Combat damage step

Game terms · intermediate

The combat damage step is where attackers and blockers deal their damage, all at once, with no window in between.

How it works

• First, the active player announces how each attacking creature assigns its combat damage, then the defending player announces the same for each blocking creature. This is a turn-based action and does not use the stack. [510.1]
• Second, all the assigned damage is dealt simultaneously, also without the stack. No player gets to cast spells or activate abilities between damage being assigned and damage being dealt. [510.2]
• Third, the active player gets priority. [510.3]

Rules notes

• If any attacking or blocking creature has first strike or double strike as the step begins, only those creatures assign damage in it. The phase then gets a second combat damage step for the remaining creatures plus everything with double strike. [510.4]
• That is why killing a blocker after first-strike damage still saves your creature from the regular damage: the two steps are separate, with priority in between.
• Damage dealt to a planeswalker removes loyalty counters, and damage dealt to a battle removes defense counters, rather than marking damage.

Rule reference

[510.1] [510.2] [510.3] [510.4]