Does Hex Have to Destroy 6 Creatures? The Complete Guide
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The short answer is no, Hex doesn’t have to destroy six creatures to resolve. The key lies in understanding how targeting and resolution work in the game. Hex requires you to target six different creatures when you cast it. However, what happens after you cast it, during resolution, is another matter entirely. If some of those creatures become illegal targets (perhaps they gain hexproof, are sacrificed, or otherwise leave the battlefield) before Hex resolves, the spell will still resolve, destroying as many of the legal targets as remain. You only need to be able to legally choose 6 different targets when you initially cast the spell.
Understanding Targeting and Resolution
To fully understand this, let’s break down the process:
- Casting Hex: When you cast Hex, you must choose six different creatures as targets. If you can’t choose six legal, different targets, you cannot cast the spell. The game checks for the possibility of successfully targeting each creature.
- Priority and Responses: After you cast Hex, your opponents have the chance to respond. They can play spells or abilities to make some or all of your targets illegal.
- Resolution: When Hex resolves, the game checks the legality of each target again. If a target is still legal (on the battlefield, a creature, and not protected by shroud or hexproof from your spells), it is destroyed. Illegal targets are simply ignored. Hex doesn’t fizzle (countered because all targets are illegal) if some, but not all, of its targets become illegal.
Therefore, while successfully casting Hex requires choosing six distinct targets, the actual destruction is contingent on those targets being legal at the time of resolution.
Hex and Strategy: A Pro’s Perspective
Knowing this nuance allows for strategic play. For example, you might cast Hex targeting five of your opponent’s key creatures and one of your own expendable creatures. If your opponent responds by saving one or two of their creatures, your expendable creature will be destroyed instead, thus preserving more value for you. Understanding the rules empowers you to make informed decisions and outmaneuver your opponents. The team at the Games Learning Society is deeply committed to research, best practices, and innovative solutions for online games. You can find out more at GamesLearningSociety.org.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions related to Hex and its interactions with other game mechanics, to help you solidify your understanding:
1. Can Hex target the same creature multiple times?
No. Hex specifically requires that you target six different creatures. The wording doesn’t allow for targeting the same creature more than once when initially casting the spell.
2. If one of the targets has hexproof when Hex is cast, is the spell countered?
No. If you illegally chose a creature with hexproof when casting Hex, you are not able to cast it because that creature is not a legal target at the time of casting.
3. What happens if one of the targeted creatures gains hexproof in response to Hex?
If a targeted creature gains hexproof in response to Hex being cast, it becomes an illegal target upon resolution of Hex. Hex will still resolve and destroy the remaining legal targets.
4. Can Hex destroy creatures with indestructible?
No. Indestructible means that a creature cannot be destroyed by damage or effects that say “destroy.” Hex says “destroy,” so it cannot destroy a creature with indestructible. The targets with indestructible will be ignored.
5. Does Hex trigger abilities that trigger when a creature dies?
Yes. If Hex successfully destroys a creature, that creature is put into its owner’s graveyard, triggering any “when a creature dies” or “when a creature is put into the graveyard” abilities.
6. Can I target my own creatures with Hex?
Yes, you can target your own creatures with Hex. This can be a strategic play if you have creatures with “dies” triggers, or if you want to clear the board while affecting your opponent’s creatures more than your own. This also applies to a player who only controls 1 to 5 creatures during initial casting.
7. Can I target creatures with shroud with Hex?
No. A creature with shroud cannot be the target of any spells or abilities, including yours. Therefore, you cannot target a creature with shroud with Hex.
8. If I target six creatures with Hex, and then my opponent sacrifices one of those creatures, does the Hex fizzle?
No. The Hex will resolve, and it will destroy the remaining five legal targets. Hex only fizzles if all of its targets become illegal before resolution.
9. Does Hex interact with abilities like deathtouch or lifelink?
Hex itself doesn’t have deathtouch or lifelink. However, if a creature destroyed by Hex had deathtouch or lifelink (some creatures have these abilities as static characteristics), that creature’s controller would not be able to deal damage via deathtouch, or gain life with lifelink, since the ability is moot on a permanent put into the graveyard by means other than combat.
10. Can Hex be countered?
Yes. Like any instant or sorcery, Hex can be countered by spells like Counterspell or abilities that counter spells.
11. If I cast Hex targeting six creatures, and one of those creatures is a token creature that ceases to exist when it hits the graveyard, does Hex still destroy the other five?
Yes. The token creature will cease to exist upon being put into the graveyard, but this doesn’t affect the legality of the other targets. Hex will still destroy the remaining five legal targets.
12. Does Hex get around protection?
Not entirely. If a creature has protection from a color, that means it can’t be targeted by spells of that color, be damaged by sources of that color, be blocked by creatures of that color, or be enchanted/equipped by permanents of that color. If a creature has protection from a certain attribute, Hex of that attribute can’t target it initially. But if a creature gains protection after being targeted by Hex, then Hex will ignore the protection and continue to resolve, destroying the other legal targets.
13. Can I use a spell like Redirect to change the targets of Hex?
Generally, yes, you can use a spell like Redirect to change the targets of Hex, as long as the new targets are legal. However, the new targets must still be six different creatures. If you can’t find six legal targets, you can’t redirect Hex to them.
14. What happens if all creatures are illegal targets before the spell resolves?
If all creatures are illegal targets before Hex resolves, then the spell does indeed fizzle. No creatures are destroyed, and the spell goes to the graveyard having accomplished nothing.
15. Can Hex target planeswalkers?
No. Hex specifically targets creatures. It cannot target planeswalkers or other types of permanents. There are other board wipe spells that do destroy planeswalkers though.
Understanding the specific interactions of Hex and other game mechanics is crucial for effective deck building and strategic gameplay. By mastering these rules, you can gain a significant edge over your opponents.