Does Proliferate Get Around Hexproof?
Proliferate does get around Hexproof because it doesn’t target, instead allowing you to choose any number of permanents and/or players that have a counter, and then give each one additional counters of each kind that permanent or player already has. By choosing rather than targeting, Proliferate can affect creatures with Hexproof, making it a powerful mechanic in certain situations, especially when combined with other abilities like Infect or Toxic.
Understanding Proliferate and Hexproof
Mechanic Overview
Proliferate is a keyword ability that allows you to distribute additional counters to permanents or players who already have them, without targeting those permanents or players. This is crucial because Hexproof prevents a creature from being the target of spells or abilities controlled by an opponent, but it does not prevent the creature from being chosen by a spell or ability that doesn’t target.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Proliferate Work on Hexproof? Yes, Proliferate works on Hexproof because it doesn’t target; it chooses, allowing it to affect creatures with Hexproof.
- Does Hexproof Block Deathtouch? No, Hexproof does not block Deathtouch because Deathtouch does not target; it’s a static ability that makes any amount of damage from the source lethal.
- Is Hexproof Immune to Sacrifice? No, Hexproof is not immune to sacrifice if the spell or ability causing the sacrifice targets the player and not the creature.
- Can a Board Wipe Destroy Hexproof? Yes, a board wipe can destroy creatures with Hexproof because board wipes typically do not target specific creatures.
- Does Hexproof Stop All Spells? No, Hexproof does not stop all spells; it only stops spells and abilities that target it, controlled by opponents.
- Does Hexproof Stop Wrath of God? Wrath of God will destroy creatures with Hexproof because it does not target them specifically; it affects all creatures.
- Can You Proliferate +1 Counters? Yes, you can Proliferate +1/+1 counters by choosing a creature with a +1/+1 counter and giving it another +1/+1 counter.
- Does Proliferate Count as Targeting? No, Proliferate does not count as targeting; it involves choosing, which is different from targeting in Magic: The Gathering.
- Does Proliferate Work on Commander Damage? Proliferate can add poison counters, which can lead to a win condition through poison damage, but it does not directly interact with commander damage since commanders deal combat damage.
- Does Protection Stop Proliferate? No, Protection does not stop Proliferate because Proliferate chooses rather than targets, bypassing protection mechanisms.
- Can You Proliferate Toxic? Yes, you can Proliferate poison counters on creatures with Toxic, which can be a strategy to quickly accumulate poison counters for a win.
- Does Proliferate Trigger Heroic? No, Proliferate does not trigger Heroic abilities because Heroic triggers on spells or abilities that target the creature, and Proliferate does not target.
- Does Deathtouch Cancel Deathtouch? In a combat situation, if two creatures with Deathtouch deal damage to each other, the Deathtouch abilities do not cancel each other out in the sense of preventing damage but both creatures will be destroyed.
- Is Hexproof Immune to Instants? Hexproof makes a creature immune to instants that target it, controlled by an opponent, but not to instants that don’t target or are controlled by the creature’s controller.
- Does Shroud Protect from Board Wipes? No, Shroud does not protect from board wipes because board wipes typically do not target specific creatures, thus they can affect creatures with Shroud.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Proliferate does indeed get around Hexproof due to its unique mechanic of choosing rather than targeting, making it a valuable tool in certain strategies, especially those involving Infect or Toxic. Understanding the nuances of Proliferate, Hexproof, and how they interact with other mechanics like Deathtouch, Shroud, and Protection is key to leveraging these abilities effectively in gameplay.