Stalking
| Stalking | |
|---|---|
| Mechanic | |
| Introduced | Mirage |
| Last used | Lorwyn Eclipsed |
| Text | This creature can't be blocked by more than one creature. |
| Scryfall Statistics | |
|
29 cards  3.4%  3.4%  3.4%  79.3%  10.3% | |
Stalking is a R&D slang term used for "Can't be blocked by more than one creature". It is named after Stalking Tiger.[1][2][3]
Description
This ability is primary in green and usually used on creatures sized 4/4 or larger.[4] It is a strategic evasion ability but not a true evasion ability, as while all creatures can block a creature with stalking, only creatures large enough to trade or dominate the stalker are favorable blocks. As green has the largest average creatures, it plays better against decks with few creatures higher on the curve.
Stalking is generally not common nor printed at common, as it sits between trample and daunt for green's options for evasion abilities. These two additional abilities actually invalidate certain blockers, whereas stalking can always be blocked, so it doesn't solve the problem of board stalls. Additionally, a large creature with deathtouch follows a similar gameplay pattern to stalking in terms of blocking, as the defender would lose every blocker, which strategically results in a similar "don't multi-block" effect. However, deathtouch has other benefits, such as killing the defensive creatures that stalking has problems with.
In modern years, cards grant the ability to creatures nearly as often as the card being a creature having the ability innately, and only picked up in usage after 2013. The ability fell off entirely between 2019's Wolfrider's Saddle and 2023's Glorfindel, Dauntless Rescuer, and it would take until 2025's Professional Wrestler for another creature with the ability unconditionally to be printed in a premier set.
Cards granting Stalking
See also
- Rampage, another anti-multiblocking mechanic
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 13, 2016). "What's R&D's nickname for "Can't be blocked by more than one creature"?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (November 7, 2016). "A Few More Words from R&D". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (2025-05-07). "Is there a name for the effect in green "can't be blocked by more than one creature"". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 5, 2017). "Mechanical Color Pie 2017". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.