nivmizzet1 wrote:Does the static ability on
Thraben Doomsayer work correctly in this game? If
Thraben Doomsayer and a 2/2 creature is controlled by one player and the 2/2 creature blocks, let's say a 99/99 creature (without trample), and at the same time it's controller is dealt damage from another attacking creature that puts them below 5 life but not at 0, activating
Thraben Doomsayer's ability -- currently this leaves the blocking creature as a 4/4 creature that's been dealt 2 damage (so now temporarily 4/2). I can see how this would make sense if the creature that was blocked had trample and the extra damage went through to the player, but in this case that whole 99 damage should've been dealt to that creature, but just because it only had 2 toughness at the time the remaining 97 damage just dissipates into thin air. I'm asking is this the correct handling of this situation based on the rules of MTG?
Actually, according to your scenario and the rules the 2/2 creature receives damage at the same moment that the player does and dies before
Thraben Doomsayer's continuous ability can kick in (since combat damage from attacking creatures is dealt simultaneously if you exclude first/double strike) so it never becomes 4/4 (regardless of damage).
If, however, the player goes to 5 or less life (but hasn't lost/died) due to say a fast effect during combat (or due to a creature with first/double strike). The fast effect would occur first then 2/2 creature would become 4/4 (due to
Thraben Doomsayer) then combat damage would be dealt to the 4/4 creature which would then take the full 99 damage and die (since there is no trample).
If trample is taken into account from the 99/99 attacking creature then in the original scenario the 2/2 creature would take 2 damage and die with 97 going to the player, in the fast effect (or first/double strike) scenario the blocking creature would take 4 damage and die with 95 damage going to the player.