Activated damage

[An Angry Fatman]

I had a {Olivia voldaren} out and attacking. My friend blocked with a {bird of paradise}. Could I activate olivias ability to deal one damage to the bird before she is technically blocked? Or would no damage be delt to the the defending player because the bird was declared a blocker? I'm just trying to grasp activated abilities and the combat phase.

[An Angry Fatman]

What about as I attack, and I'm allowed to use the activated ability even though she is tapped at that time?

[D3g3n]

What about as I attack, and I'm allowed to use the activated ability even though she is tapped at that time?

Since Olivia is not a tapping activated ability, the latest you can activate it to remove a flying blocker is at the end of declaring attacker phase. The phase that follows will be declaring blockers, in which case it will be too late for you to ping the bird.

[BlackJester]

Also, since her ability doesn't have a tap symbol, you can use it as many times as you can pay the mana for, whether she's tapped or not.

[An Angry Fatman]

Awesome, thanks guys. Jester, your a boss at this bro

[An Angry Fatman]

Also what happens when I activate the ability to late? Like if I attack with a {bloodcrazed neonate} and they declare the blocker of a {champion of the parish} I activate the ability giving lethal damage to the champion. so would it survive to exchange with my neonate?

[Mentonin]

If lethal damage was dealt to the champion after blockers are declared but before damage is assigned, the champion dies before it deals damage. The neonate will hit the champion(which doesn't exist), so his damage will go to air. The champion won't deal damage. If you somehow give trample to the neonate, it hits the player after its blocker is gone

[BlackJester]

Awesome, thanks guys. Jester, your a boss at this bro

You're welcome and thank you. 😌