Unleashing Fury: Double Strike and Planeswalkers in Magic: The Gathering
Yes, double strike absolutely works on planeswalkers in Magic: The Gathering. When a creature with double strike attacks a planeswalker, it deals its combat damage twice – once during the first combat damage step and again during the regular combat damage step. This can lead to a swift and decisive defeat for the planeswalker, potentially eliminating it in a single combat phase. Let’s delve deeper into how this interaction works and address some common questions surrounding double strike and its interactions with planeswalkers and other card types.
Understanding Double Strike
Double strike is an evergreen keyword ability in Magic: The Gathering, meaning it’s a mechanic that appears frequently across many sets. It fundamentally alters how a creature deals combat damage. Instead of dealing damage only in the regular combat damage step, a creature with double strike deals damage in both the first combat damage step (along with creatures that have first strike) and the regular combat damage step. This effectively allows a creature with double strike to deal double the damage in combat.
Imagine a 3/3 creature with double strike attacking an opponent’s planeswalker. During the first combat damage step, it will deal 3 damage to the planeswalker. Then, during the regular combat damage step, it will deal another 3 damage. The planeswalker will lose a total of 6 loyalty counters, potentially sending it to the graveyard if it started with fewer than six loyalty counters.
Double Strike vs. Other Abilities
The effectiveness of double strike can be amplified or mitigated by interactions with other abilities. Understanding these interactions is crucial for strategic gameplay. Let’s explore how double strike fares against some common mechanics.
Double Strike and Trample: A Devastating Combination
Trample is an ability that allows a creature to deal excess combat damage to the defending player or planeswalker after assigning lethal damage to blockers. When combined with double strike, this can be particularly devastating. The creature with double strike and trample deals damage to blockers during the first combat damage step, assigning at least lethal damage. Any remaining damage is “trampled” over to the defending player or planeswalker. Then, during the regular combat damage step, the same process occurs again, potentially dealing even more damage to the player or planeswalker.
Double Strike and Deathtouch: Not Always the Best Friends
Deathtouch is an ability that states any amount of damage a creature deals to another creature is enough to destroy it. While deathtouch is powerful, it doesn’t synergize exceptionally well with double strike when blocking. If a creature with double strike blocks a creature with deathtouch, the creature with double strike will deal damage during the first strike damage step, and if that damage is lethal (which it always is with deathtouch), the creature with deathtouch is destroyed before it can deal damage back in the normal combat step. The same outcome occurs if the creature with deathtouch blocks a creature with double strike: the creature with deathtouch is destroyed in the first strike damage step, and does not get to attack back.
However, on offense, if a double strike deathtouch creature is blocked by multiple creatures, the attacking player can assign lethal damage (1 point) to each blocking creature in the first combat damage step. Those creatures will be destroyed, and then the second instance of damage will deal 1 damage to each remaining blocking creature, destroying them as well.
Double Strike and Indestructible: An Unstoppable Force?
Indestructible prevents a permanent from being destroyed by damage or effects that say “destroy”. While indestructible creatures can still be dealt damage by a creature with double strike, the damage doesn’t destroy them. However, if the indestructible creature has its toughness reduced to zero or less by a -X/-X effect, or is exiled, it can still be removed from the battlefield. Thus, while double strike can deal significant damage to an indestructible creature, it cannot single-handedly destroy it.
FAQs: Double Strike and Its Interactions
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the intricacies of double strike in Magic: The Gathering:
1. Does double strike count as two attacks?
No. Double strike doesn’t mean a creature attacks twice. It simply means it deals combat damage in both the first and regular combat damage steps during a single attack. Abilities that trigger “whenever a creature attacks” will only trigger once.
2. Can you block a planeswalker with a creature?
No. Players can attack planeswalkers with their creatures, but planeswalkers themselves cannot block. Planeswalkers are permanents that exist on the battlefield but are not creatures.
3. Does double strike double poison counters if a creature has infect?
Yes. If a creature with double strike and infect deals combat damage to a player, they will receive poison counters during both the first combat damage step and the regular combat damage step. A 1/1 creature would give two poison counters in this case.
4. Can you respond to double strike?
You cannot respond directly to damage being dealt, whether it is first strike damage or regular damage. However, players receive priority after damage is dealt in each combat damage step. This means you can cast spells or activate abilities after first strike damage is dealt but before regular combat damage is dealt. This can be crucial for saving a planeswalker or removing an attacking creature.
5. Does deflecting palm work on double strike?
Deflecting Palm only interacts with the next instance of damage dealt by a creature. If you target a creature with double strike using Deflecting Palm, only one of the damage instances (either the first strike damage or the regular combat damage) will be redirected.
6. How does double strike work with menace?
Menace dictates that a creature can only be blocked by two or more creatures. Double strike doesn’t change this. If a creature with menace and double strike is blocked by two creatures, it will assign its combat damage to them as normal, dealing damage twice.
7. Does indestructible prevent damage from double strike?
Indestructible prevents damage from destroying a permanent, but it doesn’t prevent the damage from being dealt. So, an indestructible creature will still take damage from both instances of damage dealt by a creature with double strike.
8. Do board wipes affect creatures with double strike?
The effect of a board wipe on a creature with double strike depends on the board wipe’s effect. If the board wipe destroys creatures (e.g., Wrath of God), creatures with indestructible will survive. If the board wipe exiles creatures (e.g., Wrathful Skies), or reduces their toughness to 0 (e.g., Toxic Deluge), then even creatures with indestructible will be affected.
9. Does hexproof stop deathtouch?
Hexproof only prevents a creature from being targeted by spells or abilities controlled by an opponent. Deathtouch is a static ability that doesn’t target, so hexproof does not stop deathtouch from destroying a creature.
10. Can you stack double strike?
No. Having multiple instances of double strike is redundant. A creature with double strike already deals damage in both combat damage steps, so adding another instance of double strike does nothing.
11. Is double strike better than first strike?
Yes. Double strike is generally considered better than first strike because it provides the benefits of first strike (dealing damage before creatures without it) while also dealing damage during the regular combat damage step. A creature with both first strike and double strike effectively just has double strike.
12. Does double strike work during a fight?
Yes, double strike works during a “fight” effect, though it doesn’t alter how fighting works. The creature with double strike will deal its damage twice during the fight, potentially defeating its opponent quickly.
13. Does double strike apply when blocking?
Yes. Double strike works the same way when blocking as it does when attacking. The blocking creature with double strike will deal damage during the first strike damage step and again during the regular combat damage step.
14. Does double strike count when defending?
Essentially, if a creature has First Strike or Double Strike, then it will just block the damage to yourself and deal damage in the first strike damage step before the creature it is blocking attacks back, and if it survives, deal damage again in the regular combat damage step. If it lacks those keywords, then it will still block the damage, but not be able to deal damage back until the regular combat damage step, and it might not survive until then.
15. Is a planeswalker considered a permanent?
Yes, planeswalkers are a type of permanent. They can be cast during your main phase when the stack is empty and you have priority, just like sorceries.
Conclusion
Double strike is a potent ability in Magic: The Gathering, capable of dealing significant damage to creatures, players, and, importantly, planeswalkers. Understanding its interactions with other abilities and its nuances in combat is key to leveraging its full potential. By mastering the intricacies of double strike, players can gain a significant advantage in their games and ensure swift victories on the battlefield. To further enhance your understanding of strategic gameplay and the intersection of education and gaming, be sure to visit the Games Learning Society website at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/. The Games Learning Society explores the connection between games and education, fostering a deeper understanding of how games can be used as powerful learning tools.