<p><strong>Each instance of Flanking triggers separately.</strong> After the stack resolves, creatures blocking will have -2/-2 until end of turn.</p>

<p><a href="http://magic.wizards.com/en/gameinfo/gameplay/formats/comprehensiverules" rel="nofollow">The Rules</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>702.24. Flanking</p>
  
  <p>702.24a Flanking is a triggered ability that triggers during the declare blockers step. (See rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step.")
  "Flanking" means "Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a creature
  without flanking, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn."</p>
  
  <p>702.24b If a creature has multiple instances of flanking, each triggers separately.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-28T17:58:35.173Z
2015-05-01T18:05:25.207Z
2015-05-01T18:05:25.207Z
ghoppe
<p>Yes.</p>

<p>Each sliver will have 2 instances of Flanking. Since those are triggered abilities, each instance will trigger, go to the stack, and resolve separately. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-28T17:50:48.193Z
2012-03-28T17:50:48.193Z
Andre Cytryn
<p>Flanking is a triggered ability, so it can trigger separately for every instance of the ability that the creature has.  This is ever so slightly different than just giving -2/-2.  When your creature is blocked two abilities go on the stack, each one to give the blocker -1/-1.  The end result is indeed that the blocker ends up with -2/-2, but there are some various corner cases you could create with certain cards where it matters!</p>

<p>NB: You can tell it's a triggered ability because it starts with the magic words "When, Whenever, or At."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-28T17:52:56.800Z
2012-03-28T17:52:56.800Z
Affe
<p>If I was to play 2 <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=118908" rel="nofollow">Sidewinder Slivers</a> would the 'All Slivers have flanking' ability stack causing creatures blocking my Slivers to get -2/-2 until the end of the turn or would it gain flanking twice but the second instance has no effect so creatures blocking my Slivers only get -1/-1 until the end of the turn?</p>

<magic-the-gathering>
Does the flanking provided by Slivers stack?
MadLarkin
# Does the flanking provided by Slivers stack?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-03-28)

If I was to play 2 [Sidewinder Slivers](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=118908) would the 'All Slivers have flanking' ability stack causing creatures blocking my Slivers to get -2/-2 until the end of the turn or would it gain flanking twice but the second instance has no effect so creatures blocking my Slivers only get -1/-1 until the end of the turn?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-03-28. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

Flanking is a triggered ability, so it can trigger separately for every instance of the ability that the creature has. This is ever so slightly different than just giving -2/-2. When your creature is blocked two abilities go on the stack, each one to give the blocker -1/-1. The end result is indeed that the blocker ends up with -2/-2, but there are some various corner cases you could create with certain cards where it matters!

NB: You can tell it's a triggered ability because it starts with the magic words "When, Whenever, or At."


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### Answer by username_1 on 2012-03-28. Score: 11

**Each instance of Flanking triggers separately.** After the stack resolves, creatures blocking will have -2/-2 until end of turn.

[The Rules](http://magic.wizards.com/en/gameinfo/gameplay/formats/comprehensiverules):

> 702.24. Flanking
>
> 702.24a Flanking is a triggered ability that triggers during the declare blockers step. (See rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step.")
> "Flanking" means "Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a creature
> without flanking, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn."
>
> 702.24b If a creature has multiple instances of flanking, each triggers separately.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2012-03-28. Score: 3

Yes.

Each sliver will have 2 instances of Flanking. Since those are triggered abilities, each instance will trigger, go to the stack, and resolve separately.


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