Does trample still go through protection?

Does Trample Still Go Through Protection?

In the world of Magic: The Gathering, trample is a game-changing ability that allows creatures to deal excess damage to the opponent even if the opponent has a creature with a higher toughness. However, many players have asked the question: does trample still work when the opponent has a creature with protection? In this article, we will delve into the intricacies of trample and protection to answer this question.

First Direct Answer

Yes, trample still goes through protection.

But before we dive deeper into the explanation, let’s break down the rules of trample and protection.

Trample: A Crash Course

Trample is an ability that allows a creature to deal excess damage to the opponent, even if the opponent has a creature with a higher toughness. When a creature with trample attacks, it first assigns the excess damage to the opponent’s life total. If the opponent has a creature with a higher toughness, the excess damage is then assigned to the opponent’s creature. But here’s the key: trample only cares about the toughness of the opponent’s creature, not about any protection it may have.

Protection: What Does It Do?

Protection is an ability that prevents damage from being dealt to a creature. However, protection only prevents damage from being dealt to the creature, it doesn’t prevent the creature from taking damage. For example, if a creature with protection is attacked by a 5/5 creature with trample, the protection ability will prevent the creature from taking the 5 damage, but the excess damage will still be assigned to the opponent’s life total.

How Does Trample Work with Protection?

So, what happens when a creature with trample attacks a creature with protection? The answer is simple: trample still goes through protection. The excess damage is still assigned to the opponent’s life total, regardless of the protection ability.

Here’s an Example:

Let’s say you’re attacking with a 6/6 creature with trample, and your opponent has a 5/5 creature with protection in the way. The protection ability will prevent the 5 damage from being dealt to the creature, but the excess damage will still be assigned to the opponent’s life total. So, in this case, the opponent will take 1 damage (6-5=1).

Conclusion

In conclusion, trample still goes through protection. While protection may prevent damage from being dealt to a creature, it doesn’t prevent the excess damage from being assigned to the opponent’s life total. This means that trample is still a powerful ability that can be used to deal significant damage to opponents, even when they have creatures with protection.

Additional Tips and Tricks:

• Make sure to use your trample creatures wisely, as they can be game-changers in the right situations.
• Don’t underestimate the power of protection, as it can be a powerful way to save your creatures from taking damage.
• Pay attention to the toughness of your opponent’s creatures, as this can affect the amount of damage that can be dealt with trample.

Common Questions:

• What if the opponent’s creature with protection has a higher toughness than my trample creature?
  In this case, the excess damage will be assigned to the opponent’s life total, just as it would if the creature didn’t have protection.
• Can I use trample to deal damage to a creature with protection?
  No, trample only deals excess damage to the opponent’s life total, not to individual creatures.
• Is trample still effective when the opponent has multiple creatures with protection?
  Yes, trample is still effective in this case, as it will still assign excess damage to the opponent’s life total, even if multiple creatures have protection.

Table: Trample and Protection

Conclusion:

In conclusion, trample still goes through protection, making it a powerful ability in the right situations. By understanding how trample and protection interact, you can make informed decisions about when to use your trample creatures and when to hold back.