Does Blocking Count as Combat Damage?
Blocking indeed counts as combat damage, as it involves damage dealt by an attacking or blocking creature to another source during the damage step of combat. This is a crucial concept in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), affecting how players strategize and execute their moves during a game, especially when considering combat damage to players, planeswalkers, or creatures.
Understanding Combat Damage
To delve deeper into the concept of blocking as combat damage, it’s essential to understand what combat damage entails. Combat damage is specifically the damage dealt during the damage step of combat, not to be confused with damage dealt by abilities or spells outside of this step.
FAQs About Blocking and Combat Damage
1. Is Blocking Dealing Combat Damage?
Blocking is indeed a form of combat damage because when a creature blocks, it assigns combat damage to the attacking creature, and vice versa.
2. What is Considered Combat Damage to a Player in MTG?
Combat damage to a player is only the damage dealt at the very beginning of the combat damage step as a direct result of attacking or blocking.
3. Does Protection from Everything Prevent Combat Damage?
Having protection from everything does not prevent a player from being attacked, but it does prevent damage from being dealt to the player if no blockers are declared.
4. Can You Block with Multiple Creatures?
Yes, multiple creatures can block a single attacking creature, but by default, each blocking creature can only block one attacking creature unless it has a specific ability allowing it to block additional creatures.
5. How Does Protection Work When Blocking?
Protection means the creature won’t be damaged, enchanted, blocked, or targeted by anything of the specified color or type, thus affecting how blocking interacts with protection.
6. Does Trample Damage Go Through Blocking?
An attacker with trample deals excess damage to the defending player, planeswalker, or battle, even if it is blocked.
7. What Are the Rules for Blocking in Magic?
A creature must be untapped to block, and each creature can only block a single attacker by default, but multiple defenders can block the same attacker.
8. Does Infect Damage Count as Combat Damage?
Infect damage dealt by a creature with infect is indeed combat damage, and if this damage is prevented, none of the results of that damage occur.
9. What is the 3:1 Rule of Combat?
The 3:1 rule of combat suggests that for the attacker to win, their forces should be at least three times the force of the defender.
10. Can You Block with Summoning Sickness?
A creature with summoning sickness can block but cannot attack or use abilities that tap it.
11. Is Blocking a Form of Manipulation?
Blocking is not usually considered a form of manipulation but can be if done to punish or elicit a reaction from the other person.
12. Does Tapping a Blocking Creature Remove It from Combat?
Tapping a blocking creature does not remove it from combat; it still blocks, and both the attacker and the blocker deal damage as usual.
13. Does Blocking Count as Fighting in MTG?
Yes, blocking counts as combat damage because it involves damage being dealt by an attacking or blocking creature.
14. Can You Block Flying Creatures?
A creature with flying can only be blocked by another creature with flying or a creature with reach.
15. Does Indestructible Prevent Deathtouch?
An indestructible creature ignores deathtouch because it cannot be destroyed, making it immune to the effects of deathtouch.