| Reach | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Keyword Ability | |
| Type | Static |
| Introduced |
Alpha (mechanic) Future Sight (keyword) |
| Last used | Evergreen |
| Reminder Text | Reach (This creature can block creatures with flying.) |
| Scryfall Search | |
| keyword:"Reach" | |
Reach is an evergreen keyword ability that replaces the "[This creature] can block as though it had flying" ability seen on creatures such as Giant Spider.
History[ | ]
The mechanic used to be known as the "Spider ability"[1], with Giant Spider in Alpha being the first card with Reach.
For design reasons, Mark Rosewater convinced R&D that they needed to keyword more abilities and then put them in a secondary color. The Rules Manager suggested adding Reach because it would greatly shrink the reminder text for flying.[2]
Reach was first keyworded in Future Sight and was introduced into core sets with Tenth Edition.[3] Reach is primary in green. Lately, it also is appearing in red.[4][5][6][7] Reach is tertiary in white, mostly on archers[8], but there have been no reach creatures that are white but not green since Hundred-Handed One.
Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths introduced reach counters.
"Secret" Reach[ | ]
A Spinewoods Armadillo on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering Arena displaying the reach visual aid.
Reach is unusual because it is an anti-keyword effect, specifically to counteract flying without overloading on flying itself. As the game evolved and certain sets resulted in more flying than usual, generally more reach creatures were printed, but without any obvious indicator. R&D typically relies on creature type to avoid this, such as Spider, Archer, and some number of Giants, but many other types can also have reach without much consistency. The combination of these two means that unless a player is well-versed in every card from a set, they may often run a flying creature into a bigger reach creature, with fans terming the latter having a form of "secret reach".
On Magic: The Gathering Arena, coinciding with the release of Outlaws of Thunder Junction, a new larger reach graphic was added to make it more obvious to the active player which creatures have reach and thus reduce instances of "secret reach".[9]
Rules[ | ]
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (April 12, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)
- Reach
- A keyword ability that allows a creature to block an attacking creature with flying. See rule 702.17, “Reach.” See also Flying.
From the Comprehensive Rules (April 12, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)
- 702.17. Reach
- 702.17a Reach is a static ability.
- 702.17b A creature with flying can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying and/or reach. (See rule 509, “Declare Blockers Step,” and rule 702.9, “Flying.”)
- 702.17c Multiple instances of reach on the same creature are redundant.
Rulings[ | ]
- All cards that have or grant the Giant Spider ability will be receiving errata to change that ability to reach.
- The interaction between creatures with flying and creatures such as Giant Spider will not change.
- Some card interactions are changing:
- Creatures with reach (and without flying) won't be able to block creatures that say they "can't be blocked except by creatures with flying," simply because those creatures don't have flying (and will no longer act as though they do). Cards affected by this change are Elven Riders, Silhana Ledgewalker, Treetop Bracers, Treetop Rangers, and Treetop Scout.
- Creatures with reach (and without flying) will be able to block creatures that say they "can't be blocked by creatures with flying," for the same reason. Cards affected by this change are Dust Corona, Gnat Alley Creeper, Greater Stone Spirit, and Stone Spirit.
- Talruum Piper, which says "All creatures with flying able to block Talruum Piper do so," will not force creatures with reach to block it.
Examples[ | ]
Example
Giant Spider 
Creature — Spider
2/4
Reach (This creature can block creatures with flying.)
Enchantments that grant just Reach[ | ]
One creature
Trivia[ | ]
- There are only two mono-black creatures that have reach — Drider and Doom Weaver.
- The mono-black planeswalker Lolth, Spider Queen can create creature tokens with reach.
- Mark Rosewater believes reach is the keyword most underrated by players.[10]
References[ | ]
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (December 29, 2019). "You mentioned there used to be nicknames for lifelink, vigilance, and haste before they were keyworded.". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 21, 2019). "I was wondering if I could get any spicy trivia about the mechanic Reach.". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 8, 2015). "Evergreen Eggs & Ham". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (July 05, 2015). "How do you feel about the red Giant in orgins having reach?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (July 03, 2015). "Does red have reach now?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 27, 2016). "Can we expect red to get more tools in the future?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (April 14, 2017). "Is Reach in Red's pie now?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 5, 2017). "Mechanical Color Pie 2017". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ WotC_Jay: "We talk about this a lot internally. At a high level, we like changes that make the current battlefield state more obvious...". Reddit (April 10, 2024).
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (November 14, 2023). "What's an evergreen keyword that you feel many players underrate?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
External links[ | ]
- A Planeswalker's Primer for Magic 2010: Flying (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube.