Does Double Strike Affect Lifelink? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, double strike absolutely affects lifelink in the game. A creature with both abilities essentially doubles the life gain from combat damage. Because double strike allows a creature to deal damage twice in combat—once during the first combat damage step and again during the normal combat damage step—lifelink will trigger for each instance of damage dealt. This means you’ll gain life equal to the damage dealt in both combat damage steps.
Understanding the Interaction
The Mechanics of Double Strike
Double strike is an evergreen keyword ability that splits combat damage into two phases. Creatures with double strike deal damage during the first combat damage step, alongside creatures with first strike. Then, they deal damage again during the normal combat damage step, along with creatures without either ability. This effectively gives a creature two opportunities to deal damage in a single combat phase.
How Lifelink Works
Lifelink, another evergreen keyword ability, is more straightforward. It states that whenever a creature with lifelink deals damage, its controller gains that much life. This applies to any kind of damage, whether it’s combat damage, damage from an activated ability, or damage dealt during a fight. The important thing to remember is that the life gain is directly tied to the amount of damage dealt.
The Synergy
The magic happens when you combine these two abilities. If a creature has both double strike and lifelink, you’re essentially doubling your life gain potential in combat. For example, let’s say you have a 3/3 creature with both double strike and lifelink attacking an opponent with no blockers.
- First Combat Damage Step: The creature deals 3 damage to the opponent, and you gain 3 life.
- Normal Combat Damage Step: The creature deals another 3 damage to the opponent, and you gain another 3 life.
In total, you’ve dealt 6 damage and gained 6 life from a single attack. This makes creatures with both abilities incredibly potent in both aggressive and controlling strategies. This type of card combination is a great example of strategy that can be taught to younger learners through card games, as discussed by the Games Learning Society.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does Lifelink trigger twice with Double Strike?
Yes, assuming the creature actually deals damage twice. Lifelink will trigger each time the creature deals damage. However, if a creature with double strike kills all of its blockers in the first strike combat damage step and doesn’t have trample, it won’t assign or deal any damage in the normal combat damage step, thus lifelink would only trigger once.
2. Does Double Strike count as two 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. So triggers that activate “when a creature attacks” only activate one time.
3. Does Lifelink work when blocking?
Lifelink works whenever the creature deals damage. If a creature with lifelink blocks and deals damage to the attacking creature, you gain life equal to the damage dealt. If it doesn’t deal any damage (for example, if the attacking creature has protection from the blocking creature’s color), you gain no life.
4. Does Double Strike apply when blocking?
Yes, double strike and first strike work while blocking. There is a “first strike combat damage step” where the first instance of damage from the double strike attacker is dealt, and then a normal combat damage step where all other combat damage is dealt.
5. Does Double Strike beat Deathtouch?
It depends on whether you are attacking or blocking with the double strike creature. If your creature with double strike blocks a creature with deathtouch, your creature will deal damage during the first strike damage step, before the deathtouch creature can deal damage in the regular damage step, potentially destroying it. However, if you are attacking with deathtouch, then all damage from the double strike is still lethal.
6. How does Double Strike work if blocked?
Double strike means the creature deals damage both during the first strike combat damage step and the normal combat damage step. If a creature with double strike is blocked, it remains blocked even if the blocking creature dies during the first strike damage step (unless the attacker has trample). Any additional damage assigned in the normal combat damage step has to be assigned to the defending player and creature(s).
7. Does regenerate stop Lifelink?
No, regeneration does not stop lifelink. If a creature with lifelink deals damage to a creature with a regeneration shield, the controller of the creature with lifelink will gain that much life, regardless of whether the other creature was regenerated or not.
8. Do multiple instances of Lifelink trigger separately?
No, lifelink is a static ability and doesn’t stack. Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant. Only one lifelink will trigger off of the amount of damage that is dealt.
9. Do Infect and Lifelink work together?
Yes, infect and lifelink work together. They modify how damage is dealt. Infect causes damage to creatures to be dealt as -1/-1 counters and damage to players to be dealt as poison counters. Lifelink grants life equal to the amount of damage dealt. A creature with both abilities will cause -1/-1 counters and/or poison counters and also grant life.
10. Does Deathtouch affect Lifelink?
Deathtouch and lifelink don’t interact any differently than when they are separate. If a creature with both abilities deals damage, the damage is lethal (due to deathtouch), and you gain life equal to the damage dealt (due to lifelink).
11. What wins: indestructible vs. Deathtouch?
Indestructible wins. A creature with indestructible cannot be destroyed by damage, even if that damage comes from a source with deathtouch.
12. Does Hexproof stop Deathtouch?
No, hexproof only stops spells and abilities controlled by your opponents from targeting a permanent. Deathtouch is an ability that modifies the effect of damage, it is not a spell or ability that targets, so hexproof does not prevent it.
13. Does Double Strike give 2 poison counters (with Infect)?
Yes, if you have a creature with double strike and infect, and it deals damage, your opponent will receive poison counters equal to the damage dealt in each combat damage step. So, if a 1/1 creature with double strike and infect attacks unblocked, your opponent would get 1 poison counter in the first strike damage step and 1 poison counter in the normal damage step, for a total of 2 poison counters.
14. Can you give a creature Double Strike twice?
No. Multiple instances of double strike on the same creature are redundant. The creature simply has double strike. It does not give any additional benefit.
15. Do shield counters prevent Lifelink?
Yes, shield counters prevent lifelink from triggering. When a creature with a shield counter is dealt damage, the damage is prevented as a replacement effect. Since no damage is dealt to your creature, the attacker with lifelink will not gain any life.
Strategic Implications
Understanding the synergy between double strike and lifelink is crucial for effective deck building and gameplay. Cards that grant both abilities, or allow you to grant one ability to a creature that already has the other, can be extremely powerful. These combinations allow for aggressive life swings, turning the tide of a game in your favor. Moreover, these combinations present valuable examples of strategic thinking, which can be applied to other areas, as the GamesLearningSociety.org highlights.
This knowledge allows you to identify valuable cards in draft or sealed formats and build decks with a clear, efficient strategy. Knowing how these abilities interact will give you an edge over opponents who are less familiar with the intricacies of the game.