Decoding the Ultimate Defense: A Deep Dive into Protection from Everything in Magic: The Gathering
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What happens when a player achieves the seemingly impenetrable defense of protection from everything in Magic: The Gathering? It’s a powerful, albeit rare, state that significantly alters the dynamics of the game. Essentially, a player with protection from everything gains immunity from a wide range of harmful effects, but it’s crucial to understand the precise limitations and interactions. In simple terms, a player with protection from everything:
- Prevents all damage that would be dealt to them.
- Cannot have Auras attached to them.
- Cannot be targeted by spells or abilities.
This may sound invincible, but it’s not a complete shield. It only protects against actions that meet those three criteria. Let’s break down what that means and, more importantly, what it doesn’t mean.
The Nuances of Protection from Everything
The key to understanding protection from everything lies in the word “everything“. It’s not a blanket immunity to all card effects. The protection only covers things that would deal damage, attempt to attach Auras, or directly target the protected player.
For example, a global effect like a board wipe that destroys all creatures on the battlefield will still affect the creatures controlled by a player with protection from everything, because board wipes do not target the player directly. Similarly, if a card forces a player to sacrifice a permanent, the protection from everything doesn’t stop the sacrifice, as the player is making a choice, not being targeted.
Protection from everything does make attacking a very difficult proposition, because all damage to the player is prevented. However, it does not stop other players from developing their board state, casting non-targeting spells, or using abilities that affect the game in a global way.
Limitations and Interactions
It’s also crucial to note that protection from everything only prevents the specified events: damage prevention, Aura attachment prevention, and targeting prevention. It doesn’t inherently prevent card draw, mana loss, or other indirect effects. For instance, a card that causes all players to discard cards will still force a player with protection from everything to discard, because it’s not targeting the player. This subtle difference is key to navigating the game when facing this type of protection.
Finally, it’s important to understand that protection from everything is usually granted by specific cards or abilities. It’s not an inherent game state. This makes it a powerful, temporary advantage, rather than a constant, insurmountable barrier.
The Role of Targeting
The restriction on targeting is arguably the most impactful aspect of protection from everything. Opponents cannot cast spells like direct damage spells or use abilities that specifically target the protected player. This shuts down many common strategies and forces opponents to find alternative methods of interaction. However, remember that non-targeting effects still work.
Bypassing Protection
While protection from everything is strong, it’s not unbeatable. Here are some common ways to bypass it:
- Board wipes: As mentioned before, these destroy or exile creatures without targeting players.
- Forcing sacrifices: Effects that force a player to sacrifice permanents don’t target.
- Non-targeting discard effects: Forcing a player to discard cards at random.
- Commander Tax: If the protected player is a Commander, the commander tax still applies to future castings.
- Effects that prevent protection: Some rare cards exist that circumvent protection abilities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Protection from Everything
Let’s address some common questions about this complex game mechanic.
Q1: Does protection from everything protect from combat damage?
Yes, protection from everything prevents all damage, including combat damage, that would be dealt to the protected player.
Q2: Does protection from everything protect from board wipes?
No, protection from everything does not protect a player’s creatures from board wipes because board wipes typically do not target players. They affect all creatures on the battlefield, regardless of who controls them.
Q3: Can a player with protection from everything be attacked?
Yes, a player with protection from everything can be attacked. However, any combat damage that would be dealt to them is prevented.
Q4: Does protection from everything stop me from being forced to sacrifice a permanent?
No, protection from everything does not stop effects that force you to sacrifice a permanent. Sacrificing isn’t targeting.
Q5: Can I attach an Aura to a player with protection from everything?
No, protection from everything explicitly prevents Auras from being attached to the protected player.
Q6: Does protection from everything prevent me from being targeted by my own spells?
No, protection from everything prevents you from being the target of spells and abilities controlled by your opponents, not your own.
Q7: Does indestructible beat Deathtouch?
Yes, indestructible creatures ignore deathtouch. Since indestructible creatures can’t be destroyed, they’re immune to deathtouch’s destroy effect.
Q8: Can you have protection from colorless?
Currently, there are no cards that grant “protection from colorless.” If such a card existed, it would function similarly to other protection abilities.
Q9: Does protection from everything protect from Commander damage?
While protection from everything prevents damage, including combat damage from a Commander, some effects state that damage cannot be prevented. In those cases, Commander damage can still be applied, even if no life loss occurs.
Q10: Can I block a creature with protection from everything?
If a creature has protection from everything, it cannot be blocked. This is because blocking is prevented.
Q11: Can you copy a creature with protection from everything?
Yes, you can copy a creature with protection from everything using cards like Clone. Copying doesn’t target or affect the original creature.
Q12: Does shroud protect from board wipes?
Yes, shroud does protect from spells that target. But shroud does not protect from board wipes because they are non-targeted.
Q13: Can I unequip equipment on a creature with shroud or protection?
The ability to unequip equipment depends on the situation. Generally, you cannot unequip equipment by targeting the creature. You may have to find another creature to equip Lightning Greaves to before targetting the creature again.
Q14: Does Double Strike beat Deathtouch?
Yes, if a creature with double strike blocks a creature with deathtouch, and the first strike damage is lethal to the deathtouch creature, the double strike creature survives.
Q15: Does 0 damage trigger Deathtouch?
No, deathtouch requires a source to deal an amount of damage bigger than zero. Zero damage will not trigger it.
Mastering Protection
Understanding protection from everything is a crucial part of mastering Magic: The Gathering. It’s not an “I win” button, but it’s a powerful defensive ability that can drastically change the course of a game. By understanding its limitations and the ways to play around it, you can effectively counter strategies that rely on it and improve your overall gameplay. Always analyze the board state, consider all available options, and remember that even the strongest defenses have their weaknesses.
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