What are the rules for Deathtouch and Trample?
Deathtouch and Trample are two powerful abilities in Magic: The Gathering that can significantly impact the outcome of a game. In this article, we will delve into the rules governing these abilities, providing a comprehensive overview of how they work.
What is Deathtouch?
Deathtouch is a keyword ability that was introduced in the Lorwyn set. It allows a creature to instantly kill any creature it deals damage to, regardless of its toughness. This means that if a creature with deathtouch attacks and deals any amount of damage to an opponent’s creature, that creature is immediately destroyed.
How does Deathtouch work?
Here are the key points to understand about deathtouch:
- Any amount of damage is lethal: If a creature with deathtouch deals any amount of damage to another creature, that creature is destroyed.
- No toughness matters: The toughness of the creature being attacked is irrelevant; it will still be destroyed if it’s dealt damage by a creature with deathtouch.
- Multiple sources of damage: If a creature is being attacked by multiple sources, including creatures with deathtouch, it will still be destroyed if it’s dealt damage by a creature with deathtouch.
- Blocking: Deathtouch doesn’t care about blocking; if a creature with deathtouch attacks and deals damage to a blocking creature, the blocking creature is still destroyed.
What is Trample?
Trample is a keyword ability that allows a creature to deal excess damage to a defending player or planeswalker when it’s blocked. This means that if a creature with trample attacks and is blocked by a creature with toughness equal to or greater than its power, the excess damage will be dealt to the defending player or planeswalker.
How does Trample work?
Here are the key points to understand about trample:
- Excess damage is dealt: If a creature with trample attacks and is blocked by a creature with toughness equal to or greater than its power, the excess damage will be dealt to the defending player or planeswalker.
- Defending player or planeswalker: Trample can deal excess damage to either a defending player or planeswalker, not just creatures.
- No blocking required: Trample can still deal excess damage if a creature with trample is not blocked; the damage will be dealt directly to the defending player or planeswalker.
- Stacking with other effects: Trample can be combined with other effects that deal damage to the defending player or planeswalker, increasing the overall damage dealt.
Interaction between Deathtouch and Trample
When a creature with both deathtouch and trample attacks, it can have some interesting interactions:
- Deathtouch resolves first: Deathtouch resolves before trample, so if a creature with deathtouch deals damage to a blocking creature, the blocking creature is destroyed and no excess damage is dealt to the defending player or planeswalker.
- Trample can still deal damage: If a creature with deathtouch deals damage to a blocking creature and destroys it, the excess damage can still be dealt to the defending player or planeswalker.
- Stacking with other effects: Trample can still be combined with other effects that deal damage to the defending player or planeswalker, even if deathtouch has already destroyed a blocking creature.
Examples of Deathtouch and Trample in Action
Here are a few examples to illustrate how deathtouch and trample can interact:
- Example 1: A 3/3 creature with deathtouch attacks a 3/3 blocking creature. The blocking creature is destroyed, and the excess damage is dealt to the defending player or planeswalker.
- Example 2: A 5/5 creature with trample attacks a 3/3 blocking creature. The blocking creature is destroyed, and the excess damage (2 damage) is dealt to the defending player or planeswalker.
- Example 3: A 3/3 creature with deathtouch and trample attacks a 2/2 blocking creature. The blocking creature is destroyed, and the excess damage (1 damage) is dealt to the defending player or planeswalker.
Conclusion
Deathtouch and Trample are two powerful abilities that can greatly impact the outcome of a game. Understanding how they work and how they interact with each other is crucial for building a successful Magic: The Gathering deck. By following the rules outlined in this article, you can harness the power of deathtouch and trample to take your game to the next level.
References
- Wizards of the Coast. (2007). Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules. Retrieved from https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/comprehensive-rules-document-2007-10-26
- Wizards of the Coast. (2020). Magic: The Gathering FAQ. Retrieved from https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-faq-2020-02-11