Are Indestructible Creatures Still Dealt Damage? The Definitive Guide
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Yes, indestructible creatures are still dealt damage. Indestructibility is a keyword ability that prevents a permanent from being destroyed by damage or effects that say “destroy.” It does not prevent the damage itself from being dealt.
Understanding this distinction is crucial for grasping the intricacies of indestructible in trading card games like Magic: The Gathering. The damage is still marked on the creature, triggers lifelink, and interacts with abilities like wither and infect. However, the creature simply ignores the lethal damage state-based action. Let’s delve deeper into how this works and explore common scenarios.
How Indestructible Works: The Nitty-Gritty
An indestructible creature laughs in the face of destruction… but it still feels the pain! The key is in the wording: the creature cannot be destroyed. This means that effects that specifically use the word “destroy,” such as the iconic “Wrath of God,” or the state-based action that would destroy a creature with lethal damage, have no effect.
However, damage is still dealt. This has several important implications:
- Lifelink Triggers: If an indestructible creature with lifelink deals combat damage, you still gain life equal to the damage dealt.
- Wither and Infect: Creatures with wither or infect deal damage in the form of -1/-1 counters. While indestructible prevents destruction, a sufficient number of -1/-1 counters can reduce a creature’s toughness to zero, which will indeed send it to the graveyard.
- Trample: When blocking an indestructible creature with a trampling creature, you must assign lethal damage (damage equal to or greater than its toughness) to the indestructible blocker. Any remaining damage can then be assigned to the defending player.
- Damage-Based Effects: Damage can still trigger other abilities. For example, if an indestructible creature is dealt damage by a source that triggers an ability when damage is dealt, that ability will still trigger.
Essentially, indestructible is a shield against destruction, not against damage itself or its consequences.
Ways to Deal with Indestructible Creatures
While indestructible is powerful, it is by no means unbeatable. Here are some common strategies for dealing with indestructible creatures:
- Exile: Exile effects, such as “Swords to Plowshares,” completely remove the creature from the game. Indestructible offers no protection against exile.
- Sacrifice: Forcing an opponent to sacrifice their indestructible creature bypasses the destruction clause entirely. Spells like “Diabolic Edict” can be very effective.
- -X/-X Effects: Reducing a creature’s toughness to zero through effects like “Grasp of Darkness” or “Languish” will send it to the graveyard, even if it’s indestructible.
- Counterspells: Preventing the indestructible creature from ever entering the battlefield is the most straightforward solution.
- Bounce Effects: Returning the creature to its owner’s hand using spells like “Unsummon” can be a temporary solution, buying you time.
- Pacifism Effects: Auras and effects that prevent a creature from attacking or blocking, such as “Pacifism,” can neutralize the threat.
- Tuck Effects: Sending a creature to the bottom of its owner’s library, often referred to as “tucking,” is another way to remove it from play.
These strategies highlight that while destruction is off the table, plenty of other options remain to deal with these resilient threats. To explore more strategies and understand deeper nuances of games, consider exploring the resources offered by the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Indestructible
Here are some frequently asked questions about indestructible, clarified for your convenience.
1. Does Indestructible Prevent Damage?
No. Indestructible does not prevent damage. It only prevents damage from destroying the creature.
2. Can Deathtouch Kill an Indestructible Creature?
No. Deathtouch states that any amount of damage dealt by a creature with deathtouch is considered lethal. However, indestructible creatures cannot be destroyed by lethal damage.
3. Does Wither or Infect Kill Indestructible Creatures?
Yes, potentially. Wither and infect deal damage in the form of -1/-1 counters. If enough -1/-1 counters are placed on an indestructible creature to reduce its toughness to zero or less, it will be put into its owner’s graveyard.
4. Does Trample Work Against Indestructible Creatures?
Yes. When blocking an indestructible creature with a trampling creature, you must assign lethal damage to the blocker first. Any remaining damage can then be assigned to the defending player.
5. Can I Sacrifice an Indestructible Creature?
Yes. Indestructible does not prevent a player from sacrificing a permanent. Sacrifice is not destruction.
6. Does Indestructible Protect Against Exile?
No. Exile removes a permanent from the game, and indestructible only protects against destruction effects.
7. Can Wrath of God Kill Indestructible Creatures?
No. “Wrath of God” says “destroy all creatures.” Since indestructible prevents destruction, creatures with indestructible are unaffected.
8. Does Indestructible Protect Planeswalkers?
Planeswalkers with indestructible will still have loyalty counters removed from them when they are dealt damage. If a planeswalker reaches zero loyalty, it is put into the graveyard as a state-based action, which is not destruction, so indestructible doesn’t prevent it.
9. What Happens if an Indestructible Creature Has 0 Toughness?
If an indestructible creature’s toughness is reduced to zero or less, it is put into its owner’s graveyard. This is a state-based action that isn’t considered destruction.
10. Can Damage from a Source with Wither or Infect Still Grant Lifelink?
Yes. If an indestructible creature with lifelink deals damage (even in the form of -1/-1 counters) to another creature, you still gain life equal to the damage dealt.
11. Does Indestructible Stop Me From Assigning Damage to a Creature?
No. You must still assign lethal damage to the indestructible blocker before assigning any damage to another blocker or the player.
12. If an Indestructible Creature is Targeted by a Spell, Is It Still Targeted?
Yes. Indestructible doesn’t prevent a creature from being targeted. It only prevents it from being destroyed.
13. If a Board Wipe Deals Damage, Does Indestructible Prevent the Damage?
No. Indestructible does not prevent damage from being dealt. It prevents destruction as a consequence of lethal damage.
14. Is Hexproof or Indestructible Better?
It depends on the situation. Indestructible protects against destruction, while hexproof protects against being targeted by spells or abilities your opponents control. Each offers different kinds of protection and has different weaknesses.
15. Can Indestructible Creatures Block?
Yes. Indestructible creatures can block just like any other creature. They simply won’t be destroyed by combat damage.
Understanding the intricacies of indestructible and its interactions with other abilities is key to playing and strategizing effectively. Remember, it’s not about stopping the pain, it’s about enduring it and coming out on top!