Oh man it's a banding question.

[Pinder]

So my girlfriend is learning to play and asked me the terrfying question, "How does banding work?" Not content with "nobody fucking knows" as an answer, we delved into the official rules. It's actually pretty straightforward once you read it, but there was one thing neither of us could quite figure out. The rule is as follows:



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 creature's damage is assigned. That player can divide that creature's 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.


So, if you block their attacking creature with a creature that has banding (just banding, not "bands with other") and one creature that doesn't have banding, can you assign damage from the attacking creature to the blocking creature that doesn't have banding? What about if you're blocking with one creature that has banding and two creatures that don't? Do you still get to divide up the damage from the attacking creatures among any number of your blocking creatures?

It's not really clear from the rule.

[luma]

If you block an attacking creature with at least one creature that has banding, you get to divide that attacker's combat damage any way you like. So, it works if you block with one creature with banding and two other creatures. "if an attacking creature is being blocked by a creature with banding" basically means, that there needs to be a blocker with banding and a single blocking creature with banding will satisfy that.

[Malchar]

If memory serves me correctly, when attacking with a band, you can only have one creature without banding per band. In the case of bands with other, all creatures in the band must have banding. However, when blocking with a band, you only need one creature with banding among creatures blocking an attacker in order to get all the benefits of the ability.

[Ch@os]

So how does attacking with band works?

If i block a "band" and such ...

[Pinder]

So how does attacking with band works?

If i block a "band" and such ...

Any number of creatures with banding and up to one creature without banding can form a "band" when attacking. If one of the creatures in a band gets blocked by either a creature or an effect, that effect or creature is counted as blocking each creature in the attacking band. When a creature blocks a band of creatures, the attacking player (rather than the defending player) gets to decide how damage from the blocking creatures is split up among the attacking creatures in the band.

[jazzykat]

Maybe wizards should put banding in an upcoming set. Although with artifacts on deck I suppose we will see modular and affinity again first.

[rufus]

Banding is one of those things they wish they'd never done. I would be surprised to see any cards with banding in any new sets.

[EssKay]

Any number of creatures with banding and up to one creature without banding can form a "band" when attacking. If one of the creatures in a band gets blocked by either a creature or an effect, that effect or creature is counted as blocking each creature in the attacking band. When a creature blocks a band of creatures, the attacking player (rather than the defending player) gets to decide how damage from the blocking creatures is split up among the attacking creatures in the band.

So if a band blocks a band (battle of the bands dur hurr), each player decides how damage is dealt to their own creatures?

[Pinder]

I'm not a judge, so don't quote me on this, but as far as I can tell: yes. Technically though, the blocking creatures aren't a band. They're just a bunch of blocking creatures, one of which happens to have banding. Actual bands are formed out of attacking creatures only.

[Atwa]

Banding is one of those things they wish they'd never done. I would be surprised to see any cards with banding in any new sets.

I was surprised actually, to see some creatures with banding in Master Edition on MTGO. I can't imagine the extra work it took to program the ability for only a few cards.

[SpoCk0nd0pe]

I am currently making a banding deck, sadly existing banding creatures are very cost ineffective.
If blocking, you get to divide the damage the attacking creature does among all blockers if at least one blocker has banding. You still get to assign your damage regulary.
If attacking, you can form a band if all but one creature have banding. It's basicle the same like blocking only you need more banding creatures.

[dahcmai]

I played with Banding back when it was still used and followed it because people never knew how it worked when I brought out this old banding fun deck I have. lol



So, if you block their attacking creature with a creature that has banding (just banding, not "bands with other") and one creature that doesn't have banding, can you assign damage from the attacking creature to the blocking creature that doesn't have banding?

What about if you're blocking with one creature that has banding and two creatures that don't? Do you still get to divide up the damage from the attacking creatures among any number of your blocking creatures?

Ok, in the first question, it's yes. You can assign all the damage or split it up however you choose among each creature in the band.

For the second, this situation won't come up. You can only band as many creatures together as you have banding creatures. In other words, if you have one creature with banding, you can only team it up with one more that doesn't have it. So to increase the size of the band, you need another banding creature. Now if you have 2 banding creatures and two non-banding creatures all in a band together you may assign damage to any or all of them as you choose. But that's the trick is you have to have at least one bander for every non-bander in the group.

That's really all banding actually is. You are just able to choose where damage goes. It's about all it does other than confuse opponents thoroughly.

Since we're on the subject, I had to laugh as Banding does work with a Beloved Chaplain. (Yes, it actually came up).

[luma]

You can only band as many creatures together as you have banding creatures. In other words, if you have one creature with banding, you can only team it up with one more that doesn't have it.

This is wrong. When blocking, only one blocking creature needs banding. Only when attacking, all but one creature in a band must have banding.