Trample/Deathtouch vs Indestructible

Hey fellow Planeswalkers! 👋 Ever found yourself scratching your head during a heated Magic: The Gathering game, wondering about the tricky interaction between Deathtouch, Trample, and Indestructible? You're definitely not alone! This is one of those rules conundrums that pops up constantly, and I'm here to break it down for you based on my own experiences and the official MTG rules. First things first, let's quickly define these powerful keywords: Indestructible: This ability is pretty straightforward. A permanent with Indestructible *cannot be destroyed*. This means it ignores any effect that says "destroy" and lethal damage dealt to it won't send it to the graveyard. It can still be exiled, returned to hand, or have its toughness reduced to 0 by effects that don't deal damage. Deathtouch: Ah, the venomous touch! Any amount of damage dealt by a creature with Deathtouch to another creature is considered *lethal damage*. This usually means even a 1/1 Deathtouch creature can take down a huge 10/10 creature. Trample: This is where things get interesting with combat damage. If a creature with Trample deals combat damage to a blocking creature, and that damage is considered lethal, any excess damage can then be dealt to the defending player or planeswalker. Now, let's tackle the burning questions: Does Deathtouch Kill Indestructible? This is a classic! Imagine your opponent has an Indestructible creature, and you attack with a Deathtouch creature. What happens? Your Deathtouch creature deals damage, and because of Deathtouch, that damage is considered lethal. However, the Indestructible creature cannot be destroyed by damage. So, while your Deathtouch creature successfully dealt lethal damage, the Indestructible creature simply shrugs it off and stays on the battlefield. It takes the damage, but the "destroy" part of lethal damage is ignored. So, no, Deathtouch alone will not kill an Indestructible creature. It just makes it "lethally damaged" but not destroyed. What About Trample VS Indestructible (without Deathtouch)? Let's say you have a 5/5 creature with Trample and it's blocked by a 2/2 Indestructible creature. Your 5/5 needs to assign lethal damage to the blocker first. Since the 2/2 is Indestructible, assigning damage equal to its toughness (2 damage in this case) is considered lethal for the purpose of Trample. So, you would assign 2 damage to the Indestructible blocker, and the remaining 3 damage would "trample over" to your opponent. The Indestructible creature survives, but your opponent still takes damage! The Ultimate Showdown: Deathtouch + Trample VS Indestructible! This is the interaction that often confuses players and is probably what you're most curious about. When a creature has both Deathtouch and Trample, the rules interact in a very specific and powerful way. Remember how Deathtouch makes any amount of damage lethal? This rule applies when you're assigning combat damage with a Trample creature. So, if your creature has Deathtouch/Trample and is blocked by an Indestructible creature, you only need to assign 1 Damage to that Indestructible blocker for it to be considered "lethally damaged" for the purposes of Trample. For example, if you have a 6/6 creature with Deathtouch and Trample, and it's blocked by an Indestructible creature: You assign 1 damage to the Indestructible blocker. Because of Deathtouch, this 1 damage is considered lethal. Since lethal damage has been assigned, the remaining 5 Damage (from the original 6 power minus the 1 assigned) can then be assigned to the defending player or planeswalker! This means that even though the Indestructible creature won't be destroyed, a creature with both Deathtouch and Trample can effectively bypass it to deal significant damage directly to your opponent. It's a fantastic way to push through damage against resilient blockers. So, the next time you're facing down an Indestructible threat, remember this complex but crucial interaction. Knowing these rules can give you a significant edge in your Magic games! Keep exploring, and may your draws be ever in your favor!