How does double strike work against players

Double strike plus deathtouch allows a creature to instantly destroy any creature it deals damage to in the first combat step — before the blocking creature has a chance to deal any regular damage itself. Then, of course, I attack with it. However, due to deathtouch, Raging Redcap kills its blocker before it even can deal regular damage.

If a deathtouch creature survives the initial first strike damage though, they can still one-shot the double strike creature. Say I attack with my Efreet Flamepainter. However because it is Indestructible, the Brash Taunter is not destroyed.

This was not a smart move by me! Regenerat e means that instead of a creature being destroyed, it becomes tapped, all damage is removed from it and it is removed from combat. In the first combat step, Raging Redcap deals 1 damage which is enough to destroy Augur of Skulls.

However, I regenerate my skeleton wizard so I tap it, remove all damage and remove it from combat. Whenever a creature is blocked it remains blocked regardless of what happens to the blocking creature unless an ability says otherwise. Double strike easily overkills creatures. As such, your double strike creatures can be left with basically a whole spare attack but nowhere to direct it.

Trample allows you to get the best value out of double strike. By allowing the excess damage to be directed to the defending player, trample and double strike make a powerful combination. For example, suppose I attack with Zetalpa, Primal Dawn. My opponent blocks it with their Baneslayer Angel. Combat ensues. Zetalpa deals 4 damage to Baneslayer Angel and takes 5 in return. Then Zetalpa deals another 4 damage to it as regular combat damage.

Because this blocker only has 5 toughness and the attacker has trample, the excess 3 damage is dealt to the defending player.

For only six mana, True Conviction gives all your creatures double strike and lifelink. The effect of this cannot be overstated. This literally wins games. Not only do your creatures gain double damage, they also gain you astonishing amounts of life! Its second option guarantees you a second attack phase for another round of beatdown. This legendary dragon is incredibly versatile. For the bargain price of only 5 mana!

Double strike, whenever you need it! In addition to coming in untapped the turn you play it, Sunhome can give any creature double strike for a turn at the cost of four mana. Not only is this an excellent combat trick, but it has good political potential in multiplayer as well. Drogskol Reaver is an absolute beast!

With 3 power, flying , double strike, and lifelink , this creature can cause massive life swings every turn. Plus, whenever you gain life, you draw a card. Enjoy at least three cards per turn now, more if you have other life gain.

His emblem, though, is where it shines. As well as double strike, all your creatures permanently now have trample , hexproof , and haste. Pretty sweet! Double strike is most often found in red and white. This deck runs small and cheap double strike creatures and then boosts their power with many combat tricks.

Its access to white also allows it a host of protection abilities to help the double strike creatures get past blockers and removal, while red provides additional burn.

As such, capable of three-turn wins, Boros Double Strike is not to be underestimated. Thus, you can chump block them with weak creatures to protect your life total from being hit twice in the same attack. Similarly, if a double strike creature is blocking, it can only block one creature per combat. Double strike was rejected for the card, which would later become Forgotten Ancient because the mechanic didn't fit within Green 's segment of the color wheel.

Thus, double strike was adopted into Magic , upon which it became evergreen almost immediately. It remains an evergreen mechanic as of today.

Ikoria Commander introduced double strike counters. MTG Wiki Explore. Main Page All Pages. Explore Wikis Community Central. Register Don't have an account? Double strike. Edit this Page. How does First Strike work with blockers? Does first strike work with blocking? How does damage work with multiple blockers? Can you block one attacker with multiple creatures? What happens when you put a blocker in order? How does combat damage get divided up among multiple blockers?