Banding/ Bands with other *
Asked by Colten_Lee 10 years ago
Can somebody explain to me in an easier way, how banding works??
Colten_Lee says... #2
Okay, so the player controlling the banded creatures decides how their creatures are dealt damage??
And also, in your example of Mesa Pegasus +White Knight , the Bear Cub can block even though the Pegasus has flying and it doesn't??
June 24, 2014 3:14 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #3
Yes, the player controlling the band gets to make all the damage assignment decisions. That's the primary advantage (and purpose) of the Banding ability.
I'll further explain those blocking examples for the Mesa Pegasus + White Knight band:
- Bog Imp can block the band because it can block Mesa Pegasus
- Bear Cub can block the band because it can block White Knight
- Scathe Zombies can't block the band, because it can't block either of Mesa Pegasus or White Knight
Going back to the flavor concept for Banding, the band won't "break formation" if one of the members gets blocked. Everyone stays together and fights together.
Oh, it's also important to note that making a creature lose a Banding/Bands with Other ability after an attacking band has already been established won't break it up. It will have an effect on blocking.
June 24, 2014 3:31 p.m.
Colten_Lee says... #4
Okay, so if a creature can block one creature in the band it can block the band regardless of the other creatures abilities?
Rhadamanthus says... Accepted answer #1
First, the flavorful concept might help: Some creatures have the ability to fight in a group, either because of specialized military training (Pikemen , Shield Bearer ), a pack-hunting instinct (Dire Wolves , Beast Walkers ), or something else (Camel , Fortified Area ). This is what the Banding and Bands with Other abilities are meant to represent.
So, when you're declaring attackers and you have one or more creatures with Banding, you can make a band of attacking creatures. A band can have any number of creatures with Banding and up to 1 creature without the ability. Example: Pikemen + Pikemen + Bear Cub is OK, Pikemen + Bear Cub + Bear Cub is not.
A blocking creature can block the whole band by blocking just one of the creatures in that band. Example: a band of Mesa Pegasus + White Knight can be blocked by either Bog Imp or Bear Cub , but not Scathe Zombies . The defending player is allowed to block with more than one creature, of course.
When it comes time for combat damage, the band assigns its total damage to the blocking creatures per the normal rules, but the attacking player gets to decide how to assign damage from the blocking creatures to the band, and doesn't even have to go by the usual "lethal to one first, then you can go to the next one" rules. Example: If Hill Giant blocks a band of Shieldbearer + White Knight , the attacking player can have the Giant assign 1 damage to the Knight and 2 damage to the Shieldbearer.
Banding works a little differently when blocking. If a group of creatures gang-block an attacker and at least 1 of the blockers has Banding, then the defending player gets to decide how the attacking creature assigns its combat damage among the blockers, with total control over assignment similar to the attacking example.
Bands with Other works a bit differently on the attack, in that a single creature with a "Bands with Other NN" ability can lead an attacking band of any number of NN creatures, regardless of whether or not those creatures have some kind of Banding/Bands with Other ability. Example: You control Unholy Citadel , so that means Volrath the Fallen can lead a band with Urabrask the Hidden , Chisei, Heart of Oceans , Phage the Untouchable , and any other Legends you have available.
For blocking, Bands with Other works when you gang-block with a "Bands with Other NN" creature and at least one NN creature.
The free reign over damage assignment applies to the "Bands with Other" bands in the same way as the normal ones.
It's a complicated ability, but surprisingly easy to understand once you get over the initial hump of "WTF did I just read?"
June 24, 2014 2:55 p.m.