Attack Trigger

Attack Trigger アタックトリガー (Atakku Torigā)

Dmwiki.net:	Article
Category:	Attack Trigger

Attack Trigger is a term used for creatures that have an ability that triggers when they attack.

Details

It first appeared on creatures in DM-02 Master of Evolution and DM-02 Evo-Crushinators of Doom.

It is written as "Whenever this creature attacks, EFFECT" or "When this creature attacks, EFFECT".

3 Hypersquid Walter
Water / Creature Cyber Lord
1000
■ Whenever this creature attacks, you may draw a card.

As it can trigger on each attack, it has the advantage of being used each turn repeatedly.

However, there is a one turn delay in using the ability (due to Summoning Sickness), it is often shunned in comparison to a Come Into Play ability. For example, while Bronze-Arm Tribe is a popular and much used card, its equivalent with an attack trigger; Silver Axe was not used in competitive settings. The only exceptions are Evolution Creatures and creatures with Speed Attacker.

The ability triggers immediately after the attack is declared, so occurs before the opponent can block or use the Ninja Strike ability. Therefore, with cards that can destroy creatures via their Attack Trigger can prevent your opponent creatures that have Blocker from blocking it, and a card such as Horrid Worm can discard cards from your opponents hand so they cant use Ninja Strike. It also activates regardless of the creature being blocked or not, so creatures with powerful Attack Triggers along with a Come Into Play ability combined with it, Speed Attacker or an Evolution Creature with such abilities are extremely difficult to stop.

List of 'Attack Trigger' abilities

See also: Titan Trigger and Gives "Attack Trigger"

Rules

As Power Attacker is a static ability, it is not considered to be an attack trigger.
In a narrower perspective, it is referred to as the trigger source and the attacking creature being the same, and does not include the trigger "When other creatures attack". Since Cross Gear' trigger abilities are not directly giving the crossed creatures Attack Trigger abilities, but are triggered when the crossed creature attacks, one should be careful when referring to this narrower perspective.
Cross Gear such as Master Weapon - All Yes or Bajula's Soul can give attack trigger abilities to the crossed creatures. This can be useful as they are trickier to remove from the battle zone.
Since Speed Attacker can allow the trigger to be activated on the turn the creature is summoned, it is very compatible with Attack Triggers. GENJI Double Cross, Blastdragon' strength comes from having both of these abilities. Since Power Attacker is a static ability given while attacking, it's compatibility with it is good too. An example of this is Onimaru "Head", Victory Rush, which has the Speed Attacker ability as well. The same goes for Evolution Creatures.
Attack triggers make Chump Blocking useless as the effect will pull off regardless of if the creature is blocked. Even if the creature is blocked and destroyed, the effect will still pull off and the defending player will still lose advantage, so blockers are impractical against creatures with strong attack triggers and high power.
There are cases where Attack Triggers increases the size of your opponent's hand. In those cases, Shinobi added to the hand after the declaration of attack are still able be used. This is because Ninja Strike is triggered regardless of which zone the Shinobi is. That means that they can come out with no problem as long as they are in the hand when the Ninja Strike ability resolves.
There are cases where Attack Triggers reduces the opponent's shields to 0 during the attack declaration. In those cases, as long as the attacker is not blocked or removed, a direct attack is established and goes through.

Rulings

Q: I have Parlock Smiley Story and I attacked with a creature that has a "Whenever this attacks" ability; Wise Starnoid, Avatar of Hope. What ability triggers first?
- A: You can choose which ability you want to use as they trigger at the same time. ^source
Q: Can the attack ability of a creature that leaves the battle zone from the Revolution Change ability resolve after they switch?
- A: Yes, you may resolve it.（Comprehensive Rules: 110.5a）^source
Q: Fire! Apollosokun! attacks and declares the Revolution Change ability of Jogiragon and Johnny ~J's Journey~. After it switches, do I resolve the the "Whenever this attacks" ability of 'Fire! Apollosokun!' or the "when you put" ability of 'Jogiragon and Johnny ~J's Journey~' first?
- A: You can resolve the pending triggers in any order. Also, before you switch you can break one of your shields with the "whenever this attacks" ability.（Comprehensive Rules: 110.5a　603.2）^source
Q: Can I use if a "Whenever this attacks", "Revolution Change" and "Invasion" abilities together?
- A: Yes, they trigger at the same（time. Resolve the effects one by one in any order. (Comprehensive Rules: 506.3） ^source
Q: If Ultimacannon, Dragon Armored Gun breaks a shield and then leaves the battle battle zone before the "After the attack, destroy one of your opponent's creatures that has less power than this creature for each shield this creature broke with the attack." ability resolves, does the ability triggers?
- A: Yes, the ability of 'Ultimacannon, Dragon Armored Gun' triggers "Whenever this creature attacks" so even if 'Ultimacannon, Dragon Armored Gun' moves away from the battle zone due to Shield Trigger (etc.), one or more shields will be broken. If they do, the ability will continue to trigger.（Comprehensive Rules: 603.6a）^source
Q: Can the "whenever this creature attack" ability be used with Invasion, and resolved after you put a creature on it?
- A: Yes, you can resolve it.（Comprehensive Rules: 605.1）^source
Q: When Great Grasper attacks, I declare the usage of Revolution Change with Hamukatsuman Ace, Brave 1. Can I resolve the effects of putting a creature from the mana zone with 'Great Grasper' before the effect and switch of 'Hamukatsuman Ace, Brave 1'?
- A: Yes, you can resolve them in any order. Also the effect of putting creatures from 'Great Grasper' from the mana zone will refer to the power of the 'Great Grasper' after the switch.（Comprehensive Rules:　605.1）^source
Q: When Great Grasper attacks, I declare the usage of Revolution Change with Hamukatsuman Ace, Brave 1 and choose to use the effect of 'Great Grasper' to put Chainrex, Super Chainkind into the battle zone. Can I use the "when you put" ability of 'Chainrex, Super Chainkind' before the effect of the 'Hamukatsuman Ace, Brave 1' switch.
- A: Yes, you can resolve them in any order.（Comprehensive Rules: 605.1）^source
Q: When Great Grasper attacks, I declare the usage of the Invasion ability of Parasking, Revolution Invasionkind. Does the ability of putting a creature from your mana zone with the "Whenever this creature" attacks ability refer to the power of 'Great Grasper" or 'Parasking, Revolution Invasionkind'?
- A: If it evolves before the effect of 'Great Grasper' resolves, refer to the power of 'Parasking, Revolution Invasionkind'. Before you evolve into 'Parasking, Revolution Invasionkind', refer to the 'Great Grasper'.（Comprehensive Rules: 605.2d）^source

Effects and Abilities

Effects

Abilities

Static Ability
Trigger Ability
- Come Into Play
  - When you put
- Attack Trigger
  - Sabotage Ability
- Titan Trigger
- Put Into Graveyard
- Leave Trigger
  - When this leaves
- Tap Trigger
Activated Ability
Spell Ability

Trivia

Creatures such as Almeric, Prophecy Elemental and Terradragon Balgazarmas grant attack trigger abilities to each of your other creatures.
While it is not used as an official term in the card game, Benny Haha uses the term to explain the ability of Stained Glass.

Duel Masters Gameplay — Glossary

General Game Rules

How to Play (Basic ● Advanced)
English Game ● Japanese Game
Multiplayer ● Resolution ● Rule ● Special Card
Turn-Based Action ● State-Based Action ● Timing
Card Usage, Abilities and Effects ● Additional Rules