So in this scenario, how can player B find out if a trigger was missed to declare blockers?

If there is even one..

If you want to find out if a specific trigger has resolved you will have to ask about the trigger. There is no blanket catch all statement that will do the job of forcing the opponent to answer about multiple triggers at once.

Originally posted by Sandro Carlucci:

So in this scenario, how can player B find out if a trigger was missed to declare blockers?

Easy! “Does Kor Bladewhirl have first strike?”
This might remind AP about the trigger when it would otherwise have been missed, but that's a known and accepted element of the policy - that to get precise information about the status of triggers, you may have to remind your opponent of them.

The player can just refuse to answer that question though.

Originally posted by Gareth Tanner:

The player can just refuse to answer that question though.

What? I'm pretty sure if you specifically ask your opponent if they remembered their trigger they have to answer. Otherwise, how could you play the game?

“Does Kor Bladewhirl have first strike?” is a question about the creatures characteristics which are derived information, meaning that the player does not have to answer it. If you ask about the trigger then they have to answer it but this doesn't ask about the trigger.

This seems very word game-y. You know exactly what the opponent is asking. I'm not going to make the opponent reword the question until he gets it right.

If called over to a table where a player had refused to answer that question, would anyone's response really be anything other than a variant on “Congratulations on your technical knowledge of the MTR, now please answer the question so as not to waste everyone else in the room's time.”?

Hmm i have kinda mixxed feelings about this ;)

I think its a good way that you can't trick your opponents into something, but in this situation it kinda doesn't feel like im getting rewarded for knowing how my deck works, i have to show my opponent how his works aswell.

Feels kinda weird.

Where do we draw the line then, would you force an answer if they ask does Thalia have first strike

In this case the question “Does X have First Strike” can (and my opinion should) be taken as if worded “Did the trigger to give your creatures first strike resolve?” since that is what the player is asking for, and for which the opponent is required to answer. I don't think it's healthy getting hung up on the precise wording of the question but rather focus on what the player is intending to ask and if necessary rephrase the question.

“Details of current game actions and past game actions that still affect the game state.” <– that isn't intended to be used in such a general manner. Marc's point about broad statements, missing any single detail, and CPV, is valid. But it's really simpler than that. It's meant to cover things like “did you play a land yet?” or “what mana did you float?” (although that's supposed to be announced, that doesn't preclude asking later). Even something more obscure, like “why is that Grizzly Bear tapped” –> “I used it for Converge, remember?”

At the risk of being pedantic, I'm going to hammer home a few key points - I think that some of the posts here are ignoring the basic philosophy, as stated in the IPG.

"Triggered abilities are assumed to be remembered until otherwise indicated, and the impact on the game state may not be immediately apparent.“
So many of the questions asked about triggers seem to be based on ”I assume he missed his trigger“. That's not a valid assumption - says so, right there, in the Philosophy section.

”The opponent’s benefit is in not having to point out triggered abilities, although this does not mean that they can cause triggers to be missed.“
Again, so many people approach this from ”how can I cause them to miss their trigger(s)", when it says right there - you can't. Maybe you'll get lucky and they will forget, to your benefit.

"If an opponent requires information about the precise timing of a triggered ability or needs details about a game object that may be affected by a resolved triggered ability, that player may need to acknowledge that ability’s existence before its controller does.“
This is also critical - and seems to be very unpopular, as so many variations of these questions are, at their root, nothing more than ”I don't want to point out that trigger". Too bad - you may have to. Again - it says so, right there, in black & white. Accept it, and move on.

Instead of worrying about triggers and game actions and types of information, and Communication Policy - let's just stick to the (overall very simple) philosophy of Missed Trigger. All we need to properly adjudicate is in the Definition and Philosophy of this section of the IPG.

d:^D

I'm not looking for a way to play “Gotcha!” Magic. I guess I'm just having some difficulties reconciling the “that player may need to acknowledge that ability’s existence” part of the missed trigger portion of the IPG with the definition of derived information, which includes “All characteristics of objects in public zones that are not defined as free information.”

In the above scenario, A is attacking with a bunch of creatures that may or may not have first strike, depending on whether or not A has missed the Kor Bladewhirl trigger.

It is my understanding that whether or not a creature has first strike is derived information as “first strike” isn't mentioned as free info. If so, and N asks A, “Hey, do your creatures have first strike?” A can answer “Sorry, that's derived information and I don't have to help you with that.”

If N asking “What triggers have happened this turn that you didn't explicitly mention?” isn't valid because it's a fishing expedition, are you saying that N's only method for knowing the characteristics of A's creatures before the first combat damage step is to ask specifically, “Did you resolve the Kor Bladewhirl trigger?” and, if so, is A obliged to answer fully and honestly? And if A says, “No, it didn't,” is that trigger missed?

Edited because grammar is hard

Edited Nathen Millbank (March 16, 2016 03:24:22 PM)

For those who believe that “What triggered this turn?” is Free information, are you prepared to issue a penalty when someone forgets to mention that draw trigger that happened in upkeep?

An important word in “Details of past game actions” is *Details*. You point to the action you're asking about and get the detail you need. “What did you target with that?”, “What mana did you use to pay for that?” “Did you choose to use Eldrazi Mimics ability?” They are the questions you must know the answers to to derive the current game state (and yes, part of that current game state is assuming that triggers were remembered).

The correct way to handle the Bladewhirl is to assume that all creatures have first strike. Or block and hope you get lucky.

Edited Toby Elliott (March 16, 2016 03:25:57 PM)

the most important part here is:
“how can i be sure that my opponent forgot his triggers?” <- “You can't until it's too late for him or you, try your luck or ask him”