Killing an indestructible creature...
Asked by FierceTierce 8 years ago
Say my opponent has a Colossus of Akros out. Could I kill it by marking damage on it, then finishing with "target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn? Example: I attack with my Khalni Hydra and Colossus of Akros blocks it. Before I end my turn, I cast Demon's Grasp on Colossus. Will it be killed?
FierceTierce says... #2
Okay, but casting two -5/-5s (on the same turn) on Colossus will send it to the graveyard because its toughness will have been reduced to 0 though, correct?
October 29, 2015 11:47 p.m.
alexthegreat38 says... #3
Yeah, you would have to reduce its toughness to 0. In the situation you outlined, all you've done is reduced its toughness to 5, and even though it has a lethal amount of damage on it (8), it doesn't die because it's indestructible. You'd have to either give it -10/-10, exile it, force its controller to sacrifice it with something like Crackling Doom, or tuck it away with a card like Chaos Warp or Terminus.
October 29, 2015 11:48 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #4
Yes. Indestructible doesn't save a creature from dying for having 0 or less toughness, as that is not a destruction effect. Only effects that say "destroy" and the state-based action of destroying creatures that have lethal damage marked on them actually destroy permanents.
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #1
No.
Indestructible's literal meaning is "can't be destroyed." That means that neither destroy effects nor lethal damage can destroy it. Lethal damage marked on an indestructible creature has no effect on that creature whatsoever. Remember that damage does not reduce toughness, either.
Giving Colossus of Akros -5/-5 doesn't change the fact that it's indestructible; the damage will be just as meaningless as if it were still a 10/10.
October 29, 2015 11:45 p.m.