Discussion Forum

1) Annihilator is a triggered ability.
2) It's triggered when the creature is declared as an attacker.
3) Declaring a creature as an attacker causes it to tap.
4) In response to the annihilator ability going on the stack, someone could use Royal assassin to destroy the source of what's causing the Annihilator, meaning the annihilator can't resolve and it "fizzles". The same is true for damage, the creature is killed before blockers are even declared so no damage is dealt.


Don't quote me on it but I think this is how it works.

I follow what you are saying about the damage. But I'm pretty sure annihilator still happens, because the text states that when the card attacks, regardless of whether damage is done or not.

So, I'm pretty sure that it goes annihilator, Royal Assassin's ability, no damage done.

im not sure about this but from what i understand according to the rulebook:

603.6d Normally, objects that exist immediately after an event are checked to see if the event matched any trigger conditions. Continuous effects that exist at that time are used to determine what the trigger conditions are and what the objects involved in the event look like. However, some triggered abilities must be treated specially because the object with the ability may no longer be on the battlefield, may have moved to a hand or library, or may no longer be controlled by the appropriate player. The game has to “look back in time” to determine if these abilities trigger..... will trigger based on their existence, and the appearance of objects, prior to the event rather than afterward.

an example in the rulebook:

Two creatures are on the battlefield along with an artifact that has the ability “Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you gain 1 life.” Someone plays a spell that destroys all artifacts, creatures, and enchantments. The artifact’s ability triggers twice, even though the artifact goes to its owner’s graveyard at the same time as the creatures.

so, annihilator resolves, even if the assassin kills the pathrazer

That makes sense.

[QUOTE=Scotty1700]
4) In response to the annihilator ability going on the stack, someone could use Royal assassin to destroy the source of what's causing the Annihilator, meaning the annihilator can't resolve and it "fizzles". The same is true for damage, the creature is killed before blockers are even declared so no damage is dealt.
[/QUOTE]

you're correct about damage but once annihilator is on the stack it doesnt matter that the pathrazer is no longer in play...it resolves anyway.

[QUOTE=Seras]you're correct about damage but once annihilator is on the stack it doesnt matter that the pathrazer is no longer in play...it resolves anyway.[/QUOTE]

Ah okay. Thanks for clearing that up.