Does Protection Stop Trample?
In the world of Magic: The Gathering, trample is a mechanism that allows a creature to deal excess damage to its controller’s opponent(s) if it would otherwise receive lethal damage. But, what happens when a creature with trample is blocked by a creature with protection? Does protection stop trample? In this article, we’ll dive deep into the rules of protection and trample to give you a clear answer to this question.
Answer: No, Protection Doesn’t Stop Trample
According to the official Magic: The Gathering rules, protection from a color does not stop a creature with trample from dealing damage to its opponent(s). When a creature with trample becomes blocked by a creature with protection, the attacking player needs to assign damage to the blocking creature first. If the blocking creature doesn’t have enough toughness to receive all the damage assigned to it, the rest of the damage is trampled over to the opposing player(s).
The Rules of Trample and Protection
Here’s how the rules work:
- Trample works by letting a creature deal excess damage to its opponents if it would otherwise receive lethal damage.
- Protection from a color prevents a creature from being dealt damage by any source with that color.
- If a creature with trample is blocked by a creature with protection, the attacker assigns damage to the blocking creature first.
- If the blocking creature doesn’t have enough toughness to receive all the damage assigned to it, the rest of the damage is trampled over to the opposing player(s).
Example Scenario:
Let’s say an opponent is attacking you with a 7/7 trampling creature, and you have a 2/2 creature with protection from red blocking it. You assign 5 damage to your blocking creature, and it dies due to lethal damage. However, the trampling creature still has 2 remaining damage. You may assign this damage to you, your opponent, or any other player or planeswalker the creature is attacking.
Key Points to Remember:
• Protection from a color doesn’t stop trample.
• If a creature with trample is blocked by a creature with protection, the rest of the damage is trampled over to the opposing player(s) if the blocking creature doesn’t have enough toughness.
• The attacking player controls which opponents receive the rest of the damage.
• Trample still works even if the opponent has protection from the trampling creature’s color.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, protection from a color does not stop trample. When a creature with trample becomes blocked by a creature with protection, the attacking player needs to assign damage to the blocking creature first, and if the blocking creature doesn’t have enough toughness, the rest of the damage is trampled over to the opposing player(s). Remember to always keep the rules of trample and protection in mind when making your moves on the battlefield.
Additional Tips for Players:
• Make sure to pay attention to the colors of the cards on the battlefield to see if protection from a certain color could affect your strategies.
• Use trampling creatures to deal excess damage to your opponents, and be mindful of the rules of trample and protection.
• Practice makes perfect! The more you play Magic: The Gathering, the more comfortable you’ll become with the rules of trample and protection.