First strike

First Strike
[[File:{{#setmainimage:mtga_first_strike.png}}|70x70px]]
Keyword Ability
Type	Static
Introduced	Alpha
Last used	Evergreen
Reminder Text	First strike (This creature deals combat damage before creatures without first strike.)
Statistics	289 cards 0.7% 39.8% 1% 7.6% 30.1% 1.7% 1.4% 0.7% 3.5% 1% 2.1% 4.8% 2.8% 2.8%
Other Symbols
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Duels First Strike.png}}|70x70px]]
Scryfall Search
keyword:"First Strike"

First strike is an evergreen keyword ability that changes the rules for combat by adding an additional combat damage step.

Description

A creature with first strike deals combat damage before creatures without first strike. The ability usually represents a creature's exceptional speed or skill; or possession of long range weapons, such as spears, lances, or bows. The most common creature types to have first strike are Knights and Soldiers.

History

First strike has been in Magic since the original Alpha set. First strike has appeared in all colors, but is primarily placed in white and red. It is tertiary in black.

While common on creatures in the past, it has been more often relegated to the obligatory combat trick or granted conditionally, as multiple first striking blockers become difficult to attack through. Fresh Faced Recruit from Guilds of Ravnica is an example of R&D experimenting with creatures that just have first strike offensively, though the ability goes back as far as Purraj of Urborg. Play Design enjoys it more when used offensively. The wording changes between "as long as it's attacking" and "during your turn" occasionally with little by way of differentiation.

Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths introduced first strike counters.

Firstest strike

The mythical card Throat Wolf was rumored to have firstest strike, back in the time when full card lists were rarer, and information was less dispersed. Some red creatures had an ability that had some similarity to a super-first strike ability such as Talruum Champion, as it could disable other first strike abilities; and others such as Ornery Goblin or Inferno Elemental, which dealt noncombat damage in the blockers phase. Throat Wolf was finally printed with firstest strike as a test card in the Mystery Booster set (This creature deals combat damage before creatures with first strike).

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

First Strike

A keyword ability that lets a creature deal its combat damage before other creatures. See rule 702.7, “First Strike.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

• 702.7. First Strike
  • 702.7a First strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. (See rule 510, “Combat Damage Step.”)
  • 702.7b If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike or double strike (see rule 702.4) as the combat damage step begins, the only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are those with first strike or double strike. After that step, instead of proceeding to the end of combat step, the phase gets a second combat damage step. The only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are the remaining attackers and blockers that had neither first strike nor double strike as the first combat damage step began, as well as the remaining attackers and blockers that currently have double strike. After that step, the phase proceeds to the end of combat step.
  • 702.7c Giving first strike to a creature without it after combat damage has already been dealt in the first combat damage step won’t preclude that creature from assigning combat damage in the second combat damage step. Removing first strike from a creature after it has already dealt combat damage in the first combat damage step won’t allow it to also assign combat damage in the second combat damage step (unless the creature has double strike).
  • 702.7d Multiple instances of first strike on the same creature are redundant.

Examples

Example

Anaba Bodyguard
Creature — Minotaur
2/3
First strike (This creature deals combat damage before creatures without first strike.)

Enchantments that grant just First strike

One creature

• Lance
• Lashknife
• Reflexes

All your creatures

• Knighthood

See also

• Double strike
• Last strike
• Alpha strike

External links

• A Planeswalker's Primer for Magic 2010: First Strike and Double Strike (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube.
• Gavin Verhey (March 23, 2017). "Striking First". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.