Post by piñata on Aug 16, 2004 9:51:03 GMT -5
From Essential Magic:
Protection seems like a fairly straight-forward ability. I mean, if a creature has Protection from Red, then it's completely invulnerable to anything Red, right? Wrong. Protection doesn't protect from everything, and it can sometimes be confusing trying to figure out exactly what it does protect against. So, I've created this FAQ to help anyone who has ever wondered why their Oraxid can live through an Earthquake, but their Soltari Monk can't live through a little Nausea.
Well read this and also read the material below and you'll never have a question on protection again.
How does Protection work?
Protection is actually four abilities in one. "Protection from <-SOMETHING->" actually means:
1. Prevent all damage dealt to this by <-something-> sources.
2. Cannot be blocked by <-something-> creatures.
3. Cannot be the target of <-something-> spells or abilities.
4. Cannot be enchanted by <-something-> enchantments.
An easy way to remember all of these abilities is to use the acronymn, DEBT (Damage, Enchantments, Blocking, Targeting). For more detailed information about how Protection works, read my article on Understanding Protection, or read section 502.7 of the Comprehensive Rules or Ruling A.28 of the Rulings Summaries.
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Can Wrath of God destroy a creature with "Protection from White"?
Yes. A creature with "Protection from <-SOMETHING->" can be affected by that <-SOMETHING->, it just can't be targeted, blocked, dealt damage, or enchanted by that <-SOMETHING->.
Wrath of God doesn't actually target the creatures it destroys, nor does it deal damage to them. So, it can destroy creatures with "Protection from White".
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Can Nausea kill a creature with "Protection from Black"?
Yes. Nausea doesn't actually target the creatures, nor does it deal damage to them. It simply lowers their toughness. And, since Protection doesn't prevent a creature from dying due to zero toughness, Nausea can destroy creatures with "Protection from Black".
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Can Earthquake kill a creature with "Protection from Red"?
No. While Earthquake doesn't actually target the creatures, it does deal damage. And, since Protection protects against damage, Earthquake will not be able to deal any damage to creatures with "Protection from Red".
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How can you tell if a spell is targeted?
If and only if the word "target" is used in the spell's rules text is the spell considered to be targeted. Words like "choose", "all", "every", and "each" may seem like they target the creatures, but they don't. The only exception is that local enchantments target the permanent they are being placed on at the time they are played even though they do not use the word "target".
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How does Protection work against a creature with Trample?
If I block your Giant Warthog with my Vodalian Zombie, then you're only required to assign damage to my Zombie equal to its toughness. Since my Zombie only has a toughness of 2, you only have to assign 2 damage to it and then you can assign the rest directly to me. The 2 damage that you assigned to my Zombie will be prevented because it has "Protection from Green", but I'll still have to take the 3 damage that you assigned to me.
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Does "Protection from all Colors" include protection from Artifacts and/or Lands?
No. Artifacts and Lands are colorless and colorless is not a color.
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How does Protection work against multi-colored creatures?
If a creature (or any permanent) has protection from one color of a creature, spell, or ability, then that creature has protection from the entire creature, spell, or ability. For example, an Obsidian Acolyte can block a Vicious Kavu and live.
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Are colors the only thing that there are Protection abilities for?
No. There are permanents with protection from Creatures, Enchantments, Artifacts, Lands, etc...
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How does "Protection from Creatures" work against an Artifact Creature?
Just like multi-colored permanents or spells are affected by protection from any one of their colors, multi-typed permanents and spells are affected by protection from any one of their types. So, a Beloved Chaplain can block a Juggernaut and live.
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Does Protection only protect against Creature abilities?
No. For example, if a creature has "Protection from Black", then it cannot be killed by a Pestilence.
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Can anything block a creature with "Protection from Creatures"?
No. Since only creatures can block, "Protection from Creatures" makes a creature unblockable - but a spell or non-creature ability could still make your creature become blocked (i.e. Dazzling Beauty).
Protection seems like a fairly straight-forward ability. I mean, if a creature has Protection from Red, then it's completely invulnerable to anything Red, right? Wrong. Protection doesn't protect from everything, and it can sometimes be confusing trying to figure out exactly what it does protect against. So, I've created this FAQ to help anyone who has ever wondered why their Oraxid can live through an Earthquake, but their Soltari Monk can't live through a little Nausea.
Well read this and also read the material below and you'll never have a question on protection again.
How does Protection work?
Protection is actually four abilities in one. "Protection from <-SOMETHING->" actually means:
1. Prevent all damage dealt to this by <-something-> sources.
2. Cannot be blocked by <-something-> creatures.
3. Cannot be the target of <-something-> spells or abilities.
4. Cannot be enchanted by <-something-> enchantments.
An easy way to remember all of these abilities is to use the acronymn, DEBT (Damage, Enchantments, Blocking, Targeting). For more detailed information about how Protection works, read my article on Understanding Protection, or read section 502.7 of the Comprehensive Rules or Ruling A.28 of the Rulings Summaries.
====================================================
Can Wrath of God destroy a creature with "Protection from White"?
Yes. A creature with "Protection from <-SOMETHING->" can be affected by that <-SOMETHING->, it just can't be targeted, blocked, dealt damage, or enchanted by that <-SOMETHING->.
Wrath of God doesn't actually target the creatures it destroys, nor does it deal damage to them. So, it can destroy creatures with "Protection from White".
====================================================
Can Nausea kill a creature with "Protection from Black"?
Yes. Nausea doesn't actually target the creatures, nor does it deal damage to them. It simply lowers their toughness. And, since Protection doesn't prevent a creature from dying due to zero toughness, Nausea can destroy creatures with "Protection from Black".
====================================================
Can Earthquake kill a creature with "Protection from Red"?
No. While Earthquake doesn't actually target the creatures, it does deal damage. And, since Protection protects against damage, Earthquake will not be able to deal any damage to creatures with "Protection from Red".
====================================================
How can you tell if a spell is targeted?
If and only if the word "target" is used in the spell's rules text is the spell considered to be targeted. Words like "choose", "all", "every", and "each" may seem like they target the creatures, but they don't. The only exception is that local enchantments target the permanent they are being placed on at the time they are played even though they do not use the word "target".
====================================================
How does Protection work against a creature with Trample?
If I block your Giant Warthog with my Vodalian Zombie, then you're only required to assign damage to my Zombie equal to its toughness. Since my Zombie only has a toughness of 2, you only have to assign 2 damage to it and then you can assign the rest directly to me. The 2 damage that you assigned to my Zombie will be prevented because it has "Protection from Green", but I'll still have to take the 3 damage that you assigned to me.
====================================================
Does "Protection from all Colors" include protection from Artifacts and/or Lands?
No. Artifacts and Lands are colorless and colorless is not a color.
====================================================
How does Protection work against multi-colored creatures?
If a creature (or any permanent) has protection from one color of a creature, spell, or ability, then that creature has protection from the entire creature, spell, or ability. For example, an Obsidian Acolyte can block a Vicious Kavu and live.
====================================================
Are colors the only thing that there are Protection abilities for?
No. There are permanents with protection from Creatures, Enchantments, Artifacts, Lands, etc...
====================================================
How does "Protection from Creatures" work against an Artifact Creature?
Just like multi-colored permanents or spells are affected by protection from any one of their colors, multi-typed permanents and spells are affected by protection from any one of their types. So, a Beloved Chaplain can block a Juggernaut and live.
====================================================
Does Protection only protect against Creature abilities?
No. For example, if a creature has "Protection from Black", then it cannot be killed by a Pestilence.
====================================================
Can anything block a creature with "Protection from Creatures"?
No. Since only creatures can block, "Protection from Creatures" makes a creature unblockable - but a spell or non-creature ability could still make your creature become blocked (i.e. Dazzling Beauty).
