Indestructible Blockers: A Magic: The Gathering Deep Dive
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Yes, you absolutely can block a creature with an indestructible creature in Magic: The Gathering. Indestructibility is a powerful ability, but it’s crucial to understand its limitations. Blocking with an indestructible creature follows all the normal rules of combat. The attacking creature is considered blocked, damage is assigned, and any excess damage will attempt to trample over if applicable. The key difference is that the indestructible creature won’t be destroyed by lethal damage, but it still participates fully in the combat phase.
Understanding Indestructibility
Indestructibility is a keyword ability in Magic: The Gathering that prevents a permanent from being destroyed by lethal damage or effects that say “destroy.” This doesn’t mean the permanent is invulnerable; it simply ignores effects that specifically destroy it.
How Blocking Works with Indestructible Creatures
When an indestructible creature blocks, the following occurs:
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Declaration of Blockers: The controller of the defending player declares which creatures are blocking which attacking creatures. The indestructible creature can be chosen as a blocker.
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Damage Assignment: Players assign combat damage. If the attacking creature has enough power to assign lethal damage to the indestructible blocker, it must do so. Lethal damage is equal to the blocker’s toughness, but since the blocker is indestructible, it will not be destroyed by lethal damage.
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Damage Application: Damage is dealt simultaneously. The indestructible creature takes the damage, but it remains on the battlefield.
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Trample Consideration: If the attacking creature has trample, any damage exceeding the blocker’s toughness can be assigned to the defending player. Even though the indestructible creature survives, the attacking creature must assign lethal damage to it first, before assigning the remaining damage to the defending player, if it is a lethal amount.
Board Wipes and Indestructibility
Board wipe spells that destroy creatures, such as Wrath of God, Damnation, or Day of Judgment, are ineffective against indestructible creatures. However, board wipes that use different methods, like exile effects or toughness reduction, can still remove indestructible creatures from the battlefield.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does lethal damage kill indestructible creatures?
No. Indestructible specifically prevents destruction by lethal damage. The creature takes the damage, but it remains on the battlefield.
2. Does Deathtouch kill indestructible creatures?
No. Deathtouch normally means that any damage a creature deals is considered lethal damage. Since indestructible creatures can’t be destroyed by lethal damage, they are immune to deathtouch.
3. Can indestructible creatures be sacrificed?
Yes. Indestructible only protects against effects that destroy or lethal damage. Sacrificing a creature is a cost or effect initiated by a player and is unaffected by indestructibility.
4. Can indestructible creatures be exiled?
Yes. Exiling removes a permanent from the battlefield without destroying it. Indestructibility provides no protection against exile effects.
5. Does -X/-X kill indestructible creatures?
Yes, if the -X/-X effect reduces a creature’s toughness to zero or less, it will die due to state-based actions. Indestructibility doesn’t prevent this. A creature with zero or less toughness is put into its owner’s graveyard, regardless of its other abilities.
6. What happens when an indestructible creature has 0 toughness?
An indestructible creature with 0 toughness is put into the graveyard due to state-based actions. Indestructibility only protects from destruction, not from having its toughness reduced to 0 or less.
7. Does infect kill indestructible creatures?
Yes. Creatures with 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 the graveyard.
8. Can you “bounce” an indestructible creature?
Yes. “Bouncing” a creature refers to returning it to its owner’s hand. Indestructibility does not prevent this.
9. Does the legend rule affect indestructible creatures?
Yes. If you control two or more legendary permanents with the same name, you must choose one to keep, and the others are put into their owner’s graveyard. This applies regardless of indestructibility.
10. Can you target an indestructible creature?
Yes. Indestructibility doesn’t prevent a creature from being targeted by spells or abilities. It only protects against effects that destroy it.
11. Can indestructible creatures be affected by enchantments?
Yes. Indestructibility does not prevent enchantments from being attached to a creature or equipment from being equipped to one.
12. If an indestructible creature blocks a creature with trample, does the attacking creature still trample over?
Yes, but the attacking creature must assign lethal damage to the indestructible blocker before assigning the remaining damage to the defending player. Even though the indestructible creature survives, the attacking creature must assign lethal damage to it first.
13. Can an indestructible planeswalker be destroyed?
An indestructible planeswalker would survive effects that say “destroy”. However, damage to a planeswalker causes it to lose loyalty counters, and indestructibility doesn’t prevent this. If a planeswalker’s loyalty reaches zero, it is put into the graveyard.
14. What are some cards that can remove indestructible creatures?
Some examples include:
- Swords to Plowshares: Exiles the creature.
- Path to Exile: Exiles the creature.
- Languish: Gives all creatures -4/-4 until end of turn.
- Toxic Deluge: Gives all creatures -X/-X until end of turn.
- Council’s Judgment: Each player votes for a nonland permanent, then exile each permanent with the most votes or tied with the most votes.
15. Where can I learn more about Magic: The Gathering strategy?
You can find valuable resources and insights into Magic: The Gathering strategy at GamesLearningSociety.org. The Games Learning Society offers a wealth of information on game-based learning, including strategic gameplay and analysis. Check out their website at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ for more.
Conclusion
While an indestructible creature may seem like an unbeatable blocker, understanding the nuances of the ability and the different ways to interact with it is crucial for success in Magic: The Gathering. Indestructibility provides protection from destruction, but it does not make a creature invulnerable. By knowing how to play around indestructible creatures, you can effectively manage threats and maintain control of the game.