Double Strike | |
---|---|
Keyword Ability | |
Type | Static |
Introduced | Legions |
Last used | Evergreen |
Reminder Text | Double strike (This creature deals both first-strike and regular combat damage.) |
Statistics |
190 cards 35.8% 1.6% 1.1% 30% 1.6% 1.1% 5.3% 1.1% 2.1% 10.5% 4.7% 4.2% 1.1% |
Other Symbols | |
Scryfall Search | |
keyword:"Double Strike" |
Double strike is an evergreen keyword ability that allows a creature to deal combat damage twice per combat phase — once during the first combat damage step, along with any creatures that have first strike, and again during the second combat damage step along with creatures that have neither keyword.
Description[ | ]
Double strike appears primarily in Red and in White, the two combat-trained colors already proficient with first strike.[1] Even among creatures that aren't red nor white, all but four (Planar Chaos card Jodah's Avenger, the multicolor-requiring Scuttling Butler, and red and white aligned Phyrexian Dragon Engine and Combat Thresher) still require in some way to utilize double strike.
History[ | ]
Double strike was designed by Wayne Alward, a player who submitted it as a mechanic for the first You Make the Card promotion. Double strike was rejected for the card, which would later become Forgotten Ancient because the mechanic didn't fit within Green's segment of the color wheel. Nonetheless, several R&D members were impressed with the design's elegance. Thus, double strike was adopted into Magic, upon which it became evergreen almost immediately.[2][3]
Double strike premiered in Legions, with the cards Ridgetop Raptor and Rockshard Elemental. It remains an evergreen mechanic today.[4] However, its power means it has only a small representation each set, and it does not appear at common often. Two-Headed Cerberus was the first common native double striker, a decade after its introduction in Theros.
Ikoria Commander introduced double strike counters.
Rules[ | ]
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (September 20, 2024—Duskmourn: House of Horror)
- Double Strike
- A keyword ability that lets a creature deal its combat damage twice. See rule 702.4, “Double Strike.”
From the Comprehensive Rules (September 20, 2024—Duskmourn: House of Horror)
- 702.4. Double Strike
- 702.4a Double strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. (See rule 510, “Combat Damage Step.”)
- 702.4b If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see rule 702.7) or double strike as the combat damage step begins, the only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are those with first strike or double strike. After that step, instead of proceeding to the end of combat step, the phase gets a second combat damage step. The only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are the remaining attackers and blockers that had neither first strike nor double strike as the first combat damage step began, as well as the remaining attackers and blockers that currently have double strike. After that step, the phase proceeds to the end of combat step.
- 702.4c Removing double strike from a creature during the first combat damage step will stop it from assigning combat damage in the second combat damage step.
- 702.4d Giving double strike to a creature with first strike after it has already dealt combat damage in the first combat damage step will allow the creature to assign combat damage in the second combat damage step.
- 702.4e Multiple instances of double strike on the same creature are redundant.
Rulings[ | ]
- Double strike isn't first strike. Effects that make a creature lose first strike won't make it lose double strike.
- Creatures with double strike and creatures with first strike deal combat damage in the first combat damage step.
- If a creature with double strike is blocked, it remains blocked even if the blocking creature is destroyed in the first combat damage step.
- All creatures that didn't assign combat damage in the first combat damage step assign combat damage in the second combat damage step. In addition, all creatures with double strike assign combat damage again in the second step.
- If a creature has both double strike and trample, the combat damage it assigned during the first combat damage step will be considered when determining how much damage can trample through in the second combat damage step.
Examples[ | ]
Example
Boros Swiftblade
Creature — Human Soldier
1/2
Double strike (This creature deals both first-strike and regular combat damage.)
Cards that grant double strike[ | ]
- Planeswalkers
- Ajani, Caller of the Pride (-3: target creature)
- Ajani, Inspiring Leader (-10: creatures you control until end of turn, also flying)
- Domri Rade (-7: emblem, your creatures)
- Nahiri, The Lithomancer (-10: Equipment with equip , also gets +5/+5)
- Samut, the Tested (+1: target creature)
- Sorceries (until end of turn)
- Armed (target creature, also +1/+1)
- Assault on Osgiliath (Goblins and Orcs you control)
- Assault Strobe (target creature)
- Cleaver Riot (your creatures)
- Sangrite Surge (target creature, also +3/+3)
- Victory
- Instants (until end of turn)
- Akroma's Will (first mode, your creatures)
- Boros Charm (3rd mode, target creature)
- Buccaneer's Bravado (target Pirate, also +1/+1)
- Critical Hit
- Double Cleave (target creature)
- Flying Crane Technique (Creatures you control until end of turn, also flying)
- Kaya's Onslaught (target creature, also +1/+1)
- Phalanx Formation (any number of target creatures until end of turn, for extra per target)
- Psychotic Fury (target multicoloured creature)
- Raking Claws (target creature)
- Temur Battle Rage (Ferocious — target creature also gets trample if you control a creature with power 4 or greater)
- Twinferno (Second mode - target creature)
- Savage Beating (only during combat on your turn, your creatures (1st mode), also untap and have another combat if you pay its entwine cost of )
- Sweeping Cleave (target creature)
- Uncaged Fury (target creature, also +1/+1)
- Creatures
- Akim, the Soaring Wind (: creature tokens you control until end of turn)
- Arashin Foremost (entry or attacking, target Warrior you control until end of turn)
- Atarka, World Render (whenever a Dragon you control attacks, it gains double strike until end of turn)
- Avatar of Slaughter (all creatures, also attack each turn)
- Avenging Huntbonder (double strike counter on target attacking creature)
- Blade Historian (your attacking creatures)
- Blast-Furnace Hellkite (all creatures attacking your opponents)
- Bonescythe Sliver (your Sliver creatures)
- Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder (entry or attacking, target creature you control until end of turn)
- Chaos Terminator Lord (combat on your turn, another target creature you control until end of turn)
- Deathleaper, Terror Weapon (creatures you control that entered this turn)
- Duelcraft Trainer (Coven — target creature you control until end of turn)
- Fearless Skald — Backup
- Fury Sliver (all Sliver creatures)
- Goring Ceratops (when attacking, creatures you control until end of turn)
- Halvar, God of Battle (your enchanted or equipped creatures)
- Iizuka the Ruthless (, sacrifice a Samurai: your Samurai creatures)
- Kamiz, Obscura Oculus (creature with lesser power than the one that Connives)
- Kinsbaile Cavalier (your Knight creatures)
- Kor Blademaster (your Equipped Warriors)
- Kwende, Pride of Femeref (your creatures with first strike)
- Neyali — (attacking tokens you control)
- Odric, Lunarch Marshal (if one of your creatures has it, also several other abilities)
- Rafiq of the Many (your creatures, when they attack alone)
- Raksha Golden Cub (your Cat creatures if Raksha is equipped, also +2/+2)
- Resolute Blademaster (creatures you control until end of turn, whenever an Ally enters)
- Reyav, Master Smith (whenever your enchanted or equipped creatures attack, until end of turn)
- Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest (: target creature until end of turn, when a noncreature spell is cast)
- Sigarda's Vanguard (entry or attacking, your creatures with different powers until end of turn)
- Silverblade Paladin (via Soulbond)
- Springjack Knight (if you win a clash when it attacks)
- Swashbuckler Extraordinaire (when attacks, for each treasure sacrified)
- Sylvia Brightspear (Dragons your team control)
- Terror of Mount Velus (upon entry, all creatures you control until end of turn)
- Théoden, King of Rohan (upon entry and other Human entry, target creature)
- Valiant Knight (: Knights you control until end of turn)
- Veteran Cathar (: Target Human you control until end of turn)
- Wilson, Ardent Bear , Exile: Target creature (perpetually)
- Wrecking Ogre (via Bloodrush)
- Auras (enchanted creature)
- Armament of Nyx (enchantment creature only)
- Battle Mastery
- Ghostblade Eidolon (via bestow )
- Runes of the Deus (red creature only, also +1/+1)
- Twinblade Invocation Disturb
- Enchantments (your creatures)
- The Argent Etchings (your creatures II)
- Berserkers' Onslaught (attacking creatures)
- Blood Mist (one creature, beginning of your combat)
- Concerted Effort (if one of your creatures has it, also several other abilities)
- Duelist's Heritage (target attacking creature)
- Firja's Retribution (III: your Angels until end of turn)
- Flaming Fist (Commander creatures you control on attack)
- Paladin Class ( Level 3: target attacking creature)
- Rage Reflection
- True Conviction (also lifelink)
- War of the Last Alliance (III: your creatures until end of turn. The Ring Tempts You.)
- Equipment (equipped creature)
- Bladehold War-Whip (equip )
- Brass Knuckles (equip , and if two or more equipment are attached)
- Embercleave (equip , equips upon entry, also gets +1/+1 and trample)
- Fireshrieker (equip )
- Gavel of the Righteous (equip or remove a counter from it) — if four or more counters are on Gavel.
- Grappling Hook (equip , also forces blocking)
- Holy Avenger (equip )
- Lizard Blades (Reconfigure )
- Land ( until end of turn)
- Planes
- Bloodhill Bastion (whenever a creature enters the battlefield, also gains haste)
- Valor's Reach (whenever your team attacks with exactly two creatures, those creatures)
- Contraptions
- Turbo-Thwacking Auto-Hammer (target creature until end of turn)
External links[ | ]
- A Planeswalker's Primer for Magic 2010: First Strike and Double Strike (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube.
- Anthony Alongi (September 16, 2003). "Seeing Double". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- Wizards of the Coast (October 22, 2003). "Fun with double strike". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
References[ | ]
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 5, 2017). "Mechanical Color Pie 2017". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Randy Buehler (2003 January 17). "Double Damage, Double Fun". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 22, 2018). "How Trivial". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (2015 June 08). "Evergreen Eggs & Ham". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.