Does Preventing Combat Damage Stop Deathtouch?
In Magic: The Gathering, combat damage can be a significant factor in the outcome of a game. One card that can influence combat damage is Deathtouch, which kills any creature it deals combat damage to. But, what if you’re unable to deal combat damage due to effects that prevent or redirect combat damage? In this article, we’ll explore the relationship between Deathtouch and combat damage prevention.
How Deathtouch Works
Before we dive into the topic, let’s quickly review how Deathtouch works. When a creature with Deathtouch deals combat damage to a creature, that creature is destroyed. Any amount of damage, no matter how small, is considered lethal damage. This means that if you have a 1/1 creature with Deathtouch and you attack with it, it will kill any 1-toughness creature it touches.
Preventing Combat Damage
Now, let’s look at the scenario where combat damage is prevented. This can happen due to effects such as cards that redirect damage, those that give creatures protection, or others that prevent damage altogether. But, does preventing combat damage also prevent Deathtouch from working? The answer is no. Deathtouch is a separate effect that works independently of the combat damage it deals. This means that even if you’re unable to deal combat damage due to prevent effects, Deathtouch can still trigger its effect and kill the target creature.
Table of Deathtouch-Prevention Interactions
| Card/Effect | Effect on Deathtouch |
|---|---|
| Damage prevention | Deathtouch is not prevented |
| Redirection of damage | Deathtouch is still triggered |
| Protection | Deathtouch is still triggered |
| Indestructible | Deathtouch does not work |
| Sacrificing for life | Deathtouch does not work |
As you can see from the table above, Deathtouch remains unaffected by most forms of combat damage prevention. Even if the damage is redirected or prevented, Deathtouch will still kill the target creature if the conditions for its effect are met.
Example Interactions
Let’s explore some examples to illustrate these interactions:
- "Prevention" spell casts on an attacking creature with Deathtouch. The prevention spell won’t stop the Deathtouch effect, but it will prevent the attacking creature from dealing damage.
- "Redirection" spell casts on the defending player. The redirection spell will redirect any damage the attacking creature deals to itself, but it won’t prevent the Deathtouch effect. The attacking creature will still kill the defending creature due to the Deathtouch.
- Indestructible creature with Deathtouch attacks another creature. In this case, the indestructible effect will prevent the Deathtouch effect from killing the creature it attacks. The creature with Deathtouch won’t destroy the attacking creature.
In conclusion, preventing combat damage does not stop Deathtouch from working. Deathtouch is a separate effect that is triggered independently of the combat damage it deals. If you’re faced with a creature with Deathtouch, remember that its effect is triggered regardless of whether the combat damage is prevented or redirected.