Hexproof vs. Indestructible: Which MTG Ability Reigns Supreme?
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The age-old question in Magic: The Gathering – Is Hexproof better than indestructible? There’s no simple “yes” or “no” answer. It hinges entirely on the game state, your opponent’s deck, and your overall strategy. However, generally speaking, Indestructible is often considered the slightly stronger ability. This is because it protects against a wider range of effects, specifically damage and destruction, the most common forms of removal. However, Hexproof offers protection from targeted spells and abilities, which can be crucial in avoiding pinpoint removal and debilitating Auras. Both are powerful, but their strengths and weaknesses lie in the specific threats they defend against. Understanding these nuances is vital for effective deck building and gameplay.
Understanding the Power of Hexproof
Hexproof provides a creature (or player, or permanent) with the ability to shrug off targeted spells and abilities controlled by your opponents. Think of it as a personal force field that blocks anything aiming specifically at it. This means no targeted removal spells like “Murder,” no Auras like “Pacifism” that turn your creature into a harmless blocker, and no planeswalker abilities that would otherwise weaken or eliminate your threat.
However, Hexproof has limitations. It doesn’t protect against:
- Board wipes like “Wrath of God” or “Blasphemous Act” that affect all creatures on the battlefield.
- Sacrifice effects that force your opponent to sacrifice a creature.
- Combat damage.
- Effects that reduce toughness to 0.
Decoding the Resilience of Indestructible
Indestructible grants a permanent (usually a creature) immunity to destruction effects and damage that would reduce its toughness to 0. Imagine a tank that can shrug off direct hits. This means your indestructible creature can survive:
- Direct damage spells like “Lightning Bolt”.
- Destroy effects from cards like “Doom Blade”.
- Combat damage (it will still be dealt damage but not destroyed by it).
- Effects that state “destroy all creatures”.
The key weaknesses of Indestructible include:
- Exile effects. A card like “Swords to Plowshares” completely removes the creature from the game.
- Effects that reduce toughness to 0 (e.g., infect or -X/-X effects).
- Sacrifice effects.
- “Tucking” effects that put the creature into its owner’s library or hand.
Hexproof vs. Indestructible: A Head-to-Head Comparison
Here’s a simple table summarizing the key differences:
| Feature | Hexproof | Indestructible |
|---|---|---|
| —————– | —————————————————————————————————————– | ————————————————————————————————————— |
| Protects From | Targeted spells and abilities controlled by opponents. | Destruction effects and damage that would reduce toughness to 0. |
| Vulnerable To | Board wipes, sacrifice effects, combat damage, effects reducing toughness to 0. | Exile effects, effects reducing toughness to 0, sacrifice effects, “tucking” effects. |
| Best Against | Decks relying on single-target removal. | Decks relying on damage-based removal and destroy effects. |
| Worst Against | Decks with board wipes, sacrifice effects, or effects that don’t target. | Decks with exile effects, infect, or sacrifice effects. |
Making the Right Choice: Deck Building Considerations
When deciding whether to prioritize Hexproof or Indestructible in your deck, consider the following:
- Your deck’s strategy: Are you building a Voltron strategy that relies on a single, powerful creature? Hexproof might be more valuable to protect your investment from targeted removal. Or are you trying to survive massive waves of creatures by including indestructible creatures?
- The metagame: What decks are popular in your playgroup or tournament scene? If you frequently face decks with targeted removal, Hexproof is a strong choice. If board wipes and sacrifice effects are common, Indestructible might be a better option or perhaps both abilities are needed.
- Synergy with other cards: Do you have cards that can protect your creatures from board wipes or exile effects? If so, you might be able to focus on the other ability.
Ultimately, the “better” ability depends on the specific context of your deck and the challenges you expect to face. Both abilities can be incredibly powerful, and understanding their strengths and weaknesses is crucial for success in MTG.
FAQs: Hexproof and Indestructible Deep Dive
1. Does Hexproof stop auras my opponent controls?
No, Hexproof only prevents your opponent from targeting the creature with new auras. If an aura is already attached, Hexproof won’t cause it to fall off.
2. Can you enchant a creature with hexproof?
Yes, but only if you control the aura. Hexproof only prevents your opponents from targeting the creature.
3. Does indestructible prevent 0 toughness?
No. If a creature’s toughness is reduced to 0 or less, it will still die, even if it has indestructible.
4. Can you exile an indestructible creature?
Yes. Indestructible only protects against destruction effects and damage, not exile effects.
5. Does infect beat indestructible?
Yes. Infect gives creatures -1/-1 counters, reducing their toughness. If the toughness is reduced to 0 or less, the indestructible creature dies.
6. Does sacrificing work on indestructible?
Yes. Indestructible does not protect against sacrifice effects.
7. Does deathtouch kill an indestructible creature?
No. Deathtouch makes any amount of damage lethal damage, but indestructible creatures cannot be destroyed by lethal damage.
8. Does Hexproof stop board wipes?
No. Board wipes that don’t target individual creatures, like Wrath of God, affect all creatures regardless of Hexproof.
9. Does Hexproof stop sacrifice effects?
No. If a spell or ability forces a player to sacrifice a creature, Hexproof does not prevent them from sacrificing a creature with Hexproof.
10. Does Hexproof stop trample damage from deathtouch?
Yes. If the creature with Hexproof is the only creature blocking, the attacking creature with Deathtouch must assign lethal damage. Since the Hexproof creature is not the target of any spell, effect, or ability, the trample damage is reduced to zero.
11. How many board wipes is too many?
This depends on your deck and play style, but generally, 3-5 board wipes is a good starting point.
12. Does Hexproof prevent counterspell?
No. Hexproof only applies to permanents on the battlefield, not to spells on the stack. A creature spell with Hexproof can still be countered.
13. Does Hexproof stop instants?
No, Hexproof only affects permanents on the battlefield. A creature spell with Hexproof can still be targeted by instants.
14. Does Hexproof protect from Planeswalkers?
Hexproof protects against Planeswalker abilities that target a creature. However, board wipes will still affect Hexproof creatures.
15. Why use shroud over Hexproof?
Shroud prevents a permanent from being targeted by anyone, including its controller, while Hexproof only prevents opponents from targeting it. Shroud is rarely preferred, as the inability to target your own card can severely limit strategy. You can learn about deck-building strategies and more at the Games Learning Society website.