Protection from a quality actually has four different effects. One of which deals with auras, which used to be called local enchantments. Permanents with protection from ‘X’ cannot have auras with with quality of ‘X’ attached to them. For example, a Kor Firewalker cannot be enchanted by a Volcanic Strength.

Another aspect of Protection is that permanents with Protection from ‘X’ cannot be targeted by spells and abilities of the quality ‘X.’ This obviously only applies to spells and abilities that actually do target. For example, a Black Knight will be destroyed by Day of Judgment, but cannot be exiled by Celestial Purge, as Celestial Purge targets.

It is important to point out that Protection is different from the Shroud ability. Shroud prevents a permanent from being targeted by any spell or ability, regardless of the color, type, cost or source of the ability. And while aura enchantments do target when cast, they is nothing that prevents a permanent with Shroud from having an aura attached to it. For example, a creature will not lose any auras attached to it if it becomes equipped by Whispersilk Cloak.

Finally, there are ways to have auras enter the battlefield and not be cast, or have them move from one permanent to another without targeting the permanent that would get the auras attached to it. Examples of ways to do this would be Open the Vaults and Glamer Spinners. In these instances a permanent with Shroud could have an aura attached to them. However you cannot attach an aura with quality ‘X’ on a permanent with Protection from ‘X’ via these methods. This is because Protection does more than just prevent targeting by specific sources, it prevents the permanent from being enchanted at all by auras of the protected quality.

Today’s Rules Tip was submitted by Brian Schenck, a level 3 judge from Owings, Maryland, United States.