Do Shield Counters Work Against Board Wipes?
Shield counters do not work against board wipes, as they only prevent damage or destruction effects, and do not stop a creature from being exiled, returned to its owner’s hand, or sacrificed. Shield counters provide protection against specific types of effects, but board wipes are a different category of effects that can still affect creatures with shield counters.
Understanding Shield Counters
Shield counters are a new type of counter that can be placed on permanents, and are the signature mechanic of the Brokers family. When a permanent with a shield counter on it is dealt damage or destroyed, instead a shield counter is removed and that instance of damage/destruction is prevented.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Shield Counter Rule?
The shield counter rule states that when a permanent with a shield counter on it would be destroyed, the shield counter is removed instead, and the permanent is not destroyed.
2. Do Shield Counters Stop Trample?
Having a shield counter doesn’t change what is and isn’t lethal damage, even though the creature will survive, and trample does nothing when blocked by a shielded creature, as the damage is entirely prevented, and the shield counter is removed.
3. Does Shield Counter Stop Deathtouch?
A creature with a shield counter on it may still be destroyed by state-based actions if it has damage marked on it equal to its toughness or has been dealt unpreventable damage by a source with deathtouch.
4. How Do Shield Counters Work in Magic The Gathering?
Shield counters provide two benefits: if a permanent with a shield counter would be destroyed, the shield counter is removed instead, and the permanent won’t be destroyed, and shield counters work against damage.
5. Does Shield Protect Against Spells?
No, shield does not protect against spells, as it only prevents damage, and a spell can still be cast and resolve, even if the damage is prevented.
6. Does Shield Counters Protect from Sacrifice?
Shield counters don’t prevent players from sacrificing creatures, and removing a shield counter in this way isn’t the same as regenerating a creature.
7. Can Indestructible Block Deathtouch?
Indestructible creatures also ignore deathtouch, as they can’t be destroyed, and are therefore immune to the effects of deathtouch.
8. Is Deathtouch Blocked by Hexproof?
Hexproof means the creature can’t be the target of spells or abilities controlled by an opponent, but deathtouch doesn’t target, so hexproof doesn’t prevent it.
9. Can Deathtouch Go Through Indestructible?
No, indestructible can’t be destroyed by rules, so it gets rid of deathtouch, as “can’t” trumps “does” when there’s a rules conflict.
10. Does Trample Bypass Deathtouch?
Unless the creature with deathtouch has first strike, deathtouch does nothing to stop a creature from trampling over to the defending player.
11. Does Indestructible Cancel Trample?
Yes, at least in the sense that the additional damage does successfully trample over a blocking creature, as an indestructible creature can’t be destroyed by combat damage.
12. Does Hexproof Stop Trample?
No, hexproof will not protect creatures or players from trample damage, as combat damage is not targeted, and trample does not target the blocking creatures nor the defending player.
13. Is a Shield Offensive or Defensive?
A shield is a defensive weapon, carried on the arm or in the hand opposite to the one holding the offensive weapon.
14. What is the Shield Strategy?
The shield strategy, or sometimes referred to as the tank strategy, is a strategy that can be used to take all the damage from enemies while other characters safely attack them.
15. Do Shields Counter True Damage?
Shields can absorb true damage at any amount, and countering true damage health causes sources of flat true damage to effectively deal a lesser percentage of total health.