Blocking + Trample

[Nadrojnosreppe]

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?

[Coffee Vampire]

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

[Birdbrain]

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?

[Jroch314]

No but the blocker is no longer there, so it's 0 toughness and the damage all tramples thru.