Creatures in Magic: The Gathering are often home to all kinds of keywords that denote common abilities like trample, hexproof, lifelink, and so forth. Though all of these keywords are useful for creatures to have, one of the arguably better ones among them is first strike. First strike allows a creature to deal combat damage before normal combat damage would be dealt. In other words, a creature with first strike has the chance to take out an opponent's creature in combat before they have the chance to deal their damage back.

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As you can imagine, blocking creatures with first strike is very difficult unless you have a creature that either has first strike itself or has enough power to tank the damage. That being said, there are lots of stellar first strike creatures you can put to use.

Updated by Chris Stomberg on January 5th, 2023: While there have not been too many noteworthy first strike creatures released since the original publishing of this article, a number of first strike creatures have come to our attention that function quite well in their specific niches. These niches include Commander, combo decks, and specific creature type builds. First strike is one of the least common keywords in all of Magic: The Gathering due to just how powerful it can be, so it's important to be aware of all the best creatures that feature it to get the most mileage out of your combat steps.

13 Rick, Steadfast Leader

rick, steadfast leader

On top of being one of the most controversial cards printed in recent Magic history, Rick, Steadfast Leader serves as a great Human Commander or as just another creature in any Human heavy deck. Players foamed with outrage when this card was printed in a Secret Lair drop due to its high power and the fact that it is a part of one of the Magic playerbases' favorite creature types. In case you're unaware, Secret Lairs are limited print edition runs where the cards involved cannot be purchased as singles.

That being said, you can purchase Rick, Steadfast Leader as a single now for the fairly high price tag of $50. While Rick doesn't necessarily enter the battlefield with first strike, chances are that's the choice you'll make most of the times you cast him. The fact that he gives all other Humans first strike and one other ability of your choice is nothing to sneeze at. Finally, the additional power and toughness boon Rick provides is the icing on this delicious Walking Dead flavored cake.

12 Lyra Dawnbringer

Lyra Dawnbringer by Chris Rahn - MTG Commanders DMR

Speaking of creature type decks, Lyra Dawnbringer rewards you for playing a healthy amount of Angels. Unlike Rick, Steadfast Leader, Dawnbringer is perfectly capable of slotting into decks as the only Angel included. If you need more explanation, take a look at the Baneslayer Angel entry below.

While Lyra can function perfectly well by herself, she truly shines in Angel Commander decks and other builds that feature a high number of Angels. To date, she is the only true Angel lord printed in the entire history of the game.

11 Anax And Cymede

Anax and Cymede

Anax and Cymede are more notable for their heroic ability than their keywords. This capable first strike creature can quickly end games if you happen to have just a couple of other creatures on the board as well as a few pump spells in hand.

Notably, the heroic trigger that buffs your board also buffs Anax and Cymede since it affects all creatures you control. For this reason, Anax and Cymede makes a great Heroic Commander, as the ability to cast this creature over and over will have your opponent sweating bullets whenever you eventually manage to untap with it and employ a barrage of pump spells like Brute Force and Temur Battle Rage as well as anti-spot removal such as Sejiri Shelter.

10 Baneslayer Angel

MTG: baneslayer angel card

First printed in Magic 2010, Baneslayer Angel has become a card that's near and dear to the hearts of many a Magic player. Baneslayer's power is high enough to close a game in just a couple of turns, and its toughness is high enough to avoid most cheap removal. Furthermore, the combination of flying, first strike, and lifelink make this the perfect creature to stave off aggressive decks.

Baneslayer Angel also has the mostly irrelevant and especially flavorful text of protection from Demons and Dragons, which is incredibly handy the few times it comes up. Speaking of flavor, just take a look at that beautiful art done by Greg Staples. It's no wonder why Baneslayer Angel has become one of the most iconic cards in the game.

9 Dire Fleet Daredevil

dire fleet daredevil

Fairly recently introduced to the game in Rivals of Ixalan, Dire Fleet Daredevil saw some play during its time in Standard and in a handful of iterations of Modern Humans decks. While Dire Fleet Daredevil's statistics leave something to be desired, its enter-the-battlefield ability is incredible in the right scenarios.

The Modern format is home to all kinds of cheap removal spells, including Lightning Bolt, Path to Exile, and Fatal Push to name a few. Consequently, Dire Fleet Daredevil presented an easy two-for-one trade against any creature-based strategy. Additionally, its ability wasn't completely dead against more controlling decks, as it could sometimes cast cheap cantrips (spells that let you draw a card as an added extra). Poor Modern Humans; how titans have fallen.

8 Drana, Liberator of Malakir

Drana, Liberator of Malakir

Drana, Liberator of Malakir provided an incredible flying threat during her entire time in Standard rotation. The combination of Drana's flying and first strike keywords, alongside her ability to pump your entire board with counters, was devastating in many go-wide strategies.

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Furthermore, Drana could end games by herself, given enough turns. After all, the counters she places on creatures are also placed on herself. This meant that if she went unblocked for just a couple of turns, you were soon facing down a game-ending flying threat that was near impossible to take out thanks to first strike. You can't ask for much more from a three-mana value creature.

7 Edgar Markov

edgar markov

The de facto Commander for Vampire tribal decks, Edgar Markov bears mentioning for his ability to end games of Commander on the spot thanks to the combination of first strike, haste, and adding counters to all Vampires you control.

This Commander makes Vampire tribal especially fun thanks to his eminence ability which generates additional Vampire tokens each time you cast a Vampire spell. To arms, monsters!

6 Goblin Chainwhirler

goblin chainwhirler

This was an absolutely oppressive card during its time in Standard, thanks to its enter the battlefield effect that deals one damage to all creatures your opponent controls. The mere existence of Goblin Chainwhirler made one toughness creatures nearly unplayable during this card's Standard tenure, which speaks to its extreme power.

First strike is an especially good keyword on red creatures due to the speed of the color. Red decks often force opponents to block in order to maintain their life total, so stacking first strike onto your attackers is one of the best things you can do.

5 Goblin Spymaster

goblin spymaster

Another popular Commander card, Goblin Spymaster makes it nearly impossible for your opponents to block. Generating Goblin tokens for your opponents might sound like a bad idea, but the fact that these tokens force your opponents to attack with all of their creatures every turn makes them incredibly susceptible to your own board. Furthermore, the Spymaster's first strike ability makes certain that you'll get some value out of blocking with it.

4 Halana and Alena, Partners

Halana and Alena, Partners

Recently printed in Innistrad: Crimson Vow, Halana and Alena are absolutely devastating to face in an aggressive deck. The counters they place on other creatures are usable the same turn you play the Partners, making blocking an absolute nightmare for the opponent. Furthermore, Halana and Alena give future creatures you play haste on top of the counters.

Suffice to say, there are very few decks that can survive facing Halana and Alena for more than a couple of turns. The card's added reach ability, in addition to first strike, is also a welcome addition, seeing as low-cost flyers typically have low toughness.

3 Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist

Image of the mirri, weatherlight duelist card in Magic: The Gathering, with art by Magali Villeneuve

Speaking of cards that put first strike to good use, Mirri makes it so that your opponent can only attack or block with one creature as long as she's tapped. One common pitfall of first strike is multiple blockers – since your first strike creature's power likely won't be high enough to kill every card blocking it.

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Mirri makes this negligible while also giving your opponent a hard time bringing their own offensive. Cards like Mirri are often lightning rods for removal, and that's what will happen a lot of the time when you play her. However, this is ultimately a good thing, as it just clears the way for your bigger, badder threats.

2 Brutal Cathar / Moonrage Brute

brutal cathar

While the front side of this card doesn't have first strike, you'll find yourself in trouble if you end up facing down its Werewolf form. Moonrage Brute is a 3/3 first strike creature that also costs your opponent three life if they target it with removal. While this might not seem like a lot, three damage adds up quickly if you're playing an aggressive or midrange deck.

Furthermore, your opponent will likely be forced to pay the life, as leaving Moonrage Brute on the battlefield usually isn't an option thanks to its first strike keyword, plus the added incentive they have to get back whatever card you exiled from their side of the battlefield with Brutal Cathar. If they don't have removal, you can double spell on a later turn to flip Moonrage Brute back to its frontside, exiling another creature card when Brutal Cathar transforms back. That's brutal, alright.

1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben

MTG: Thalia, Guardian of Thraben card

There's no doubt that Thalia, Guardian of Thraben is the most played first strike creature of all time. This Human's innocuous tax of making your opponents pay one more generic mana for noncreature spells is a lot more backbreaking than it looks at first glance. After all, "curving out" (using all of your mana) is an important part of building a successful deck. Consequently, decks just aren't prepared to pay more mana for their spells, even if it is just one more generic.

Thalia has long been a key card in a Legacy deck known as Death & Taxes, but this deck has also shown up with a Modern iteration more recently. Lastly, Thalia's reprinting in Innistrad: Crimson Vow also led to her being a key component of the resilient Mono-white Aggro deck that has plagued Standard for the better part of a year. No matter how you like to play your Magic, chances are you're familiar with the Guardian of Thraben. In the end, perhaps she's the best proof of all that first strike matters.

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