What happens when both creatures have first strike?
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When both creatures have first strike, they assign their combat damage at the same time during the first strike damage step, and the damage acts like normal combat, with both creatures dealing their damage simultaneously. This means that if two creatures with first strike are declared in combat against each other, they will both deal their damage at the same time, resulting in both creatures potentially killing each other if their power values are equal or sufficient to kill each other.
Understanding First Strike and Related Concepts
To better understand what happens when both creatures have first strike, it’s essential to grasp the basics of first strike and how it interacts with other abilities like double strike, deathtouch, and lifelink.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is First Strike Double Strike?
No, double strike isn’t first strike, although double strike‘s reminder text mentions dealing both first strike and regular combat damage; it doesn’t grant the creature first strike.
2. What are the Rules for First Strike in Magic?
First strike allows creatures to deal their damage before creatures without first strike, giving them a significant advantage in combat, especially when blocking creatures without first strike.
3. What is the First Strike Rule?
A creature with first strike will deal its damage before a creature without first strike, potentially killing the opposing creature before it can deal any damage.
4. How do Double Strike and First Strike Work Together?
Double strike and first strike are two separate abilities; double strike allows a creature to deal damage twice, during the first strike and regular combat damage steps, while first strike only deals damage during the first strike damage step.
5. Can You Stack First Strike?
No, multiple instances of first strike on the same creature are redundant, as first strike only determines the order in which creatures deal their damage.
6. Does First Strike Trigger Blocking?
Yes, first strike and double strike work both on attacks and blocks, allowing creatures to deal their damage first whether they are attacking or blocking.
7. How Does First Strike vs. First Strike Work?
When two creatures with first strike fight each other, they deal their damage simultaneously during the first strike damage step, potentially killing each other.
8. Does First Strike Apply to First Hit?
In some contexts, First Strike can refer to bonus effects or rewards for landing the first hit or dealing damage before the enemy, but in the context of Magic: The Gathering, first strike refers to the specific combat mechanic.
9. What Creatures Gain First Strike Until End of Turn?
At the beginning of each combat, creatures you control gain first strike until end of turn if a creature you control has first strike, similar to how other abilities like flying, deathtouch, double strike, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, reach, skulk, trample, and vigilance work.
10. Does First Strike Beat Deathtouch?
A creature with first strike will hit first and can possibly kill the deathtouch creature before it has a chance to deal damage, making first strike advantageous against deathtouch.
11. How Does First Strike Work with 2 Blockers?
You deal all your first strike damage at the same time; once lethal damage has been assigned to one blocker, you assign damage to the next blocker, all before the non-first strike creatures deal their damage.
12. Does First Strike Hit Multiple Targets?
First Strike will benefit from damaging multiple champions in combat, allowing for more strategic play in certain situations.
13. What is the Difference Between 1/1 and 1/1 First Strike?
A 1/1 with first strike deals its damage before a 1/1 without first strike, potentially killing the creature without first strike before it can deal any damage.
14. Does First Strike Negate Trample?
First strike can negate the effectiveness of trample if the blocking creature has first strike and the attacking creature does not, as the blocking creature deals damage first.
15. Does Fight Ignore First Strike?
Yes, fight ignores first strike (and double strike), as the damage dealt during a fight is not considered combat damage, and thus abilities like first strike, double strike, deathtouch, lifelink, and infect work differently or not at all in this context.