What is Super Trample?
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Super trample is a slang term that refers to a trample-like effect found in starter-level sets, designed to mimic the trample ability without actually using the keyword, often resulting in a more powerful outcome. The trample ability itself is a keyword ability found on creatures, allowing them to deal excess combat damage to the player they’re attacking, even if blocked by another creature.
Understanding Trample and Super Trample
To delve deeper into what super trample is, it’s essential to understand the trample ability and how it works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Trample Ability
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What is the trample ability? The trample ability is a keyword ability found on creatures, allowing them to deal excess combat damage to the player they’re attacking, even if blocked by another creature.
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How does trample work when blocking? When a creature with trample is blocked, any blocking creatures can only absorb combat damage equal to their toughness.
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What is the best card to give creatures trample? One of the best cards for giving creatures trample is Akroma’s Memorial, which also grants flying, first strike, haste, vigilance, and protection from red and black.
Interactions with Other Abilities
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How does trample vs indestructible work? Trample can still deal excess damage to the player if the blocking creature is indestructible, as the creature only needs to receive lethal damage.
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Does trample override indestructible? Trample does not override indestructible in the sense that it can’t destroy an indestructible creature, but it can deal excess damage to the player.
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Does indestructible prevent Deathtouch? Yes, indestructible creatures are immune to Deathtouch because they can’t be destroyed by any amount of combat damage.
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Does trample work over Deathtouch? Yes, trample can work over Deathtouch, and if a creature with trample and Deathtouch is blocked, it only needs to assign 1 combat damage to the blocker before dealing the rest as trample damage.
Combat and Blocking
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Does trample do damage when defending? Trample is specifically an ability that affects how combat damage is assigned during the Combat Damage Step, allowing excess damage to be dealt to the defending player.
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Does first strike beat Deathtouch? A creature with first strike can kill a Deathtouch creature before it has a chance to deal combat damage, thus avoiding the Deathtouch effect.
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Does first strike Deathtouch negate trample? Only if the Deathtouch creature has first strike or double strike and can deal combat damage before the trample creature, potentially negating the trample effect.
Special Cases
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Does trample work on Planeswalkers? No, trample does not work when attacking Planeswalkers, as Planeswalkers have loyalty instead of life totals.
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Can you trample over a creature with protection? Yes, trample can go through protection because the attacker must assign lethal damage to the defending creature, and then they are free to assign the rest to the player.
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Can you sacrifice a blocking creature with trample? Yes, you can block with a creature and then sacrifice it during the declare blockers step, but the attacker won’t assign combat damage to the player unless it has trample.
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Does lifelink work when blocking? Yes, lifelink works when a creature is blocking, as it triggers on any damage dealt by the creature, including when blocking.
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Do board wipes affect indestructible? Board wipes that destroy or damage creatures have no effect on indestructible creatures, but effects that exile or give -X/-X can affect them.