How does trample work?
Trample is a static ability in Magic: The Gathering that allows an attacking creature to deal excess combat damage to the player or planeswalker it’s attacking if the creature it’s blocked by can’t absorb all the damage, making it a powerful tool in combat. When a creature with trample is blocked, any creatures that block it can only absorb damage equal to their toughness, with any excess damage being assigned to the defending player or planeswalker.
Understanding Trample
To delve deeper into how trample works, let’s consider a few key points. Trample only applies to combat damage, meaning it has no effect when a creature with trample is blocking or dealing non-combat damage. This distinction is crucial for understanding the strategic implications of trample in different scenarios.
FAQs
1. How is trample damage calculated?
Trample damage is calculated by first assigning damage to the blocking creature(s) up to their toughness, then assigning any remaining damage to the defending player or planeswalker.
2. How does trample work with fight in MTG?
Trample matters only for combat damage, so it does not apply during fight interactions, where deathtouch and lifelink are the relevant abilities.
3. Does trample go through fog?
Yes, trample damage can go through fog because fog only prevents combat damage from being dealt to creatures, not to players or planeswalkers.
4. What is trample in Magic: The Gathering?
Trample is a static ability that allows an attacking creature to deal excess combat damage to the player or planeswalker it’s attacking.
5. Does trample go through if it dies?
If the creature with trample dies before dealing combat damage, the trample ability does not apply because the creature is no longer on the battlefield to deal damage.
6. What if the creature blocking trample dies?
If the blocking creature dies before combat damage is dealt, the trample creature’s damage is dealt directly to the player or planeswalker.
7. Does trample get around indestructible?
Yes, trample damage can still be dealt to the player or planeswalker even if the blocking creature is indestructible, as indestructible only prevents the creature from being destroyed, not from absorbing damage.
8. Does deathtouch cancel deathtouch?
No, deathtouch does not cancel out another deathtouch; if a creature with deathtouch deals damage to another creature with deathtouch, the first creature will be killed.
9. How much extra damage does trample do?
The amount of extra damage trample deals is any damage exceeding the toughness of the blocking creature(s).
10. How do deathtouch and trample work together?
If an attacking creature has both deathtouch and trample, it first assigns damage to the blocking creature(s), killing them if it has deathtouch, then any excess damage can be assigned to the defending player or planeswalker due to trample.
11. Does deathtouch stop trample?
No, deathtouch does not stop trample unless the creature with deathtouch has first strike or double strike, allowing it to kill the trampling creature before it can deal excess damage.
12. Does trample go over planeswalkers?
Yes, trample can deal excess combat damage to planeswalkers, but the damage is dealt to the controller of the planeswalker, not the planeswalker itself.
13. Does deathtouch work with fight?
Yes, deathtouch works during fight interactions, meaning if a creature with deathtouch fights another creature, it will kill that creature regardless of its toughness.
14. Does double strike damage trample?
If a creature has both double strike and trample, the trample damage is calculated after the first combat damage step, taking into account any damage already dealt.
15. Does hexproof cancel deathtouch?
No, hexproof does not cancel deathtouch because deathtouch does not target the creature; it is a static ability that makes any amount of damage from the source lethal damage.