Question about Magic: The Gathering Battle phase?

Question

I recently started playing Magic the gathering and am confused about the main battle phase. Specifically, the creature power/block numbers and who would win certain fights. I understand for example that a 1/1 vs 1/1 = both creatures destroyed or if 3/3 is blocked by 1/1, the 1/1 is destroyed and damage doesn't continue to the player unless the 3/3 creature has trample.

Where I'm getting confused is if the creatures have differing combinations. For example, if a 3/3 was to be blocked by a 2/4 who wins or vise versa - if the 3/3 blocked 2/4. Am I correct in thinking this would be a draw as niether creature has the power to kill the other? I'm asking because I heard once that if a creature is blocking, then ONLY the block number matters and that damage would be dealt so if 2/4 blocked 3/3 - 3/3 would be destroyed. Is this correct?

Sorry for the long wording on this question

Answer 1

The two numbers represent power/toughness. If a 3/3 (3 power, 3 toughness) creature attacked and a 2/4 (2 power, 4 toughness) creature blocked, the 3/3 would do 3 damage to the 2/4 creature, and the 2/4 would do 2 damage to the 3/3. Since the 3/3 has 3 toughness, 2 is not enough to kill it. By the same logic, the 2/4 would only take 3 damage and would not die. There are abilities that can come into play (such as first-strike or power modifiers) that could affect these results, but as it stands, neither creature would die. This is regardless of which one of these cards attacks and which one blocks.

Answer 2

You are right. In the combat phase, creatures that are fighting each other deal damage based on their Power (the first number). So if a 3/3 and a 2/4 met in combat, they'd both survive because neither of them could do enough damage to destroy the other.

Also, in case you are wondering, if a 4/1 and a 2/3 met in combat, BOTH creatures would die, no matter who is attacking or defending.

Answer 3

Let's start this from the beginning:

In your case, the 2/4 blocking the 3/3, neither is destroyed. The  2/4 deals two damage to the 3/3, and the 3/3 deals 3 damage to the 2/4. Although both creatures have damage on them, that damage is not enough to destroy any of them, so they just "bounce off each other" and sit there.

It's the same the other way around. Damage is dealt with the power, or the number before the slash/ not the number after. It doesn't matter what number is after (unless Doran is on the field.) It doesn't matter if a 1/1 gets blocked by a 1/100. Both still live.

Answer 4

I had the same problem too. You're right, it is a draw because they can't kill each other. Remember power is how much damage it deals in combat and toughness is how much it can take in combat.