3

I have Answered Prayers, which reads:

Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 1 life. If Answered Prayers isn't a creature, it becomes a 3/3 angel with flying in addition to its other types until end if turn.

I declare an attacker, and in response to it attacking a creature enters the battlefield. (Say, Grave Titan creating its zombies.) Can I then attack with Answered Prayers as well before blockers are declared?

1 Answer 1

7

No. Basically, all attackers need to be declared at once:

  1. Declare Attackers Step

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 725, “Handling Illegal Actions”).

508.1a The active player chooses which creatures that they control, if any, will attack. The chosen creatures must be untapped, and each one must either have haste or have been controlled by the active player continuously since the turn began.

and the final step is the triggering of abilities:

508.1m Any abilities that trigger on attackers being declared trigger.

508.2. Second, the active player gets priority. (See rule 117, “Timing and Priority.”)

When they resolve, and Answered Prayers triggers and resolves in turn, it's too late to declare additional attackers.

Note that if you somehow get a second combat phase in that turn (such as with Relentless Assault), your Answered Prayers might be eligible to attack during that combat phase since it already became a creature during the first one. The exception is if you cast Answered Prayers this same turn, in which case it can't attack because it has "summoning sickness"; it isn't under your control since the beginning of your most recent turn.

4
  • I don't understand why you mention an extra combat phase in the last paragraph. If you trigger Answered Prayers the turn it came into play, it will be summoning sick, extra combat phase or not.
    – Swimmer F
    May 25, 2020 at 4:24
  • 3
    It's something that's often overlooked because it's not a creature when it enters the battlefield. Often enough to get mentioned in the rulings below the card in Gatherer, as I noticed after writing the paragraph.
    – Glorfindel
    May 25, 2020 at 6:14
  • It's not obvious that Answered Prayers was cast this turn. If it's been around (as an enchantment) all turn, it could attack in the hypothetical second combat phase
    – Caleth
    Jun 1, 2020 at 14:23
  • @Glorfindel I've updated the paragraph in a way I suspect reads better. Could you check it over and update/revert as you see fit? Jun 1, 2020 at 16:01

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .