Delayed Blast Fireball vs Bard re-examination
by
, 06-20-2016 at 06:51 PM (7584 Views)
Ever since D&D's second set came out with these two cards, players have asked many times who goes off first. The majority have always believed that Bard's boost would apply before the Fireball's damage. I have always fell in the minority believing that DBF would damage characters before the Bard's boost would apply.
Now considering this question still pops up, one has to wonder why. It should be clear regardless of which side the person falls on. After examining the debate (and being a part of it many times over), I fully understand both side's arguments pretty well and after coming across 2 BACs, I can confidently say that Delayed Blast Fireball actually goes off before Bard.
"What!? " To understand why, we need to examine all the pieces: the Delayed Blast Fireball card, why people think Bard goes first, and the character and 2 BAC cards that support my side.
First off, Delayed Blast Fireball.
The card is simple, after the main step of your opponent, the fireball goes off and deals 4 to 6 damage whether they choose to declare an attack or to skip the attack step. That is the intent of the card, your opponent ends their main step and a bast hits their entire field, continue after damage is resolved.
Next, let's examine why people think that Bard goes off first. The majority believes that the Attack Step begins with Assigning Attackers and resolving their abilities. If this were true, then yes the active player could decide to resolve the Bard ability before the fireball's. Is there any proof that Assigning Attackers is the same thing as Declaring an Attack? No, this is merely what many players assumed. Why would I think any differently?
Next, there are 3 cards besides Fireball that occur after declaring an attack but before assigning attackers.
Captain Cold, to declare an attack, you just pay one generic energy. No energy, no assigning any attackers. No one has ever disagreed with me on this one.
Change of Heart and Possession are interesting cards. At the start of your Attack Step, take control of an opposing character and you must attack with it. After you have assigned attackers we know that you cannot add anymore just as once blockers are assigned you cannot add anymore. Yet these cards force a control and adding the controlled to the attack, yet it does not occur in the main step.
Hhhhhmmm, sounds to me like they happen before assigning attackers. If that is the case, then the Attack Step does not actually begin with assigning attackers, but merely "I declare an attack." This would mean that Fireball operates before Bard is even assigned to attack and makes the fireball an inset counter to Bard.
What say you all? Still think Bard boosts everyone before Fireball or do you think the Delayed Blast Fireball incinerates weenies before Bard can make them super?