Reach in MTG – Rules, Best Cards + Decks!

MTG Reach Rules

What do the MTG reach rules say?

This creature can block creatures with flying.

Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules, 702.17. “Reach”.

Reach means that although the creature doesn’t have flying, it can block creatures with flying as though it did.

The reach mechanic has been in the game since Alpha itself, where it appeared on Giant Spider. However, the reach keyword itself was only introduced in the Future Sight set. Since then, older cards with this ability have retroactively been given reach.

Since its introduction, reach has always been considered an evergreen keyword. You can expect it to appear in every set on at least a few creatures. Although it is most common in green (as green’s the anti-flying color), certain red and white creatures also have reach.

Reach doesn’t count as flying though, so cards that check for flying won’t count reach. Similarly, if a card’s text literally says that only creatures with flying can block it, reach can’t block it.

Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths introduced reach counters, which work by giving a creature reach as long as the counter remains on them. This is the same for all other keyword counters, such as flying and trample.

MTG Reach Examples

Reach vs Flying

For example, let’s say my opponent attacks me with Concordia Pegasus, a creature with flying. I only control Gemrazer, which has reach, and Akoum Hellhound, which does not. As such, I can choose to block Concordia Pegasus with Gemrazer even though it doesn’t actually have flying.

Reach creatures can also block creatures without flying. Let’s imagine my opponent attacks me again, now with Angelheart Protector, which doesn’t have flying. I can block it with either Gemrazer or Akoum Hellhound, or even with both.

Reach doesn’t apply when a creature is attacking. So, if I attack with Gemrazer, a reach creature, my opponent doesn’t have to block it with a creature with flying or reach. They can block it with whatever they want.

If a creature loses reach after being assigned to block a flying creature, it still blocks the flier – but only for that combat. Suppose I equip Elven Bow to Axgard Cavalry so that it has reach. I then assign it to block Cosmos Charger, an attacking flying creature.

In response to my block, the opponent casts Disenchant, to destroy Elven Bow. Even though I’ve lost the artifact and Axgard Cavalry loses reach, it continues to block Cosmos Charger until combat is over. My creature can’t block flying in future until it regains reach, though.

Reach vs Hexproof, Protection or Ward

Reach + Hexproof

Reach plus hexproof is a powerful combination that creates a highly frustrating blocker!

A creature with both abilities will stop flying creatures and your opponent can’t get rid of it with spells or abilities! Sporeweb Weaver is such a card.

Reach + Vigilance

Giving your reach creatures vigilance is a good way to double their effectiveness. Now they can attack as well as protect you from flying attackers.

For instance, Elder Gargaroth has both reach and vigilance, which is why it’s such a great card. These abilities make it consistently threatening if it’s out in play. It also has trample and a host of versatile abilities that activate whenever it attacks or blocks.

Best MTG Reach Cards

Arachnogenesis (Reach – Green Instant)

Magic: The Gathering has a lot of fog cards, but Arachnogenesis is the best. For three mana, it prevents all combat that would be dealt that turn, except by spider creatures. And Arachnogenesis gives you a 1/2 spider creature token with reach for each creature in your graveyard.

It’s no surprise this Arachnogenesis sees heavy play in Commander. It’s effectively a removal spell too since you’ve suddenly got a bunch of temporarily indestructible spiders to block the meanest stuff that’s attacking you. You can then attack with them during your next turn!

Lolth, Spider Queen (Reach – Black Planeswalker)

Not only is she the goddess of the drow in Forgotten Realms lore, Lolth, Spider Queen is also a brutally strong planeswalker. Ticking up in loyalty whenever your creatures die, Lolth has good survivability and the chance to fire off an ultimate ability the turn it enters.

Lolth’s ultimate ensures your opponents always lose at least 8 life whenever your creatures deal combat damage to them. Furthermore, it also gives you card draw and an army of 1/2 spiders with menace and reach to make sure that combat damage goes through.

Crown of Skemfar (Reach – Green Enchantment)

Crown of Skemfar is an aura that turns the enchanted creature into Heedless One, giving them +1/+1 for each elf you control. It also gives them reach just to be sure. And when that creature is destroyed, you can pay three mana to return Crown of Skemfar to your hand from the graveyard for another buff later on.

Obviously, Crown of Skemfar is a fantastic addition to Elf Tribal decks, and it gives them an excellent answer to flying creatures too, something the green/black deck typically struggles with.

Robber of the Rich (Reach – Red Creature)

Coming in early and attacking the turn it enters, Robber of the Rich is annoying for your opponent to deal with! Whenever Robber of the Rich damages an opponent with more cards in hand than you, you can exile the top card of their library. But it gets better.

During any turn you attack again with a rogue, including Robber of the Rich, you can pay mana of any color to cast that exiled card. This gives red some fantastic versatility and card advantage, as well as access to some of your opponent’s strongest cards.

Stonecoil Serpent (Reach – Artifact Creature)

X-cost creatures are typically significant threats, and Stonecoil Serpent is no exception. This useful artifact creature enters with +1/+1 counters on it equal to the amount of mana spent to cast it.

Of course, Stonecoil Serpent has some remarkable abilities too. In addition to making reach and trample available to all colors, it’s very survivable. To make up for being vulnerable to artifact removal, this card has protection from multicolored. Enjoy blocking those dragons and angels!

Stirring Wildwood (Reach – Land)

Stirring Wildwood is a powerful manland. This versatile land can turn into a 3/4 reach creature whenever you need it and can also sit in the background to tap for green and white. It’s safe from most removal spells too, as those don’t target lands and your opponent won’t always have a killspell when Stirring Wildwood is a creature.

This card’s strength lies in its affordability. As well as being financially cheap, Stirring Wildwood only costs three mana to turn into a creature. Its relatively high toughness ensures it can survive multiple combats both attacking and blocking flying creatures.

Ishkanah, Grafwidow Spider Tribal – Commander

If you really want to play a lot of reach creatures, you might consider playing Spider Tribal Commander with Ishkanah, Grafwidow. This is the best way to cram a lot of reach creatures into a 99-card deck and play a competitive commander with the keyword.

Ishkanah creates more spiders when it enters the battlefield, plus it continually has an opponent lose life equal to the number of spiders you control. Double whammy!

Ishkanah’s graveyard matters theme is also quite powerful, so adding additional options for graveyard play isn’t a bad idea. Similarly, its access to green/black’s ramp and reanimator packages allows you to get out game-ending threats quickly.

As such, an Ishkanah deck focuses on playing helpful spider creatures while filling up its graveyard with lots of cards to exploit Ishkanah’s delirium ability and make even more spiders. Then it reanimates powerful threats while using Ishkanah’s ability to drain the opponent’s life total for the win.

Cards used in Ishkanah, Grafwidow Spider Tribal include:

• Arasta of the Endless Web
• Silklash Spider
• Nyx Weaver
• Arachnogenesis
• Spider Spawning
• Stingerfling Spider
• Graverobber Spider
• Deadly Recluse
• Sweet-Gum Recluse
• Nim Deathmantle
• Kessig Cagebreakers
• Jarad, Golgari Lichlord
• Tooth and Nail
• Craterhoof Behemoth
• Emrakul, the Promised End

How to play against Reach 

Use Removal on the Reach Creatures

As annoying as they are to play against, most creatures with reach don’t have hexproof, ward or protection. As such, they’re vulnerable to removal. So instead of using your burn to attack your opponent directly, instead use it to kill their reach creatures so your flying attackers can get through and finish the job.

Similarly, prepare your counterspells, killspells, and hand attacks. If your opponent is using creatures with reach, they’re playing green. Although green has some counterplay against control, it often won’t be enough to prevent you from taking out their blockers.

Combat tricks are also a good way to deal with reach creatures. After your flying creature gets blocked, play a combat trick to ensure that it kills the blocking reach creature.