First Strike and Double Strike: Fun abilities that make creatures scary good in combat. But what exactly ARE they? How do they work? How does my Phyrexian Crusader deal damage ‘first’?

Normally, during the Combat Phase, there’s only one step where damage is dealt. Immediately after the Declare Blockers step, but before the End of Combat step, is the Combat Damage step. This is where damage is assigned and dealt all at once… normally. If there’s any creatures with First or Double Strike involved in combat, then as the combat damage step starts, only those creatures will deal damage! Then, after that step, instead of moving to the End of Combat step, there’s another damage step. Note that players get a chance to do things after damage is dealt in the first Combat Damage step, before moving to the second Combat Damage step.

702.7b If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike or double strike (see rule 702.4) 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.

Simple, right? Your First Strikers and Double Strikers do their damage here, then we move on to where ‘normal’ creatures do their damage. Here, only creatures that didn’t assign damage in that first damage step [unless they have Double Strike, then they get damage in both steps] get to assign damage. Any creatures killed by first/double strikers in the first damage step will be dead, and won’t deal damage at all.

Another question that comes up with things like Drogskol Reaver: Will my Double-Striker deal damage in the second damage step if it killed its blocker in the first? The answer is no, unless it has trample. Just like if you kill a blocker with a Doom Blade before damage, your attacking creature has nothing to assign damage to, so it deals no damage in that step. The only way it’ll get to hit your opponent’s face after killing the blocker in the FIRST step is if your Double-Striker also has Trample. In that case, it’ll have no blockers in the way and will assign full damage to the defending player/planeswalker.

Today’s Rules Tip written by
Trevor Nuñez, Level 1 judge from Roswell, NM