Does Protection from a Color Negate Trample?
Protection from a color does not negate trample, as protection only prevents damage, but does not affect how damage is assigned in combat, allowing trample damage to still be assigned to the defending player. The key point is that trample works by letting a creature assign lethal damage to the creature it is blocking, and then assign any excess damage to the player, regardless of the blocker’s protection from a specific color.
Understanding Trample and Protection
To delve deeper into the relationship between trample and protection from a color, it’s essential to understand how each of these keyword abilities works. Trample is an ability that allows a creature to deal excess damage to the defending player if it’s blocked by a creature with toughness lower than the trampler’s power. On the other hand, protection from a color makes a creature immune to damage, effects, and targeting by sources of that color.
Frequently Asked Questions
Trample and Protection Interactions
- Does protection from a color prevent trample? No, protection from a color does not prevent trample, as it only affects damage prevention and not damage assignment.
- How does protection affect creatures? A creature with protection from a color cannot be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, enchanted, or equipped by anything of that color.
- What is the color block rule? The color block rule is more related to fashion theory and states that one should not combine more than three colors in an outfit at any one time, with exceptions for black, white, and grey.
- How does protection work vs trample? Protection does not negate trample; the creature with trample can still assign damage to the player if the blocking creature has insufficient toughness.
- Does trample roll over protection? Yes, trample can roll over protection by assigning damage equal to the blocker’s toughness and then assigning the rest to the defending player.
- Does Deathtouch stop trample? No, Deathtouch does not stop trample, but after damage is dealt, both creatures can die due to Deathtouch.
- Do shield counters stop trample? No, shield counters do not stop trample; they provide no extra protection against trample.
- Does protection from a color make a creature unblockable? A creature with protection from a color cannot be blocked by creatures of that color.
- Does protection from color stop board wipes? No, protection from a color does not protect against global effects like board wipes because these effects do not target.
- Does trample go through fog? Yes, trample can go through fog; the creature with trample only needs to assign enough damage to the blocker (like Fog Bank) to equal its toughness, and the rest can trample over.
- What is the rule of trample? Trample is a keyword ability that lets a creature deal excess damage to the defending player after assigning lethal damage to the blocker.
- How does deathtouch work with trample? When an attacking creature with Deathtouch and trample is blocked, it first assigns damage to the blocking creature, potentially killing it due to Deathtouch, and then can assign excess damage to the player.
- Does first strike stop trample? First strike can stop trample in certain situations by killing the trampler before it can deal its excess damage to the player.
- Does trample go over power or toughness? Trample can go over if the trampler’s power exceeds the blocker’s toughness, allowing excess damage to be assigned to the player.
- Does indestructible prevent damage? Indestructible does not prevent damage but prevents the creature from being destroyed by that damage, still allowing effects like lifelink to work.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding how protection from a color interacts with trample is crucial for strategic gameplay in Magic: The Gathering. While protection offers significant defensive benefits, it does not negate the offensive power of trample, allowing for complex and nuanced combat interactions. By mastering these keyword abilities and their interactions, players can enhance their gameplay and strategic decision-making.