Does Protection From Everything Stop Deathtouch? Decoding Magic’s Defenses
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The short answer is yes, protection from everything completely stops deathtouch. A creature with protection from everything cannot be dealt damage by anything, regardless of whether that damage is from a source with deathtouch. Protection from everything encompasses all sources of damage, making the deathtouch ability irrelevant. This interaction highlights the complex layers of keywords and abilities that make Magic: The Gathering such a strategic and engaging game.
Understanding the Mechanics
To fully grasp why protection from everything shuts down deathtouch, we need to delve into the specifics of each ability.
Deathtouch: Instant Lethality
Deathtouch is a keyword ability that means any amount of damage a creature deals to another creature is considered lethal damage. This is particularly effective against creatures with high toughness, as even a 1/1 creature with deathtouch can take down a massive behemoth. However, the important thing to remember is that deathtouch only works if damage is actually dealt.
Protection from Everything: The Ultimate Shield
Protection from everything is one of the most powerful protective abilities in Magic. It grants the permanent (usually a creature) four key defenses:
- It can’t be damaged by anything.
- It can’t be enchanted or equipped by anything.
- It can’t be targeted by anything.
- It can’t be blocked by anything.
The first point is what matters in this deathtouch scenario. Since a creature with protection from everything can’t be damaged, the deathtouch ability has no effect. The damage is simply prevented. The creature survives unharmed.
How Protection Works: A Deeper Dive
Protection abilities always specify a quality – in this case, “everything.” This means that every single source is prevented from doing the things listed above (damaging, enchanting, targeting, blocking). Protection doesn’t counter spells, it prevents specific interactions from resolving.
The Importance of Prevention
The key word here is prevention. Damage is prevented before it’s ever dealt. This is what makes protection so effective against deathtouch. Deathtouch only matters when damage is being dealt.
FAQs: Unpacking the Nuances of Protection
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify how protection interacts with various other abilities and effects in Magic: The Gathering.
Does Protection From Everything Stop Board Wipes?
No. Protection from everything only prevents targeting, damaging, enchanting/equipping, and blocking. Board wipes that don’t target, such as Wrath of God or Damnation, will still affect a creature with protection from everything. The creature will be destroyed or sacrificed as the spell dictates.
Does Protection From Everything Stop Sacrifice Effects?
No. Cards like “All is Dust” force players to sacrifice permanents, and protection from everything does not prevent this. Sacrifice effects do not target, damage, enchant/equip, or block, so they bypass the protection.
Does Protection From Everything Stop -1/-1 Counters?
It depends. If a spell or ability targets a creature with protection from everything and tries to place -1/-1 counters on it, then protection will prevent this. However, if the counters are placed by an effect that doesn’t target, the protection won’t stop it.
Can You Target a Creature With Protection Using an Ability?
No. One of the core tenets of protection is that the protected permanent cannot be targeted. Therefore, an ability cannot target a creature with protection from everything.
Can You Equip an Equipment Onto a Creature With Protection From Everything?
No. Similar to targeting, protection from everything prevents any equipment from being attached to the protected creature.
Can You Enchant a Creature With an Aura If It Has Protection From Everything?
No. Auras that try to enchant a creature with protection from everything will be unable to attach to it. The Aura spell would fizzle upon resolution, as it is unable to legally attach to the target creature.
Does Protection From Everything Stop Trample Damage?
No. Protection from everything will prevent the damage dealt to the creature with protection, but it does not stop trample damage. The attacker with trample will still assign lethal damage to the creature with protection, and then the excess damage can be assigned to the defending player or planeswalker.
Does Protection From Everything Stop an Opponent From Blocking With A Creature?
Yes. A creature with protection from everything cannot be blocked by any creatures. This is part of the broader protection ability, making it a powerful offensive tool.
Can You Counter a Spell That Gives a Creature Protection From Everything?
Yes. Protection from everything only applies once the ability is in effect. You can counter the spell or ability that would grant protection from everything, preventing the protection from ever coming into play.
Does Protection From Everything Prevent Exile?
No. Many exile effects, like Swords to Plowshares, target a creature. However, many board wipes exile all creatures without targeting. Protection does not stop effects that exile without targeting.
If I Give My Creature Protection From Everything After It Is Targeted, Does the Target Still Work?
It depends on the wording of the spell or ability that targeted your creature. If the spell targeted when it was cast, the protection from everything may not be in place early enough to affect the spell.
Does Indestructible Stop Deathtouch?
Yes. Indestructible creatures cannot be destroyed by damage or “destroy” effects. Since deathtouch relies on destroying a creature that has been dealt damage, indestructible effectively negates deathtouch.
Does Protection From Everything Stop Lifelink?
Yes and No. Protection from everything will prevent the damage dealt to the creature with protection, which would stop life from being gained by the attacking creature with lifelink. However, damage done to other creatures will still allow the attacking creature to gain life from those creatures.
Does Protection From Everything Stop Infect?
Yes. Protection will prevent the damage, therefore you will not gain poison counters.
Can I Give a Creature Protection From Everything?
Yes, there are cards like “Akroma’s Will” that can grant a creature protection from everything until end of turn. This can be a powerful way to protect your key creatures from removal or combat damage.
Conclusion: Protection as a Strategic Tool
Protection from everything is a potent defensive ability in Magic: The Gathering, providing comprehensive protection against a wide range of threats, including deathtouch. Understanding how protection interacts with other keywords and effects is crucial for mastering the game’s strategic depth. By carefully deploying protection abilities, you can safeguard your creatures and gain a significant advantage over your opponents.
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