What exactly does banding do?

Asked by TowerOfBad 14 years ago

I read the rules, but I still don't understand.

From what I read, all it seems to do is allow your opponent to block everyone with one creature (including unblockable ones) and prevents you from hurting them.

So... what is the point? What am I missing?

oulani says... Accepted answer #1

Mostly the reason for banding is the following rules:

702.19j During the combat damage step, if an attacking creature is being blocked by a creature with banding, or by both a [quality] creature with bands with other [quality] and another [quality] creature, the defending player (rather than the active player) chooses how the attacking creatures damage is assigned. That player can divide that creatures combat damage as he or she chooses among any number of creatures blocking it. This is an exception to the procedure described in rule 510.1c.702.19k During the combat damage step, if a blocking creature is blocking a creature with banding, or both a [quality] creature with bands with other [quality] and another [quality] creature, the active player (rather than the defending player) chooses how the blocking creatures damage is assigned. That player can divide that creatures combat damage as he or she chooses among any number of creatures its blocking. This is an exception to the procedure described in rule 510.1d.

Banding overrides what normally this occurs, which is the following:

310.2c A blocked creature will assign combat damage, divided as its controller chooses, to the creatures blocking it. If no creatures are currently blocking it (if, for example, they were destroyed or removed from combat), it will assign no combat damage.310.2d A blocking creature will assign combat damage, divided as its controller chooses, to the attacking creatures its blocking. If it isnt currently blocking any creatures (if, for example, they were destroyed or removed from combat), it will assign no combat damage.

Basically if you are defending as a Band you can assign damage to your own creatures the way you would want damage assigned instead of having the active player assign the damage.On the other hand if you are attacking as a band you can assign blocker combat damage the way you want to the band.

March 10, 2011 1:51 p.m.

TowerOfBad says... #2

Huh, doesn't sound all that useful. was it useful 'back in the day' or was it a pretty bum mechanic from the start?

March 10, 2011 1:59 p.m.

oulani says... #3

Its no longer used any more because people were getting hella confused.

You can check out the following link from MaRo about why they retired it: http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mr100

March 10, 2011 2:03 p.m.

MagnorCriol says... #4

It causes headaches, that's what it does.

And actually it does have its potential uses. With banding, you can gang-block with a utility creature and a fatty and choose to have your opponent's creature not kill off the utility creature he'd otherwise clearly choose to kill.

March 10, 2011 5:49 p.m.

emblasochist says... #5

Magnor is correct, with one exception. It used to not cause headaches. It always allowed the band to assign damage to the band as the band's controller decided, as opposed to the controller of the damage. The difference was that the rules in the olden days were a lot less complex in that the rules didn't take 186 pages of text to understand fully. Of course, banding requires blocking of some sort for it to be relevant. The text about banding with [qualities] has to do with instances where the band consists of creatures with First Strike, Trample, Flying, etc.

March 10, 2011 11:41 p.m.

emblasochist says... #6

The game is more confusing when BOTH players are using a band, if you let it be, but basically, it means that the controllers of each band control how damage is divvied up amongst the opponent's band.

March 10, 2011 11:43 p.m.

firestorm64 says... #7

Banding basicly turns your attacking or blocking army into one huge creature that can block as many creatures that are in the band. if your band of 5 1/1's is dealt 4 damage they all come out unharmed after combat... but if your band of 5 1/1's is dealt 5 damage they all die. you cannot block one single creature in a band you must block the whole thing.

March 13, 2011 5:47 p.m.