1120110:

Hi All,

Here's how it works:

1) You propose an attack between two characters. This puts a proposal effect on the chain. The attacker does not exhaust yet.

2) All players must pass before a combat step begins. This is the time to play Frost Nova if your goal is to stop the proposed attacker from attacking. As the Nova resolves, the proposed attacker takes 1 damage.

3) Then, as the proposal effect resolves, it rechecks the legality of the attack. Because the proposed attacker can no longer attack, the proposal fails. The proposed attacker does not exhaust and a combat step does not start.

4) The turn player gets priority, but can't propose another attack with the same character because it has been frozen.

Alternately, if Nova is not played in the above window, the proposal resolves successfully, the attacker exhausts, and a combat step starts. Playing Nova during this combat step will deal 1 damage to the attacker, but it won't "stop the attack" or anything like that because the attacker has already passed the legality check.

To clear up one other point, exhausting the attacker is not a "cost" of any kind.

Thanks,

PR

Thanks, Paul! :) Do you know when the comprehensive rules will be released? This sort of stuff needs to be included in that document. ;)

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-Joneleth

Daiden Quezul
70 Paladin, Burning Blade

Ha! I was right. :-p J/K guys, it's good we have discussions like this and still managed to keep it civil.

Now where's the level 2 test? I think this discussion should at least count for a level one.

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No quote for you!

1120110:

Playing Nova during this combat step will deal 1 damage to the attacker, but it won't "stop the attack" or anything like that because the attacker has already passed the legality check.

But if the Nova kills the character the attack is prevented, isn't it? Or when is death evaluated? Can the character still finish the attack with his dying breath?

@M7B7: Well Nova is a bad example because after nova is played at phase 2) you can't attack anymore.
Let's take Fireball for an example.

I think if you play this at phase 2) you will kill the char and you take no damage. But if you kill him after phase 3) he gets killed, too, but you also take damage from the attacking char.

Look here for the phases:

1120110:

Here's how it works:

1) You propose an attack between two characters. This puts a proposal effect on the chain. The attacker does not exhaust yet.

2) All players must pass before a combat step begins. This is the time to play Frost Nova if your goal is to stop the proposed attacker from attacking. As the Nova resolves, the proposed attacker takes 1 damage.

3) Then, as the proposal effect resolves, it rechecks the legality of the attack. Because the proposed attacker can no longer attack, the proposal fails. The proposed attacker does not exhaust and a combat step does not start.

4) The turn player gets priority, but can't propose another attack with the same character because it has been frozen.

Alternately, if Nova is not played in the above window, the proposal resolves successfully, the attacker exhausts, and a combat step starts. Playing Nova during this combat step will deal 1 damage to the attacker, but it won't "stop the attack" or anything like that because the attacker has already passed the legality check.

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Here are the steps

1. Propose: You choose a ready hero or ally in your party to be the proposed attacker and an
opposing hero or ally to be the proposed defender.
2. Attack: Your proposed attacker exhausts (turns sideways) and attacks.
3. Defend: The proposed defender starts defending.
4. Damage: The attacker and defender deal combat damage to each other equal to their ATKs. This
is the only damage that counts as combat damage.
5. Conclude: The combat step ends.

If the ally is not there when you reach step 4, then no damage is delt.

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Chad Daniel
www.StarCityWoW.com
Strategy, Articles, Forums, and More!
My Articles

863356:

Here are the steps

1. Propose: You choose a ready hero or ally in your party to be the proposed attacker and an
opposing hero or ally to be the proposed defender.
2. Attack: Your proposed attacker exhausts (turns sideways) and attacks.
3. Defend: The proposed defender starts defending.
4. Damage: The attacker and defender deal combat damage to each other equal to their ATKs. This
is the only damage that counts as combat damage.
5. Conclude: The combat step ends.

If the ally is not there when you reach step 4, then no damage is delt.

I agree. If the attacker or defender is removed by any means before step 4 then no damage will be dealt to the remaining participant.

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No quote for you!

I would think that you could even play it as a response to step 4. The Fireball (or whatever) would go on the chain and resolve before your opponent doing damage to you resolves.

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I would think that you could even play it as a response to turn 4. The Fireball (or whatever) would go on the chain and resolve before your opponent doing damage to you resolves.

That would completely depend exactly how they implement the steps.  It could go either way, but if I had to guess, I would say the damge is created as you enter step four.  But that is only a guess.

Chad Daniel

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Chad Daniel
www.StarCityWoW.com
Strategy, Articles, Forums, and More!
My Articles

1118975:

I would think that you could even play it as a response to step 4. The Fireball (or whatever) would go on the chain and resolve before your opponent doing damage to you resolves.

Hard to say.  My guess is that you can't, simply because when step 4 comes around, damage has already been resolved even if the attacker dies. :)

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-Joneleth

Daiden Quezul
70 Paladin, Burning Blade

1114141:

1118975:

I would think that you could even play it as a response to step 4. The Fireball (or whatever) would go on the chain and resolve before your opponent doing damage to you resolves.

Hard to say.  My guess is that you can't, simply because when step 4 comes around, damage has already been resolved even if the attacker dies. :)

Well, it depends on wether all the combat steps use the chain an thus can be responded to. as the initial step, the proposal, does indeed use the chain i'm going to argue that all combat steps use the chain.

So you could play a damaging ability (not fireball because it's not instant) in response to step 4 going on the chain.
So, LIFO the direct damage ability resolves and kills the attacker. then combat step 4 resolves, and since there is only the defender left, nobody will be dealt damage.

teddy

1114757:

1114141:

1118975:

I would think that you could even play it as a response to step 4. The Fireball (or whatever) would go on the chain and resolve before your opponent doing damage to you resolves.

Hard to say.  My guess is that you can't, simply because when step 4 comes around, damage has already been resolved even if the attacker dies. :)

Well, it depends on wether all the combat steps use the chain an thus can be responded to. as the initial step, the proposal, does indeed use the chain i'm going to argue that all combat steps use the chain. So you could play a damaging ability (not fireball because it's not instant) in response to step 4 going on the chain. So, LIFO the direct damage ability resolves and kills the attacker. then combat step 4 resolves, and since there is only the defender left, nobody will be dealt damage. teddy

Yeah, that was my line of thought as well (but I forgot about Fireball not being instant). On the other hand, we did get a dev response about the whole attack prevention thing, and he said to prevent the attack, a spell like Frost Nova would have to be played in response to step 1, not 2, because the attack will have already begun at that point. The Frost Nova resolving on the chain first doesn't matter in that case. So it might be that way in this case too. I'm not even sure that it's really a major issue though, since if anyone wanted to play an instant during the combat, they could just do it in response to one of the earlier steps to save everyone a lot of confusion =P

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yeah, but i'm pretty sure the whole issue with frost nova being played before step 2 resolves is just the "cannot attack this turn" phrase that's tied to the novas damage.
that part of this discussion did'nt really deal with combatants dying midway through the attack

I don't think the steps themselves use the chain, but you have an opportunity to begin a chain in between the steps and that's when you would use abilties that don't have specific triggers like Frost Nova.

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No quote for you!

1114757:

1114141:

1118975:

I would think that you could even play it as a response to step 4. The Fireball (or whatever) would go on the chain and resolve before your opponent doing damage to you resolves.

Hard to say.  My guess is that you can't, simply because when step 4 comes around, damage has already been resolved even if the attacker dies. :)

Well, it depends on wether all the combat steps use the chain an thus can be responded to. as the initial step, the proposal, does indeed use the chain i'm going to argue that all combat steps use the chain. So you could play a damaging ability (not fireball because it's not instant) in response to step 4 going on the chain. So, LIFO the direct damage ability resolves and kills the attacker. then combat step 4 resolves, and since there is only the defender left, nobody will be dealt damage. teddy

Yeah, that's the real question, whether or not you can respond to different steps beginning (or ending).

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-Joneleth

Daiden Quezul
70 Paladin, Burning Blade

1118975:

I'm not even sure that it's really a major issue though, since if anyone wanted to play an instant during the combat, they could just do it in response to one of the earlier steps to save everyone a lot of confusion =P

It matters when cards like Maxum Ironbrew are concerned. See the other thread I have created concerning this question.