Do You Have to Double Block Double Strike in Magic: The Gathering?
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The short answer is: no, you are not required to double block a creature with double strike. However, whether you should double block is a complex strategic decision dependent on the specific board state, available resources, and your overall game plan in Magic: The Gathering (MTG). Double blocking is always optional, and it isn’t an issue of whether or not you have to, but instead a strategic consideration.
Understanding Double Strike
Before diving into the intricacies of blocking, let’s ensure we have a solid understanding of double strike. Double strike is an ability that allows a creature to deal combat damage twice: once during the first strike combat damage step and again during the normal combat damage step.
This contrasts with creatures with first strike, which only deal damage during the first strike combat damage step. A creature without either ability only deals combat damage during the normal combat damage step.
Imagine a 2/2 creature with double strike attacking. It will deal 2 damage in the first strike combat damage step. If the creature survives, it will deal another 2 damage in the normal combat damage step, for a total of 4 damage.
Blocking a Creature with Double Strike: The Options
When an opponent attacks with a creature possessing double strike, you have several options for blocking:
- Single Block: Assign one of your creatures to block the attacker.
- Double Block (or Multiple Block): Assign two or more of your creatures to block the attacker.
- No Block: Choose not to block at all, taking the damage directly.
The decision to single, double, or not block depends on a few factors:
- The Size of the Attacker: How much damage does the double strike creature deal?
- Your Creature’s Toughness and Abilities: Can your blockers survive one or two hits? Do they have abilities like deathtouch or lifelink that can influence the outcome?
- The Importance of Your Creatures: Are your potential blockers essential to your strategy? Are they more valuable alive than the attacking double strike creature?
- Available Resources: Do you have enough creatures to double block effectively without leaving yourself vulnerable to other attacks?
- Opponent’s Potential Tricks: Do you suspect your opponent has combat tricks that could change the outcome of the combat, such as instants that increase power or grant indestructible?
Why Might You Want to Double Block Double Strike?
Here are scenarios where double blocking a creature with double strike can be beneficial:
- Saving a Valuable Creature: Your single blocker might not be able to survive the double strike damage. Double blocking can ensure that the attacker is destroyed before it can deal its second round of damage, protecting your key creature.
- Preventing Damage to You or a Planeswalker: If the double strike creature would otherwise deal significant damage to you or a planeswalker, double blocking can neutralize the threat.
- Exploiting Deathtouch: If one of your blockers has deathtouch, you can use it to destroy the double strike creature during the first strike damage step, preventing the normal damage step altogether. By including another blocker you can protect the deathtouch blocker from dying in the second round of combat.
- Gaining an Advantage: You may be able to exploit other abilities or combat tricks to create a favorable outcome from the double block.
Why You Might Not Want to Double Block Double Strike?
Consider these scenarios where double blocking might be a bad idea:
- Sacrificing Too Many Creatures: Double blocking means committing two creatures to potentially be destroyed. If you need those creatures for other purposes, it might be better to take the damage or sacrifice a single blocker.
- Vulnerability to Removal: If your opponent has removal spells, they could target one of your blockers after the first strike damage step, leaving the other blocker to face the double strike creature alone.
- Inefficient Use of Resources: If your opponent’s double strike creature is weak and easily dealt with by a single blocker, double blocking might be overkill.
- The Value of Information: Sometimes, letting the damage go through can give you more information about your opponent’s hand and strategy.
Combat Damage Step Interactions
Let’s consider some hypothetical examples:
- A 3/3 double strike creature attacks. You block with a 2/2 creature. The 2/2 is destroyed in the first strike damage step. The 3/3 deals no further damage to the player (or planeswalker) because it’s no longer blocked.
- A 3/3 double strike creature attacks. You block with a 2/2 and a 1/1. The 3/3 deals 2 damage to the 2/2 and 1 damage to the 1/1 in the first strike damage step. If both blockers survive, the 3/3 deals another 2 damage to the 2/2 and 1 damage to the 1/1 in the normal damage step.
- A 3/3 double strike creature attacks. You block with a 1/1 with deathtouch. The 1/1 deals 1 damage to the 3/3 in the first strike damage step, destroying the 3/3. The 3/3 deals no damage in the normal damage step, and will not deal damage to the 1/1.
Strategic Considerations
The art of blocking in MTG is about more than just surviving combat. It’s about managing resources, controlling the board, and executing your game plan. Before making a blocking decision, always consider the bigger picture:
- What is your opponent’s deck capable of? Are they likely to have combat tricks or removal spells?
- What are your win conditions? How does this combat interaction contribute to or detract from your ability to win the game?
- What are the long-term consequences of your blocking decision? Will sacrificing creatures now leave you vulnerable later?
Remember that Magic: The Gathering is a game of calculated risks. Understanding the rules and potential outcomes is crucial, but the best players are those who can adapt to the ever-changing circumstances of the game. The Games Learning Society promotes understanding such complex system dynamics through the design of thoughtful games. You can learn more at GamesLearningSociety.org.
FAQs: Double Strike and Blocking
Here are some Frequently Asked Questions to further clarify the rules and strategy surrounding double strike and blocking in MTG:
1. Does indestructible prevent damage from double strike?
No, indestructible does not prevent damage. A creature with indestructible cannot be destroyed by damage, but it will still take the damage from the first strike and normal combat damage steps. So a creature with indestructible will still take the damage, and any relevant abilities like lifelink or wither will still apply.
2. If I block a double strike creature with two creatures, how does damage assignment work?
You, as the defending player, assign how the damage is dealt. During the first strike damage step, the attacking creature with double strike must assign its damage to the blocking creatures in an order you choose. It can assign all of its damage to one blocker first, then to the next (if the first blocker is destroyed), or it can divide the damage however you wish. The same process repeats during the normal combat damage step, but with different blockers if some have already been destroyed.
3. Can I cast an instant after first strike damage but before normal combat damage?
Yes! After the first strike combat damage step, players receive priority. This means you can cast instants, activate abilities, and take other actions before the normal combat damage step begins. This is a crucial window for using removal spells, combat tricks, or other responses.
4. What happens if a double strike creature is blocked, but the blocker is removed before the first strike damage step?
If the blocker is removed before the first strike combat damage step, the double strike creature is considered unblocked and will deal all of its damage directly to the defending player or planeswalker.
5. Does deathtouch work with double strike?
Yes. If a creature with both deathtouch and double strike deals combat damage to a creature, even during the first strike damage step, that creature is destroyed due to deathtouch. If the double strike creature survives, it will also deal damage during the normal damage step.
6. Can a creature with protection from a color block a double strike creature of that color?
No. A creature with protection from a color cannot be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, enchanted, or equipped by anything of that color. So, a double strike creature with a color that the blocker has protection from, can’t block that creature.
7. What happens if my double strike creature is blocked by a creature with first strike?
Both creatures deal damage simultaneously during the first strike damage step. Your double strike creature will also deal damage during the normal combat damage step, if it survives.
8. Can I double block a creature with first strike and deathtouch?
Yes, you can. This can be a good strategy to prevent damage to yourself or a planeswalker. The creature with first strike and deathtouch will deal damage to one of your blockers in the first strike damage step, destroying it. Then, during the normal combat damage step, your remaining blocker can potentially destroy the first strike/deathtouch creature before it deals any damage to you.
9. How does double strike interact with lifelink?
If a creature has both double strike and lifelink, you gain life equal to the amount of damage it deals in each combat damage step. So you gain life twice!
10. If I block a double strike creature and then sacrifice my blocker, does the attacker still deal damage?
No. If you sacrifice the blocker before the first strike damage step, the attacking creature is considered unblocked and deals damage to the player or planeswalker. However, if you sacrifice the blocker after the first strike damage step, the attacking creature is still considered blocked and will not deal damage to the player or planeswalker during the normal combat damage step.
11. Does double strike work during fight?
Yes, double strike and first strike affects the combat damage steps, and can work with Fight.
12. What happens when a creature with double strike blocks?
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.
13. Is Double Strike only attacking?
All double strike means is the creature deals both first strike and normal combat damage. They only “attack” once, but they “deal damage” twice.
14. Can you double double strike?
No; multiple instances of double strike (or of first strike) on the same creature are redundant
15. Can you block with a Planeswalker?
No. Players can attack planeswalkers, but can’t use them to block.
Final Thoughts
Mastering the intricacies of double strike and blocking requires a deep understanding of the rules, strategic thinking, and adaptability. While you aren’t required to double block a creature with double strike, carefully consider the factors involved to make the best decision for your game. Good luck, and may your blocks always be strategic!