Do Blocking Creatures Deal Damage?
In the world of Magic: The Gathering, blocking is a crucial aspect of the game. When an attacking creature is blocked by a defending creature, the blocking creature deals damage to the attacking creature. But do blocking creatures themselves deal damage? The answer is yes, and this article will delve into the intricacies of blocking and damage dealing in Magic: The Gathering.
Blocking and Damage Dealing
When a creature attacks, the defending player has the option to block the attack with one or more of their creatures. When a creature is blocked, it means that the blocking creature will deal damage to the attacking creature. The attacking creature will then assign its damage to the blocking creature(s) in the declare blockers step.
Do Blocking Creatures Deal Damage to the Attacking Creature?
Yes, blocking creatures do deal damage to the attacking creature. This means that when a creature is blocked, it will deal damage to the blocking creature(s) and the blocking creature(s) will also deal damage to the attacking creature. This is in contrast to other types of damage, such as combat damage, which is dealt to the opposing player.
Order of Operations
When a creature is blocked, the following order of operations applies:
- The attacking creature assigns its damage to the blocking creature(s).
- The blocking creature(s) deal damage to the attacking creature.
- The blocking creature(s) deal damage to the player or planeswalker that the attacking creature was attacking.
First Strike and Double Strike
When a creature has first strike, it deals its combat damage first, before the defending player has a chance to block. This means that the attacking creature will deal its damage to the defending player or planeswalker before the defending player has a chance to block.
Flying and Infect
Creatures with flying can deal damage to the defending player or planeswalker, regardless of whether they are blocked or not. Creatures with infect, on the other hand, deal damage to the defending player or planeswalker, but only if they are not blocked.
Consequences of Blocking
When a creature is blocked, it will deal damage to the blocking creature(s) and the blocking creature(s) will also deal damage to the attacking creature. This means that blocking can have significant consequences for the player who is blocking. If the blocking creature(s) are destroyed, the attacking creature will not be able to deal damage to the player or planeswalker it was attacking.
Summary
In conclusion, blocking creatures do deal damage to the attacking creature, but the order of operations and the consequences of blocking are important to understand. Blocking can have significant consequences for the player who is blocking, and it is an important aspect of Magic: The Gathering strategy.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking creatures deal damage to the attacking creature.
- The order of operations when a creature is blocked is: the attacking creature assigns its damage to the blocking creature(s), the blocking creature(s) deal damage to the attacking creature, and the blocking creature(s) deal damage to the player or planeswalker that the attacking creature was attacking.
- Creatures with flying can deal damage to the defending player or planeswalker, regardless of whether they are blocked or not.
- Creatures with infect deal damage to the defending player or planeswalker, but only if they are not blocked.
- Blocking can have significant consequences for the player who is blocking, including the destruction of blocking creature(s).