Mishra's Factory and tapping

[serracollector]

if my opp attacks with a 2/2 can I block with mishra and tap it to pump itself to kill the 2/2 under current rules?

[Godder]

Yes, just do it after you declare the Factory as a blocker:

Attack Step: Opponent declares 2/2 as attacker. Before the end of the Attack Step, you activate Factory's ability to become a creature.
Blockers Step: You declare Factory as blocker. Before the end of the Blockers Step, you activate Factory's ability to give target Assembly Worker +1/+1 (i.e. itself).

[LotusHead]

Yes, just do it after you declare the Factory as a blocker:

Attack Step: Opponent declares 2/2 as attacker. Before the end of the Attack Step, you activate Factory's ability to become a creature.
Blockers Step: You declare Factory as blocker. Before the end of the Blockers Step, you activate Factory's ability to give target Assembly Worker +1/+1 (i.e. itself).

But summoning sickness still applies here.  If you couldn't attack with it because you just played it, and passed the turn, then you won't be able to use the tap ability while an assembly worker since the card "mishra's factory" hasn't been in play since the beginning of your turn yet.

Also, can't tap to pump itself under Null Rod...

[TracerBullet]

Also, can't tap to pump itself under Null Rod...

Or, in Legacy, Humility.

[serracollector]

ty, someone was trying to tell me since they changed the stack and that damage didn't stack I couldn't use abilities anymore either after blockers were declared.

Please lock.

[Godder]

In the Combat Phase, players gain priority at some point in each of the first three steps (Beginning of Combat, Attack, Blockers) so there's plenty of time to cast instants, activate abilities etc.

[Delha]

ty, someone was trying to tell me since they changed the stack and that damage didn't stack I couldn't use abilities anymore either after blockers were declared.

This is similar to the Putrid Leech pump ability in Standard.

Under the old rules, you could block a 2/2, stack the dmg, then pump. This ensured that even if they played a removal spell on your guy, the 2 dmg carried through to kill the blocked creature.

Under the current rules, you must block, then pump before damage. If they shock your guy with pump on the stack, their attacker will live.

In short, pumping becomes more risky, because a response from the opponent becomes a blowout instead of just a trade.