Combat is one of the main parts of Magic! With most decks winning with creatures dealing damage, it is key to understand how combat works! If a creature is blocked, it is forever blocked, until combat is over. This means that cards like still would work after the combat damage step, but not during the […]
Category: Combat Phase
Abilities, Activated Abilities, Combat Phase, Tournament Rules, Turn Structure, Type & Subtypes, Type Changing
How to Attack with Mutavault
is back in town, and doing fun things! It swings for 2, it gets pumped by , it has the subtypes of Ninja Mutant Turtle- and it taps for mana! What a land. However, some people don’t know how to properly attack with it! You see, to swing with your Mutavault, it has to be […]
Bident of Thassa + double strike = double draw.
The cycle of god weapons in Theros brings us a new combination of permanents: artifact enchantments. They have one static or triggered ability that would fit perfectly on an enchantment, but also have an activated ability that’s normally found on an artifact. The abilities are generally synergetic, with one generally helping the other out. We’re […]
Reasons to do things between first strike and regular combat damage.
Normally, when you think of first strike, you think “Alright, my guy gets to deal damage before that other guy, so my guy survives”. And that’s true. However, that’s not the only advantage there is. Let’s look at a few examples of what you might want to do after dealing first strike combat damage but […]
“Commander damage” is only from combat damage.
A very common question is whether Ashling the Pilgrim or Heartless Hidetsugu can kill opponents by dealing 21 damage even without attacking. We explain why that doesn't work!
Kaalia of the Vast and Master of Cruelties — yes, it works.
Kaalia of the Vast + Master of Cruelties + No Blocks = One-Hit KO!
Celestial Flare after Damage
The majority of the time, you’re probably going to be using before damage goes through: for example, when your opponent attacks you with his biggest creature you can just throw out Flare right away to get rid of his biggest baddest beater BEFORE it manages to bring the pain to you or your own creatures. […]
Archangel of Thune and Multiple Lifelink Creatures
has the impressive ability of pumping up your entire team whenever you gain life. And since she has lifelink herself, you’ll never be short of a way of putting +1/+1 counters on all your creatures — as long as you’re attacking or blocking, anyway! If your Archangel is the only creature you control that attacks, […]
Kalonian Hydra doubles the counters before blockers and before damage.
An explanation of the timing of Kalonian Hydra's counter-doubling ability, and how it affects combat.