What is Banding in MTG?
ReyJack
How Does Banding Work in MTG?
To grasp how Banding works, let's break it down step by step.
1.Forming a Band
Banding allows creatures to form a band when attacking or blocking. A band consists of one creature with Banding and any number of other creatures, with or without Banding.
This means that a creature with Banding can team up with both creatures that share this ability and those that do not.
2.Attacking with a Band
When a band of creatures attacks, they combine their power and toughness into one unit. The band's power and toughness are calculated by adding the power and toughness of all creatures in the band together.
This means that creatures with lower power and toughness can benefit from the strengths of their bandmates.
3.Attacking with Banding
When a band with Banding attacks, it can assign the damage dealt to any of the creatures in the band.
This flexibility allows you to strategically distribute the damage among the creatures in the band, which can be a significant advantage in combat.
4.Dealing Damage
Here's where Banding gets interesting. In combat, only one creature in the band needs to assign and deal damage to an opponent's creature or player for the entire band to be considered successful in combat.
This means that if any creature in the band deals damage, it's as if all the creatures in the band did.
5.Defending with a Band
The rules for defending with a band are similar. When a band of creatures with Banding blocks an attacking creature, only one of the creatures in the band needs to assign and deal damage to the attacker to successfully block it.
This can make your defenses more efficient and can lead to creatures with Banding surviving combat.
6.Exceptions and Considerations
In recent years, Wizards of the Coast has reduced the use of Banding in MTG, making it less common on newer cards. This is due to its potential for complexity and confusion, especially for newer players.
In conclusion, Banding is an ability in MTG that allows creatures to cooperate in combat by forming bands. It provides strategic advantages in damage distribution and can be a powerful tool in the hands of a skilled player.
Banding's Origins
Banding made its debut in the very first MTG expansion, "Arabian Nights," released in December 1993.
This ability allowed creatures to work together in combat, forging a bond that granted them significant advantages when attacking or defending.
In essence, Banding was MTG's early attempt to simulate group dynamics on the battlefield.In its early days, Banding functioned in a relatively straightforward manner.
Creatures with Banding could join forces with other creatures, creating a "band" that attacked or defended as a single entity.
When attacking, the band's power and toughness were combined, providing a cumulative strength against the opponent's creatures. In combat, only one creature in the band needed to assign and deal damage to an opponent's creature for the entire band to succeed.
Banding's Decline and Rarity
As MTG evolved and expanded, Banding started to fade into the background. Wizards of the Coast recognized the difficulty that Banding presented to new players and opted to reduce its presence in newer sets. Consequently, Banding became increasingly rare on new cards.
Despite its waning presence, Banding remains a memorable and occasionally relevant aspect of MTG's history.
Some older cards with Banding, particularly those from the early expansions, continue to be cherished by collectors and enthusiasts. Players who delve into older formats or casually enjoy vintage MTG experiences may still encounter Banding from time to time.
Example of Banding in Action
Certainly, let me explain the process of combat involving Banding more clearly:
In Magic: The Gathering (MTG), combat involves creatures attacking and blocking. The Banding ability allows creatures to work together in combat, sharing their power and toughness, and offering strategic advantages in damage assignment.
Scenario:
You have two creatures, your opponent has a creature card.
|
name(hypothetical)
|
power/toughness | note |
| "Banding Knight" | 2/2 | with Banding |
| "Archer" | 3/3 | without Banding |
| Your opponent | 4/4 |
Here's how the Banding ability works in this scenario:
Forming the Band:
You decide to form a band with your "Banding Knight" and "Archer". Since the "Banding Knight" has Banding, it can lead the band.
Combining Power/Toughness:
When the band blocks your opponent's 4/4 creature, you add the power and toughness of the "Banding Knight" and "Archer" together. In this case, the band's combined power/toughness is 5/5.
Assigning Damage:
You choose to assign the damage dealt by the "Banding Knight". The "Banding Knight" deals 2 damage to the opponent's creature, reducing its toughness to 2. The opponent's creature also deals 4 damage back to your "Banding Knight".
Surviving Combat:
Your "Banding Knight" survives because it took only 2 damage (its toughness is 2). Your "Archer", which didn't deal any damage, also survives.
In this clarified scenario, the Banding ability allows you to combine the power/toughness of the "Banding Knight" and "Archer", and you have the option to assign damage strategically, which resulted in your "Banding Knight" surviving the encounter, and your "Archer" remained unharmed.
I hope this provides a clearer understanding of how Banding works in MTG combat.
The Rules of Banding
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (September 1, 2023—Wilds of Eldraine)
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702.22. Banding
- 702.22a Banding is a static ability that modifies the rules for combat.
- 702.22b “Bands with other” is a special form of banding. If an effect causes a permanent to lose banding, the permanent loses all “bands with other” abilities as well.
- 702.22c As a player declares attackers, they may declare that one or more attacking creatures with banding and up to one attacking creature without banding (even if it has “bands with other”) are all in a “band.” They may also declare that one or more attacking [quality] creatures with “bands with other [quality]” and any number of other attacking [quality] creatures are all in a band. A player may declare as many attacking bands as they want, but each creature may be a member of only one of them. (Defending players can’t declare bands but may use banding in a different way; see rule 702.22j.)
- 702.22d All creatures in an attacking band must attack the same player, planeswalker, or battle.
- 702.22e Once an attacking band has been announced, it lasts for the rest of combat, even if something later removes banding or “bands with other” from one or more of the creatures in the band.
- 702.22f An attacking creature that’s removed from combat is also removed from the band it was in.
- 702.22g Banding doesn’t cause attacking creatures to share abilities, nor does it remove any abilities. The attacking creatures in a band are separate permanents.
- 702.22h If an attacking creature becomes blocked by a creature, each other creature in the same band as the attacking creature becomes blocked by that same blocking creature.
- Example: A player attacks with a band consisting of a creature with flying and a creature with swampwalk. The defending player, who controls a Swamp, can block the flying creature if able. If they do, then the creature with swampwalk will also become blocked by the blocking creature(s).
- 702.22i If one member of a band would become blocked due to an effect, the entire band becomes blocked.
- 702.22j 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 creature’s damage is assigned. That player can divide that creature’s combat damage as they choose among any creatures blocking it. This is an exception to the procedure described in rule 510.1c.
- 702.22k 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 creature’s damage is assigned. That player can divide that creature’s combat damage as they choose among any creatures it’s blocking. This is an exception to the procedure described in rule 510.1d.
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702.22m Multiple instances of banding on the same creature are redundant. Multiple instances of “bands with other” of the same kind on the same creature are redundant.
Why is Banding Bad in MTG?
Banding in MTG is considered "bad" due to its complexity, potential for rules confusion, and limited synergy with newer card sets. It can create a skill gap between players and has largely been phased out in modern MTG to make the game more accessible and enjoyable for a wider audience.
Wrap Up
Banding is an intriguing and somewhat intricate ability in MTG that facilitates cooperation among creatures when attacking or blocking. While it has become less common in modern Magic sets, understanding how it functions can provide you with an edge when dealing with older cards or specific formats. In the realm of MTG, teamwork can be the key to turning the tide of battle.
If you have a different opinion, feel free to leave it in the comments section. See you in the next issue!
