How does double strike work if blocked?

How Does Double Strike Work If Blocked?

When it comes to Magic: The Gathering, understanding the rules of combat and damage is crucial to playing the game effectively. One of the most important abilities in the game is double strike, which allows a creature to deal damage twice during the combat phase. But what happens when a creature with double strike is blocked? Does the double strike ability still trigger, or does the blocking creature prevent the damage from being dealt?

The Basics of Double Strike

Before we dive into how double strike works when blocked, it’s essential to understand the basics of the ability. Double strike is a keyword ability that allows a creature to deal combat damage twice, once during the first strike step and once during the regular combat step. This means that if a creature with double strike attacks, it will deal damage to the opponent twice, once before the opponent’s creatures get a chance to attack back, and once after.

Double Strike and Blocking

When a creature with double strike attacks, the opponent can choose to block it with one of their own creatures. If a blocking creature is assigned to block the double striking creature, the double strike ability will still trigger, but the damage will be dealt to the blocking creature instead of the opponent.

Example:

• A creature with double strike, "Double Strike Dragon", attacks an opponent with 10 life.
• The opponent chooses to block the attack with their 5/5 "Giant Spider".
• During the first strike step, the "Double Strike Dragon" deals 5 damage to the "Giant Spider".
• During the regular combat step, the "Double Strike Dragon" deals an additional 5 damage to the "Giant Spider".
• The opponent’s life total is now 5, as the "Giant Spider" is destroyed and the "Double Strike Dragon" deals an additional 5 damage to the opponent.

Key Takeaways:

• Double strike does not trigger additional damage to the opponent’s life total if the creature is blocked.
• The double strike ability still triggers, but the damage is dealt to the blocking creature instead of the opponent.
• The blocking creature can be destroyed by the double striking creature’s damage, which can lead to an additional 5 damage being dealt to the opponent’s life total.

Benefits of Double Strike

Despite the fact that double strike doesn’t trigger additional damage to the opponent’s life total if the creature is blocked, the ability still has several benefits. For one, it allows the creature to deal damage to the opponent’s life total in two separate steps, making it more difficult for the opponent to recover. Additionally, the double strike ability can lead to an additional 5 damage being dealt to the opponent’s life total if the blocking creature is destroyed.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, double strike is an incredibly powerful ability that can lead to an additional 5 damage being dealt to the opponent’s life total. While it may not trigger additional damage to the opponent’s life total if the creature is blocked, the ability still has several benefits. By understanding how double strike works when blocked, players can make more informed decisions about when to use the ability and how to maximize its potential.