Understanding the Trample Ability: A Comprehensive Guide
The trample ability is a cornerstone mechanic found primarily in green and, increasingly, red in various collectible card games and tabletop RPGs. Simply put, trample allows a creature to deal excess combat damage to the defending player (or planeswalker/battle) it’s attacking, even if the creature is blocked. Instead of all damage being absorbed by the blocker, any damage exceeding what’s needed to assign lethal damage to that blocker “tramples over” to the intended target. It’s an aggressive mechanic that rewards overwhelming force and ensures that even a blocked attack can still deal a significant blow.
How Trample Works in Detail
Assigning Combat Damage with Trample
The key to understanding trample lies in the combat damage step. When an attacking creature with trample is blocked, its controller first assigns damage to the creature(s) blocking it. The crucial part is that you only need to assign lethal damage to each blocking creature. Lethal damage doesn’t necessarily mean dealing damage equal to the creature’s toughness. It means assigning enough damage that would destroy the creature if it didn’t have abilities like indestructible or regeneration.
Any remaining damage, the “excess damage”, can then be assigned as the attacker’s controller chooses, either back to the blocking creature (although this rarely makes sense strategically) or to the defending player, planeswalker, or battle being attacked. This choice is made during the combat damage assignment, providing a strategic element to the attack.
Example Scenario
Imagine you’re attacking with a 5/5 creature with trample, and it’s blocked by a 2/2 creature. You must assign at least 2 damage to the 2/2 blocker (its toughness) to fulfill the lethal damage requirement. The remaining 3 damage can then be assigned to the defending player, effectively dealing 3 damage to them directly.
Trample Beyond the Basics: Important Considerations
Trample isn’t just about brute force; it introduces layers of tactical thinking. Understanding its interactions with other keywords and effects is crucial for maximizing its effectiveness. Trample has a lot of interactions with other mechanics that change how the game plays.
Trample FAQs: Your Burning Questions Answered
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the intricacies of the trample ability:
1. Is Trample an Activated Ability?
No. Trample is a static ability that modifies the rules for assigning combat damage. It’s always “on” when a creature with trample is attacking and blocked.
2. Does Trample Work When Blocking?
No. Trample only functions when a creature with trample is attacking. It has no effect when the creature is blocking.
3. Does Deathtouch Stop Trample?
No. Deathtouch doesn’t prevent trample. If an attacking creature with trample is blocked and deals even 1 damage to the blocker (due to deathtouch), that’s considered lethal damage. The remaining damage then tramples over to the defending player. The blocker will be destroyed due to deathtouch, and the player will still take the excess damage.
4. Does Indestructible Stop Trample?
Indestructible creatures don’t stop trample. You still need to assign lethal damage to the indestructible creature, but that doesn’t mean assigning damage equal to its toughness if deathtouch is in play. Since indestructible creatures can’t be destroyed by damage, it may be wise to assign only one damage to the indestructible creature with deathtouch and the rest of the damage to the player if you have deathtouch.
5. How Does Toxic Work with Trample?
The toxic ability adds poison counters to a player when a creature with toxic deals combat damage to them. Trample doesn’t affect the number of poison counters applied. If a creature with trample and toxic deals any damage to a player after assigning lethal damage to blockers, the player receives the specified number of poison counters, regardless of the amount of trample damage. The amount of damage dealt and the amount of poison counters given are two seperate things.
6. Does Trample Work on Flying Creatures?
Trample works if a creature with trample is blocked by a flying creature. The normal rules of trample apply. If a creature with trample attacks a player, it can deal damage to the player if there are no blockers on the ground or in the air.
7. How is Trample Damage Assigned?
The controller of the attacking creature with trample assigns damage. First, assign lethal damage to each blocking creature. Then, assign any remaining damage as desired to the blocking creatures or the defending player/planeswalker/battle.
8. Does Trample Go Through Fog?
Yes. A “Fog” effect prevents combat damage. However, the trample ability still functions. You must assign lethal damage to the creature protected by the fog effect, but any excess damage still gets assigned to the target being attacked, even if it is later prevented.
9. Does Trample Go Through Shield Counters?
Shield counters don’t affect the trample ability. The attacker still needs to assign lethal damage to blockers, unaffected by the presence of shield counters on those blockers.
10. Does Trample Go Through Hexproof?
Hexproof prevents a creature from being targeted by spells or abilities your opponents control. It doesn’t interact directly with trample. Trample only comes into play during combat damage assignment, not during the selection of targets for spells or abilities.
11. Does Trample Go Through Planeswalkers?
Creatures can attack planeswalkers. Trample damage doesn’t “jump” from a planeswalker to a player, or vice versa. The damage from the creature can be applied to either the planeswalker being attacked or the player.
12. Does Trample Go Over Power or Toughness?
Trample only requires you to assign lethal damage. Whether that number is less than or equal to the creature’s toughness, trample allows the rest of the damage to go through to the defending player or planeswalker being attacked.
13. Does Protection Absorb Trample?
If a blocking creature has protection from the attacking creature, that creature can’t be damaged by the attacking creature. The rest of the damage can then be assigned to the defending player or planeswalker being attacked.
14. Is Trample Non-Combat Damage?
No. Trample is a modifier to how combat damage is assigned, not a type of damage itself. The damage dealt via trample is still considered combat damage.
15. Does Double Strike Beat Deathtouch?
Yes, against a creature with only Deathtouch. A creature with First Strike or Double Strike deals combat damage before a creature with just Deathtouch. Your First Striking or Double Striking creature with Power 1 or greater will destroy the deathtouch creature before it can deal damage. Note, the deathtouch creature would still deal damage in the normal combat damage step.
Conclusion: Mastering Trample
Trample is more than just a simple keyword; it’s a gateway to aggressive strategies and complex combat scenarios. Understanding its nuances, interactions, and limitations is crucial for any player looking to dominate the battlefield. Keep these principles in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to crushing your opponents with the force of trample! To learn more about game mechanics and the principles of game design, visit the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.
Trample is often best in combination with other card abilities. Understand the intricacies and nuances of trample, and your gameplay will be elevated.