I swing with a 5/5. Defender declares a 1/1 chump blocker. Before combat dmg is dealt the defender sacrifices the chump blocker. What happens to my 5 damage?
Your creature is counted as blocked, and deals no damage. It "swings at the air", so to speak. Once a creature is blocked, it is blocked; there is nothing you can do to un-block it. You can, however, kill a creature before the "Declare Blocks Step". Just say "Before blocks are declared, I <kill spell> your <creature>."
Now if the 5/5 has trample, all damage will go through because even though it is blocked, the toughness blocking it is zero.
RESOLVED
Quote from: Coffee Vampire on December 01, 2012, 03:39:31 AM
Your creature is counted as blocked, and deals no damage. It "swings at the air", so to speak. Once a creature is blocked, it is blocked; there is nothing you can do to un-block it. You can, however, kill a creature before the "Declare Blocks Step". Just say "Before blocks are declared, I <kill spell> your <creature>."
Now if the 5/5 has trample, all damage will go through because even though it is blocked, the toughness blocking it is zero.
I understood trample as reduced by the toughness, and hitting the player. Did they change that?
No but the blocker is no longer there, so it's 0 toughness and the damage all tramples thru.