<p>Unfortunately the answer is "no".  The text on these cards, and others like them, is </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"this creature may assign its combat damage as though it weren't
  blocked"</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It's obvious what this means when the creature is attacking - if it weren't blocked it would deal damage directly to the player.</p>

<p>When blocking, it's academic whether "the creature may assign its combat damage as though it weren't blocked".  The only permissible place to assign a blocker's combat damage, ever, is to the creature it's blocking.  As such, Rhox and Thorn Elemental's special abilities have no effect while they're on defensive duty.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-23T19:24:22.003Z
2011-08-23T19:24:22.003Z
thesunneversets
<p>My opponent blocks my creature with a <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=106504" rel="nofollow">Rhox</a>, and instead of dealing damage to the attacker, would prefer to deal that damage to me. Does Rhox's ability work that way? </p>

<p>The same ability can also be seen on cards such as <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=25596" rel="nofollow">Thorn Elemental</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-23T20:23:57.747Z
Add the name of the game (an abbreviation, actually), to the heading.
Tom Au
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-23T21:39:21.383Z
@Tom Au - Actually, I think that's a terrible idea. We have tags precisely so you don't have to do this.
ire_and_curses
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-23T22:02:10.693Z
@ire: I wouldn't call it terrible. But there appears to be a pretty even split of opinion on the related meta question, so I'll stop doing this.
Tom Au
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-23T22:10:16.030Z
@Tom Au - I have just started a discussion about this on meta. Feel free to express your point of view there if you like: http://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/103621/should-questions-contain-general-categories-in-the-title
ire_and_curses
<magic-the-gathering>
In MTG, Can Rhox redirect its damage when it blocks?
AbstractProblemFactory
# In MTG, Can Rhox redirect its damage when it blocks?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-08-23)

My opponent blocks my creature with a [Rhox](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=106504), and instead of dealing damage to the attacker, would prefer to deal that damage to me. Does Rhox's ability work that way?

The same ability can also be seen on cards such as [Thorn Elemental](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=25596).

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Add the name of the game (an abbreviation, actually), to the heading.  
> **username_2**: @username_1 - Actually, I think that's a terrible idea. We have tags precisely so you don't have to do this.  
> **username_1**: @ire: I wouldn't call it terrible. But there appears to be a pretty even split of opinion on the related meta question, so I'll stop doing this.  
> **username_2**: @username_1 - I have just started a discussion about this on meta. Feel free to express your point of view there if you like: http://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/103621/should-questions-contain-general-categories-in-the-title  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2011-08-23. Score: 12 | Accepted answer

Unfortunately the answer is "no". The text on these cards, and others like them, is

> "this creature may assign its combat damage as though it weren't
> blocked"

It's obvious what this means when the creature is attacking - if it weren't blocked it would deal damage directly to the player.

When blocking, it's academic whether "the creature may assign its combat damage as though it weren't blocked". The only permissible place to assign a blocker's combat damage, ever, is to the creature it's blocking. As such, Rhox and Thorn Elemental's special abilities have no effect while they're on defensive duty.


---

