What Does Trample Over Planeswalkers Mean?
Trample is a keyword ability found on creatures in Magic: The Gathering, and it can have a significant impact on the game. When a creature with trample attacks, it deals excess combat damage to the player it’s attacking, even if the creature is blocked. But what does it mean when a creature with trample attacks a planeswalker?
What is Trample?
Before we dive into what trample over planeswalkers means, let’s quickly review what trample is. Trample is a keyword ability that allows a creature to deal excess combat damage to the player it’s attacking, even if the creature is blocked. This means that if a creature with trample attacks a player, it will deal its combat damage to that player, even if the player has a blocker in play.
Trample Over Planeswalkers
Now, when a creature with trample attacks a planeswalker, it means that the excess combat damage from the trample ability is dealt directly to the player who controlled the planeswalker, rather than to the planeswalker itself. This can have significant implications in the game, as planeswalkers are often used as key targets for spells and abilities.
Key Points
Here are some key points to keep in mind when considering trample over planeswalkers:
- Excess combat damage: When a creature with trample attacks a planeswalker, the excess combat damage from the trample ability is dealt directly to the player who controlled the planeswalker.
- Direct damage: The damage is dealt directly to the player, rather than to the planeswalker itself.
- No effect on the planeswalker: The trample ability does not have any effect on the planeswalker, it simply deals damage to the player who controlled it.
- Can’t be blocked: The trample ability can’t be blocked by any means, including blockers or abilities.
Example Scenarios
Let’s consider a few example scenarios to illustrate how trample over planeswalkers works:
- Scenario 1: A 3/3 creature with trample attacks a planeswalker controlled by an opponent. The creature deals 3 damage to the opponent, and then the opponent’s planeswalker is dealt 1 damage from the trample ability. In this scenario, the opponent’s planeswalker is reduced to 0 loyalty.
- Scenario 2: A 5/5 creature with trample attacks a planeswalker controlled by an opponent. The creature deals 5 damage to the opponent, and then the opponent’s planeswalker is dealt 1 damage from the trample ability. In this scenario, the opponent’s planeswalker is reduced to 0 loyalty, and the opponent is also dealt 4 damage from the excess combat damage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, trample over planeswalkers is a powerful ability that can have significant implications in the game. By dealing excess combat damage directly to the player who controlled the planeswalker, a creature with trample can quickly take out an opponent’s key planeswalker. However, it’s important to remember that the trample ability can’t be blocked, and that the damage is dealt directly to the player rather than the planeswalker.