Today we’re going over an old favorite: Protection! It’s a fairly common mechanic in Standard lately, between all the Swords kicking around and the Crusaders and what-have-you. So what does protection ‘stop’?
A lot of people wonder why it is that Day of Judgment can kill a Phyrexian Crusader, but Whipflare can’t. Some people think protection from white will mean that their Sword of War and Peace-holding creature doesn’t get a boost from their Honor of the Pure. Put simply, Protection stops only four things, and they can be remembered with a useful mnemonic: D.E.B.T.
Protection from Red, for example, means that your creature cannot be…
- Damaged
- Enchanted/Equipped
- Blocked
- Targeted
…by anything red. That’s all! Whipflare can’t hurt your Crusader because Pro-red prevents the damage. Hero of Oxid Ridge can’t block your dude that’s got a Sword of War and Peace because your dude can’t be blocked by red or white creatures. It can’t have any red or white Auras/Equipment put onto it, and any red or white auras/equipment that were already attached to it when it gained protection ‘fall off’. Finally, nothing red or white, nor abilities from a red or white source may target it.
The reason that a Black Sun’s Zenith kills a Mirran Crusader or a Day of Judgment kills a Phyrexian Crusader is because DEBT doesn’t apply; the spells aren’t trying to Damage, Enchant/Equip, Block, or Target the creature.
Today’s Rules Tip written by
Trevor Nuñez, Level 1 Judge from Roswell, NM