ability usage and protection
Asked by Paikuhan 3 years ago
for the creature Jareth, Leonine Titan it has the ability to tap for a white and gain protection from whatever color you pick until the end of turn. my question is how many times can this creature use this ability? if they use it to attack during their turn to bypass any defenders can they use it again during my attack step to defend against my creatures (assuming they have vigilance)? Also if they use this ability and use the creature to block is it just like the creature being indestructible?
TheRealSpecialK says... Accepted answer #2
Any ability on a creature that lists a requirement followed by a colon ( : ) is called an activated ability. Activated alibies on creatures can be activated any number of times at instant speed with some exceptions (Dimir Guildmage specifies that it can only be sorcery speed, Skinshifter specifies only once per turn, some activated abilites require you to tap the creature such as with Llanowar Elves so they can't keep actrivating the ability, etc.).
Jareth, Leonine Titan's ability can be activated any number of times. It can even be activated in response to effects. Let's look at this example: Say your board has a bunch of black creatures. Your opponent activates Jareth's ability during combat naming black so it can attack and bypass all your creatures. You cast Murder in response, targeting Jareth. Your opponent can then activate Jareth's ability a second time, again naming black, so that Murder fizzle. As long as your opponent has the mana, and your opponent has priority to use the ability, it can be activate any number of times - be it on your turn or on theirs. So yes, the scenario you described above is a totally appropriate way to use Jareth.
As for your second question - protection is not like indestructible. Here is how damage works for the two:
Protection: 702.16e Any damage that would be dealt by sources that have the stated quality to a permanent or player with protection is prevented.
Indestructible: 702.12b A permanent with indestructible can’t be destroyed. Such permanents aren’t destroyed by lethal damage, and they ignore the state-based action that checks for lethal damage (see rule 704.5g).
That is significant because while damage is totally prevented by a creature with protection, damage is still marked by a creature with indestructible. So let's say that a creature with Lifelink is blocked. If they were blocked by a creature that had protection from its color, damage would be prevented and zero life would be gained because all damage would be prevented. But if it were blocked by a creature with indestructible, life would be gained because damage is still marked. Another example - let's say you are attacking with Questing Beast. If it were blocked by a creature with indestructible, the creature that was blocking would not die even though the beast has Deathtouch. However, if a creature with protection from green were to block the beast, that creature would actually die because protection states damage would be prevented, but the beast says "Combat damage that would be dealt by creatures you control can't be prevented.". I hope that helps clarify how that works in combat.
Outside of combat, the two abilities also work differently. If a creature has indestructible, it can still be targeted by spells that say "destroy" or spells that deal damage. You can castMurder or Lightning Bolt targeting Darksteel Myr, but even though the spell resolves, it won't die. However, creatures with protection are illegal targets for spells and abilities. Both Murder and Lightning Bolt can not even be cast if they were trying to target Auriok Champion. Finally, if a creature gains protection from a color while it is being targeted by a spell or ability of that color, the spell fizzles and doesn't resolve - similar to a counterspell. For example, if you cast Murder targeting your opponent's Jareth, Leonine Titan, and they give it protection from black in response, the spell does not resolve and is put straight into the graveyard. If a creature gains indestructible at instant speed, the spell will still resolve, but if the creature would be destroyed by that ability, it would not.
Super in depth answer, but I hope this clears up any confusion with this situation, and any other situations in the future.
November 18, 2020 5:43 p.m.
thanks guys this answers everything very thoroughly appreciate it
dragonstryke58 says... #1
As the activated ability of Jareth, Leonine Titan does not include a or any activation restrictions in its effect, it can be activated any number of times as long as you have the mana to pay for its activation cost.
For protection, you can use the acronym DEBT to figure out what it's protected from.
If Jareth, Leonine Titan's activated ability is used during combat, and he blocks creatures, he is protected from damage that could be lethal, but that does not mean he is indestructible. If an opponent uses Wrath of God (with something like Vedalken Orrery to give it flash), Jareth, Leonine Titan will still be destroyed. Also, creatures like Gorgon Recluse can still destroy Jareth, Leonine Titan as a result of being blocked.
November 18, 2020 5:18 p.m.