Combat

This document provides an overview of the combat rules in Magic: The Gathering. For the detailed implementation in Rummage, please see Combat System.

Combat Phase Overview

The combat phase consists of five steps:

  1. Beginning of Combat Step
  2. Declare Attackers Step
  3. Declare Blockers Step
  4. Combat Damage Step
  5. End of Combat Step

Combat Flow

The flow of combat follows these steps:

Beginning of Combat Step

  • The active player receives priority
  • Players can cast instants and activate abilities
  • No combat actions yet occur

Declare Attackers Step

  • The active player declares which of their creatures are attacking and what player or planeswalker each is attacking
  • Tapped creatures and creatures with summoning sickness (that don't have haste) cannot attack
  • Once attackers are declared, triggered abilities trigger and the active player receives priority

Declare Blockers Step

  • The defending player(s) declare which of their untapped creatures are blocking and which attacker each is blocking
  • A single creature can block only one attacker unless it has the ability to block multiple attackers
  • Multiple creatures can block a single attacker
  • After blockers are declared, the active player assigns the combat damage order for each attacking creature that's blocked by multiple creatures
  • Triggered abilities trigger and the active player receives priority

Combat Damage Step

  • Combat damage is assigned and dealt simultaneously by all attacking and blocking creatures
  • Creatures with first strike or double strike deal damage in a separate combat damage step before creatures without first strike
  • Creatures with trample can assign excess damage to the player or planeswalker they're attacking
  • After damage is dealt, triggered abilities trigger and the active player receives priority

End of Combat Step

  • Final opportunity to use "until end of combat" effects
  • Triggered abilities trigger and the active player receives priority

Special Combat Rules

First Strike and Double Strike

  • Creatures with first strike deal combat damage before creatures without first strike
  • Creatures with double strike deal combat damage twice, once during the first strike damage step and once during the regular damage step
  • If any creature has first strike or double strike, there are two combat damage steps

Trample

  • If all creatures blocking an attacking creature with trample are assigned lethal damage, excess damage can be assigned to the player or planeswalker that creature is attacking

Evasion Abilities

  • Flying: Can only be blocked by creatures with flying or reach
  • Fear: Can only be blocked by artifact creatures and/or black creatures
  • Intimidate: Can only be blocked by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it
  • Menace: Can't be blocked except by two or more creatures
  • Shadow: Can only block or be blocked by creatures with shadow

Combat Keywords

  • Vigilance: Creature doesn't tap when attacking
  • Deathtouch: Any amount of damage dealt by a creature with deathtouch is considered lethal
  • Lifelink: Damage dealt by a creature with lifelink causes its controller to gain that much life
  • Indestructible: Creature can't be destroyed by damage or "destroy" effects

For the detailed implementation of combat in Rummage, including code examples and integration with other systems, see: