Does Exile Bypass Indestructible? A Comprehensive Guide

The short answer is a resounding yes, exile bypasses indestructible. In the realm of trading card games, especially Magic: The Gathering (MTG), understanding keyword interactions is crucial for strategic gameplay. Indestructible is a powerful ability, preventing a permanent from being destroyed by damage or effects that say “destroy.” However, it doesn’t grant immunity to all forms of removal. Exile is one such mechanic that completely bypasses the protective nature of indestructible. Let’s delve deeper into why this is the case and explore related concepts.

Understanding Indestructible

Before we explore how exile interacts with indestructible, it’s essential to understand what indestructible does and does not do. A permanent with indestructible cannot be destroyed by:

• Damage: Even if a creature with indestructible takes damage equal to or greater than its toughness, it remains on the battlefield.
• “Destroy” effects: Spells or abilities that use the word “destroy” have no effect on indestructible permanents.

However, indestructible does not protect a permanent from:

• Sacrifice: Being forced to sacrifice a permanent, even one with indestructible, still causes it to be moved to the graveyard.
• Reducing Toughness to Zero: If a creature’s toughness is reduced to zero or less, it dies regardless of whether it’s indestructible.
• Exile: Sending a permanent to the exile zone, bypassing the graveyard completely.
• Bouncing: Returning a permanent to its owner’s hand.
• Putting a permanent in the library: If an effect places a permanent in its owner’s library, the indestructible permanent still moves to the library.

The Power of Exile

Exile is a game mechanic that removes a permanent from the battlefield and places it in the exile zone. Unlike destruction, exile isn’t a state that is prevented by indestructible. When a permanent is exiled, it is treated as removed from play completely, not destroyed or put in the graveyard, rendering indestructible abilities ineffective. This distinction is pivotal in understanding why exile is a reliable way to deal with indestructible threats.

Why Does Exile Bypass Indestructible?

The key difference lies in the fundamental nature of the two effects. Indestructible only protects against destruction. Exile, on the other hand, removes the card from play entirely without ever putting it in the graveyard by the means of “destroy”. This is a crucial distinction. Since exile isn’t a form of destruction, indestructible offers no protection against it. Therefore, exile provides an effective method for dealing with otherwise persistent indestructible permanents.

Related FAQs

To further clarify the nuances of indestructible and exile, let’s examine some frequently asked questions:

1. Does sacrifice bypass indestructible?

Yes, sacrifice bypasses indestructible. When you are forced to sacrifice a permanent, it does not get destroyed, which means that the indestructible ability is irrelevant. The permanent is moved to the graveyard due to the sacrifice effect and not because of “destroying” or “lethal damage”.

2. How do I bypass indestructible?

There are several ways to bypass indestructible, including:

• Exiling the permanent.
• Reducing the creature’s toughness to zero or less.
• Forcing its controller to sacrifice it.
• Bouncing it to the player’s hand.
• Putting it into its owner’s library.
• Countering it before it enters the battlefield.
• Enchanting it with debilitating auras.
• Making its owner discard it from their hand.

3. Does deathtouch affect indestructible?

No, deathtouch does not affect indestructible. Deathtouch makes a creature deal “lethal damage”, but indestructible creatures cannot be destroyed by “lethal damage” or any amount of damage. Therefore, deathtouch does not destroy a creature with indestructible.

4. Does deathtouch cancel deathtouch?

No. Any two instances of the Deathtouch ability against one another do not cancel out the Deathtouch ability. Deathtouch will apply normally.

5. Does indestructible prevent 0 toughness?

No, if a creature’s toughness is reduced to zero or less, it still goes to the graveyard even if it is indestructible. It dies due to having zero toughness, not by being “destroyed”.

6. Does Toxic Deluge get around indestructible?

Yes, effects like Toxic Deluge that give a creature -X/-X can get around indestructible. If the creature’s toughness becomes zero or negative, it dies despite its indestructible ability.

7. Does exile count as dying?

No, exile does not count as dying. When a permanent is exiled, it’s moved to a different zone, not the graveyard, so it hasn’t “died.” Effects that trigger when a creature dies won’t activate when it’s exiled.

8. Does hexproof stop exile?

Hexproof only prevents your opponents from targeting you with spells and abilities. If an effect says “exile all creatures” or “exile each creature”, it will still affect creatures with hexproof. However, spells such as Swords to Plowshares that specifically targets a creature, won’t be able to exile a creature with hexproof.

9. Do shield counters prevent exile?

No, shield counters do not prevent exile. They only protect against damage and “destroy” effects. Exiling a permanent with shield counters will still work.

10. Does a board wipe destroy indestructible?

It depends on the board wipe. If the board wipe destroys creatures, it won’t affect indestructible creatures. However, if the board wipe exiles or gives -X/-X to creatures, it will bypass indestructible.

11. Does exile trigger when a creature dies?

No, exile does not trigger when a creature dies. “Dies” refers to moving to the graveyard from the battlefield. Exiling moves a card to a different zone. Therefore abilities that trigger on death will not activate.

12. Does exile bypass totem armor?

Yes, exile bypasses totem armor. Totem armor only prevents the permanent from being destroyed; it does not prevent exile.

13. Does 0 damage trigger deathtouch?

No, deathtouch only triggers if a source deals damage greater than zero. If an effect deals zero damage, even from a deathtouch source, deathtouch will not trigger.

14. Does infect beat indestructible?

Yes, infect can beat indestructible since infect damage is in the form of -1/-1 counters. If an indestructible creature receives enough -1/-1 counters to reduce its toughness to zero, it will die.

15. What wins indestructible vs deathtouch?

Indestructible wins against deathtouch in a combat scenario. While deathtouch usually destroys a creature that takes damage, indestructible makes the creature immune to destruction. The creature with indestructible will not be destroyed due to damage from deathtouch.

Conclusion

Exile is a potent counter to indestructible as it is not prevented by the indestructible ability. Understanding the differences between destruction, sacrifice, toughness reduction, and exile is crucial for strategic gameplay. By mastering these distinctions, you can effectively manage indestructible threats and enhance your game tactics. Always remember that even the mightiest permanents can fall to the versatility and comprehensive nature of exile.