Can a Creature Attack Twice in Magic The Gathering?
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The simple answer is usually no. In the vast majority of scenarios, a creature in Magic: The Gathering can only attack once per turn. However, like many things in Magic, there are exceptions and nuances that skilled players can exploit to bend the rules in their favor. Let’s dive deep into the intricacies of attacking, double strike, extra combat phases, and other game mechanics that can make it seem like, or even allow, a creature to attack more than once.
Understanding the Basics of Attacking
Before we get into the exceptions, it’s crucial to understand the fundamental rules of attacking in Magic: The Gathering. During your combat phase, you, as the attacking player, can declare which creatures you control will attack. Each creature can only be declared as an attacker once, and once a creature has been declared as an attacker, it is considered to have attacked that turn, regardless of what happens to it afterward.
This limitation is core to the game’s balance, preventing strategies where a single, powerful creature could dominate the battlefield by repeatedly attacking. This system encourages thoughtful deck building and strategic planning during each turn.
Double Strike: A Game Changer
One of the most straightforward ways a creature can effectively deal damage twice in a combat phase is by having the keyword ability Double Strike. A creature with double strike deals combat damage in both the first combat damage step and the second combat damage step. In practice, this means the creature does damage as if it attacked twice within the same combat phase.
Example: A 2/2 creature with double strike attacks. If it’s unblocked, it deals 2 damage in the first combat damage step and another 2 damage in the second combat damage step, for a total of 4 damage.
Double strike can be a powerful offensive tool, especially when combined with other abilities or effects that boost power or grant additional keywords like lifelink or deathtouch. It is an “evergreen” keyword, meaning it’s a mechanic that can be found in nearly every Magic set.
Extra Combat Phases
While a creature cannot attack twice during a single combat phase, some cards and abilities allow you to create additional combat phases. If you have such an effect, you can attack again in that new combat phase.
Example: The card “Aggravated Assault” grants you an additional combat phase after the current one for a cost. This allows creatures that attacked in the first combat phase, if still on the battlefield and untapped, to attack again in the new combat phase.
Keep in mind, however, that simply having an extra combat phase doesn’t automatically mean a creature must attack again. You have the option of not attacking at all in any given combat phase, including extra ones granted by card effects.
Untapping and Re-Attacking: Illusions of Multiple Attacks
While you can’t remove the “attacked this turn” status from a creature, you can untap it using various spells or abilities and attack again in a separate combat phase granted through the card’s effect. This can sometimes create the illusion of a creature attacking more than once in the same turn, even though each attack happens in a distinct combat phase. Even if you untap your creatures with some effect, they are still considered to have attacked this turn and can’t attack again, until the next combat phase.
Haste: The Speedster’s Advantage
Haste is a keyword ability that allows a creature to attack on the turn it enters the battlefield. While haste doesn’t directly allow a creature to attack more than once per combat phase, it’s worth mentioning because it enables creatures summoned mid-turn to immediately join the attack, something they couldn’t do without haste. Creatures without haste must wait until your next turn before being able to attack.
Vigilance: The Defender’s Advantage
Vigilance is a keyword ability that allows a creature to attack without tapping. This doesn’t allow it to attack twice, but it does allow it to attack and still be available to block during the opponent’s turn.
Other Abilities and Interactions
Certain specific card abilities or combinations of cards can create complex scenarios where it appears a creature is attacking more than once. However, in most cases, these involve a combination of extra combat phases, untapping effects, and other mechanics. These scenarios tend to be more complex and less common, requiring careful planning and execution.
For further exploration of the strategic complexities of Magic: The Gathering, consider checking out the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org. This organization delves into the educational aspects of gaming and offers unique insights into the strategic depths of card games like Magic.
FAQs: Can a Creature Attack Twice in Magic The Gathering?
1. Can a tapped creature attack?
No, a creature must be untapped to be declared as an attacker. If a creature is tapped, it cannot participate in the attack.
2. Can I tap a creature after it has been declared as an attacker to prevent its attack?
No, once a creature has been declared as an attacker, tapping it will not remove it from combat. It will still deal combat damage (unless otherwise removed from combat).
3. Can I attack multiple players in one turn?
Yes! During your attack phase, you can declare attackers against multiple players (or planeswalkers) in a multiplayer game. Each attacking creature must be assigned to a specific player or planeswalker.
4. If a creature has both first strike and double strike, does it attack three times?
No. Multiple instances of double strike or first strike are redundant. A creature with both abilities will still only deal damage in the first and second combat damage steps.
5. Can a creature block multiple attackers?
By default, each creature can only block one attacking creature. However, some creatures have abilities that allow them to block additional creatures.
6. Does damage happen simultaneously in combat?
Combat damage is dealt simultaneously, but damage from different sources is treated as separate events for triggered abilities.
7. Can a creature with menace be blocked by only one creature?
No, a creature with menace cannot be blocked unless it is blocked by two or more creatures.
8. What happens if an attacking creature is destroyed before combat damage?
If an attacking creature is destroyed before the combat damage step, it deals no combat damage. It is no longer on the battlefield to participate in combat.
9. Can a wizard attack twice in a turn?
In Magic: The Gathering a wizard is just a creature type; it doesn’t inherently have an ability to attack multiple times. However, in Dungeons & Dragons, specific wizard subclasses, like the Bladesinger, can gain abilities that allow them to attack multiple times. These are different games with different rulesets.
10. Can a creature attack a creature?
No, creatures cannot attack other creatures directly. They attack the opponent or a planeswalker controlled by the opponent. The defending player then chooses which creatures, if any, will block the attacking creatures.
11. If I untap a creature with an effect after it attacks, can it block?
Yes, if you untap a creature after it attacks, it can block during your opponent’s turn, assuming it is otherwise eligible to block.
12. What happens if a creature with trample is blocked by a creature with 0 toughness?
If a creature with trample is blocked by a creature with 0 toughness, all of its damage is assigned to the player.
13. How does deathtouch interact with double strike?
If a creature with double strike also has deathtouch, it only needs to deal 1 damage in the first combat damage step to destroy the blocking creature. Any remaining damage from the first step, and all damage from the second step, can then be assigned to the defending player (if the deathtouch creature has trample).
14. Can I use an “extra attack” spell to allow a creature to attack again?
Some spells create an extra combat phase. If you are granted an extra combat phase, you can then declare which creatures you control will attack during the extra combat phase. Each creature can only be declared as an attacker once per combat phase, you can attack again in that new combat phase.
15. If I copy an attacking creature, does the copy also attack?
If you create a copy of an attacking creature, the copy will enter the battlefield attacking if possible. However, if it enters the battlefield tapped, or is otherwise unable to attack, it will simply be on the battlefield and not attacking.