Double Strike Ability in Magic the Gathering

Double Strike is a keyword ability in Magic: The Gathering that allows a creature to deal both first strike and regular combat damage. This means a creature with a double strike will deal damage during the first strike combat damage step and again during the regular combat damage step.

Utility in Gameplay and Deck Building

1. Enhanced Combat Potential: Double Strike effectively doubles a creature’s damage output, making it formidable in combat.
2. Synergy with Power-Boosting Effects: It pairs well with effects that increase a creature’s power, as the increase is effectively doubled.
3. Offensive and Defensive Utility: It’s useful both offensively for quickly reducing opponent life totals and defensively for efficiently dealing with attacking creatures.

In deck building, Double Strike can be a key component in aggressive strategies or in decks that focus on enhancing creature abilities and combat damage.