Conquering the Unbreakable: What Kills Indestructible in Magic: The Gathering?
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Indestructible. It sounds like an insurmountable obstacle on the Magic: The Gathering battlefield. However, even the mightiest fortress has its weaknesses. While creatures with indestructible can’t be destroyed by damage or effects that specifically use the word “destroy,” several cunning strategies can effectively remove these resilient permanents from the game.
The key to defeating indestructible lies in bypassing the destroy mechanic altogether. You can conquer the unbreakable by:
- Exiling the creature.
- Reducing its toughness to 0 or less.
- Forcing your opponent to sacrifice the creature.
- Bouncing the creature back to your opponent’s hand.
- Putting the creature into your opponent’s library.
- Giving it a significant number of -1/-1 counters
- Enchanting them out of action.
- Discarding It from Your Opponent’s Hand
Let’s explore these methods in more detail.
Bypassing Destruction: The Strategies to Use
Exile: The Ultimate Removal
Exile is perhaps the most reliable way to deal with an indestructible creature. Effects that exile a permanent completely remove it from the game, bypassing its indestructible ability. Cards like Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, and Anguished Unmaking are prime examples of efficient exile removal.
Toughness Reduction: The Power of Negative Counters
While damage can’t destroy an indestructible creature, reducing its toughness to 0 or less will still send it to the graveyard. This is typically achieved using -1/-1 counters. Cards like Black Sun’s Zenith and Plague Wind can distribute these counters across the board, effectively eliminating even the sturdiest threats. Note that effects that simply deal damage, even a great amount, do not reduce a creatures toughness.
Sacrifice Effects: Turning the Tables
Sacrifice effects force your opponent to choose and sacrifice a permanent they control. Since sacrificing doesn’t involve “destroying” the creature, indestructible provides no protection. Cards like Diabolic Edict and Grave Pact can put your opponent in a difficult position, forcing them to sacrifice their prized indestructible creature or suffer other consequences.
Bouncing and Library Manipulation: Temporary Solutions
“Bouncing” a creature back to your opponent’s hand using spells like Unsummon or Repulse doesn’t permanently deal with it, but it can buy you valuable time. Similarly, placing the indestructible creature into your opponent’s library with cards like Hinder or Condemn delays the threat, forcing your opponent to redraw it later. While not permanent solutions, these tactics can disrupt your opponent’s strategy and swing the game in your favor.
Enchantment: Pacifism and Beyond
While not strictly “killing” the creature, certain enchantments can effectively neutralize an indestructible threat. Pacifism prevents the creature from attacking or blocking, rendering it harmless. Other enchantments can tap the creature repeatedly or give it negative abilities, effectively taking it out of the game.
Hand Discard
This can only work before it hits the battlefield, but it can work.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Indestructible
1. Can combat damage kill an indestructible creature?
No. Indestructible creatures are immune to destruction by combat damage. Damage, in general, does not kill them unless that damage places -1/-1 counters to reduce their toughness to zero. A 1000/1000 indestructible creature will shrug off a 1/1 attacking it all day.
2. Does deathtouch kill an indestructible creature?
No. Deathtouch normally destroys a creature when it’s dealt damage. However, indestructible prevents the destruction from the damage, so the deathtouch ability is negated.
3. Can infect kill an indestructible creature?
Yes. Infect deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters. If enough -1/-1 counters are placed on an indestructible creature to reduce its toughness to 0 or less, the creature will be put into the graveyard.
4. Does a board wipe kill an indestructible creature?
It depends on the board wipe. If the board wipe destroys creatures, it will have no effect on indestructible creatures. However, if the board wipe exiles creatures or gives them -X/-X, it can overcome indestructible.
5. Can I target an indestructible creature with a “destroy” spell?
Yes. You can target an indestructible creature with a “destroy” spell. The spell will resolve, but the indestructible ability will prevent the creature from being destroyed.
6. What happens if an indestructible creature blocks a creature with trample?
The trample damage still applies. You must assign lethal damage to the indestructible creature before any excess damage can be assigned to the defending player. Since indestructible creatures cannot be destroyed, that amount is considered any amount of damage.
7. Can indestructible creatures be sacrificed?
Yes. Indestructible only prevents destruction effects. Sacrificing a creature is not destruction, so the creature can be sacrificed.
8. Does hexproof prevent me from sacrificing my own indestructible creature?
No. Hexproof only prevents your opponents from targeting the creature with spells or abilities. You can still target your own creature with spells and abilities, including sacrifice effects.
9. Can I proliferate -1/-1 counters on an indestructible creature?
Yes. You can proliferate -1/-1 counters on an indestructible creature. Proliferate adds an additional counter of each type already on a permanent. If the creature already has -1/-1 counters, proliferating will add more, potentially reducing its toughness to 0 or less.
10. How does indestructible interact with effects that say “destroy all creatures”?
Effects that say “destroy all creatures” will destroy all creatures except those with indestructible. The indestructible ability specifically prevents destruction.
11. If I exile an indestructible creature and it has a “dies” trigger, does that trigger happen?
No. A “dies” trigger only occurs when a creature is put into the graveyard from the battlefield. Since exile removes the creature from the game entirely, the “dies” trigger will not occur.
12. If a creature has both indestructible and hexproof, can I still remove it?
Yes. While hexproof prevents targeting, you can still remove the creature with non-targeting effects like sacrifice effects, board wipes that exile, or effects that give all creatures -X/-X.
13. Can an indestructible permanent also be a planeswalker?
Yes, even planeswalkers can be indestructible.
14. Does indestructible protect against spells?
Indestructible only protects against spells or effects that say “destroy” and from damage. It doesn’t protect against other effects that might target the creature or remove it from the battlefield in other ways.
15. Is there a website for learning more about gaming and education?
Yes! The Games Learning Society offers resources and insights into the intersection of gaming and education. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org for more information.
Conclusion: Mastering the Art of Indestructible Removal
While indestructible creatures may seem unbeatable, a skilled Magic: The Gathering player knows how to exploit their weaknesses. By understanding the various strategies to bypass the “destroy” mechanic, you can overcome these resilient threats and emerge victorious. Whether it’s through exile, toughness reduction, sacrifice effects, or other cunning tactics, the key is to think outside the box and adapt your strategy to the situation. Mastering these techniques will elevate your gameplay and make you a formidable opponent on the battlefield. The creative application of these strategies is just one of the many benefits from the Games Learning Society or GamesLearningSociety.org.