Moxtober 2020 #06: Lance

During the month of October is #MTGMoxtober! Each day, I design a new Magic: The Gathering mechanic to fit the day’s prompt. Join Moxtober with your own Magic-related creations! Full prompt list here.

Previously:
Day #01: Harvest
Day #02: Curio
Day #03: Binding
Day #04: Smog
Day #05: Cynic

Today’s prompt: #06— “Lance”

Those who wield a polearm, like a lance, tend to be depicted as having first strike. After all, the card named Lance gives an enchanted creature first strike.

This makes sense since an advantage a lancer has is being able to have their weapon poke a sword-wielding enemy before that enemy can reach you. However, I wanted to explore another attribute of a polearm: you have a wide area of effect.

This means you can strike two enemies. This reminded me of double strike. Double strike lets you deal damage in both combat damage steps: first-strike and regular.

But you aren’t do a double hit to an enemy with a wide swing! So this should differ from double strike to avoid hitting the same enemy twice.

With wide strike, Polearms Ace can’t defeat a creature with two toughness whereas Fencing Ace, with its double strike, can.

Usually, you’d be confident in a 1/1 first striker winning against a 2/1. A wide striker can do the same thing but against two 2/1 creatures!