MTG First Strike, Double Strike and Trample rules guide showing a dramatic combat scene with two combat damage steps, a double strike attacker, and trample damage breaking through blockers.

MTG First Strike, Double Strike & Trample Rules Guide

Combat in Magic: The Gathering looks simple — creatures hit each other, bigger numbers win. Then someone attacks with a double strike trampler, the blocker dies to first strike damage, and suddenly nobody at the table agrees on how much damage goes through.

First strike, double strike, and trample are the three keywords that decide combat maths. They interact with each other constantly, and every one of those interactions has a precise answer in the rules — answers this guide covers with resolved examples for every situation you will actually face at the table.

This is the third article in our complete series on MTG keyword abilities, following our deathtouch guide and our haste and flash guide. You can find the full series at the end of this article.

The Combat Damage Step: How Damage Actually Works

Before any of these keywords make sense, you need the baseline: in normal combat, all creatures assign and deal their damage simultaneously, in a single combat damage step. A 3/3 blocking a 3/3 means both creatures deal 3 damage to each other at the same time — and both die.

First strike and double strike change this by splitting combat damage into two steps. From the Comprehensive Rules (510.4): if at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike or double strike as the combat damage step begins, only those creatures assign damage in that first step. Then a second combat damage step happens, where everyone else deals their damage — plus creatures with double strike, which deal damage again.

That two-step structure is the key to every interaction in this guide.

What Is First Strike in MTG?

First strike (CR 702.7) means the creature deals its combat damage in the first combat damage step — before creatures without first strike or double strike deal theirs.

The practical consequence: if a first striker's damage kills the opposing creature in the first step, that creature never deals its damage at all. It is dead before the second step happens.

Resolved Example — The Uneven Trade

A 2/2 with first strike blocks an attacking 2/2 without it.

Normally two 2/2s trade — both die. With first strike, the blocker deals its 2 damage in the first step, the attacker dies, and the second combat damage step arrives with no attacker left to deal damage. The first striker survives untouched. Same stats, completely different outcome.

Resolved Example — First Strike Is Not Enough

A 1/1 with first strike blocks an attacking 4/4.

The 1/1 deals its 1 damage first — not nearly enough to kill the 4/4. The second damage step arrives, the 4/4 deals its 4 damage, and the 1/1 dies. First strike only matters if the first hit is lethal. Otherwise combat plays out as normal, just in two steps.

What Is Double Strike in MTG?

Double strike (CR 702.4) means the creature deals combat damage in both combat damage steps — once alongside first strikers, and again in the regular step.

A 3/3 with double strike effectively deals 6 combat damage per combat: 3 in the first step, 3 in the second. This makes double strike one of the most explosive combat abilities in the game — anything that pumps the creature's power counts twice.

Three Rules Details That Matter

  • Double strike is not first strike. They are separate abilities. An effect that removes first strike does nothing to a double striker, and vice versa.
  • Losing double strike between steps matters. If a creature loses double strike during the first combat damage step, it does not deal damage in the second step (assuming it dealt damage in the first).
  • Gaining double strike between steps also works. A creature with first strike that gains double strike after dealing first-step damage gets to deal damage again in the second step.

Resolved Example — The Blocker Dies, Then What?

Your opponent attacks with a 4/4 double striker. You block with a 3/3. The 3/3 dies to the first strike damage. Does the second strike hit you?

No. This is one of the most misplayed situations in casual Magic. The attacker was blocked, and it stays blocked even though the blocker is dead. In the second combat damage step, its damage has nowhere legal to go — the blocker is gone and it cannot redirect to the player. The second strike is wasted... unless the attacker has trample, which changes everything, as we will see below.

What Is Trample in MTG?

Trample (CR 702.19) modifies how an attacking creature assigns its combat damage. The controller must assign lethal damage to all blocking creatures first — but once that is done, any excess damage can be assigned directly to the defending player or planeswalker.

"Lethal damage" here means damage equal to the blocker's toughness, minus any damage already marked on it. It also takes into account combat damage being assigned to that blocker at the same time. It does not take damage prevention effects into account.

Resolved Example — Basic Trample

You attack with a 6/6 trampler. Your opponent blocks with a 2/2.

You must assign 2 damage to the blocker (its toughness = lethal). The remaining 4 damage goes to the defending player. Blocker dies, opponent takes 4.

Resolved Example — Trample Over a Dead Blocker

You attack with a 6/6 trampler. The blocker is destroyed by a removal spell before combat damage.

Without trample, a blocked attacker whose blocker disappears deals no combat damage at all — it is still "blocked". With trample, all 6 damage goes through to the player: there are no blockers left to assign lethal damage to, so everything tramples over. This is why trample is insurance against chump blocks and post-block removal tricks.

Resolved Example — Blightsteel Maths

Blightsteel Colossus — an 11/11 with trample, infect, and indestructible — attacks. Your opponent chump blocks with a 1/1.

Lethal damage for the 1/1 is 1. The remaining 10 damage tramples through — and with infect, that is 10 poison counters. One poison counter short of instant death from a single blocked attack. This is exactly why Blightsteel Colossus is one of the most feared attackers in Commander: trample makes chump blocking it almost pointless.

The Big Interactions: When These Keywords Meet

Double Strike + Trample: The Real Damage Maths

You attack with a 4/4 that has double strike and trample. Your opponent blocks with a 3/3.

First combat damage step: you must assign lethal damage to the blocker — 3 damage — and the remaining 1 tramples to the player. The blocker dies.

Second combat damage step: the blocker is already dead, but the attacker is still considered blocked. Normally that would mean the second strike has nowhere to go. Because the attacker has trample, however, there are no remaining blockers to assign lethal damage to — so all 4 damage from the second strike can be assigned to the defending player.

Total: 3 to the blocker, 5 to the player. Double strike plus trample converts blocked attacks into massive direct damage — which is why this combination ends Commander games on the spot.

First Strike vs Trample: The Defensive Answer

A 3/3 with first strike blocks a 5/5 trampler (no first strike).

The first striker deals its 3 damage in the first step. The 5/5 dies before ever dealing combat damage — no trample damage goes through at all. First strike blockers are one of the cleanest answers to big tramplers, provided their power is enough to kill the attacker outright.

Deathtouch + Trample and Deathtouch + First Strike

Deathtouch changes what counts as "lethal damage" for trample (only 1 per blocker) and turns first strike into a pre-emptive kill. We covered both interactions in depth with resolved examples in our deathtouch guide.

Quick Reference: Combat Keyword Interaction Table

Situation Result
First striker kills its opponent in the first step The dead creature never deals damage
First striker's damage is not lethal Normal combat — the opponent hits back in the second step
Double striker's blocker dies in the first step (no trample) Second strike is wasted — the attacker is still blocked with nothing to hit
Double striker's blocker dies in the first step (with trample) The entire second strike tramples to the player
Trampler's blocker removed before combat damage All damage tramples to the player (without trample: no damage at all)
First strike blocker kills a trampler in the first step No trample damage goes through — the trampler dies first
Creature loses double strike during the first damage step It does not deal damage in the second step
First striker gains double strike after first-step damage It deals damage again in the second step
Removing first strike from a double striker Nothing happens — they are separate abilities
Two first strikers fight each other Normal simultaneous combat — both deal damage in the first step

Why These Keywords Matter in Commander

Trample is arguably the most important of the three in Commander. In a format defined by big creatures and 40-life totals, evasion is what separates threats that win games from threats that get chump blocked forever. A huge creature without trample can be held off by a 1/1 token every turn. A huge creature with trample cannot. This is why cards like Blightsteel Colossus are so terrifying in Commander: even a successful block may still leave lethal damage pushing through.

Double strike is the Commander damage multiplier. Every pump effect, every equipment, every anthem counts twice on a double striker — and in a format where commander damage (21 from a single commander) is a win condition, double strike halves the number of hits needed.

First strike is the quiet defensive workhorse: it turns even trades into free kills and makes attacking into your board genuinely unattractive for opponents.

You can find these staples and more in our full catalogue, or import your decklist directly with our decklist search tool.

Frequently Asked Questions About First Strike, Double Strike and Trample

Does double strike mean the creature hits twice as hard?

It means the creature deals its combat damage twice — once in the first combat damage step and once in the regular step. A 3/3 with double strike deals 3 damage, then 3 more. Against a creature, the second hit only matters if the target survived the first; against a player (unblocked), the full doubled damage goes through.

If double strike kills the blocker with the first hit, does the second hit go to the player?

Only if the creature also has trample. Without trample, the attacker remains blocked even though the blocker is dead, and the second strike has nothing legal to hit. With trample, lethal damage was already assigned in the first step, so the entire second strike tramples through to the player.

Does first strike stop trample?

It can. If a first strike blocker deals enough damage to destroy the trampler in the first combat damage step, the trampler dies before dealing any combat damage — no trample damage goes through. If the first striker cannot kill the trampler, combat proceeds normally and the trample damage is dealt in the second step.

How much damage must a trampler assign to each blocker?

Lethal damage — the blocker's toughness minus any damage already marked on it. Everything beyond that can be assigned to the defending player. The exception is deathtouch: a trampler with deathtouch only needs to assign 1 damage per blocker, as we explain in our deathtouch guide.

Does trample work when blocking?

No. Trample only modifies how an attacking creature assigns damage. A blocking creature with trample deals its damage to the attacker it blocks like any other blocker — no excess damage goes anywhere.

What happens if my trampler's blocker is destroyed before combat damage?

All of the trampler's combat damage is assigned to the defending player. A blocked creature without trample in the same situation deals no combat damage at all — it remains blocked with nothing to assign damage to. This is one of trample's most underrated benefits.

Is double strike the same as having first strike?

No. They are separate keyword abilities. A double striker deals damage in the first strike step and the regular step, but it does not "have" first strike — effects that remove or care about first strike do not interact with double strike, and vice versa.

More guides in our keyword abilities series:

Related guides:

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