Does Protection Nullify Trample?
In Magic: The Gathering, understanding the nuances of combat can be a crucial aspect of playing the game effectively. One question that often arises is whether protection can nullify trample. In this article, we will delve into the intricacies of protection and trample, and provide a direct answer to this question.
Trample: What is it?
Trample is a keyword ability that allows a creature to deal excess damage to the opponent, even if it is blocked by a creature with a lower toughness. When a creature with trample attacks, it deals damage to the opponent equal to its toughness minus the toughness of the blocking creature. For example, if a 7/7 green creature with trample attacks and is blocked by a 2/2 creature, it will deal 5 damage to the opponent (7 – 2 = 5).
Protection: What is it?
Protection is a keyword ability that prevents damage from being dealt to a creature with protection. This means that any damage that would be dealt to a creature with protection is instead prevented and does not cause the creature to die.
Direct Answer: Does Protection Nullify Trample?
In short, yes, protection can nullify trample. When a creature with protection is blocked by a creature with trample, the protection ability will prevent the damage from being dealt to the protected creature. This means that the trample damage will be effectively nullified, and the protected creature will not take any damage.
Example:
- A 7/7 green creature with trample attacks and is blocked by a 2/2 white creature with protection from green.
- The trampling creature would deal 5 damage to the opponent (7 – 2 = 5), but the protection ability on the 2/2 white creature prevents any damage from being dealt to it.
- As a result, the 2/2 white creature with protection does not take any damage, and the trample damage is effectively nullified.
Key Points to Remember:
- Protection prevents damage from being dealt to a creature with protection.
- Trample allows a creature to deal excess damage to the opponent even if it is blocked by a creature with a lower toughness.
- When a creature with trample attacks and is blocked by a creature with protection, the protection ability will prevent the trample damage from being dealt to the protected creature, effectively nullifying the trample.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, protection can indeed nullify trample. Understanding the interplay between these two keyword abilities is crucial for players to make informed decisions during combat. By remembering that protection prevents damage from being dealt to a creature, and trample allows excess damage to be dealt, players can make strategic decisions to take advantage of or counter their opponent’s attacks.