Unveiling the Secrets of Hexproof: What Can Touch the Untouchable?
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Hexproof: It’s the bane of many a Magic: The Gathering player’s existence, a shimmering shield that renders creatures and players seemingly impervious to targeted harm. But fear not, fellow Planeswalkers, for hexproof is not an absolute defense! It’s crucial to understand its limitations to effectively strategize against it. Hexproof only prevents a permanent or player from being the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. So, what can affect a hexproofed entity? Board wipes, sacrifice effects, combat damage, deathtouch, and even your own spells and abilities can all bypass the illusion of invulnerability. Let’s delve into the intricacies of breaking through the hexproof barrier!
Understanding the Limits: What Bypasses Hexproof?
While hexproof is a potent defensive ability, it’s essential to understand its specific limitations:
- Board Wipes: Spells that affect all creatures, like Wrath of God or Damnation, don’t target individual creatures. Therefore, hexproof offers no protection against these global effects.
- Sacrifice Effects: Spells or abilities that force a player to sacrifice a creature, such as Fleshbag Marauder or Liliana’s Triumph, bypass hexproof because they target the player, not the creature.
- Combat Damage: Hexproof does not prevent a creature from being blocked and taking damage in combat. A hexproof creature can still be defeated in a fair fight.
- Deathtouch: This ability works independently of targeting. If a creature with deathtouch deals damage to a hexproof creature, even just 1 point, the hexproof creature will still be destroyed.
- Your Own Spells and Abilities: Hexproof only protects against your opponents’ spells and abilities. You can freely target your own hexproof creatures to buff them, move them around, or otherwise manipulate them.
- Auras Already Attached: Gaining hexproof does not cause existing auras controlled by your opponents to fall off.
- Non-Targeted Graveyard or Library Interaction: Spells and abilities that interact with cards in your graveyard or library without targeting them (e.g., reanimating a hexproof creature from your graveyard with a spell that doesn’t target) are effective.
- Proliferate: This keyword action lets you add counters to permanents. Because proliferate does not use the word “target,” hexproof does not stop you from using it.
- Overload: If a spell has the overload keyword, it does not target creatures.
- Mutate: Mutate can happen to creatures with Hexproof as long as the spells target is not the creature with hexproof.
Breaking Down the Barriers: Practical Examples
Let’s illustrate how these limitations play out in a game scenario. Imagine your opponent has a hexproof creature with significant power and toughness. How can you deal with it?
- Cast a board wipe: Playing a Wrath of God will destroy all creatures on the battlefield, hexproof or not.
- Force a sacrifice: A card like Innocent Blood will force your opponent to sacrifice a creature, likely the hexproof one since it’s the biggest threat.
- Utilize deathtouch: If you have a creature with deathtouch, blocking the hexproof creature will destroy it.
- Attack with a large creature: If your creature is big enough, it can simply overpower the hexproof creature in combat.
- Use a spell with “each creature”: Since Hexproof only works for spells which target. So if someone targets your Hexproof creature in particular, the target spell won’t work. If someone casts Judgment Day, for example, your creature is not targeted in particular, so it will die.
FAQs: Conquering the Confusion Around Hexproof
Still scratching your head about hexproof? Here’s a compilation of frequently asked questions to clarify the ability’s intricacies:
1. Does granting hexproof remove auras?
No, granting hexproof to a permanent or player doesn’t cause opponents’ auras to become unattached. Auras already in play simply remain attached. Hexproof only prevents new auras controlled by opponents from being attached.
2. Does hexproof protect against board wipes?
No. Board wipes, such as Wrath of God or Damnation, affect all creatures on the battlefield and do not target. Hexproof only protects against spells and abilities that target.
3. Does hexproof stop sacrifice effects?
No. Sacrifice effects, like Fleshbag Marauder, target the player, not the creature. The player is then forced to choose a creature to sacrifice.
4. Is hexproof immune to combat damage?
Absolutely not. Hexproof does not prevent a creature from being blocked and dealt damage in combat.
5. Does hexproof stop deathtouch?
No. Deathtouch is a triggered ability that causes any amount of damage dealt by the creature to be lethal. It doesn’t target, so hexproof doesn’t prevent it.
6. Does hexproof stop all spells?
No. Hexproof only stops spells and abilities controlled by your opponents that target the permanent or player with hexproof.
7. Does hexproof stop double strike?
No, hexproof only refers to targeted abilities, so if the ability is not targeted, it will not stop it.
8. Does hexproof stop planeswalker abilities?
Planeswalker abilities that target can’t target objects with hexproof that you do not control.
9. Is hexproof better than indestructible?
Both are powerful defensive abilities but have different weaknesses. Indestructible is vulnerable to exile effects and effects that reduce toughness to zero, while hexproof is vulnerable to board wipes and sacrifice effects.
10. Can you counter a hexproof creature spell?
Yes, you can counter a creature spell with hexproof while it’s on the stack (i.e., before it resolves and enters the battlefield). Hexproof only applies once the creature is on the battlefield.
11. How do I get rid of a hexproof, indestructible creature?
The best way to remove indestructible creatures and hexproof creatures is either by putting a punch of -1/-1s on everything, (I’m looking at you Mutilate and Black Sun’s Zenith ) or by making them sacrifice their creatures.
12. Does hexproof stop blocking?
Hexproof only prevents being targeted. Attacking does not involve targeting.
13. Does “destroy all” destroy hexproof?
Yes, cards with “destroy all …” don’t target the permanents they affect, so Hexproof does not protect them from being destroyed. Generally speaking, if the word ‘target’ doesn’t appear on the card, the spell or ability isn’t targeting.
14. Does hexproof stop proliferate?
Neither hexproof nor shroud or ward do anything against proliferate. The rules text specifically uses the word choose instead of “target.” Since you’re not technically targeting anything, neither of these abilities work against it.
15. Does overload get around hexproof?
Yes. Since overloaded spells don’t target, they can affect creatures with hexproof and shroud.
Mastering the Metagame: Playing Around Hexproof
The key to success against hexproof lies in understanding its limitations and adapting your strategy accordingly. Include board wipes and sacrifice effects in your deck to deal with troublesome hexproof creatures. When facing a deck with a strong hexproof presence, prioritize non-targeted removal and combat tricks. Remember, knowledge is power!
By mastering the intricacies of hexproof, you can transform what once seemed like an insurmountable obstacle into a manageable challenge. Good luck, and may your spells always find their mark!
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