Combat

Battle Phase Overview

The Battle Phase is where creatures clash and Life Points are lost. Understanding combat is crucial to victory.

Declaring Attacks

1. Select an attacker

   Choose an untapped creature you control that doesn’t have summoning sickness.

2. Tap the attacker

   Turn the creature sideways to indicate it has attacked this turn.

3. Choose a target

   • Attack an opponent’s creature, OR
   • Attack the opponent directly (if they have no creatures or you have special abilities)

4. Resolve combat

   Compare ATK values and apply damage.

Important Rules

• Each creature can only attack once per turn
• Tapped creatures cannot attack or use tap abilities
• Creatures untap at the start of your turn

Combat Resolution

Creature vs Creature

When your creature attacks an enemy creature:

Scenario	Result
Your ATK > Enemy ATK	Enemy creature destroyed
Your ATK < Enemy ATK	Your creature destroyed
Your ATK = Enemy ATK	Both creatures destroyed

Note

Elemental advantages modify damage! An Ember creature deals 1.5x damage to Nature.

Direct Attack

When attacking the opponent directly:

1. Deal damage equal to your creature’s ATK
2. Opponent loses that many Life Points
3. Your creature remains on the field

Tip

Clearing the opponent’s field opens them up to devastating direct attacks!

Combat Tricks

Trap Activation

During combat, players can activate trap cards:

• Before damage: Activate in response to attack declaration
• During damage: Some traps modify damage calculation
• After damage: Activate in response to combat result

Quick-Play Spells

Quick-Play Spells can be cast during combat to:

• Boost your attacker’s ATK
• Reduce the enemy’s ATK
• Destroy a creature before damage
• Redirect the attack

Advanced Combat

Multiple Attackers

You can attack with multiple creatures in the same Battle Phase:

1. Declare first attacker and target
2. Resolve combat
3. Declare next attacker (if any)
4. Repeat until done attacking

Attack Order Matters

Plan your attack order! Destroying a key defender first opens up direct attacks.

Combat Abilities

Some creatures have abilities that trigger during combat:

Ability	When It Triggers
On Attack	When declaring as attacker
On Block	When chosen as defender
First Strike	Deals damage before normal combat
Trample	Excess damage goes to player
Lifesteal	Heal for damage dealt

Blocking (Optional Rule)

In some game modes, defenders can choose to block:

1. Attacker declares target (must be opponent)
2. Defender chooses a creature to block
3. Attacker’s creature fights blocker instead

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Combat Example

Let’s walk through a detailed combat scenario:

Board State:

• You: Fire Drake (ATK 1500), Flame Imp (ATK 800)
• Opponent: Stone Golem (ATK 1200), 15 Life Points

Turn Sequence:

1. Attack 1: Fire Drake attacks Stone Golem

   • 1500 vs 1200 → Stone Golem destroyed

2. Attack 2: Flame Imp attacks directly

   • Opponent has no creatures → Direct hit!
   • Opponent: 15 - 8 = 7 Life Points

Result: You destroyed a creature and dealt 8 damage!

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Combat Tips

Pro Tips

1. Trade up - Use weaker creatures to destroy stronger ones via abilities/spells
2. Bait traps - Attack with expendable creatures first to trigger enemy traps
3. Calculate damage - Count your total damage before attacking to plan lethal
4. Element matchups - Exploit weaknesses for 50% bonus damage
5. Save removal - Don’t waste removal spells; save them for key threats

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What’s Next?

Deck Building Build your first competitive deck

Beginner Tips Essential tips for new players