A.31 - Protection


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A.31.1- The ability is written as "Protection from ". Usually the something is a color (such as "Protection from Black"), but it may be Artifacts or something else. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.7a]

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A.31.2- Creatures (or other permanents) with this ability have four benefits: [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.7b] 1. Prevents all damage from sources. 2. Cannot have creatures assigned to block it. 3. Cannot be targeted by abilities and spells. 4. Cannot be enchanted by enchantments.

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A.31.3- Not being enchantable by such enchantments means that the appropriate local enchantment (Enchant Creature) cards are put into the graveyard if they are ever on the creature. So giving a card protection will put any existing local enchantments of that color into the graveyard. This is a state-based effect. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.7b]

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A.31.4- Protection of a particular type is a non-cumulative ability. Having the same type of Protection more than once gives no additional effect. See Rule A.1.2. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.7c]

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A.31.5- Protection is a static ability. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.7a]

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A.31.6- Protection from a type or subtype applies to permanents in play that are of that type or to cards out of play that are of that type. [CompRules 2003/03/15 - 502.7a]

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A.31.Ruling.1- The Protection ability does not grant immunity to effects. Only the specific list in Rule A.31.2 is granted. So, untargeted spells and abilities can affect the creature. For example, Wrath of God can affect a creature with Protection from White because Wrath of God is not targeted. And creatures with Protection from Red are still affected by the untargeted static ability of Orcish Oriflamme. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]

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A.31.Ruling.2- Untargeted spells and abilities which do damage will assign damage to the creature, but that damage will be prevented by benefit number one so the damage is never actually dealt. For example, Pestilence cannot damage a White Knight. The ability is untargeted, but the damage is prevented. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]

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A.31.Ruling.3- Protection will not stop the creature from being sacrificed. See Rule G.33.2. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

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A.31.Ruling.4- Protection does not protect any enchantments on the creature from being targeted. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

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A.31.Ruling.5- Protection does not work while the creature's card is not in play. For example, a creature with Protection from Black can be targeted by a Raise Dead. See Rule A.1.4. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

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A.31.Ruling.6- Protection includes an evasion ability (see Rule A.15), so it is cumulative with other evasion abilities. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

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A.31.Ruling.7- Protection only works while the card is in play, so it does not prevent the spell from being targeted in the graveyard or on the spell stack (which means a Counterspell can target a creature with Protection from Blue). [D'Angelo 1999/11/23]

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A.31.Ruling.8- Protection from Instants and Sorceries means that the permanent cannot be targeted by an instant or a sorcery and that damage that would be dealt by an instant or a sorcery to that permanent is prevented. [Odyssey FAQ 2001/10/04]

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A.31.Ruling.9- Protection from Creatures means that the permanent cannot be the target of abilities of creatures, that damage from a creature is prevented, and that it cannot be blocked by a creature. [Odyssey FAQ 2001/10/04]

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A.31.Ruling.10- Protection from Enchantments means that the permanent cannot be target of enchantment spells or the abilities of enchantment, that damage from enchantments is prevented, that it cannot be enchanted by any enchantments, and that it cannot be blocked by any enchantment that also happens to be a creature. [Odyssey FAQ 2001/10/04]

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