The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Melee is a triggered ability that makes a creature bigger when it attacks, and the size of the bonus depends on how many different opponents its controller attacked in that combat. Attacking one opponent with five creatures gives the Melee creature the same bonus as attacking one opponent with a single creature. Attacking two different opponents gives it a bonus of +2/+2.
The rule as printed
The current reminder text that Wizards of the Coast publishes for Melee reads: “Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each opponent you attacked this combat.” The ability is a triggered ability on the creature that has it. It has no cost, no targets, and no activation. It goes on the stack whenever that creature is declared as an attacker.
How the bonus is counted
The number that matters is the number of different opponents, not the number of attacking creatures. Two creatures sent at the same player add one to the count, not two. Each opponent you attacked during that combat adds exactly one +1/+1, regardless of how many creatures went after them.
Counting opponents, not creatures
Wizards’ own illustration uses a five-player game in which three creatures attack one opponent and a fourth creature attacks a second opponent. The Melee creature gets +2/+2, because only two opponents were attacked. The three creatures aimed at the first opponent contribute nothing extra.
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When the count is taken
The Melee trigger goes on the stack after the creature attacks, and the number of opponents is determined as the trigger resolves. This timing matters in one edge case: if an attacked opponent has left the game before the trigger resolves, that opponent still counts, because they were attacked during that combat.
Multiple instances of Melee
If a creature has more than one instance of Melee, each instance triggers separately, and each one applies the same opponent count. A trigger that is already on the stack still resolves if the creature loses Melee or leaves the battlefield before it resolves. The bonus from that trigger still applies, because the ability has already been put on the stack.
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What attacks count and what does not
Melee has two separate questions to answer: whether the trigger happens at all, and whether the attack adds to the count. A planeswalker or battle can make a Melee creature trigger, but it never adds to the number of opponents.
| Attack destination or situation | Causes the Melee trigger? | Adds to the opponent count? |
|---|---|---|
| Attacking a player (opponent) | Yes | Yes, once per distinct opponent |
| Attacking a planeswalker controlled by an opponent | Yes | No |
| Attacking a battle | Yes | No |
| A creature that entered the battlefield attacking (never declared as an attacker) | Not applicable for that creature’s own Melee | No |
Planeswalkers and battles
Because a planeswalker or battle is not an opponent, attacking one only causes the trigger. If your Melee creature attacks an opponent’s planeswalker alone, it still gets its bonus, but the bonus is +0/+0 unless you also attacked an opponent player with that creature or another creature in the same combat. Attacking a planeswalker alongside an opponent player does not add a second opponent to the count.
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Creatures that enter attacking
A creature put onto the battlefield attacking was never declared as an attacker, so it does not count toward the bonus. If the creature entering attacking has Melee itself, its Melee ability does not trigger, because it did not attack by being declared as an attacker.
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| Scenario | Distinct opponents attacked | Melee bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Four-player game: two creatures attack Player A, one creature attacks Player B, and the Melee creature is one of the attackers | 2 | +2/+2 until end of turn |
| Same game: all attackers go at Player A | 1 | +1/+1 until end of turn |
| Same game: one creature attacks Player A, and another attacks an opponent’s planeswalker | 1 | +1/+1 until end of turn |
In each row, the Melee creature itself must be among the declared attackers for its trigger to happen. A creature that is not attacking does not get the bonus from another creature’s Melee.
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Melee and Grand Melee are different things
Grand Melee is a multiplayer format with turn markers and simultaneous turns. It is not a keyword and not a card ability. The Melee card ability described here applies in any game with more than one opponent, but it is separate from the format. Older Wizards articles about Grand Melee should not be read as descriptions of how the Melee ability counts attacks.
Why the mechanic exists
Wizards’ 2016 design article for Conspiracy: Take the Crown says the design team liked Melee because it encourages players to spread their attacks among opponents, which creates more interaction in multiplayer games than ordinary incentives do. That is design context. It does not mean that spreading attacks is always the right play, since the bonus is only one factor among board state, blockers, and life totals.
Where to check the rule
The current reminder text and the comprehensive rules are the authoritative sources. If a card’s wording differs from the reminder text above, follow the card’s own text. The reminder text is what Wizards of the Coast publishes for the ability, and it is the most reliable short version of the rule.
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