Who Decides the Order of Blockers in MTG? A Comprehensive Guide
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In Magic: The Gathering (MTG), combat is a crucial phase, and understanding the nuances of blocking is vital for success. A common point of confusion, especially for newer players, revolves around who determines the order in which blocking creatures will receive damage. The straightforward answer is: the attacking player decides the order in which their attacking creature assigns damage to the blocking creatures.
This might seem counterintuitive, as the defending player chooses which creatures block, but the attacker dictates the distribution of damage among those blockers. This control is a significant advantage for the attacker, allowing them to strategically eliminate blockers based on their power, toughness, and other abilities.
Combat Damage Assignment: A Closer Look
To fully understand this, let’s break down the combat phase and how damage assignment works, especially in scenarios involving multiple blockers:
- Declaring Blockers: The defending player chooses which of their untapped creatures will block, and which attacking creature they will block. Multiple creatures can block a single attacking creature.
- Damage Assignment Order: Once blockers are declared, the attacking player then chooses the order in which their attacking creature will assign damage to the blocking creatures. This order is critical because it affects which blockers might be destroyed during combat.
- Damage Assignment: The attacking player must assign at least lethal damage to the first creature in the damage assignment order before moving on to the next. Lethal damage is usually damage equal to or greater than the creature’s toughness.
- Simultaneous Damage: Importantly, all the blocking creatures assign their damage to the attacking creature simultaneously, after the attacking player has dealt damage to them based on their chosen order.
This process highlights the attacking player’s strategic advantage, as they can often pick off smaller or less valuable blockers first, ensuring their attacking creature survives or deals more damage overall.
Strategic Implications of Blocking Order
The attacker’s ability to choose the blocking order introduces several tactical considerations:
- Dealing with Toughness: The attacker can focus damage on blockers with lower toughness first, eliminating them before they can deal damage in return.
- Utilizing Trample: If the attacker’s creature has trample, they must assign lethal damage to all blockers first. After that, any remaining damage from the attacking creature goes through to the defending player or planeswalker. Trample is extra effective when strategically used with damage assignment.
- Deathtouch Synergies: If the attacking creature has deathtouch, any damage dealt to the blockers is considered lethal. Therefore the attacking player needs to only assign 1 point of damage to each blocker to destroy them, making deathtouch a very potent ability against multiple blockers.
- First Strike and Double Strike: If an attacking creature has first strike or double strike the combat damage steps are modified. First strike allows an attacking creature to assign damage before regular attackers and blockers. Creatures with double strike assign damage in both the first strike and regular combat step. The attacking player still decides damage order for both combat damage steps.
Understanding these strategic implications can dramatically improve your gameplay, allowing you to maximize your offensive capabilities while minimizing the risks to your creatures.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions related to blocking order, combat damage, and other related rules in MTG:
1. What happens if a creature has both deathtouch and trample?
If an attacking creature has both deathtouch and trample, it only needs to deal one damage to each blocking creature to destroy them, and it can deal any excess damage to the defending player or planeswalker due to trample.
2. Can multiple creatures block the same attacker?
Yes, multiple creatures can block a single attacking creature, giving the defender the potential to neutralize a powerful threat. However, the attacker decides the order in which they deal damage to the blockers.
3. Can a creature block more than one attacker?
No, a single creature can only block one attacker in a given combat step.
4. What is considered “lethal damage” in MTG?
Lethal damage is typically damage equal to or greater than the creature’s toughness, unless the creature also has deathtouch, where any amount of damage is lethal.
5. What happens if a blocker is removed from the battlefield after it is declared?
If a blocker is removed after being declared, the attacking creature is still considered to be blocked. It will not deal any damage to the defending player unless it has trample. The removed blocker, of course, does not deal combat damage.
6. Who decides whether a spell goes to the top or bottom of the library?
The owner of the spell decides whether it goes to the top or bottom of their library. This information is always public knowledge for all players.
7. Can you cast instants after blockers are declared?
Yes, both players have a chance to cast instants and activate abilities after blockers are declared and before combat damage is assigned.
8. Does deathtouch cancel deathtouch?
No, instances of deathtouch against each other do not cancel out. Both creatures will destroy each other if they deal damage to one another.
9. Does first strike change how damage is assigned to multiple blockers?
Yes. First strike allows an attacking creature to deal damage before regular combat damage. Therefore, the attacker can often destroy several blockers before those blockers can deal their damage to the attacker. The attacking player still chooses the order of damage assignment.
10. How does double strike affect damage assignment with multiple blockers?
Double strike works similarly to first strike. However, the creature will deal damage in the first strike step, and again in the regular combat damage step. The attacking player still controls how damage is assigned to blockers in both steps.
11. How does trample interact with multiple blockers?
With trample, the attacking creature must assign lethal damage to each blocker. After doing so, any excess damage can be assigned to the player or planeswalker being attacked.
12. What is the difference between a vanilla and french vanilla creature?
A vanilla creature has no rules text on its card. A French vanilla creature has only keyword abilities like trample, flying or haste.
13. What does it mean for a creature to be tapped?
A creature must be untapped to block. When a creature is tapped, it cannot block. Tapping is a common mechanic in MTG.
14. What happens when a player loses the game?
When a player loses the game, they immediately leave the game. If a player leaves the game, they lose the game. This is a rule to help resolve situations in multi player scenarios.
15. How does priority work in MTG?
Priority is a game system mechanic where players can respond to game events like spell casts and activating abilities. Only a player with priority can act during a game.
Conclusion
Understanding who chooses the order of blockers in MTG is paramount to mastering the game’s combat phase. By knowing that the attacking player has control over damage assignment, you can make informed decisions that maximize your offensive and defensive strategies. Use this knowledge to outmaneuver your opponents and secure more victories on the battlefield!