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Rules AnswersCombat & Damage

Can a creature that just entered the battlefield block in the same turn if it has haste?

Short answer
No. Haste only removes the restriction on attacking and activating abilities; a creature cannot block the turn it enters the battlefield regardless of haste.

Haste (CR 702.10) removes two specific restrictions: it lets a creature attack and lets it activate loyalty or tap abilities the same turn it enters the battlefield. Blocking is a completely separate action governed by different rules, and haste does not interact with blocking at all.

The ability to block is not restricted by how recently a creature entered the battlefield. Any creature without a specific restriction (such as being tapped or having a rule that prevents it from blocking) may block during the declare blockers step (CR 509.1), even if it just entered the battlefield that same turn — with or without haste.

So a creature without haste that enters the battlefield can still block immediately. Haste is simply irrelevant to blocking. CR 702.10a states: 'Haste lets a creature attack and lets a player activate its abilities with the tap symbol or untap symbol even if that creature hasn't been controlled by you since the beginning of your turn.'

Concrete example: Your opponent attacks you with a 3/3. You cast a vanilla 2/2 with haste during your opponent's combat phase (via flash or some instant-speed method). That 2/2 can block the 3/3 normally — but this is because any creature can block, not because of haste. If the 2/2 lacked haste, it could still block; haste made no difference here.

In summary: haste never grants or restricts blocking. Blocking is always available to untapped creatures with no blocking restrictions, regardless of when they entered the battlefield (CR 509.1a).

HIGH confidence CR 509.1 CR 509.1a CR 702.10 CR 702.10a
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