{"id":89995,"date":"2025-03-01T02:41:07","date_gmt":"2025-03-01T02:41:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/?p=89995"},"modified":"2025-03-01T02:41:07","modified_gmt":"2025-03-01T02:41:07","slug":"does-infect-beat-indestructible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/does-infect-beat-indestructible\/","title":{"rendered":"Does infect beat indestructible?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_67_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/does-infect-beat-indestructible\/#Does_Infect_Beat_Indestructible_The_Ultimate_Showdown\" title=\"Does Infect Beat Indestructible? The Ultimate Showdown\">Does Infect Beat Indestructible? The Ultimate Showdown<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/does-infect-beat-indestructible\/#Breaking_Down_Indestructible\" title=\"Breaking Down Indestructible\">Breaking Down Indestructible<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/does-infect-beat-indestructible\/#The_Mechanics_of_Infect\" title=\"The Mechanics of Infect\">The Mechanics of Infect<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/does-infect-beat-indestructible\/#Why_Infect_Bypasses_Indestructible\" title=\"Why Infect Bypasses Indestructible\">Why Infect Bypasses Indestructible<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/does-infect-beat-indestructible\/#FAQs_Mastering_the_Interaction_of_Infect_and_Indestructible\" title=\"FAQs: Mastering the Interaction of Infect and Indestructible\">FAQs: Mastering the Interaction of Infect and Indestructible<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/does-infect-beat-indestructible\/#Final_Thoughts_Infect_as_a_Strategic_Tool\" title=\"Final Thoughts: Infect as a Strategic Tool\">Final Thoughts: Infect as a Strategic Tool<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_Infect_Beat_Indestructible_The_Ultimate_Showdown\"><\/span>Does Infect Beat Indestructible? The Ultimate Showdown<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>Yes, <strong>infect can indeed &#8220;beat&#8221; indestructible<\/strong>, though not in the way you might initially think. Indestructible protects a creature from being <strong>destroyed by damage<\/strong> (including lethal damage) and from effects that specifically say &#8220;destroy.&#8221; However, infect creatures don&#8217;t deal damage in the traditional sense; they put <strong>-1\/-1 counters<\/strong> on creatures instead. If these counters reduce a creature&#8217;s <strong>toughness to zero<\/strong>, it will die due to state-based actions, <strong>bypassing indestructible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s delve deeper into the mechanics at play here, and clear up any confusion with a comprehensive breakdown. Understanding how these two abilities interact is crucial for any Magic: The Gathering player, from casual to competitive.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Breaking_Down_Indestructible\"><\/span>Breaking Down Indestructible<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Indestructible is a powerful keyword ability that prevents a permanent from being destroyed. Specifically, it protects against:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Lethal damage:<\/strong> If a creature with indestructible takes damage equal to or greater than its toughness, it isn&#8217;t destroyed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>&#8220;Destroy&#8221; effects:<\/strong> Spells or abilities that explicitly say &#8220;destroy&#8221; will have no effect on a permanent with indestructible.<\/li>\n<li><strong>State-based actions<\/strong>: Under normal circumstances, if a creature has lethal damage marked on it, state-based actions will destroy that creature. Indestructible prevents this.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>However, indestructible <em>doesn&#8217;t<\/em> protect against everything. It&#8217;s important to remember what it <em>doesn&#8217;t<\/em> do:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Exile:<\/strong> Removing a permanent from the game.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sacrifice:<\/strong> Forcing a player to sacrifice a permanent.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reducing toughness to zero:<\/strong> via <strong>-1\/-1 counters<\/strong> or other effects.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Bounce:<\/strong> Returning a permanent to its owner&#8217;s hand.<\/li>\n<li><strong>&#8220;Tucking&#8221;<\/strong>: putting a permanent into its owner&#8217;s library.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Mechanics_of_Infect\"><\/span>The Mechanics of Infect<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Infect is an ability that modifies how damage is dealt. Creatures with infect deal damage to creatures in the form of <strong>-1\/-1 counters<\/strong> instead of normal damage. When a creature&#8217;s <strong>toughness reaches zero<\/strong> from these counters, it is put into the graveyard as a state-based action, even if it has indestructible. The reason for this is that the creature isn&#8217;t being &#8220;destroyed,&#8221; but instead is dying because its toughness is zero.<\/p>\n<p>For players, infect means damage is dealt as poison counters instead of regular damage. If a player accumulates ten or more poison counters, that player loses the game. This provides an alternate win condition and a way to get around high life totals.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Infect_Bypasses_Indestructible\"><\/span>Why Infect Bypasses Indestructible<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The key is that infect doesn&#8217;t &#8220;destroy&#8221; the creature; it reduces its toughness until it dies by a state-based action. A creature with indestructible still exists on the battlefield, but if its toughness is zero or less, state-based actions demand it be put into the graveyard.<\/p>\n<p>Essentially, infect doesn&#8217;t directly challenge indestructible&#8217;s protective shield against destruction. Instead, it attacks the creature&#8217;s <strong>toughness<\/strong>, a vulnerability indestructible doesn&#8217;t defend. This makes infect a viable strategy against decks relying heavily on indestructible creatures.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs_Mastering_the_Interaction_of_Infect_and_Indestructible\"><\/span>FAQs: Mastering the Interaction of Infect and Indestructible<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the interaction between infect and indestructible:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<p><strong>If a creature with infect attacks a creature with indestructible, what happens?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The creature with indestructible receives <strong>-1\/-1 counters<\/strong> equal to the power of the attacking creature with infect. The indestructible creature is <em>not<\/em> destroyed unless those counters reduce its <strong>toughness to zero<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Does indestructible prevent -1\/-1 counters from being placed on a creature?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No, indestructible only prevents destruction. It doesn&#8217;t stop effects that place <strong>-1\/-1 counters<\/strong> on a creature.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>If a creature has both indestructible and a negative toughness due to -1\/-1 counters, does it die?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes. State-based actions cause a creature with zero or less toughness to be put into the graveyard, even if it has indestructible.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Can I regenerate a creature with indestructible that has zero toughness due to -1\/-1 counters?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No. Regeneration replaces being destroyed, but a creature with zero toughness dies due to state-based actions, not being destroyed.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Does infect work against creatures with hexproof or shroud?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes. Infect doesn&#8217;t target creatures, so hexproof and shroud are irrelevant. <strong>-1\/-1 counters<\/strong> are placed on the creature without targeting.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>If I give a creature both infect and deathtouch, does it automatically destroy any creature it deals damage to?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No. While damage from a source with deathtouch is normally lethal, infect replaces damage dealt to creatures with <strong>-1\/-1 counters<\/strong>. The counters must still reduce the creature&#8217;s toughness to zero for it to die.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Can I remove -1\/-1 counters from a creature?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes, there are various spells and abilities that can remove counters from permanents. Examples include effects that proliferate (adding more counters) or specifically remove -1\/-1 counters.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Is infect a triggered ability?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No, infect is a replacement effect. It modifies the result of damage dealt by a source with infect.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Does damage from a creature with infect still count as combat damage for abilities like lifelink?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes. Infect modifies the form of damage (to <strong>-1\/-1 counters<\/strong>), but it&#8217;s still considered damage. Therefore, lifelink and other abilities that trigger on combat damage will still function.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Does giving infect to a creature with double strike mean it deals double the -1\/-1 counters?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes. A creature with double strike deals damage twice in combat. If that creature also has infect, it will place <strong>-1\/-1 counters<\/strong> twice.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>How does trample interact with infect and indestructible?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If a creature with trample and infect attacks a blocking indestructible creature, the attacking player must assign lethal damage to the indestructible creature before any damage can &#8220;trample over&#8221; to the defending player. While the indestructible creature won&#8217;t be destroyed, the trampling creature effectively still deals its power in <strong>-1\/-1 counters<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>If a creature with infect is blocked by a creature with first strike and deathtouch, what happens?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The creature with first strike and deathtouch deals its damage first. If this damage is lethal (considering the creature&#8217;s toughness), the infect creature is destroyed before it can deal any damage (or place any <strong>-1\/-1 counters<\/strong>).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Can infect be countered?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Infect itself is an ability on a creature or permanent, not a spell. However, the spell or creature with infect can be countered like any other spell. Once the creature is on the battlefield with the infect ability, there&#8217;s nothing to counter.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Are there cards that specifically grant protection from -1\/-1 counters?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While there aren&#8217;t many cards with specific protection from <strong>-1\/-1 counters<\/strong>, there are cards that grant protection from certain colors or card types. Some cards also allow you to move counters from one permanent to another.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Is an infect deck viable in Commander (EDH)?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes, infect can be a viable strategy in Commander. While each player starts with 40 life, requiring a large amount of -1\/-1 counters to eliminate opponents, the poison counter threshold is only 10. Using infect creatures and strategies to give infect to more powerful creatures can make for a powerful deck. Remember to consider the political implications, as you may become an early target.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts_Infect_as_a_Strategic_Tool\"><\/span>Final Thoughts: Infect as a Strategic Tool<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Infect is a powerful mechanic that can be used to exploit vulnerabilities and create unique strategies. While it doesn&#8217;t directly &#8220;destroy&#8221; indestructible creatures, it provides a way to overcome their resilience. Understanding the nuances of how infect interacts with other abilities is crucial for mastering Magic: The Gathering.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re interested in learning more about game mechanics and strategy, consider exploring resources like the <strong>Games Learning Society<\/strong> at <strong>GamesLearningSociety.org<\/strong> or <strong>https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/<\/strong>. Understanding the theory behind game design can improve your gameplay. Happy playing!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Does Infect Beat Indestructible? The Ultimate Showdown Yes, infect can indeed &#8220;beat&#8221; indestructible, though not in the way you might initially think. Indestructible protects a creature from being destroyed by damage (including lethal damage) and from effects that specifically say &#8220;destroy.&#8221; However, infect creatures don&#8217;t deal damage in the traditional sense; they put -1\/-1 counters &#8230; <a title=\"Does infect beat indestructible?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/does-infect-beat-indestructible\/\" aria-label=\"More on Does infect beat indestructible?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89995","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89995"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89995\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}