Mastering Combat: How to Deal Damage to Multiple Blockers in Magic: The Gathering

So, you’ve swung your mightiest creature, only to be met with a wall of defenders. Dealing with multiple blockers is a crucial skill in Magic: The Gathering (MTG). The key is understanding damage assignment and how to efficiently eliminate threats while maximizing your offensive potential.

The attacker (or their controller) decides the order in which the attacking creature assigns damage to the blocking creatures. This happens during the declare blockers step, before combat damage is dealt. You must assign lethal damage to the first blocker in the order before assigning any damage to the next blocker. “Lethal Damage” typically means damage equal to or greater than the blocker’s toughness. However, effects like Deathtouch change this dynamic, as any amount of damage from a creature with deathtouch is considered lethal.

Essentially, you create a damage queue. You whittle down the first blocker, and only once that blocker is slated for destruction can you move on to the next. Planning your attack and understanding these rules is vital for success in the combat phase.

Navigating the Blocking Order

Before creatures even start trading blows, the attacking player makes a critical decision: the order in which their attacker will dish out damage. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Declare Blockers: The defending player declares which creatures will block which attackers. Multiple creatures can block the same attacker.

2. Damage Assignment Order: The attacking player, for each attacker blocked by multiple creatures, chooses the order in which the blocking creatures will receive damage. This is a sequential list. Creature A is first, Creature B is second, and so on.

3. Damage Assignment: During the combat damage step, the attacker assigns damage according to the order established.

   • The attacker must assign lethal damage to the first creature in the damage assignment order before assigning any damage to the second creature.
   • If the attacker has more power than the toughness of the first blocker, the excess damage can be assigned to the next blocker in the order (assuming lethal damage has been assigned to the first).

4. Damage Resolution: Damage is dealt simultaneously. Each creature that has been assigned damage deals its damage simultaneously.

Special Considerations: Keyword Abilities

Certain keywords drastically alter how damage is dealt:

• First Strike and Double Strike: Creatures with first strike or double strike deal combat damage in a separate combat damage step before creatures without these abilities. This means a creature with first strike can potentially eliminate a blocker before the blocker can deal damage. If the creature has double strike, it will deal combat damage both during the first-strike combat damage step and again during the regular combat damage step.

• Deathtouch: Any amount of damage dealt by a creature with deathtouch is considered lethal. This allows you to efficiently remove multiple smaller blockers with a single deathtouch attacker, even if its power is low.

• Trample: If an attacking creature with trample is blocked, it must still assign lethal damage to all blockers before any damage can “trample over” to the defending player or planeswalker. Calculating how much damage to assign to each blocker is key to maximizing your trample damage.

• Indestructible: An indestructible blocker is a significant obstacle. You need to find a different way to win, because you can’t simply destroy them through combat damage.

Strategic Implications

Understanding how damage is assigned to multiple blockers opens up a wealth of strategic possibilities:

• Prioritize Threats: Eliminate the most dangerous blockers first. This might mean targeting a creature with a powerful ability or a high power/toughness ratio.

• Maximize Trample: Carefully calculate your damage assignments to ensure that you deal lethal damage to blockers while also sending as much damage as possible over to the opponent.

• Utilize Deathtouch: Deathtouch is incredibly effective against multiple blockers. Even a small creature with deathtouch can take down multiple larger creatures.

• Exploit First Strike: Use first strike to remove key blockers before they can deal damage, clearing the way for your other attackers.

• Consider Combat Tricks: Instants and abilities that boost power, grant first strike, or provide deathtouch can dramatically alter the outcome of combat.

Mastering the art of damage assignment is essential for any serious Magic: The Gathering player. By understanding the rules and applying strategic thinking, you can turn a seemingly disadvantageous situation into a decisive victory. Furthering your knowledge of MTG can be enhanced by resources like the Games Learning Society, where educational aspects of gaming are explored; you can find them at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can you block with multiple creatures in MTG?

Yes, you can block an attacking creature with any number of creatures you control.

2. Does declaring blockers go on the stack?

No, declaring blockers is a turn-based action and doesn’t use the stack. This means that your opponent cannot respond to your blocking choices directly. However, players can cast instants and activate abilities after blockers have been declared.

3. Can I play an instant after blockers are declared?

Yes. Each player receives priority and can cast instants or activate abilities after blockers are declared but before damage is dealt. This is a crucial opportunity to use combat tricks.

4. How does trample work with multiple blockers?

An attacking creature with trample must assign lethal damage to all blocking creatures before any damage can be assigned to the defending player or planeswalker. The attacking player chooses the damage assignment order for the blockers.

5. Does indestructible prevent Deathtouch?

Yes. An indestructible creature cannot be destroyed, regardless of whether the damage came from a source with deathtouch.

6. How many times can you block in magic?

Each creature can only block one attacking creature, but any number of creatures can block the same attacking creature.

7. What happens when you double block MTG?

When you double block, the attacking player chooses the order in which the blockers will receive damage. Lethal damage must be assigned to the first blocker before any damage can be assigned to the second.

8. Can summoning sickness block?

Yes. A creature with summoning sickness can block, even though it can’t attack or use abilities that require tapping.

9. What beats Deathtouch?

Several things can counter deathtouch. These include: First strike, double strike, Indestructible, and Regeneration.

10. Does regenerate beat Deathtouch?

Yes, regeneration can prevent a creature from being destroyed by deathtouch. If a creature with regeneration would be destroyed, you can pay the regeneration cost to remove all damage from it, tap it, and remove it from combat.

11. Does Hexproof negate Deathtouch?

No. Hexproof prevents a creature from being targeted by spells or abilities your opponents control. Since deathtouch is an attribute of the damage dealt by a creature and doesn’t target, hexproof doesn’t prevent it.

12. Can multiple blockers block one attacker?

Yes, multiple blockers can block one attacker. The attacking player then chooses the order in which the blockers will receive damage.

13. Can you block with a Planeswalker?

No, you cannot use a planeswalker to block. Planeswalkers can be attacked, but they cannot block attacking creatures.

14. Does Deathtouch stop double strike?

Not necessarily. A creature with double strike deals combat damage in both the first-strike damage step and the regular combat damage step. If a creature with double strike is blocked by a creature with deathtouch, the double strike creature can potentially kill the deathtouch creature in the first-strike damage step before it can deal damage.

15. Does Lifelink work on multiple blockers?

Yes, lifelink works on multiple blockers. You gain life equal to the total amount of damage your creature deals. How that damage is split up between multiple blockers doesn’t matter. If your creature deals a total of 10 damage to blocking creatures, you gain 10 life.