Blinding Mage Royal Assassin rulings magic Tap target Destroy target tapped creature

[mtgmtg]

Can I have my Royal Assassin destroy a Blinding Mage in response to the blinding mage tapping the royal assassin? How does this work?

[Arix]

Yes, you can. When it comes to activated abilities, everything on the left of the colon is the cost - this happens immediately when you play the ability. Everything on the right is the effect it has when it resolves.

So when your opponent activates his Mage, he pays W and taps the Mage. When the ability resolves, it has the effect of tapping your Assassin. In response to the ability, you can activate the Assassin, since it's not tapped yet and the Mage is.

The end result is a tapped Assassin and a dead Mage.

[hunts23]

if my opponent attacks with a creature and i have blinding mage can i tap his attacking creature even though he already attacked?

[Arix]

No. You can't respond to someone declaring attackers. By the time you get the chance to do anything, the creatures are already tapped and attacking.

What you have to do is tap his creature before he begins declaring attackers.