Are Fight Cards Combat Damage?
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No, fight cards do not deal combat damage. In games like Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a “fight” card is a spell or ability that forces two creatures to simultaneously deal damage to each other equal to their power. While this results in damage, it’s not considered combat damage because it doesn’t occur during the combat phase or involve attacking and blocking creatures. It is, however, damage dealt, and interacts with effects that care about damage.
Understanding Combat Damage
What Constitutes Combat Damage?
Combat damage is specifically damage dealt by attacking and blocking creatures during the combat damage step of the combat phase. It’s a crucial element of combat interactions and is subject to specific rules and restrictions. For instance, effects like first strike and double strike only apply during the combat damage step. The timing and source of damage are key factors in determining whether it is classified as combat damage.
Key Characteristics of Combat Damage
- Occurs During the Combat Phase: The damage must be dealt during the combat phase.
- Involves Attacking or Blocking Creatures: Only creatures declared as attackers or blockers participate in dealing combat damage.
- Subject to Combat Damage Rules: Keywords like first strike, double strike, and trample influence how combat damage is assigned and dealt.
- Damage is Based on Power: Creatures deal damage equal to their power.
Fight Cards: Simulating a Fight
How Fight Cards Work
Fight cards are spells or abilities that cause two creatures to fight. These cards typically instruct two target creatures to deal damage to each other simultaneously equal to their power. The effect is triggered by the resolution of the spell or ability, not during the combat phase. Examples of such cards include “Prey Upon” and “Rabid Bite.”
Distinguishing Fight Damage from Combat Damage
The key difference lies in the context. Fight cards are spells or abilities that trigger a separate damage event outside the combat phase. The damage dealt by fight cards bypasses the complexities and rules associated with combat damage, such as first strike or double strike. Additionally, creatures don’t have to be attacking or blocking to be involved in a fight. Therefore, fight card damage is a distinct category, separate from combat damage.
Implications of Fight Cards
- Bypasses Combat Rules: Fight card damage circumvents abilities and rules that specifically affect combat damage.
- Instant Speed Interaction: Many fight cards can be played at instant speed, allowing for surprise interactions and removal of threats outside the combat phase.
- Targeted Removal: Fight cards can act as a form of targeted removal, allowing you to eliminate a creature by forcing it to fight a stronger creature.
Why the Distinction Matters
The distinction between fight card damage and combat damage is essential for rules interactions and strategic gameplay. Understanding this difference is crucial for making informed decisions during a game. Players need to know whether certain abilities will apply or be negated based on the type of damage being dealt. Here’s why it matters:
- Triggering Abilities: Some abilities trigger specifically upon dealing or receiving combat damage. These abilities will not trigger when damage is dealt through a fight card. Conversely, abilities that trigger on any damage being dealt will trigger.
- Damage Prevention: Spells and abilities that prevent or redirect combat damage will not affect damage dealt through a fight card, but those that prevent damage in general will.
- Combat-Specific Keywords: Keywords like “first strike” or “trample” have no effect when damage is dealt through a fight card because these are combat mechanics.
- Strategic Planning: Knowing the difference allows you to plan your plays more effectively, utilizing fight cards to circumvent specific combat-related strategies or defenses.
Strategic Use of Fight Cards
Fight cards provide versatile options for players:
- Removing Problem Creatures: Eliminate threats without entering the combat phase.
- Controlling the Board: Force unfavorable trades for your opponent.
- Bypassing Defenders: Deal damage when your opponent has strong blockers.
- Instant-Speed Interaction: React to threats at instant speed, disrupting your opponent’s plans.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Fight Cards and Combat Damage
1. Does Trample apply when a creature is involved in a fight?
No, Trample does not apply. Trample only functions during the combat damage step when an attacking creature deals damage to a blocking creature. Fight card damage happens outside the combat phase, so trample is irrelevant.
2. If a creature has First Strike, does it deal damage first in a fight?
No, First Strike doesn’t apply. First Strike is a combat ability that only functions during the combat damage step. Fight card damage happens simultaneously, so First Strike has no effect.
3. Can I use a Fight card to deal damage to a creature with Hexproof?
No, you cannot. Most Fight cards target the creatures involved in the fight. Hexproof prevents a creature from being the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. Since fight cards controlled by an opponent target the creature with Hexproof, they are an illegal target.
4. If a creature has Indestructible, can it still be affected by a Fight card?
Yes, Indestructible does not prevent damage. A creature with Indestructible cannot be destroyed by damage or effects that say “destroy.” However, it can still be dealt damage by a Fight card. The damage will be marked on the creature, but the creature won’t be destroyed as a result. Indestructible only prevents destruction, not damage or other negative effects like losing life if the damage is dealt to a player by the indestructible creature.
5. Does Lifelink work with Fight cards?
Yes, Lifelink works with Fight cards. Lifelink causes you to gain life equal to the damage dealt by the creature with Lifelink. Since fight cards cause creatures to deal damage, Lifelink will trigger and you’ll gain life.
6. If a creature has Deathtouch, does it destroy a creature it fights, regardless of the damage dealt?
Yes, Deathtouch works. Deathtouch means that any amount of damage dealt by a creature with Deathtouch to a creature is enough to destroy it. If a creature with Deathtouch is involved in a fight, it will destroy the other creature, even if it only deals 1 damage.
7. Can Fight cards be used to trigger Enrage abilities?
Yes, Fight cards can trigger Enrage abilities. Enrage abilities trigger when a creature is dealt damage. Since fight cards deal damage, they can trigger Enrage abilities.
8. Does protection from a color prevent damage from a Fight card if one of the creatures is that color?
No, protection from a color doesn’t directly prevent damage from a fight card in most cases. Protection typically prevents damage from sources of that color. A fight card itself is rarely a source of color, it’s usually colorless. If a creature with protection from red fights a red creature, the protection will prevent the damage from the red creature, but the protected creature will still deal damage back to the red creature (unless the red creature also has protection from the color of the first creature).
9. If I use a Fight card on two creatures, and one is a token that dies, does the other creature still deal damage?
Yes, the remaining creature still deals damage. Even if one creature leaves the battlefield during the resolution of the Fight card, the other creature still deals damage equal to its power at the time the spell was resolving.
10. Can I counter a Fight card?
Yes, you can counter a Fight card. Fight cards are typically spells or abilities that can be countered using counterspells like “Counterspell” or “Negate.”
11. Does a Fight card count as “targeting” for abilities that care about targeting?
Yes, a Fight card does target. Fight cards require you to choose targets, typically two creatures. This means abilities that trigger when a creature becomes the target of a spell or ability will trigger when a Fight card is used.
12. If a creature gains stats (power/toughness) in response to a Fight card, how is the damage calculated?
The damage is calculated based on the creature’s power at the moment the Fight card is resolving. Any buffs or debuffs that apply before the damage is dealt will affect the amount of damage dealt.
13. Can fight cards kill creatures with Regenerate?
Yes, fight cards can kill creatures with Regenerate. Regeneration replaces the destruction of a creature with tapping it, removing all damage from it, and removing it from combat (if it was in combat). The creature still takes damage, but instead of dying, the Regenerate ability is used to keep it alive.
14. How does a Fight card interact with a creature that has “Whenever this creature attacks,…” abilities?
Fight cards do not trigger “Whenever this creature attacks…” abilities. These abilities specifically trigger during the combat phase when the creature is declared as an attacker. Fight cards happen outside the combat phase, so these attack triggers will not occur.
15. Can I use a Fight card to target two creatures I control?
Yes, you can generally use a Fight card to target two creatures you control. This might be a strategic move to trigger certain abilities, such as Enrage, or to sacrifice a weaker creature to damage or destroy a stronger one. This is a perfectly legal play, assuming the card does not specify it must target creatures you don’t control.