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Rules AnswersCommander / EDH

Does Torpor Orb prevent triggered abilities that trigger when a creature attacks?

Short answer
No. Torpor Orb only suppresses triggered abilities that trigger when creatures ENTER THE BATTLEFIELD, not when they attack.

Torpor Orb reads: "Creatures entering the battlefield don't cause abilities to trigger." This effect is narrowly scoped — it applies only to triggered abilities whose trigger condition is a creature entering the battlefield (i.e., "enters the battlefield" or "when ~ enters the battlefield" triggers).

Triggered abilities that fire when a creature attacks use the trigger condition "whenever [creature] attacks" or "whenever [creature] becomes declared as an attacker." These triggers occur during the declare attackers step (CR 508.1), not when a creature enters the battlefield, and are therefore completely unaffected by Torpor Orb.

This distinction matters because Torpor Orb only modifies the rule described in CR 603.6 as it applies to enters-the-battlefield triggers. Attack triggers are governed separately under CR 508.1 and CR 603.2, and no text on Torpor Orb overrides those rules.

Concrete example: Your opponent controls Torpor Orb. You attack with Marauding Raptor, which has "Whenever a creature attacks, ..." — that ability triggers normally when you declare Marauding Raptor as an attacker. Torpor Orb does nothing to prevent it.

In summary, only "enters the battlefield" triggers are suppressed by Torpor Orb. Any trigger tied to attacking, blocking, dying, or other game events fires as normal.

HIGH confidence CR 508.1 CR 603.2 CR 603.6
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