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ok i've got three questions. what is first strike,trample, and what the hell is a spell?

i was tolled a spell is any card besides a land card.

And just for future reference double strike means a creature deals both first strike and normal damage. So the creature will have to be blocked by two creatures to prevent all the damage to a player, but first strike doesn't effect players so it will only deal one hit to them.

gonk I've really gotta keep the rules questions thread towards the top so people can see it. For the future, there is a thread for this stuff man. Try there.

And to be clear.

First Strike is a static ability that modifies the way creatures deal damage in combat. There are two damage steps in the combat damage step, first, is of course, the first strike damage step where creatures with first strike deal their damage to the creatures blocking them. Then the regular damage step where every other creature without first strike deals damage. However say a 2/1 first strike is blocked/blocks a 1/2 normal creature. The 1/2 is killed first because of first strike and doesn't get to deal its 1 point to the 2/1 leaving the 2/1 first strike creature alive.

Next, Trample is again, a static ability that modifies the way creatures deal damage. During the damage assignment step of combat when you assign how much damage goes to blocking creatures you can have creatures with trample "Trample" over small creatures and damage the defending player. Example.
a 4/4 trample is blocked by a 2/2. You would normally have to assign all 4 damage to the 2/2 BUT since it has trample you are allowed to assign 2 to the creature and 2 to the defending player. You must assign just enough damage to kill the creature before any trample damage can be assigned to the defending player.

Anything in magic, except for activated abilities, triggered abilities, static abilities and lands, is a spell. It goes on something called "The Stack" can be countered, and 'resolves' to do what it does, Whether that be come into play (if its a creature, enchantment etc) or deal 2 damage to something (if its a sorcery or instant). Once a spell 'resolves' it goes to its designated zone, if the spell is a permenant (i.e. Creature, Enchantment, Artifact) it comes into play, if the spell is a "Spell" (i.e. Sorcery or Instant) it does what it says on the card then goes to the graveyard. 3nodding

Hope this clears everything up. If you have anymore questions please scroll down and find the rules questions thread or PM me.