How does Deathtouch effect trample?
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Deathtouch does not prevent trample from occurring, as trample allows a creature to assign excess damage to the defending player after assigning lethal damage to the blocking creature, and deathtouch only affects the blocking creature by dealing lethal damage to it, regardless of the amount of damage dealt. The deathtouch ability will still kill the blocking creature, but any excess damage from the trample creature will still be assigned to the defending player.
Understanding Deathtouch and Trample
To understand how deathtouch affects trample, it’s essential to know how both abilities work. Deathtouch is an ability that deals lethal damage to a creature, regardless of the amount of damage dealt, while trample allows a creature to assign excess damage to the defending player after assigning lethal damage to the blocking creature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Deathtouch and Trample Interactions
- Does deathtouch resolve before trample?: No, all combat damage is done at the same time, so deathtouch and trample resolve simultaneously.
- Does first strike deathtouch negate trample?: No, first strike and deathtouch do not negate trample, but first strike can deal damage to the blocking creature before the trample creature deals damage.
- How does deathtouch trample work against indestructible?: Indestructible creatures are immune to deathtouch, as deathtouch only deals lethal damage, and indestructible creatures cannot be destroyed by damage.
Deathtouch and Trample Rules
- What is deathtouch?: Deathtouch is an ability that deals lethal damage to a creature, regardless of the amount of damage dealt.
- Does trample still go through with deathtouch?: Yes, trample still goes through, but after damage is dealt, both creatures die.
- What wins indestructible vs deathtouch?: Indestructible creatures are immune to deathtouch, as deathtouch only deals lethal damage, and indestructible creatures cannot be destroyed by damage.
Trample Interactions
- Does indestructible stop trample?: No, indestructible creatures still get assigned damage, so the rest can still trample through.
- Does trample damage go through if the creature dies?: Yes, that’s what trample does – any damage beyond lethal can be assigned to the player or planeswalker the trampling creature is attacking.
- Does double strike cancel deathtouch?: No, creatures with deathtouch deal damage during the regular combat damage step, but double strike can deal damage during the first strike damage step, before the deathtouch creature can return fire.
Deathtouch Interactions
- Does blocking with deathtouch work?: Yes, deathtouch works on attacking, blocking, and fighting effects, basically anytime a deathtouch creature deals damage.
- Does deathtouch work if combat damage is prevented?: Technically, deathtouch says that “any amount of damage dealt by a source is enough to kill the creature receiving the damage”, implying the damage has to be dealt in the first place.
- Does deathtouch beat protection?: Yes, if all the damage from a source is prevented (via protection or explicit damage-prevention effects), then no effect that cares about dealing damage will go off, whether a triggered ability or something like deathtouch.
Additional Interactions
- Does hexproof stop deathtouch?: No, hexproof means the creature can’t be the target of spells or abilities your opponent controls, but deathtouch doesn’t target, so hexproof doesn’t prevent it.
- Can planeswalkers be indestructible?: Yes, an indestructible planeswalker would survive a Planar Cleansing or Hero’s Downfall or such effect that says destroy.
- Does indestructible prevent 0/0?: No, indestructible does have its limitations, if a creature’s toughness is reduced to zero, it still dies, even if it has indestructible.