Does Protection From Color Stop Board Wipes in MTG?
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The short answer is generally no, protection from a color does not stop most board wipes. Protection from a color prevents four things: Damage, Enchanting/Equipping, Blocking, and Targeting (DEBT). Most board wipes don’t target individual creatures or attempt to attach anything to them. They affect all creatures (or permanents of a certain type) simultaneously. Therefore, protection, while useful in many situations, won’t save your creatures from the wrath of a well-timed board wipe. The devil, however, is in the details, and there are nuances to consider. This article will explore those nuances and answer frequently asked questions to give you a comprehensive understanding of how protection interacts with board wipes in Magic: The Gathering.
Understanding Protection and Board Wipes
To understand why protection usually doesn’t work against board wipes, we need to examine both mechanics closely.
What Does Protection Actually Do?
Protection, as defined above, prevents four things. Let’s break it down:
- Damage: All damage dealt by sources of the protected color is prevented. So, a creature with protection from red takes no damage from a Lightning Bolt.
- Enchanting/Equipping: A creature with protection from a color cannot be enchanted or equipped by permanents of that color. Existing auras and equipment of that color will fall off.
- Blocking: A creature with protection from a color cannot be blocked by creatures of that color.
- Targeting: A creature with protection from a color cannot be targeted by spells or abilities from sources of that color.
The key takeaway is that protection is highly specific. It only stops those four things. It doesn’t grant immunity to all effects of a given color.
What Are Board Wipes?
Board wipes are spells or abilities that affect multiple permanents on the battlefield simultaneously. They often destroy, exile, or otherwise remove creatures (and sometimes other permanent types) en masse. Common examples include:
- Wrath of God: Destroys all creatures.
- Damnation: Destroys all creatures.
- Shatter the Sky: Destroys all creatures, and you draw a card if you controlled a creature with power 4 or greater.
- Austere Command: Lets you choose two modes from destroying all artifacts, all enchantments, all creatures with converted mana cost 3 or less, and all creatures with converted mana cost 4 or greater.
- Farewell: Exiles all creatures, artifacts, enchantments, and graveyards.
Crucially, most board wipes do not target. They simply state that all creatures (or permanents of a certain type) are affected. Since protection only prevents targeting, it’s ineffective against these general effects.
The Exception to the Rule: Targeted Board Wipes
There are rare instances where a “board wipe” might technically target. These are usually effects that specifically target each creature individually as part of their resolution. For example, a hypothetical spell that says “Destroy each creature. You may target each creature you control.” This, in theory, interacts with Protection because each creature is being individually targeted, as opposed to an overall effect. These are not common, and most actual board wipes avoid targeting.
Protection From Color FAQs
To further clarify the interaction between protection and board wipes, here are some frequently asked questions:
1. Does Protection From White Stop Wrath of God?
No. Wrath of God destroys all creatures. It doesn’t target, deal damage, or attempt to enchant/equip.
2. Does Protection From Black Stop Damnation?
No. Similar to Wrath of God, Damnation is a non-targeting destroy effect.
3. If a Board Wipe Deals Damage, Does Protection Help?
Yes, but it’s rare. If a board wipe dealt damage to all creatures (e.g., a red spell that deals 3 damage to each creature), then protection from the color of that spell would prevent the damage to the protected creature. However, most board wipes opt for destruction or exile.
4. Does Protection From Color Work Against Multicolor Board Wipes?
No. While protection from a single color stops effects of that color, multicolor spells count as all of their colors. So protection from white doesn’t stop Boros Charm from granting Indestructible to your creatures.
5. Does Protection From Colorless Exist, and Would it Stop Board Wipes?
Currently, there are no cards that grant “protection from colorless.” If such a card existed, it would function like other protection abilities, stopping damage, targeting, equipping/enchanting, and blocking from colorless sources. It would not stop a board wipe unless that board wipe specifically targeted each creature individually (an uncommon scenario).
6. Does Indestructible Protect From All Board Wipes?
Not all board wipes are created equal. Indestructible protects from destruction. However, it doesn’t protect from effects that exile creatures or reduce their toughness to zero (e.g., -X/-X effects). So, Indestructible stops Wrath of God, but not Farewell, or Toxic Deluge.
7. Does Hexproof or Shroud Protect From Board Wipes?
No. Hexproof and Shroud only prevent targeting. Since most board wipes don’t target, these abilities offer no protection.
8. Do Shield Counters Prevent Board Wipes?
Shield counters prevent damage and destruction. A board wipe that destroys creatures will be stopped.
9. How Can I Protect My Creatures From Board Wipes?
There are several strategies:
- Indestructibility: Spells like Boros Charm, or Make an Example grant Indestructible.
- Regeneration: Some effects allow you to regenerate creatures, returning them to the battlefield tapped when they would be destroyed.
- Leaving Creatures in Hand: Don’t overextend onto the board. Hold back some creatures to rebuild after a wipe.
- Counterspells: Counter the board wipe itself!
- Exile Protection: Some cards protect from exile.
10. What About “The One Ring” Saga? Does Its First Chapter Protect From Board Wipes?
The first chapter of The One Ring tempts you with the ring and gives a creature a shield counter. Shield counters prevent damage or destruction of a creature the first time they would be destroyed. This means it would prevent destruction from a board wipe.
11. Does the Color of Clothing Protect Against Board Wipes?
No. This is not a Magic: The Gathering mechanic. This relates to real-world UV protection. Darker colors generally offer more protection from the sun’s UV rays in clothing.
12. How Many Board Wipes Should I Run in My Deck?
The number of board wipes you should include in your deck depends on your strategy and the format you’re playing. Generally, 3-4 is a good starting point, but some decks may benefit from more or fewer. This amount may need to change due to the current metagame in your area.
13. What Colors Are Best Known for Board Wipes?
White is the primary color for board wipes, with black also having access to many powerful options. Red often has damage-based board wipes, and blue sometimes has bounce effects that return creatures to their owner’s hands.
14. Can a Board Wipe Target Specific Types of Permanents?
Yes. Board wipes can target specific permanent types. For example, a board wipe might destroy all artifacts or all enchantments.
15. Is the Games Learning Society a Good Resource for Learning More About Games?
Yes, the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org is a fantastic resource! The Games Learning Society explores the educational and social impact of games. It would be an excellent resource for learning and discovery.
Conclusion
While protection from a color is a powerful ability in Magic: The Gathering, it’s not a universal shield. It’s highly effective against targeted spells, damage, and certain other effects, but it generally falls short against the sweeping effects of most board wipes. Understanding the nuances of protection and how it interacts with other mechanics is crucial for effective gameplay and deckbuilding. By knowing when protection will save your creatures and when it won’t, you can make more informed decisions and ultimately improve your win rate.