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does protection prevent damage ?

**Does Protection Prevent Damage?**

In Magic: The Gathering, protection is a fascinating concept that can often lead to complex and thought-provoking interactions. Today, we’re going to explore the question at the heart of this article: does protection prevent damage?

From a glance, it might seem like a straightforward answer. After all, protection is an ability that shields creatures from harm. But, as we’ll see, the answer is a bit more nuanced. Let’s dive in!

**The Short Answer**

Protection does prevent damage from occurring. According to the Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules, protection from [quality] prevents damage from sources with that [quality]. For example, protection from black prevents all damage dealt by black creatures and spells.

**The Longer Answer**

However, things get more complicated when we consider the official rules and interactions. Here, we have a subtlety that often catches players off guard: the difference between “can’t be prevented” and “is prevented.”

As our friends at Magic: The Gathering Rules Tips remind us, when one effect says that something happens, and another effect says that something can’t happen, the can’t effect takes precedence. So, if an effect says that damage can’t be prevented, and another effect says that damage is prevented, the damage can’t be prevented.

**What That Means**

This means that protection is indeed preventing damage, but there are situations where it might not work as expected. For example, if you have a creature with protection from black, and a black creature deals damage to it, the protection ability will prevent that damage from occurring. However, if a board wipe effect or a spell with a “can’t be prevented” clause is applied to that creature, the protection won’t have any impact.

**Protection and Deathtouch**

Another important consideration is deathtouch, a keyword ability that deals damage to a creature and destroys it if that damage would reduce its toughness to 0 or less. As our fellow players at MTG Salvation point out, protection prevents damage, which means that deathtouch won’t have any effect on a creature with protection. This is because protection prevents the damage from occurring, and deathtouch’s effect relies on that damage being dealt.

**Conclusion**

In conclusion, protection does prevent damage, but the answer is more complex than it initially seems. While protection shields creatures from harm, there are situations where it might not work as expected, and “can’t be prevented” effects can still have an impact. Understanding these subtleties is crucial for playing Magic: The Gathering effectively and making the most of your protection abilities.

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**Additional Resources**

For those interested in learning more about protection, I’ve included some links to helpful resources below:

* [https://draftsim.com/mtg-protection](https://draftsim.com/mtg-protection) – A comprehensive guide to protection in Magic: The Gathering.
* [https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-rulings/816546-does-protection-prevent-damage](https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-rulings/816546-does-protection-prevent-damage) – A discussion about protection and damage prevention on MTG Salvation.
* [https://monocolormagic.com/how-does-protection-work](https://monocolormagic.com/how-does-protection-work) – A handy guide to protection from Monocolormagic.

I hope you found this article informative and helpful in clarifying the complex world of protection in Magic: The Gathering. Happy drafting, and until next time, farewell!