How does double strike work with block?

How Does Double Strike Work with Block?

In Magic: The Gathering, double strike is a powerful ability that allows a creature to deal combat damage twice during the combat phase. But what happens when a creature with double strike is blocked? In this article, we’ll dive into the rules of double strike and blocking, and explore how they interact with each other.

Double Strike Basics

Before we dive into the specifics of double strike and blocking, let’s quickly review the basics of double strike. A creature with double strike deals combat damage twice during the combat phase, once during the first strike step and again during the regular combat damage step. This means that a creature with double strike will always deal at least as much damage as its power, and potentially more.

Blocking and Double Strike

When a creature with double strike is blocked, the blocking creature will prevent the first instance of damage from being dealt. However, the second instance of damage will still be dealt to the blocking creature, as it is not a part of the first strike step. This means that a creature with double strike can still deal significant damage even if it is blocked.

Example:

Let’s say we have a 3/3 creature with double strike, and it’s attacking a 2/2 creature. The 2/2 creature blocks the 3/3 creature. During the first strike step, the 3/3 creature deals 2 damage to the 2/2 creature. However, the 3/3 creature still has 1 damage left to deal, which will be dealt during the regular combat damage step. This means that the 2/2 creature will take a total of 3 damage, even though it blocked the 3/3 creature.

Menace and Double Strike

Menace is an ability that allows a creature to deal damage to multiple creatures that block it. When a creature with menace and double strike is blocked, it will deal damage to each of the blocking creatures twice, once during the first strike step and again during the regular combat damage step. This means that a creature with menace and double strike can deal significant damage even if it is blocked by multiple creatures.

Table: Double Strike and Menace

In the above table, the creature with menace and double strike deals 4 damage to each of the blocking creatures, once during the first strike step and again during the regular combat damage step.

Conclusion

In conclusion, double strike and blocking are two powerful abilities in Magic: The Gathering that can interact in complex ways. When a creature with double strike is blocked, it will deal damage to the blocking creature twice, once during the first strike step and again during the regular combat damage step. This means that a creature with double strike can still deal significant damage even if it is blocked. Additionally, a creature with menace and double strike can deal damage to multiple creatures that block it, making it a formidable opponent on the battlefield.