What Does Hexproof Prevent?
Hexproof is a keyword ability in the card game Magic: The Gathering that protects a permanent or player from being the target of spells or abilities controlled by an opponent. In simpler terms, if something has hexproof, your opponents can’t directly aim spells or abilities at it. This makes creatures, enchantments, artifacts, planeswalkers, and even players with hexproof remarkably resilient to direct interference.
Diving Deeper into Hexproof’s Protection
Hexproof’s core function is to grant targeting immunity against your opponents. However, it’s crucial to understand exactly what falls under the umbrella of “targeting” and, perhaps more importantly, what doesn’t.
Essentially, hexproof prevents your opponents from choosing the hexproof object as a target when casting a spell or activating an ability. This encompasses a wide range of detrimental effects, including:
- Direct Damage Spells: Cards like Lightning Bolt or Murder cannot target a creature with hexproof.
- Removal Spells: Spells that destroy or exile permanents, such as Path to Exile or Doom Blade, are ineffective against hexproof permanents.
- Control Effects: Spells and abilities that allow an opponent to gain control of a permanent, like Mind Control, cannot target a permanent with hexproof.
- Aura Spells Controlled by Opponents: Opponents cannot attach Auras they control to a permanent with hexproof.
- Equipment Spells Controlled by Opponents: Similar to auras, equipment spells cannot be attached to a creature with hexproof if controlled by the opponent.
- Abilities that Require Targeting: Many activated or triggered abilities require choosing a target. If something has hexproof, your opponents cannot choose it as a target for these abilities.
Understanding what hexproof doesn’t prevent is equally important:
- Non-Targeting Effects: Hexproof only protects against targeted effects. Spells and abilities that affect the board or a group of permanents without specifically targeting them are still effective. For instance, Wrath of God, which destroys all creatures, will destroy creatures with hexproof.
- Effects Controlled by the Hexproof Object’s Controller: Hexproof only prevents targeting by opponents. The controller of the permanent with hexproof can still target it with their own spells and abilities.
- Combat Damage: Hexproof does not prevent a creature from being dealt combat damage. Creatures with hexproof can still be attacked and blocked as normal.
- “Each” Effects: Effects that say “each creature” are not targeting.
- Effects Caused by Friends or Yourself: Hexproof only stops effects caused by opponents, and not allies.
Strategic Implications of Hexproof
The strategic implications of hexproof are significant. It allows players to protect key creatures or other permanents from removal and control effects, forcing opponents to find alternative strategies. This can create a substantial advantage, especially in decks that rely on specific creatures or planeswalkers to win the game.
Hexproof is often a cornerstone of “Voltron” strategies, where a player aims to suit up a single creature with multiple auras and equipment to create an unstoppable threat. The hexproof ability ensures that the heavily invested creature is difficult to remove, making it a powerful win condition.
Commonly Confused Interactions
One common point of confusion is the difference between hexproof and shroud. Shroud prevents the permanent or player from being targeted by any spell or ability, including those controlled by its own controller. Hexproof, on the other hand, only prevents targeting by opponents.
Another important distinction is that hexproof only applies to targeting. An effect that doesn’t target, such as a board wipe, will still affect permanents with hexproof.
FAQs About Hexproof
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about hexproof to further clarify its function and interactions:
1. Does Hexproof prevent combat damage?
No, hexproof does not prevent combat damage. Creatures with hexproof can still be attacked and blocked as normal.
2. Can my opponent destroy my creature with hexproof using Wrath of God?
Yes, Wrath of God destroys all creatures without targeting, so it bypasses hexproof.
3. Can I target my own creature with hexproof with my pump spells?
Yes, hexproof only prevents targeting by opponents. You can target your own permanent with hexproof using your own spells and abilities.
4. What’s the difference between Hexproof and Shroud?
Hexproof prevents targeting by opponents, while Shroud prevents targeting by any player, including yourself.
5. If I control a permanent with Hexproof, can my opponent attach an Aura they control to it?
No, opponents cannot attach auras to a permanent you control if the permanent has hexproof.
6. Does Hexproof prevent a creature from being sacrificed?
It depends. If the sacrifice is part of the cost of an ability (and not the effect), the sacrifice will not be impacted. If the sacrifice is part of an effect being targetted, then no, hexproof would prevent it.
7. Can an opponent bounce (return to hand) a creature with hexproof?
It depends on the method used. If the effect targets the creature, such as a spell like Unsummon, the answer is no. However, if the effect doesn’t target, such as a mass bounce effect like Evacuation, the answer is yes.
8. Does Hexproof protect against triggered abilities?
Yes, if the triggered ability targets. For example, if an opponent’s creature has an ability that triggers when it enters the battlefield and targets a creature, that ability cannot target a creature with hexproof. If the ability does not target, then hexproof will not prevent the ability from working.
9. If my opponent controls multiple creatures with hexproof, can I cast a spell that says “Destroy all creatures”?
Yes, a spell that destroys all creatures does not target, so it will destroy creatures with hexproof.
10. Can I use an equipment to suit up a creature with Hexproof my opponent controls?
No, you can’t attach equipment to a creature with hexproof that is controlled by an opponent.
11. If a spell requires me to choose a creature without targeting, will it get around Hexproof?
It depends. If the card says “choose a creature” there is no targeting, so the creature cannot be prevented from being chosen. If the card says “target a creature” then yes, hexproof will stop this.
12. Does Hexproof stop me from blocking?
No, blocking is a part of combat. Hexproof does not prevent a creature from being blocked.
13. Can my opponent copy my Hexproof creature?
Yes. A spell or ability that creates a copy of a creature does not target the original creature, therefore hexproof does not stop it.
14. If I have an enchantment that gives all creatures -1/-1, will that affect my opponent’s creatures with hexproof?
Yes. An effect that says “all creatures” is an effect that does not target creatures.
15. What is considered an “opponent” for Hexproof?
“Opponent” refers to a player you are playing against in a game. In a multiplayer game, it’s any player other than yourself. If you are playing on a team, your opponent is any player on the opposing team.