How Does Fight Work with Double Strike?
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The interaction between the fight mechanic and double strike in Magic: The Gathering (MTG) can be a point of confusion for both new and experienced players. Unlike combat damage, damage dealt during a fight is not considered combat damage. Therefore, abilities like first strike or double strike have no effect on the damage dealt in a fight. When two creatures fight, they simultaneously deal damage to each other equal to their power, regardless of whether one or both have double strike. This is a key distinction. A creature with double strike still only deals its power once in the fight, not twice, and the timing of that damage isn’t altered.
Understanding the Fight Mechanic
Before we delve further, let’s briefly recap the fight mechanic. Cards like “Prey Upon” and “Rabid Bite” use the term ‘fight,’ and it typically involves two creatures dealing damage to each other equal to their respective powers. This happens outside of the regular combat phase. It’s a triggered effect where a creature you control deals damage equal to its power to another target creature, and simultaneously, that target creature deals damage equal to its power to the first creature. Crucially, this is not combat, so combat-related abilities like double strike are irrelevant here.
Double Strike in Combat vs. Double Strike in Fight
The contrast is stark: double strike is powerful in combat but utterly ignored during a fight. In combat, a creature with double strike deals damage twice—once in the first strike combat damage step (if applicable) and again in the normal combat damage step. This can be a devastating advantage, especially against blockers. However, during a fight, the double strike ability is bypassed. The creature with double strike will only inflict damage equal to its power once during the fight interaction, just like any other creature. This means that your double strike creature does not get a second chance to deal damage when it is fighting. This difference is crucial for strategy and should always be considered while planning your moves.
The Timing Difference is Key
The key point to remember is that double strike is specifically tied to the combat damage steps. The fight mechanic, by design, does not involve the combat steps. It’s a separate kind of interaction where damage is dealt outside of the standard combat sequence. Therefore, the mechanics of double strike simply do not apply. This is important to know as you cannot leverage double strike’s double damage output in a fight and it will function as if it did not have the keyword.
Why the Confusion?
The confusion often arises from the wording and intuitive understanding of double strike. Because it causes a creature to deal damage twice in combat, players might assume it would similarly cause damage twice during a fight. However, the rules for MTG are very specific, and double strike’s functionality is explicitly tied to combat damage. This makes it important to look into and thoroughly understand the details behind keywords and interactions.
Strategic Implications
Understanding this distinction is crucial for strategic gameplay. You can’t depend on your double strike creatures to deal double damage in fights, which can alter how you use them on the battlefield. This knowledge can help you make smarter decisions about which creatures to send into a fight and which to keep in the combat phase. Double strike still makes a creature very powerful, but you cannot rely on this keyword when fighting other creatures.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does first strike affect fighting?
No, just like double strike, first strike has no impact on damage dealt during a fight. Fighting damage is dealt simultaneously by both creatures.
2. Does deathtouch work with the fight mechanic?
Yes, deathtouch works with the fight mechanic. If a creature with deathtouch deals damage in a fight, it will destroy the other creature, regardless of how much damage was actually dealt.
3. Does lifelink work with the fight mechanic?
Yes, lifelink does work with the fight mechanic. If a creature with lifelink deals damage in a fight, the controller of that creature will gain life equal to the damage dealt.
4. Can an indestructible creature be destroyed in a fight by a creature with deathtouch?
No, an indestructible creature is immune to deathtouch. While deathtouch usually destroys the creature it deals damage to, it will not destroy an indestructible creature.
5. Does hexproof protect a creature from fight?
No, hexproof protects a creature from being targeted by spells or abilities controlled by your opponent. Since fight abilities do not target the creatures themselves, but the creature’s controller decides what they are fighting, hexproof does not protect from fight mechanics.
6. What happens if two creatures with deathtouch fight?
Both creatures will deal damage equal to their power to each other. Since both have deathtouch, both will be destroyed. If one is indestructible, the indestructible creature will survive.
7. Does trample work in a fight?
No, trample only affects combat damage. Since the fight mechanic does not involve combat damage, trample is irrelevant in a fight.
8. If a creature has both first strike and double strike, does it make a difference in a fight?
No. Since both first strike and double strike only affect combat damage, and fight damage is not combat damage, it doesn’t matter if a creature has either or both. During a fight, the creature would simply deal damage equal to its power, like any other creature.
9. If a creature with double strike fights a creature with first strike, who deals damage first?
Both creatures deal damage at the same time because neither double strike nor first strike are relevant during the fight mechanic. The damage is not considered combat damage, so no combat abilities apply.
10. How does double strike interact with a “deals combat damage” trigger?
Double strike will trigger “deals combat damage” triggers twice – once when it deals first strike damage and again when it deals regular combat damage.
11. Does a triggered ability that activates upon an attack activate twice when a creature has double strike?
No, even though a creature with double strike deals damage twice in combat, it is only considered to have attacked once. The attack trigger happens only once per attack phase.
12. Can you use “fight” to attack a planeswalker?
No, the fight mechanic only works between two creatures. It cannot be used to attack or damage a planeswalker.
13. Does the fight mechanic cause a creature to tap?
No, the fight mechanic does not cause creatures to become tapped. If a creature is already tapped, it can still engage in a fight.
14. Can creatures with “must block” engage in fights?
Yes, creatures with “must block” abilities can also engage in the fight mechanic. The “must block” ability only applies during the combat phase and has no impact on their ability to participate in a fight.
15. What if one creature in a fight has more than one instance of double strike?
Multiple instances of double strike are redundant. It won’t change the way the keyword operates and still will not function in a fight. It is not beneficial to have two instances of the same keyword, in this situation, you will gain no benefit for it.
In conclusion, while double strike is a powerful combat ability, it has no impact on how the fight mechanic works. Remembering this distinction is vital for effectively using these abilities and understanding how damage interactions occur in different areas of the game.