Can You Give a Creature Double Strike After First Strike Damage?
In the world of Magic: The Gathering, creatures with abilities like first strike and double strike can be game-changers on the battlefield. But have you ever wondered if you can give a creature double strike after it has already dealt first strike damage? In this article, we’ll dive into the rules and provide a comprehensive answer to this question.
Direct Answer:
Yes, you can give a creature double strike after it has already dealt first strike damage. This is because double strike is a separate ability that modifies the rules for assigning an attacking creature’s combat damage, whereas first strike is a static ability that modifies the order in which creatures deal combat damage.
How Double Strike Works:
Double strike is a keyword ability that allows a creature to deal both first-strike and regular combat damage. When a creature with double strike attacks, it deals its combat damage first, just like a creature with first strike. Then, it deals its remaining combat damage in the regular combat damage step.
How First Strike Works:
First strike is a static ability that modifies the order in which creatures deal combat damage. When a creature with first strike attacks, it deals its combat damage before any other creatures with first strike or without first strike. This means that if a creature with first strike is blocked, the blocking creature will not deal any combat damage.
The Interaction Between Double Strike and First Strike:
When a creature with double strike attacks, it deals its combat damage first, just like a creature with first strike. However, because double strike is a separate ability, it does not affect the order in which the creature deals combat damage. This means that if a creature with double strike is blocked, the blocking creature will deal its combat damage in the regular combat damage step, even if the attacking creature has already dealt its first-strike damage.
Example Scenario:
Let’s say you have a creature with double strike, Insectile Aberration, and an opponent has a creature with first strike, Monastery Swiftspear. Insectile Aberration attacks and deals 3 damage to Monastery Swiftspear as first-strike damage. Then, in the regular combat damage step, Insectile Aberration deals its remaining 3 damage to Monastery Swiftspear.
Key Takeaways:
- Double strike is a separate ability that modifies the rules for assigning an attacking creature’s combat damage, whereas first strike is a static ability that modifies the order in which creatures deal combat damage.
- You can give a creature double strike after it has already dealt first-strike damage.
- The order in which a creature deals combat damage is determined by its first-strike ability, not its double-strike ability.
- If a creature with double strike is blocked, the blocking creature will deal its combat damage in the regular combat damage step, even if the attacking creature has already dealt its first-strike damage.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, giving a creature double strike after it has already dealt first-strike damage is perfectly legal in Magic: The Gathering. This allows you to take advantage of the benefits of both first strike and double strike, making your creatures even more formidable on the battlefield. Remember to keep in mind the key takeaways outlined above to ensure you’re using these abilities correctly in your games.