Can you still block a creature with protection?
The answer to the question Can you still block a creature with protection? is yes, but with certain limitations, as protection from a particular color or trait only prevents the creature with protection from being blocked, targeted, dealt damage, enchanted, or equipped by anything with that specific quality. Protection does not make a creature entirely unblockable, but rather prevents creatures with the specified trait from interacting with it in certain ways, allowing other creatures without that trait to still block it.
Understanding Protection in Magic the Gathering
To delve deeper into the mechanics of protection and its implications on gameplay, especially concerning blocking and combat interactions, let’s explore some frequently asked questions related to this topic.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What happens if you block with a creature with protection?
If your creature has protection from the attacking creature’s color or trait, the blocking happens as normal, but the damage dealt by the attacking creature to your creature is prevented thanks to the protection.
2. Can I block a creature that has protection?
Yes, you can block a creature with protection as long as your blocking creature does not have the trait from which the protected creature has protection.
3. Does protection make a creature unblockable?
No, protection does not make a creature entirely unblockable; it only means creatures with the specified trait cannot block it or interact with it in certain ways.
4. Can creatures with protection be targeted?
No, creatures with protection from a particular color or trait cannot be targeted by spells or abilities that possess that color or trait.
5. Can You Block with Multiple Creatures?
Protection affects how creatures interact with each other on a individual basis, so if you have multiple creatures blocking, protection will apply based on the traits of each creature involved.
6. Does protection stop from blocking?
Protection stops creatures with the specified trait from blocking the protected creature, but it does not prevent the protected creature from blocking others.
7. Can you counter a creature with protection from everything?
Yes, protection from everything does not prevent a creature from being countered, as protection and countering are separate mechanics.
8. Can I block with a creature that has protection from color?
Yes, a creature with protection from a color can block a creature of that color, and it will prevent damage from being dealt to it by the blocked creature.
9. Does indestructible prevent Deathtouch?
Yes, indestructible creatures ignore deathtouch because they cannot be destroyed by lethal damage.
10. Does protection from blue stop counterspell?
No, protection from blue does not stop blue counterspells from being played on spells, only from affecting the protected creature directly.
11. Does protection prevent commander damage?
Yes, protection prevents commander damage, including combat damage, unless an effect specifies that damage cannot be prevented.
12. Does protection stop sacrifice?
No, protection does not prevent a creature from being sacrificed, as protection applies to combat and spell/ability interactions, not to costs or effects that force sacrifice.
13. Can I block a black creature with a creature that has protection from black?
Yes, a creature with protection from black can block a black creature and will take no damage from it.
14. Does protection mean unblockable MTG?
No, protection does not make a creature unblockable; it only prevents interaction based on the specified trait.
15. Does protection from a color prevent trample?
No, protection from a color does not prevent trample; if a creature with trample is blocked by a creature with protection from its color, the trample creature can still assign excess damage to the player.