Provoke

Keywords · intermediate

Provoke lets an attacker force a fight. Whenever a creature with provoke attacks, you may have target creature an opponent controls untap and block it that combat if able.

How it works

• When the provoke creature attacks, you choose a creature the defending player controls.
• That creature untaps and must block the provoke creature if it is able to.
• This drags a chosen blocker into combat, often to kill it or to clear a path.

Rules notes

• The provoked creature only "blocks if able." Effects that stop it from blocking (such as being a creature that can't block) still apply.
• If the provoked creature has flying and the attacker does not, it can still be forced to block, since blocking restrictions for the blocker are different from evasion on the attacker.

Rule reference

[702.39]