Does Protection From Blue Stop Board Wipes? The Ultimate MTG Guide

No, protection from blue does not stop board wipes. Protection from a color only prevents four things: damage, enchanting/equipping, blocking, and targeting by sources of that color. Board wipes, such as Wrath of God or Damnation, typically destroy all creatures without targeting. Because they don’t target, protection from blue is irrelevant. It’s crucial to understand the precise limitations of protection in Magic: The Gathering to play effectively.

Understanding Protection in Magic: The Gathering

The keyword protection is often misunderstood, even by experienced Magic players. It’s a powerful ability, but it’s limited in scope. Remember the mnemonic DEBT: Damage, Enchanting/Equipping, Blocking, and Targeting. If a blue source doesn’t do any of those four things to a permanent with protection from blue, then protection doesn’t apply. This article will delve into the nuances of protection, particularly in the context of board wipes, and answer some common questions players have.

Board Wipes and Protection: A Detailed Explanation

Board wipes are spells or abilities that affect all or most permanents on the battlefield. They are crucial tools for controlling the game and resetting the board state. However, not all board wipes function the same way. Some destroy creatures, some exile them, and some give them negative effects, such as -X/-X until end of turn.

Since protection from blue specifically prevents damage, enchanting/equipping, blocking, and targeting from blue sources, it’s ineffective against most board wipes. Why? Because most board wipes don’t target individual creatures. They simply affect all creatures on the battlefield. Therefore, the protection ability is bypassed.

Let’s illustrate with examples:

• Wrath of God: This classic board wipe simply destroys all creatures. It doesn’t target, so protection from blue is useless.

• Damnation: Similar to Wrath of God, Damnation destroys all creatures. Again, no targeting, no protection.

• Cyclonic Rift (Overloaded): This spell returns all nonland permanents you don’t control to their owners’ hands. It doesn’t target, so protection doesn’t help.

However, if a blue effect did target and destroy a creature, protection would work. For instance, if a blue spell said, “Destroy target creature,” then a creature with protection from blue couldn’t be targeted by it.

Defending Against Board Wipes

Since protection from blue isn’t reliable against board wipes, what are your options for defending your creatures? Here are a few strategies:

• Indestructibility: Granting your creatures indestructible makes them immune to destruction effects. Cards like Darksteel Plate or the enchantment Avacyn, Angel of Hope can provide this.

• Regeneration: Regeneration creates a replacement effect that prevents a creature from being destroyed.

• Hexproof and Shroud: While these abilities don’t stop board wipes, they prevent targeted removal, making your creatures harder to deal with individually.

• Shield Counters: These counters prevent the next time a creature would be destroyed, whether by damage or by an effect like a board wipe.

• Holding Back Creatures: The simplest strategy is often the best: don’t overextend your board. Keep some creatures in your hand to rebuild after a board wipe.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding protection and board wipes in Magic: The Gathering:

1. Does Protection Stop Damage Board Wipes?

If a blue board wipe deals damage to all creatures (like a blue variant of Pyroclasm), protection from blue would prevent that damage to creatures with the ability. However, most common board wipes don’t work this way; they typically use destruction or exile effects.

2. Does Hexproof Protect from Board Wipes?

Hexproof only prevents targeting. Since board wipes generally don’t target, hexproof doesn’t protect against them.

3. Does Shroud Protect from Board Wipes?

Similarly to hexproof, shroud prevents targeting. Board wipes bypass shroud because they don’t target.

4. Does Indestructible Protect from All Board Wipes?

Indestructible protects against effects that say “destroy” and from lethal damage. However, it doesn’t protect against exile effects or effects that reduce a creature’s toughness to zero or less.

5. Can I Give a Creature Protection From All Colors?

While some cards grant protection from specific colors, there aren’t many cards that grant protection from all colors. Progenitus has protection from all colors innately.

6. Does Protection from Blue Prevent Blocking by Blue Creatures?

Yes. One of the aspects of protection is preventing creatures of the protected color from blocking the protected creature. So a creature with protection from blue can’t be blocked by blue creatures.

7. Does Protection from Blue Stop a Blue Creature from Being Equipped?

Yes, protection from blue will prevent any blue equipment card from being equipped to the creature with protection from blue.

8. Does Protection from Black Stop Board Wipes?

No, protection from black does not stop board wipes like Damnation or Wrath of God since they do not target, damage, enchant/equip, or block.

9. What About a Board Wipe That Gives -X/-X?

If a board wipe gives creatures -X/-X, protection from blue doesn’t prevent it, even if the source of the -X/-X effect is blue. Protection doesn’t stop toughness reduction.

10. Does the Order of Abilities Matter With Protection?

The order generally doesn’t matter. Protection is a static ability, so it’s constantly active. As long as the source is of the specified color and is attempting to damage, enchant/equip, block, or target, protection applies.

11. Can You Counter a Spell That Gives Protection?

Yes, you can counter a spell that grants protection. Protection only matters once the ability is in effect on the permanent.

12. If I Have Protection from Blue, Can My Opponent Still Cast Blue Spells?

Yes. Protection only affects how blue sources interact with the permanent that has protection. Your opponent can still cast blue spells and affect other permanents they control or their own life total.

13. Does Protection From Blue Work Against Activated Abilities?

Yes, it works against activated abilities from blue sources if the ability would damage, target, enchant/equip, or block.

14. Can I Give Protection From A Color To A Land?

Yes, there are cards that can grant protection from a color to a land. For example, Kor Haven grants a creature protection from creatures of your choice.

15. Where Can I Learn More About Magic: The Gathering Strategy?

There are many resources available online to learn more about Magic: The Gathering strategy. One resource is the Games Learning Society. You can learn more about the Games Learning Society by visiting their website: https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.