Magic the Gathering: Unstoppable Walls – Cards That Can Block Any Number of Creatures

One of the most intriguing aspects of Magic: The Gathering is the intricate dance of combat, where creatures clash and strategy reigns supreme. While most creatures are limited to blocking just one attacker, certain rare and powerful cards break this rule, acting as impenetrable walls against any number of foes. This article delves into the fascinating realm of creatures capable of blocking multiple attackers, exploring their abilities, limitations, and the strategic implications they bring to the game.

Creatures That Can Block Any Number of Creatures

Currently, there are only a handful of cards that explicitly state they can block any number of creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Here’s the breakdown:

• Guardian of the Gateless: This formidable creature stands as one of the primary examples. Guardian of the Gateless has the ability to block any number of creatures. Additionally, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each creature it’s blocking, making it an even more powerful defender when faced with multiple attackers.

• Ironfist Crusher: Another notable card with this rare ability is Ironfist Crusher. This creature also explicitly allows the player to block any number of attacking creatures.

These cards provide exceptional defensive capabilities, turning potential swarms of attackers into manageable situations. Their existence drastically shifts how combat can be approached, forcing opponents to rethink their assault strategies.

Why These Abilities Are Significant

The ability to block multiple creatures is powerful for several reasons:

• Defense against Swarms: These creatures are exceptionally effective against aggro or go-wide strategies that rely on overwhelming the opponent with multiple small attackers.
• Board Control: By acting as a single, strong defensive unit, these creatures can effectively stall out the game, allowing a player to build a stronger board position or set up a win condition.
• Forcing a Reassessment: An opponent may have to completely rethink their attack strategy when facing these creatures, potentially opening up mistakes and exploitable plays.

Strategic Considerations

While incredibly powerful, there are also strategic aspects to consider when using these types of blockers:

• Vulnerability to Trample: Creatures with trample can often overpower these defenders, with any excess damage going through to the defending player.
• Removal Spells: Like any other creature, these blockers are vulnerable to removal spells such as direct damage or exile effects.
• Limited Offensive Presence: Creatures with this ability are primarily defensive and often don’t pose a significant threat when attacking.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions regarding blocking, creature interactions, and rules in Magic: The Gathering, providing further depth and insight:

Can One Card Block Multiple Creatures?

Yes, but only specific cards have the ability to block multiple attacking creatures simultaneously. Most creatures can only block one attacking creature. Guardian of the Gateless and Ironfist Crusher are examples of cards that break this rule.

How Many Blockers Can You Use in MTG?

In most scenarios, a single creature can only block a single attacker. However, multiple creatures can block a single attacker. This means you can have two or more of your creatures block one of your opponent’s attackers.

Can a Creature That Can Block Multiple Creatures Block a Creature with Menace?

Yes. A creature with the ability to block multiple creatures can block a creature with menace. Menace requires at least two creatures to block the attacker, but there’s no limit on the amount of blockers that can be declared.

What Are The Rules For Blocking in Magic?

A creature must be untapped to block. Each creature can only block a single attacker, except for creatures with abilities that allow them to block multiple attackers. Multiple defending creatures can block the same attacker. Both players can cast instants and activate abilities after blockers are declared.

How Does Blocking With Multiple Creatures in Magic Work?

If an attacking creature gets blocked by multiple creatures, the attacking player chooses a “blocking order” for the blocking creatures. Damage is assigned in this order.

Does Deathtouch Cancel Deathtouch?

No. “Any two instances of the Deathtouch ability against one another do not cancel each other out.” If two creatures with deathtouch deal damage to each other, both creatures will be destroyed.

Does Deathtouch Work When Blocking?

Yes. Deathtouch works on attacking, blocking, and fighting. Any amount of damage dealt by a creature with deathtouch is enough to destroy a creature.

Can You Triple Block in Magic?

Yes, you can use multiple blockers against a single attacker. You can have triple, quadruple, or more blockers against one attacking creature, although the damage assignment can be a bit more complex.

Can You Block with 2 Cards in Magic? How Does This Work?

Yes, it’s common to block with multiple creatures. The attacking player chooses the order in which the blockers will receive damage from the blocked creature.

Does First Strike Work on Multiple Blockers?

Yes, if an attacking creature with first strike is blocked by multiple creatures, the attacking player can divide their damage amongst the blockers in the declared blocking order. If the damage is sufficient to destroy multiple blockers, they’ll die before they deal damage during the standard combat step.

Can I Block if a Creature Has Protection?

A creature with protection from a color cannot be blocked by a creature of that color. For example, a creature with protection from red cannot be blocked by red creatures. However, it can be blocked by any other color.

Can Coward Creatures Block?

Some cards interact with “Cowards” and can disable their ability to block. By default, creatures with the coward creature type can block normally, but they may be affected by card specific restrictions.

What Loses All Creature Types?

Several cards can cause creatures to lose all creature types such as Nameless Inversion, Ego Erasure, Darksteel Mutation, Amoeboid Changeling, and Curse of Conformity.

Does Hexproof Cancel Deathtouch?

No. Hexproof prevents a creature from being the target of spells or abilities controlled by an opponent. Deathtouch does not target. Therefore, a creature with hexproof will still die if it takes damage from a creature with deathtouch.

What Beats Indestructible MTG?

Indestructible creatures cannot be destroyed by damage or destruction effects. They can still be destroyed by cards that lower the toughness to 0 or negative values, exile effects, or by sacrificing effects.

Conclusion

In conclusion, cards that can block any number of creatures like Guardian of the Gateless and Ironfist Crusher offer an extremely potent form of defense in Magic: The Gathering. Understanding their capabilities, weaknesses, and strategic implications is critical to leveraging their potential effectively. By mastering the nuances of combat, including the intricacies of blocking and multiple blockers, players can gain a significant edge on the battlefield. This comprehensive understanding adds a layer of tactical depth to the game that makes it endlessly engaging.