Does Double Strike Trigger Combat Damage Triggers Twice?
Double strike is a popular keyword ability in Magic: The Gathering that allows a creature to deal combat damage twice during a single combat phase. This ability can be extremely powerful, especially when combined with other combat-related abilities. But does double strike trigger combat damage triggers twice?
The Answer: Absolutely
According to official Magic: The Gathering rules, a creature with double strike will deal combat damage twice, once during the first strike combat damage step and again during the normal combat damage step. This means that any combat damage triggers, such as "deal 2 damage to target creature" or "deal 1 damage to target player", will trigger twice when a creature with double strike is involved in combat.
How Does Double Strike Work?
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how double strike works:
- During the declare attackers step, the creature with double strike is declared as an attacker.
- During the declare blockers step, the defending player declares blockers to block the attacking creature.
- During the first strike combat damage step, the creature with double strike deals damage to the defending player or another creature, as specified by its power and toughness.
- During the normal combat damage step, the creature with double strike deals additional damage to the defending player or another creature, as specified by its power and toughness.
- Any combat damage triggers, such as "deal 2 damage to target creature" or "deal 1 damage to target player", will trigger twice during this process.
Examples of Double Strike in Action
Here are a few examples of how double strike can work in different scenarios:
| Scenario | Result |
|---|---|
| Creature A with double strike attacks a creature with 3/3 toughness | Creature A deals 3 damage to the creature during the first strike combat damage step, and then deals an additional 3 damage during the normal combat damage step, for a total of 6 damage. |
| Creature B with double strike attacks a player | Creature B deals 2 damage to the player during the first strike combat damage step, and then deals an additional 2 damage during the normal combat damage step, for a total of 4 damage. |
Conclusion
In conclusion, double strike is a powerful ability that allows a creature to deal combat damage twice during a single combat phase. This ability can be extremely effective in combat, especially when combined with other combat-related abilities. When a creature with double strike is involved in combat, any combat damage triggers will trigger twice, making it an important ability to consider when building a deck.