Does protection from color stop board wipes?

Does Protection from Color Stop Board Wipes?

In Magic: The Gathering, protection from color is a mechanic that allows creatures to avoid being affected by certain types of spells and effects. But does this mean that protection from color can stop board wipes? In this article, we’ll delve into the intricacies of board wipes and protection from color, examining what types of board wipes protection can and cannot stop.

Protection from Color: What It Does

Before we dive into board wipes, let’s quickly review what protection from color does. Protection from a particular color allows a creature to ignore that color’s effects. This means that spells and abilities that target, enchant, or damage creatures of a certain color won’t affect a creature with protection from that color.

For example, if you have a creature with protection from red, it won’t be affected by red cards that deal damage or target your creatures. Similarly, if you have a creature with protection from blue, it won’t be enchanted or affected by blue cards that manipulate its abilities.

Types of Board Wipes

A board wipe is a spell or ability that destroys or exiles all permanents on the battlefield, typically excluding lands. There are two main types of board wipes: global wipes and targeted wipes.

Global Wipes

Global wipes affect all permanents on the battlefield, regardless of their color or type. These wipes can be caused by cards like Day of Judgment, Wrath of God, or Demonic Dread. Global wipes don’t care about the colors of the permanents they target; they simply destroy or exile everything on the battlefield.

Targeted Wipes

Targeted wipes, on the other hand, target specific types of permanents on the battlefield. These wipes often care about the colors or types of the permanents they target. For example, a wipe that targets only red permanents won’t affect creatures of other colors.

Can Protection from Color Stop Board Wipes?

Now that we’ve reviewed what protection from color does and the types of board wipes, let’s answer the question: Can protection from color stop board wipes? The answer is generally no, but there are some exceptions.

• Global Wipes: Since global wipes don’t care about the colors of the permanents they target, protection from color won’t stop them. These wipes will destroy or exile all permanents on the battlefield, regardless of their color.
• Targeted Wipes: Some targeted wipes may care about the colors of the permanents they target. In these cases, protection from the affected color may stop the wipe. For example, if a targeted wipe targets red permanents and you have a creature with protection from red, the wipe won’t affect your creature.
• Abilities: Some abilities or effects may have specific wording that excludes protection from color. In these cases, the protection won’t stop the wipe. For example, if a card says "destroys all creatures, including those with protection from red," protection from red won’t save your creatures.

Exception: Shroud

Shroud is a mechanic that allows creatures to avoid being targeted by spells and abilities. Since shroud prevents targeting, some wipes that target specific types of permanents won’t affect creatures with shroud. However, global wipes are unaffected by shroud, as they don’t target specific permanents.

Conclusion

In conclusion, protection from color generally cannot stop global board wipes, but may be able to stop targeted wipes that care about the affected color. However, there may be exceptions, such as abilities with specific wording or shroud mechanics. When building a deck with creatures that have protection from color, remember to consider the types of wipes that might be threatening your board and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Table: Protection from Color vs. Board Wipes

I hope this article has helped you understand how protection from color interacts with board wipes. Do you have any questions or concerns? Leave a comment below!