You are going to need to elaborate on that. Do you mean something like using Cryptic Command to tap down their team when they want to attack?
If so whether you can or can't do that depends on the timing of it. If you let it get to the declare attackers step then it is too late to tap creatures down. The first thing that happens in that step is that attackers gets declared. In the beginning of combat step you can tap down their team though.
If you mean that they want to tap down creatures after you have told them you intend to attack with them (such as wanting to tap an Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre to avoid the annihilator) then no, they cannot do that.
In the spoiler are two of the steps taken during the declare attackers step. Players won't get priority until after attackers are already declared.
508.1. First, the active player declares attackers. This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack. To declare attackers, the active player follows the steps below, in order. If at any point during the declaration of attackers, the active player is unable to comply with any of the steps listed below, the declaration is illegal; the game returns to the moment before the declaration (see rule 717, “Handling Illegal Actions”).
508.3. Third, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
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You can indeed "respond" to attacking. As the active player declares attackers, he or she is really proposing a shortcut to attack (C.R. 718.2a). You can interrupt it by saying "Before you attack, I play..." (C.R. 718.2b) and do whatever you can to keep the proposed attacker from attacking, such as by tapping it. This will move the game to just before the declare attackers step (C.R. 718.2c). Since interrupting the shortcut is itself a shortcut, the active player can now interrupt it himself or herself, such as by choosing not to attack, activating another ability, etc. However, once attackers are declared without you interrupting it, it will be too late for you to tap them afterward or otherwise prevent the attack.
EDIT (July 27, 2016): The shortcut rule was renumbered with Eldritch Moon.
508.1. First, the active player declares attackers. This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack.
Right here. They can look up this rule in the Comp Rules pdf if they want to confirm.
Peter and Hugseal are kind of answering a different question from what you asked. They are saying you can tap attackers at the beginning of combat. However, this is not "in response" to declaring attackers, because declaring attackers does not use the stack.
Okay can someone please tell me exactly why you can't tap a creature in response to attacking? My friends all think I made that up.
Are you trying to tap a creature before it attacks, via something like Goldmeadow Harrier?
Your friends are right. In order to do something, you need to have priority. No player gets priority in the Declare Attackers step until after attackers have already been declared. Since the attackers have been declared, they are already probably tapped. Even if they aren't, due to Vigilance, tapping them won't undo the act of declaring them as attackers.
You can tap them in the Beginning of Combat so they can't attack, but you need to do that without knowing what creatures they are going to attack with. Once you let your opponent declare creatures as attacking, it is too late to stop it.
So that means I am right then, they were thinking if they used something like Acroan Mastiff on a creature after it was declared it would then remove it from combat because it was tapped
You are correct once a creature has been declared an attacker it will alrady be tapped, unless it has vigilance, and attacking before your opponents can respond.
Even if it has vigilance tapping it will not remove it from combat.
But you must give your opponents and oppertunity to act in both your mainphase and the beginning of combat step, if you attempt to rush through those steps your opponent is well withing there rights to get you to back up so they can act before you declare attackers.
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I know about the ask if they are going to do anything before I attack, but it gets annoying trying to argue against seven people when it's only me and they think they can attack with their 1/1 annihilator 2 and then tap it so it only does the annihilator and keep doing it over and over
The way your question read, it sounded like you were the one trying to tap a creature in response to your opponents declaring attackers. If they are the ones trying to tap down one of your attacking creatures, then yes, you are correct. OldRoland mentioned the rule in the CR that details declaring attackers. As part of that rule, you will see that you tap your creatures as you declare them for attacking. There is never a time where you will have an attacking creature that is not tapped (again, barring Vigilance or something like Johan).
Note that they can still target your creature to tap an already tapped and attacking creature (if they want to for some other reason). It is just that it won't be removed from combat.
So that means I am right then, they were thinking if they used something like Acroan Mastiff on a creature after it was declared it would then remove it from combat because it was tapped
Correct
506.4b Tapping or untapping a creature that’s already been declared as an attacker or blocker doesn’t remove it from combat and doesn’t prevent its combat damage.
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If a creature with annihilator attacks, its annihilator ability will trigger and can resolve no matter what happens to that creature, even if it's destroyed or it becomes tapped (C.R. 112.7a). But if the creature doesn't attack (for example, if it becomes tapped before it attacks), then the ability won't trigger.
I know about the ask if they are going to do anything before I attack, but it gets annoying trying to argue against seven people when it's only me and they think they can attack with their 1/1 annihilator 2 and then tap it so it only does the annihilator and keep doing it over and over
Nope, that doesn't work. If your friends want to be able to do that, they need to remove the attacking creature from combat (Reconnaissance, Gustcloak Savior, etc.) or prevent the damage dealt to the attacking creature (Maze of Ith, Dolmen Gate, etc.)
It's also important to note that many players will shortcut declaring attackers without declaring the phase change. If this is the case, you may respond to the beginning of combat step. This is a mistake on the attackers part for assuming you had no responses to entering combat and you can still tap their creatures to prevent an attack. For this to work without grumbling on their part, interrupt them speaking, especially in multiplayer games.
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If so whether you can or can't do that depends on the timing of it. If you let it get to the declare attackers step then it is too late to tap creatures down. The first thing that happens in that step is that attackers gets declared. In the beginning of combat step you can tap down their team though.
If you mean that they want to tap down creatures after you have told them you intend to attack with them (such as wanting to tap an Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre to avoid the annihilator) then no, they cannot do that.
In the spoiler are two of the steps taken during the declare attackers step. Players won't get priority until after attackers are already declared.
508.3. Third, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Combat_phase
http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Declare_attackers_step
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EDIT (July 27, 2016): The shortcut rule was renumbered with Eldritch Moon.
Right here. They can look up this rule in the Comp Rules pdf if they want to confirm.
Peter and Hugseal are kind of answering a different question from what you asked. They are saying you can tap attackers at the beginning of combat. However, this is not "in response" to declaring attackers, because declaring attackers does not use the stack.
Your friends are right. In order to do something, you need to have priority. No player gets priority in the Declare Attackers step until after attackers have already been declared. Since the attackers have been declared, they are already probably tapped. Even if they aren't, due to Vigilance, tapping them won't undo the act of declaring them as attackers.
You can tap them in the Beginning of Combat so they can't attack, but you need to do that without knowing what creatures they are going to attack with. Once you let your opponent declare creatures as attacking, it is too late to stop it.
Even if it has vigilance tapping it will not remove it from combat.
But you must give your opponents and oppertunity to act in both your mainphase and the beginning of combat step, if you attempt to rush through those steps your opponent is well withing there rights to get you to back up so they can act before you declare attackers.
- H.L Mencken
I Became insane with long Intervals of horrible Sanity
All Religion, my friend is simply evolved out of fraud, fear, greed, imagination and poetry.
- Edgar Allan Poe
The Crafters' Rules Guru
The way your question read, it sounded like you were the one trying to tap a creature in response to your opponents declaring attackers. If they are the ones trying to tap down one of your attacking creatures, then yes, you are correct. OldRoland mentioned the rule in the CR that details declaring attackers. As part of that rule, you will see that you tap your creatures as you declare them for attacking. There is never a time where you will have an attacking creature that is not tapped (again, barring Vigilance or something like Johan).
Note that they can still target your creature to tap an already tapped and attacking creature (if they want to for some other reason). It is just that it won't be removed from combat.
Correct
506.4b Tapping or untapping a creature that’s already been declared as an attacker or blocker doesn’t remove it from combat and doesn’t prevent its combat damage.
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If a creature with annihilator attacks, its annihilator ability will trigger and can resolve no matter what happens to that creature, even if it's destroyed or it becomes tapped (C.R. 112.7a). But if the creature doesn't attack (for example, if it becomes tapped before it attacks), then the ability won't trigger.
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