Unpacking the Double Strike Dynamo: How It Works Against Blockers in Magic: The Gathering
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Double strike is a potent ability in Magic: The Gathering, effectively granting a creature two opportunities to deal combat damage – once during the first strike damage step and again during the regular combat damage step. When a creature with double strike is blocked, it means it will engage in combat with the blocking creature(s) twice. In the first strike damage step, the double strike creature will deal damage as normal. If this damage is lethal to the blocker, the blocker is removed from combat before the regular combat damage step. However, even if the blocker dies during the first strike damage step, the double strike creature remains blocked. It cannot then re-assign its damage to the defending player unless it also has trample and excess damage to assign.
The Nuances of Double Strike and Blocking
Let’s delve deeper into the specifics. Imagine a 4/4 creature with double strike attacking and being blocked by a single 2/2 creature.
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First Strike Damage Step: The 4/4 with double strike deals 4 damage to the 2/2 blocker. The 2/2 blocker receives lethal damage and is destroyed.
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Regular Combat Damage Step: The 4/4 creature with double strike still participates in this step, but because it is blocked and lacks trample, it deals no damage. The blocker is gone, but the double strike creature doesn’t get to hit the player.
The key takeaway is that double strike doesn’t automatically translate to unblocked damage. The blocking declaration is the defining moment. Once blocked, always blocked, unless trample is involved.
Trample: The Game Changer
Now, let’s add trample into the mix. If our 4/4 double strike creature also had trample and was blocked by the 2/2, the scenario changes dramatically.
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First Strike Damage Step: The 4/4 with double strike deals 4 damage to the 2/2 blocker. The 2/2 blocker receives lethal damage and is destroyed.
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Regular Combat Damage Step: Because of trample, the 4/4 can now assign the remaining 2 damage (4 damage total – 2 lethal to the blocker) to the defending player. Trample allows any excess damage beyond what’s necessary to destroy the blocker to “trample over” and hit the defending player.
Without trample, the double strike creature’s second damage dealing opportunity is essentially wasted if the blocker is already dead.
Double Strike and Multiple Blockers
What happens when a creature with double strike is blocked by multiple creatures? The attacker assigns damage to the blockers in the order declared by the defending player. Let’s say our 4/4 double strike creature is blocked by a 1/1 and a 2/2.
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First Strike Damage Step: The attacker must assign lethal damage to the 1/1 first. So, 1 damage goes to the 1/1, killing it. The remaining 3 damage from this damage step can be assigned to the 2/2. If the attacker has trample, then the remaining damage can be assigned to the player.
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Regular Combat Damage Step: Since at least one blocker remains and trample is not present, the attacking creature does no damage to the player or any additional blocker. If the attacking creature has trample, then lethal damage must be assigned to the blockers. If the power of the attacking creature still surpasses the life total of the blockers that remain, the attacking creature will deal the additional damage to the player.
This emphasizes the importance of damage assignment order and the strategic implications of blockers.
Double Strike vs. First Strike
It’s crucial to remember that double strike is not the same as first strike. A creature with first strike only deals damage in the first strike damage step. A creature with double strike effectively has first strike (dealing damage in the first strike combat phase), and then deals damage again in the normal combat phase as if it didn’t have first strike.
Why Double Strike Matters
Double strike’s real strength lies in its ability to leverage powerful combat tricks, equipment, and auras that boost power. Turning a 2/2 double strike creature into a 4/4 means it will deal a total of 8 damage across both combat damage steps. When paired with deathtouch, double strike becomes devastating; even if the blocker survives the first strike, it will be destroyed by the deathtouch damage in the normal damage phase. Moreover, double strike is an excellent ability for Voltron-style decks where the goal is to load one creature with numerous enhancements to quickly eliminate the opponent.
This article provides just the basic framework of using Double Strike. To learn more about different strategic ways to employ different tactics in games, check out Games Learning Society, where they share different gaming strategies from all kinds of different games. You can check it out here: GamesLearningSociety.org.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Double Strike and Blocking
1. If a creature with double strike kills its blocker in the first strike damage step, does it deal damage to the player?
No, unless it also has trample and there is damage that surpasses the blocker’s life. A blocked creature remains blocked even if the blocker is destroyed.
2. Does deathtouch work with double strike?
Yes! If a creature with deathtouch and double strike deals damage to a creature in either combat damage step, that creature is destroyed.
3. Can you block a creature with double strike with a creature that has first strike?
Yes, you can. The first strike creature will deal its damage in the first strike damage step along with the double strike creature. Damage is dealt simultaneously in that step, then the creatures die accordingly. After this step, the normal combat phase occurs, allowing the Double Strike creature to deal damage as well.
4. If I give a creature double strike twice, does it deal damage three times?
No. Multiple instances of double strike are redundant. It still only deals damage twice – once in each combat damage step.
5. Does lifelink work with double strike when blocking?
Yes, lifelink triggers whenever the creature deals damage. So, you gain life equal to the damage dealt in each damage step.
6. If a creature with double strike is blocked by multiple creatures, how is the damage assigned?
The attacking player assigns damage to the blocking creatures in the order declared by the defending player. Lethal damage must be assigned to each blocker in order before damage can be assigned to the next one. Trample does change this, as it permits the damage to spill over to the player, after all blockers are killed.
7. If a creature with double strike is blocked and loses double strike after the first strike damage step, does it still deal damage in the regular combat damage step?
No. The creature needs to have double strike at the time of each combat damage step to deal damage. If it loses double strike before the regular combat damage step, it won’t deal any further damage.
8. How does double strike interact with indestructible?
An indestructible blocker will survive the first strike damage step. The attacker will deal damage in the regular combat damage step as well, but the indestructible creature will still survive.
9. Does first strike apply when blocking a creature with double strike?
Yes, but creatures with double strike still deal combat damage during the first combat damage step. First strike by itself does not give the defending player an advantage.
10. If I have a creature with both first strike and double strike, how does it work?
The presence of both first strike and double strike on the same creature is redundant. It functions identically to just having double strike.
11. Can I target a blocking creature with a spell after it takes damage in the first strike damage step but before the regular combat damage step?
Yes. Players have priority to cast spells and activate abilities after the first strike damage step resolves but before the regular combat damage step. This allows for tactical plays.
12. Does double strike trigger combat damage triggers twice?
Yes. Because the double strike ability allows damage to be dealt during both combat damage steps, any triggered abilities will activate twice.
13. How does double strike work with “prevent all combat damage” effects?
If an effect prevents all combat damage, a creature with double strike won’t deal any damage in either combat damage step. The effect overrides the double strike ability.
14. If a blocker has protection from the attacking creature with double strike, can it still block?
Yes, a blocker can still block, but protection prevents damage from being dealt by the attacking creature. The double strike creature will deal no damage in either combat damage step to that specific blocker.
15. Can I use a combat trick to give my attacking creature double strike after blockers have been declared?
Yes, you can. Giving a creature double strike after blockers have been declared will allow it to deal damage in both the first strike and regular combat damage steps. However, this needs to be done before the first strike combat step.