Does Totem Armor Stop Deathtouch?

▶

Totem armor indeed stops Deathtouch by completely replacing the destruction event with destroying the Aura and removing all damage from the creature, thus saving it from being destroyed. This means that if a creature enchanted with an Aura that has totem armor is dealt lethal damage by a source with Deathtouch, the totem armor‘s effect will replace the destruction event and save the creature.

Understanding Totem Armor

What is Totem Armor?

Totem armor is a static ability on an Aura that prevents the enchanted creature from being destroyed, sacrificing itself in the creature’s place instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Totem Armor Rule? The totem armor effect is mandatory, and you can’t choose to have the creature die instead. Totem armor only works with destroy effects, like damage or spells that say “destroy.” If the enchanted permanent gets sacrificed, exiled, bounced, or anything else, the Aura doesn’t do anything special.

2. Does Totem Armor Protect from Combat Damage? Yes, totem armor completely replaces the destruction event with destroying the Aura and removing all damage from the creature, so it never leaves the battlefield and hence never leaves combat.

3. Does Totem Armor Prevent Sacrifice? No, totem armor has no effect if the enchanted permanent is put into a graveyard for any other reason, such as if it’s sacrificed.

4. Do Totem Armors Stack? If a permanent you control is enchanted with multiple Auras that have totem armor, and the enchanted permanent would be destroyed, one of those Auras is destroyed instead — but only one of them.

5. Does Totem Armor Protect from Exile? No, totem armor only prevents destruction, not exile or other forms of removal.

6. Does Totem Armor Regenerate? Totem armor‘s effect is not regeneration. Specifically, if totem armor‘s effect is applied, the enchanted permanent does not become tapped and is not removed from combat as a result.

7. How Does Totem Armor Work on Planeswalkers? Totem armor doesn’t help when a Planeswalker gets down to 0 loyalty, as it is simply put into the graveyard as a State-Based Action.

8. What is Damage on Full Life Totem? Damage on Full Life is a support gem that grants more damage made with the supported attack skill, but only when the player is on full life.

9. Is it Better to Hold a Shield or a Totem? The shield is better in direct combat, but if you want to escape a fight or survive at extremely low health, then Totem of Undying is the better option.

10. Should I Use a Shield or a Totem? Shields block all damage and, with unbreaking 3, you can make them last a pretty long time, but totems aren’t regularly useful until the one moment they very much are.

11. What Does Cursed Totem Stop? Cursed Totem stops players from activating mana abilities of creatures. Other abilities of creatures, including static abilities and triggered abilities, are unaffected.

12. Do Auras Have Totem Armor? Auras attached to permanents you control have totem armor, which means if an enchanted permanent you control would be destroyed, instead remove all damage from it and destroy an Aura attached to it.

13. Can Estrid Mask Herself? Yes, Estrid wears many faces, only occasionally wearing her own, as she is an enchantress able to hide herself and others behind a mask.

14. Does Blazing Archon Protect Planeswalkers? Unless some effect explicitly says otherwise, a creature that can’t attack you can still attack a planeswalker you control, and Blazing Archon has a ruling that says otherwise.

15. How Do 1/+1 Counters Work with Planeswalkers? Non-creature permanents can have +1/+1 counters on them; they just don’t do anything until the permanent becomes a creature.