, will the token die at the next End Step?
What about casting Berserk on Ninja of the Deep Hours that was Ninjitsu'd into play? Does he die at end of turn?
Another scenario, I attack with a bunch of creatures in a multiplayer game. Berserk resolves on one. Opponent casts Illusionist's Gambit. Before new Declare Attackers, the Berserked creature becomes tapped and cannot be declared as an attacker again. Will the creature still die at end of turn for being declared as an attacker in the first combat phase?
First posted EDH deck: Hakim, Beardmaster
EDIT (August 4): Note that Illusionist's Gambit untaps all attackers, including the creature under the effect of Berserk. They don't stay tapped if they already were. A player usually taps a creature he or she declares as an attacker (C.R. 508.1f), but besides that, the rules provide no window for players to tap permanents (including creatures) except as an incidental part of another action or event (such as tapping to pay a cost or as part of an effect).
So, in your first couple scenarios, Berserk will not destroy that creature since it never attacked.
In the last scenario it would be destroyed since it did attack this turn. It doesn't matter that it didn't attack at every possibility. It attacked once and that is enough to trigger Berserk's "destroy" clause.