Boros Charm and Planeswalkers: Can Lightning Strike These Walking Gods?
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The short answer is: no, Boros Charm cannot directly target planeswalkers. Boros Charm, the iconic red-white instant, boasts three powerful modes: giving a creature double strike, making permanents indestructible until end of turn, or dealing 4 damage to target player. Notice that crucial word: player. Planeswalkers are permanents, not players, and therefore are immune to Boros Charm’s direct damage dealing ability. However, strategic gameplay can often lead to Boros Charm effectively eliminating or weakening a planeswalker. Let’s delve deeper and clear up some common misconceptions.
Understanding Boros Charm’s Abilities
Boros Charm is a versatile card, a staple in many aggressive and controlling decks that utilize red and white mana. Its flexibility allows it to act as both offensive and defensive tool. Let’s examine each mode individually:
Double Strike: Aggressive Prowess
Granting double strike to a creature allows it to deal combat damage twice: once during the first combat damage step, and again during the normal combat damage step. This effectively doubles the creature’s damage output, making it a potent finishing move or a way to quickly eliminate blockers. This mode has nothing to do with Planeswalkers, so we won’t cover it much further.
Indestructibility: Defensive Resilience
Making your permanents indestructible until end of turn is a fantastic way to protect them from removal spells like Wrath of God, or even combat damage from opposing creatures. This mode does not directly interact with planeswalkers, but can be important to protect creatures that protect the Planeswalker.
Four Damage to Target Player: The Crucial Distinction
This is the mode that causes the most confusion. The wording is precise: “target player.” Planeswalkers, while permanents on the battlefield, are not considered players. Therefore, you cannot directly target a planeswalker with this mode of Boros Charm.
Why Can’t You Target Planeswalkers Directly?
The rules of Magic: The Gathering are meticulously defined, and the distinction between players and permanents, including planeswalkers, is fundamental. Spells and abilities that target “players” specifically affect the actual individuals playing the game, not the permanents they control. If a card intends to target a planeswalker, it will explicitly state “target planeswalker” or “target permanent.” This is important for the overall balance and fairness of the game. It’s all about semantics in the game world!
Indirectly Dealing with Planeswalkers
While Boros Charm can’t directly target planeswalkers, you can certainly use it to indirectly deal with them. Here are a few strategies:
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Attacking the Planeswalker’s Loyalty: Use your creatures to attack the planeswalker directly. If a player controls a planeswalker, you can declare attacking creatures as attacking the planeswalker instead of the player.
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Burning out the Opponent: Focus your direct damage, including Boros Charm, on the player controlling the planeswalker. Depleting their life total forces them to protect themselves, often diverting resources away from protecting their planeswalker. Sometimes, they won’t have the resources to do both!
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Removing Planeswalker’s Protection: Some creatures or spells may protect a planeswalker by creating token creatures (e.g., Elspeth, Sun’s Champion). Use Boros Charm’s double strike mode to quickly eliminate those tokens, clearing the path for your creatures to attack the planeswalker directly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Boros Charm and Planeswalkers
Here are 15 common questions players have regarding Boros Charm and its interaction with planeswalkers, along with detailed answers:
1. Can I redirect Boros Charm’s damage to a planeswalker if my opponent has one on the battlefield?
No. The ability targets a player specifically, and redirection effects do not allow you to change the target of the spell to something it couldn’t legally target in the first place.
2. If my opponent is at 4 life and has a planeswalker with 1 loyalty, can I Boros Charm them to win the game?
Yes. You can target the player with Boros Charm, dealing 4 damage and reducing their life total to 0, winning you the game. The planeswalker’s loyalty is irrelevant in this scenario.
3. Can I use Boros Charm’s indestructibility mode to protect my planeswalker from a board wipe?
Yes, as of a relatively recent rules change, players can target themselves with permanent-affecting spells to grant planeswalkers controlled by them hexproof. The only exception is when the cards that affect a hexproof planeswalker says that it does not affect planeswalkers.
4. If my opponent has a planeswalker with protection from red, can I still Boros Charm them (targeting the player)?
Yes. Protection only prevents damage, targeting, enchanting/equipping, and blocking from sources of the specified quality (in this case, red). Since you are targeting the player, and not the planeswalker, protection from red on the planeswalker is irrelevant.
5. Does Boros Charm’s damage count as “combat damage” when targeting a player?
No. Boros Charm deals direct damage, not combat damage. Combat damage is only damage dealt during the combat phase by attacking or blocking creatures.
6. If I control a creature with lifelink and deal damage to a player with Boros Charm, do I gain life?
No. Lifelink only applies to damage dealt by creatures. Boros Charm is a spell, not a creature.
7. Can I copy Boros Charm and target both the player and their planeswalker with the copies?
No. Copies of spells follow the same targeting restrictions as the original. You can target the player with the copies, but not the planeswalker directly.
8. If my opponent is using a planeswalker’s ability that damages them, can I Boros Charm the player to try and prevent the ability from activating?
Potentially. If the planeswalker’s ability requires the player to pay life as a cost (e.g., “Pay 2 life: Draw a card.”), then you can respond with Boros Charm before they pay the cost. This could leave them with insufficient life to activate the ability. However, if the life loss is part of the effect of the ability, they will activate the ability first, and the damage happens later, in which case your Boros Charm won’t stop it.
9. Can I use Boros Charm to destroy a planeswalker if it’s also a creature?
Yes. Certain planeswalkers (e.g., Gideon Jura) can transform into creatures. If a planeswalker is also a creature, it can be attacked like any other creature or destroyed with creature removal spells. However, you still cannot target the planeswalker with Boros Charm’s direct damage if it is only a planeswalker.
10. Is there a way to make Boros Charm target planeswalkers using other cards?
Generally no, unless a card specifically allows you to change the target of a spell to a planeswalker or treat planeswalkers as players for the purpose of targeting. These effects are rare.
11. If my opponent has Hexproof, can I still target them with Boros Charm?
No. Hexproof prevents a player from being the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. You cannot target a player who has hexproof with Boros Charm.
12. What’s the best strategy to deal with a planeswalker if I have Boros Charm in hand?
The best strategy depends on the specific situation. If you have creatures, attack the planeswalker. If the opponent is low on life, target them with Boros Charm. If you need to protect your board from a wipe, use the indestructibility mode. The charm’s flexibility is its greatest strength.
13. Can I target a planeswalker with Boros Charm if the rules text on the planeswalker says it can be treated as a player?
Highly unlikely. There are currently no Planeswalkers with the ability to be treated as a player. Even if such a planeswalker existed, the interaction would still depend on the precise wording of the planeswalker’s ability.
14. Can I use Boros Charm’s “Indestructible Until End of Turn” mode on a planeswalker card in my hand?
No. Boros Charm can only be used on permanents on the battlefield. Cards in your hand are not permanents.
15. Where can I learn more about Magic: The Gathering rules and strategies?
You can find comprehensive information on the official Magic: The Gathering website, as well as numerous online resources and communities. Consider also exploring the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/, which fosters learning and education through games, although their focus isn’t solely on Magic: The Gathering. The GamesLearningSociety.org is a place of learning and games.
Conclusion
While Boros Charm can’t directly target planeswalkers with its damage dealing ability, it remains a powerful and versatile card. Understanding the nuances of targeting rules and employing strategic gameplay are crucial for effectively dealing with planeswalkers and achieving victory in Magic: The Gathering. Always remember the precise wording of the cards and the specific rules that govern interactions between players, permanents, and planeswalkers. Use this knowledge to elevate your gameplay and outsmart your opponents!