Can You Stack Double Strike in Magic: The Gathering? The Definitive Guide
The short answer is a resounding no. You cannot stack Double Strike in Magic: The Gathering. Having multiple instances of Double Strike on a creature doesn’t provide any additional benefit over having just one. It’s a redundant ability. Let’s delve into why this is the case and explore the intricacies of Double Strike.
Understanding Double Strike
Double Strike is a keyword ability in Magic: The Gathering that drastically alters how a creature deals combat damage. Normally, creatures deal combat damage simultaneously during the combat damage step. However, creatures with Double Strike shake things up! They deal combat damage twice during combat:
- First Strike Combat Damage Step: Creatures with First Strike and Double Strike deal their combat damage during this step.
- Regular Combat Damage Step: All creatures, including those with Double Strike, deal combat damage during this step.
Essentially, Double Strike grants your creature the ability to hit hard and hit again. A 2/2 creature with Double Strike effectively deals 4 damage during combat—2 in the first strike step and 2 in the regular combat damage step.
Why Double Strike Doesn’t Stack
The reason Double Strike doesn’t stack is explicitly stated in the comprehensive rules of Magic: The Gathering. Rule 702.4e states that “Multiple instances of double strike on the same creature are redundant.“
Imagine giving a creature two Double Strike abilities. It wouldn’t deal damage three times! It simply continues to deal damage twice – once in each appropriate combat damage step. The additional instance of the ability just sits there, unused and unappreciated.
Double Strike Synergies
While you can’t stack Double Strike itself, it synergizes incredibly well with other abilities, making your creatures even more formidable. Consider these combinations:
- Trample: A creature with Double Strike and Trample can deal excess damage to a defending player twice. This can lead to massive damage output, especially with a high-power creature.
- Lifelink: With Lifelink and Double Strike, you gain life equal to the damage dealt in both combat damage steps. This results in double the life gain compared to a creature with just Lifelink.
- Infect: If your creature has Double Strike and Infect, it distributes poison counters during the first strike damage step and again during the regular combat damage step, for double the poison counter application.
- Deathtouch: While not directly enhanced, Double Strike can ensure a creature with Deathtouch destroys multiple blockers or bypasses blockers entirely by eliminating them in the first strike damage step.
Strategic Applications of Double Strike
Double Strike provides a powerful offensive advantage in Magic. Here’s how you can leverage it effectively:
- Aggressive Strategies: Double Strike is perfect for aggressive decks that aim to quickly reduce an opponent’s life total. Early game creatures with Double Strike can deal significant damage.
- Combat Tricks: Combine Double Strike with combat tricks like pump spells to surprise your opponent and deliver devastating blows. Imagine a creature with Double Strike receiving +3/+3 in the first strike damage step!
- Token Strategies: Buffing tokens with Double Strike can quickly overwhelm an opponent, especially if you have multiple tokens attacking simultaneously.
First Strike vs. Double Strike
It’s important to differentiate between First Strike and Double Strike:
- First Strike: Creatures with First Strike deal combat damage before creatures without First Strike or Double Strike. If a creature with First Strike deals lethal damage to its blocker during the first strike combat damage step, the blocker won’t deal damage in the regular combat damage step.
- Double Strike: As explained, Double Strike allows a creature to deal damage in both the first strike and regular combat damage steps.
A creature with Double Strike effectively has First Strike, as it participates in the first strike combat damage step. However, it goes a step further by dealing damage again in the regular combat damage step.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Double Strike
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the intricacies of Double Strike.
1. Can you have Double Strike twice?
No; multiple instances of Double Strike on the same creature are redundant.
2. Does Double Strike count as 2 attacks?
No. The trigger, “Whenever ~ attacks” means “Whenever ~ is declared as an attacking creature”. A creature with Double Strike will deal damage in the two combat damage steps, but will only be declared as an attacker once per turn.
3. Is Double Strike also First Strike?
Double Strike is a variation on First Strike that allows creatures to deal damage during the first strike and regular combat steps.
4. Does Double Strike beat Deathtouch?
If you block a creature with Deathtouch with a creature with First Strike or Double Strike, your creature will deal damage during the first strike damage step, before the Deathtouch creature can return fire.
5. Does Double Strike work with Trample?
Yes! Trample also works well with Double Strike. Creatures with double strike deal damage during the first strike damage step and the regular damage step.
6. Does Double Strike work during a Fight?
So, Double Strike will work with a Fight. Neither First Strike nor Double Strike affects how fighting works (review C.R. 701.12).
7. Does Double Strike give 2 poison counters?
Yes. If you have a 1/1 creature with Double Strike and Infect unblocked, your opponent would get 1 poison counter in the first strike damage step and 1 poison counter in the regular damage step, for a total of 2 poison counters.
8. Does Double Strike count in blocking?
Yes, Double Strike also works when blocking. If your blocker has double strike it deals damage to the attacker in both the first strike damage phase and the normal damage phase. This doesn’t mean that it blocks twice, though.
9. How does Double Strike work against multiple blockers?
The 4/4 with Double Strike assigns its 4 damage. It has to assign at least lethal damage to the first Creature blocking it in the Order. Any remaining Damage can be divided from among the Blocking Creatures… Provided that all Creatures ahead of it, in Order, have been assigned lethal damage.
10. Do swords trigger twice with Double Strike?
Yes, if I have a Mirran Crusader out and equipped with a Sword of War and Peace and my opponent chooses not to block him, does the swords ability trigger twice because of the double strike? Yes, because the Mirran Crusader weal deal combat damage to your opponent two separate times.
11. Does Deflecting Palm work on Double Strike?
If you use Deflecting Palm on an attacking double strike creature will it prevent both attacks? or just one? Deflecting Palm only interacts with “The next time” that would deal damage, not both times.
12. How does Double Strike work with Menace?
Menace doesn’t interact with first strike or double strike abilities. If a creature with Menace gets a block from two or more creatures, it will assign its combat damage to them as normal.
13. Can Deathtouch go through indestructible?
Since indestructible can’t be destroyed by rules, it gets rid of deathtouch. In general, in magic, “can’t” trumps “does” when there’s a rules conflict.
14. Does Double Strike trigger combat damage triggers twice?
Absolutely. Creatures with double strike deal combat damage twice, once during the first strike combat damage step, and once during the normal combat damage step.
15. Can you stack first strike?
No, multiple instances of first strike on the same creature are redundant.
The Educational Value of Magic: The Gathering
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Conclusion
While you can’t stack Double Strike, its potent combination with other abilities makes it a highly desirable keyword in Magic: The Gathering. Understanding the nuances of Double Strike, and its interactions within the broader game mechanics, is crucial for mastering the game. So, go forth and unleash the power of the Double Strike!