Does Trample Go Over Power or Toughness?
In the world of Magic: The Gathering, trample is a keyword ability that allows a creature to deal excess damage to the opponent’s life total if it’s blocked by a creature with a toughness less than the attacking creature’s power. But have you ever wondered whether trample goes over power or toughness? In this article, we’ll delve into the intricacies of trample and explore the answer to this question.
What is Trample?
Before we dive into the specifics of trample, let’s define what it is. Trample is a keyword ability that allows a creature to deal excess damage to the opponent’s life total if it’s blocked by a creature with a toughness less than the attacking creature’s power. This means that if a creature with trample is blocked by a creature with a toughness of 2, and the attacking creature has a power of 5, the excess damage (3) will be dealt to the opponent’s life total.
Does Trample Go Over Power or Toughness?
Now, let’s get to the heart of the matter. Does trample go over power or toughness? The answer is that trample goes over toughness. When a creature with trample is blocked, the excess damage is dealt to the opponent’s life total, regardless of the blocker’s power. This means that if a creature with trample is blocked by a creature with a power of 2, and the attacking creature has a power of 5, the excess damage (3) will be dealt to the opponent’s life total, even if the blocker has a power of 2.
How Does Trample Work?
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how trample works:
- A creature with trample attacks and is blocked by a creature with a toughness less than its power.
- The attacking creature deals damage to the blocking creature equal to its power minus the blocking creature’s toughness.
- Any excess damage dealt to the blocking creature is dealt to the opponent’s life total.
Examples
Let’s look at some examples to illustrate how trample works:
- Example 1: A 5/5 creature with trample attacks and is blocked by a 2/2 creature. The attacking creature deals 3 damage to the blocking creature, and the excess damage is dealt to the opponent’s life total.
- Example 2: A 3/3 creature with trample attacks and is blocked by a 1/1 creature. The attacking creature deals 2 damage to the blocking creature, and the excess damage is dealt to the opponent’s life total.
Key Takeaways
Here are the key takeaways from this article:
- Trample goes over toughness, not power.
- When a creature with trample is blocked, the excess damage is dealt to the opponent’s life total, regardless of the blocker’s power.
- Trample only changes how an attacker is allowed to assign combat damage, it doesn’t change the way damage itself is dealt.
Conclusion
In conclusion, trample is a powerful keyword ability that allows creatures to deal excess damage to the opponent’s life total if they’re blocked by a creature with a toughness less than their power. By understanding how trample works, you can make more informed decisions about which creatures to play and how to build your deck. Remember, trample goes over toughness, not power, so be sure to take that into account when building your deck.