I
Istanbul
Guest
My question (Onslaught's regenerators) is on http://www.magicthegathering.com today. Ah, fame. 
Mind you, it was submitted a couple of months ago...
Mind you, it was submitted a couple of months ago...
N
Nightstalkers
Guest
What the hoo ha is this double strike!!!
a double of first strike???
seriously we can't see how the thing works.
a double of first strike???
seriously we can't see how the thing works.
I
Istanbul
Guest
It's simple.
SITUATION #1
I attack you with a 3/3 creature with double strike.
You block with a 4/2 creature.
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A creature with double strike deals first strike damage, then normal combat damage.
-----
In the above situation, the 3/3 would first deal 3 points of first strike damage to the 4/2, which would kill it. It would then try to deal 3 more points of normal combat damage, but couldn't.
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SITUATION #2
I attack you with a 3/3 creature with double strike.
You block with a 2/4 creature with first strike.
In the above situation, the 3/3 would deal 3 points of first strike damage to the 2/4 and the 2/4 would deal 2 points of first strike damage to the 3/3, killing neither.
Then the 3/3 would deal 3 more points of normal combat damage to the 2/4, for a total of 6, killing it.
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SITUATION #3
I attack you with a 3/3 creature with double strike.
You don't block.
In the above situation, the 3/3 deals 3 points of first strike damage to you. It then deals 3 points of normal combat damage to you, for a total of 6 points.
SITUATION #1
I attack you with a 3/3 creature with double strike.
You block with a 4/2 creature.
-----
A creature with double strike deals first strike damage, then normal combat damage.
-----
In the above situation, the 3/3 would first deal 3 points of first strike damage to the 4/2, which would kill it. It would then try to deal 3 more points of normal combat damage, but couldn't.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SITUATION #2
I attack you with a 3/3 creature with double strike.
You block with a 2/4 creature with first strike.
In the above situation, the 3/3 would deal 3 points of first strike damage to the 2/4 and the 2/4 would deal 2 points of first strike damage to the 3/3, killing neither.
Then the 3/3 would deal 3 more points of normal combat damage to the 2/4, for a total of 6, killing it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SITUATION #3
I attack you with a 3/3 creature with double strike.
You don't block.
In the above situation, the 3/3 deals 3 points of first strike damage to you. It then deals 3 points of normal combat damage to you, for a total of 6 points.
T
Thallid Ice Cream Man
Guest
It's almost like not having double strike and having double the power. I think the only example of the ability, a 3R for 2/1 doublestrike, was probably priced to be a little better than a 4/1 first striker for 3R.
Now there are some situations where there is a difference.
Certainly it can be seen why it would be worse to have double the damage but no first strike damage.
Now damage is dealt in two effects and allows two different opportunities to mess around with instants and stuff like that. In that sense it can be better in really complicated situations than just having double the power and first strike.
This window can be bad compared to double the power and only first strike damage if the creature itself is weak. Let's take Istanbul's example 2 but tone it down to a now weak looking 2/1. Now the creature dies before getting to kill the 2/4 first striker, which survives.
I just hope they'll put double strike on the occasional bigger creature from now on.
Now there are some situations where there is a difference.
Certainly it can be seen why it would be worse to have double the damage but no first strike damage.
Now damage is dealt in two effects and allows two different opportunities to mess around with instants and stuff like that. In that sense it can be better in really complicated situations than just having double the power and first strike.
This window can be bad compared to double the power and only first strike damage if the creature itself is weak. Let's take Istanbul's example 2 but tone it down to a now weak looking 2/1. Now the creature dies before getting to kill the 2/4 first striker, which survives.
I just hope they'll put double strike on the occasional bigger creature from now on.
E
EricBess
Guest
Of course, by the same token, double strike is often much better than first strike.
For example, if I attack with a 4/1 First Strike and you don't block, then I cast Giant Growth and you take 7 damage.
With the same scenario, I cast Giant Growth on a 2/1 Double Striker and you take 10 damage.
For example, if I attack with a 4/1 First Strike and you don't block, then I cast Giant Growth and you take 7 damage.
With the same scenario, I cast Giant Growth on a 2/1 Double Striker and you take 10 damage.
N
Nightstalkers
Guest
MTG.com has given us nothing but grief!!! can you believe them sending us emails about paying money to sign up!!!
those pompous moneygrubbers.
those pompous moneygrubbers.