Does Hexproof Prevent Board Wipes? Understanding Magic’s Protections
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
No, hexproof does not prevent board wipes. Hexproof only protects a permanent or player from being the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. Most board wipes don’t target individual permanents; instead, they affect all creatures, permanents, or players on the battlefield simultaneously. Therefore, hexproof offers no protection against these non-targeting effects.
Let’s dive deeper into why hexproof is ineffective against board wipes and explore related mechanics and common misconceptions. In Magic: The Gathering, understanding the nuances of keywords like hexproof, indestructible, and protection is crucial for strategic gameplay. Knowing when these abilities work, and more importantly, when they don’t, can be the difference between victory and defeat.
The Targeting Conundrum: Why Hexproof Fails Against Board Wipes
Hexproof offers a valuable layer of defense, preventing your opponents from singling out your creatures with targeted removal spells or detrimental abilities. Imagine a scenario where your opponent wants to cast “Murder” on your powerful creature. If that creature has hexproof, they can’t target it, rendering “Murder” useless in that situation.
However, board wipes operate differently. A card like “Wrath of God” doesn’t target any specific creature. Instead, it destroys all creatures. Because it’s a blanket effect and not targeting anything, hexproof provides no protection. The hexproofed creature is simply caught in the crossfire.
Consider this analogy: Hexproof is like having a personal force field against directed attacks. A board wipe, on the other hand, is more like a sudden flood that engulfs everything. Your force field can’t stop a flood from washing everything away. The key takeaway here is the difference between targeting and non-targeting effects.
Beyond Hexproof: Other Protective Measures and Board Wipes
Hexproof isn’t the only keyword that players rely on for protection. Indestructible, protection from a color, and even shroud offer different forms of defense. However, just like hexproof, these abilities have limitations when facing board wipes.
-
Indestructible: Indestructible prevents permanents from being destroyed by damage or effects that say “destroy.” While it can save creatures from board wipes like “Wrath of God,” it’s useless against exiling effects (e.g., “Farewell”) or effects that reduce toughness to zero (e.g., “Toxic Deluge”).
-
Protection from a Color: Protection from a color prevents damage, enchanting/equipping, blocking, and targeting from sources of that color (often remembered by the acronym DEBT). Like hexproof, it doesn’t protect against non-targeting effects.
-
Shroud: Shroud prevents a permanent from being the target of any spells or abilities, including your own. While this offers greater protection against targeting than hexproof, it suffers the same weakness against board wipes.
Understanding these limitations is crucial for deck building and gameplay. Relying solely on one form of protection can leave you vulnerable to specific types of board wipes. A well-rounded strategy often involves a combination of protective measures and proactive plays.
Building a Board Wipe-Resistant Strategy
So, if hexproof and other common protective keywords don’t guarantee survival against board wipes, what can you do? Here are a few strategies to consider:
-
Resilience: Focus on creatures that generate value when they enter or leave the battlefield. This minimizes the impact of a board wipe by ensuring you still gain something even when your creatures are destroyed.
-
Recursion: Include cards that allow you to bring creatures back from the graveyard. This allows you to rebuild your board quickly after a wipe.
-
Token Generation: Swarming the board with tokens can dilute the impact of a board wipe. Even if some tokens are destroyed, you’ll still have a presence on the battlefield.
-
Counterspells: Holding up counterspells can be an effective way to stop board wipes before they resolve. However, this requires mana and knowledge of your opponent’s deck.
-
Preventive Measures: Cards that give your creatures indestructible or protection from board wipes (like “Teferi’s Protection”) can offer direct protection.
By diversifying your strategy and incorporating multiple layers of defense, you can increase your chances of weathering a board wipe and maintaining a competitive advantage. Also, consider visiting the Games Learning Society website at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ for more strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Hexproof and Board Wipes
Here are some frequently asked questions about hexproof, board wipes, and related mechanics in Magic: The Gathering.
1. Does hexproof stop sacrifice effects?
No, hexproof does not stop sacrifice effects. Sacrifice effects typically target the player, forcing them to sacrifice a creature. Since the player is the target, not the creature with hexproof, the ability resolves, and the player must sacrifice a creature they control.
2. Does hexproof protect my commander from being exiled by a board wipe?
No, hexproof does not protect your commander from being exiled by a board wipe like “Farewell.” Exile effects, like destroy effects, do not target the commander, and hexproof only protects against targeting.
3. If I give my creature hexproof after my opponent casts a board wipe, does it save my creature?
No. Once a spell is cast, giving your creature hexproof won’t retroactively protect it. The board wipe will still resolve as planned, destroying all creatures on the battlefield.
4. Can my opponent still block my creature with hexproof?
Yes, your opponent can still block your creature with hexproof. Hexproof only prevents your opponents from targeting your creature with spells or abilities. Blocking is a combat action and not a targeting ability.
5. Does hexproof prevent my opponent from attacking me directly?
No, hexproof only applies to permanents (like creatures) and players. It does not prevent your opponent from attacking you with creatures.
6. Does shroud offer better protection against board wipes than hexproof?
No, shroud offers the same level of protection against board wipes as hexproof. Both abilities protect against targeting, but neither provides protection against non-targeting board wipes. The main difference is that shroud also prevents you from targeting the permanent, while hexproof only prevents opponents from doing so.
7. Does indestructible protect against all types of board wipes?
No, indestructible only protects against board wipes that destroy creatures. It does not protect against board wipes that exile creatures or reduce their toughness to zero.
8. What’s the difference between “destroy” and “exile” effects?
“Destroy” effects put a creature into its owner’s graveyard. “Exile” effects remove a creature from the game entirely, bypassing the graveyard. Indestructible creatures are immune to destroy effects but not exile effects.
9. Does protection from a color stop a board wipe of that color?
Protection from a color prevents damage, equipping/enchanting, blocking, and targeting (DEBT) from sources of that color. Most board wipes don’t use these methods of removal.
10. Is there any way to make my creatures immune to all types of board wipes?
There is no single ability that makes creatures completely immune to all types of board wipes. However, combining indestructible, hexproof (or shroud), and other defensive measures can make your creatures very difficult to remove. Cards like “Teferi’s Protection” provide temporary complete protection.
11. How many board wipes should I have in my deck?
The number of board wipes in your deck depends on your strategy and the format you’re playing. A common recommendation is to include 3-4 board wipes in a typical Commander deck, but this can vary depending on your deck’s overall strategy.
12. What are some examples of effective board wipes?
Examples of effective board wipes include:
-
Wrath of God: Destroys all creatures (indestructible still works against it).
-
Farewell: Exiles all creatures, artifacts, enchantments, and graveyards (indestructible is useless).
-
Toxic Deluge: Gives all creatures -X/-X until end of turn (indestructible is useless if enough -X is given).
13. Can I counter a board wipe spell?
Yes, you can counter a board wipe spell using counterspells like “Counterspell” or “Negate.”
14. Does hexproof protect me from my own board wipes?
If you cast a board wipe, hexproof does not protect your creatures, because hexproof only protects them from spells or abilities your opponents control.
15. Can I use a shield counter to protect from a board wipe?
Yes, a shield counter can protect a creature from a board wipe that destroys creatures. If the creature would be destroyed, instead the shield counter is removed. However, shield counters do not protect from board wipes that exile creatures or reduce their toughness to zero.
In conclusion, while hexproof is a valuable defensive tool in Magic: The Gathering, it is not a universal shield against all threats. Understanding its limitations, particularly its ineffectiveness against board wipes, is crucial for building a resilient and successful strategy. Always remember to consider the bigger picture and diversify your defenses to overcome any challenge.