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multiplayer combat question

Question regarding how combat resolves in multiplayer. More to make things right in my head than anything.

Player 1, 2 and 3.

Player 1 attacks player 2 and player 3 with two seperate creatures.
Player 2 declares a blocker which will die so moves the creature to graveyard.
Player 3 hasn't decided what to do yet and hasn't declared any blockers.
Player 2 decides to cast an instant spell preventing all combat damage this turn.

Is this legal? and could player 2 keep the creature that would have died on the battlefield?

I was player 2 in the above scenario and argued that combar/blocking resolves in one go not two different go's. I was beat down by my two friends who said it was an illegal move.

I understand in a tournement etc it is not the way to play but in theory my creature wouldnt have went into my graveyard until combat resolved. Combat didn't resolve as not all players had declared blockers... am I right or wrong?

Thanks
Posted 07 February 2012 at 14:41

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3 replies

you're doing it wrong


- Player 1 is Active Player
- Player 1 declares Attackers (start of Combat phase) and assigns a creature to attack player 2 and a creature to attack player 3 (know that not every group allows split attacks)
- Player 1 announces blockers are to be assigned (this is a phase meaning all players must assign blockers in this phase)
- first player 2 assigns blockers then player 3 assigns blockers (in the order of play)
- after each player passes priority the active player announces the next phase in which combat resolves. priority is passed on between players so they can respond with instants before combat resolves.
- player 2 casts fog (or something else that prevents combat damage), and passes priority. player 3 doesn't respond and passes priority, player 1 doesn't respond and combat resolves. no damage is dealt. End of combat phase is announced, priority is passed and so on and so on.

magic is a game of phases and priority being passed between players. understanding this system is very important and it's often far more complex in multiplayer then it is in 1 vs 1. Lots of players think an instant is a spell they can cast whenever they like, this is how you spot a player who doesn't understand how the game works.
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Posted 07 February 2012 at 15:20

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Thanks,

So in answer to my question I was right to assume I could cast fog. How it played out was that Player 1 said my creature would still die... obviously it wouldn't right? Provided I cast fog after he had declared attackers and me and player 3 had declared blockers?

We were pretty drunk and we don't stick to the phases as strictly as you might in a propper game but I would've thought my creature that blocked would have survived when I cast fog before combat could resolve?
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Posted 07 February 2012 at 15:48

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in casual play you don't usually go though the passing of priority as long as its clear to everyone what is happening. The phases however are VERY important. Player 1 can't be in the end of combat step when player 2 is still declaring blockers and that's what happened to you.

Basically combat resolves all at once for everyone. if you make that clear then nothing would have died yet at the time of casting fog and there would not be an issue
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Posted 07 February 2012 at 16:12

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