Protection is a keyword ability that grants several different effects to the permanent or player it is affecting. It was first introduced in Alpha and still sees frequent use on cards.
Rules
The current reminder text for protection reads "This [object] can't be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, or enchanted by anything [quality]."
The effects of protection are often described using the mnemonic DEBT. The permanent or player with protection can't be:
- Damaged by sources with the given quality (all such damage is prevented)
- Enchanted or equipped by permanents with the given quality
- Blocked by creatures with the given quality (if it's a creature)
- Targeted by spells of the given quality, or abilities with sources of the given quality.
From the ()
Protection is commonly misunderstood as being complete exemption from effects created by cards with the quality being protected from, which would allow, for example, a creature with protection from white to survive the effect of Wrath of God. This is not the case, however, as anything other than the specific things mentioned above is not hampered by protection in any way. Thus, as Wrath of God does not attempt to damage or target the creature, it will still be destroyed.
Example
History
Protection always appears in the form "protection from" followed by one or more qualities or characteristics. The first qualities were colors, but other qualities were introduced later, as detailed in the table below (sorted by default in chronological order):
Notes and references
- ↑ a b Tsabo Tavoc originally had "protection from Legends", but this was errataed to "protection from legendary creatures when "Legend" ceased to be a creature subtype.