Double strike

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	83 cards 38%, 29%, 11%, 6% 1%, 1%, 1%, 1% Tri-color 4%, Artifact 4%, Land 4%
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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.

It appears primarily in Red and secondarily in White, the two combat-trained colors already proficient with first strike. Even among cards that aren't red nor white, most 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.

Double strike premiered in Legions, with the cards Ridgetop Raptor and Rockshard Elemental. It remains an evergreen mechanic as of today.

Rules

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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.
• 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.

Cards that grant double strike

Planeswalkers

• Ajani, Caller of the Pride (-3: target creature)
• Domri Rade (-7: emblem, your creatures)

Sorceries (until end of turn)

• Armed (Armed/Dangerous) (target creature, also +1/+1)
• Assault Strobe (target creature)
• Cleaver Riot (your creatures)
• Sangrite Surge (target creature, also +3/+3)

Instants (until end of turn)

• Boros Charm (3rd mode)
• Double Cleave (your creatures)
• Psychotic Fury (multicoloured creature only)
• Temur Battle Rage (Ferocious — target creature also gets trample if you control a creature with power 4 or greater)
• 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 )
• Uncaged Fury (Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains double strike until end of turn. (It deals both first-strike and regular combat damage.))

Creatures

• Avatar of Slaughter (all creatures, also attack each turn)
• Bonescythe Sliver (your Sliver creatures)
• Cairn Wanderer (if a creature card with double strike is in a graveyard)
• Fury Sliver (all Sliver creatures)
• Iizuka the Ruthless (, sacrifice a Samurai: your Samurai creatures)
• Kinsbaile Cavalier (your Knight creatures)
• Rafiq of the Many (your creatures, when they attack alone)
• Raksha Golden Cub (your creatures if Raksha is equipped, also +2/+2)
• Silverblade Paladin (via Soulbond)
• Springjack Knight (if you win a clash when it attacks)
• Wrecking Ogre (via Bloodrush)
• Atarka, World Render (whenever a dragon you control attacks, it gains double strike until end of turn)

Auras (enchanted creature)

• Battle Mastery
• Armament of Nyx (enchantment creature only)
• Ghostblade Eidolon (via bestow )
• Runes of the Deus (red creature only, also +1/+1)

Enchantments (your creatures)

• Concerted Effort (if one of your creatures has it, also several other abilities)
• Rage Reflection
• True Conviction (also lifelink)
• Berserker's Onslaught

Equipment (equipped creature)

• Fireshrieker (equip )
• Grappling Hook (equip , also forces blocking)

Land ( until end of turn)

• Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion (,)

Plane cards that grants double strike

• Bloodhill Bastion (whenever a creature enters the battlefield, also gains haste)

External links

• A Planeswalker's Primer for Magic 2010: First Strike and Double Strike
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References

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