Trample over planeswalkers - rules being updated?
will "trample over planeswalkers" get added to the comprehensive rules or is it all reminder text and intuitiveness?(702.19)
Accepted Answer
New keywords and terms always require new rules. Strixhaven needed new rules for "ward", "learn", and "demonstrate", along with a revised rule for "mana value". I see no reason to expect Modern Horizons 2 to be any different for "trample over planeswalkers". In fact, I fully expect the eventual release notes to include a rule number for the definition of that new ability.
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The rules already have an explicit statement that "trample over planeswalkers" doesn't exist. Have you seen anything to suggest that this might change?
702.19d If a creature with trample is attacking a planeswalker, none of its combat damage can be assigned to the defending player, even if that planeswalker has been removed from combat or the damage the attacking creature could assign is greater than the planeswalker's loyalty.
Edit: I wrote the above before realizing that an upcoming spoiler included that new ability.
Last edited by Argus 3 years ago, edited 1 time in total.
Why bother with mere rulings when so many answers can be found in the Rules?
Considering there is a rule that explicitly prevents "Trample over Planeswalkers" from working, it is a pretty safe bet that there will be a rules change to allow it to work properly.
702.19d. If a creature with trample is attacking a planeswalker, none of its combat damage can be assigned to the defending player, even if that planeswalker has been removed from combat or the damage the attacking creature could assign is greater than the planeswalker's loyalty.
New keywords and terms always require new rules. Strixhaven needed new rules for "ward", "learn", and "demonstrate", along with a revised rule for "mana value". I see no reason to expect Modern Horizons 2 to be any different for "trample over planeswalkers". In fact, I fully expect the eventual release notes to include a rule number for the definition of that new ability.
Why bother with mere rulings when so many answers can be found in the Rules?
The release notes did not, but the rulebook does.
702.19c Trample over planeswalkers is a variant of trample that modifies the rules for assigning combat damage to planeswalkers. The controller of a creature with trample over planeswalkers assigns that creature's combat damage as described in rule 702.19b, with one exception. If that creature is attacking a planeswalker, after lethal damage is assigned to all blocking creatures and damage at least equal to the loyalty of the planeswalker the creature is attacking is assigned to that planeswalker, further excess damage may be assigned as the attacking creature's controller chooses among those blocking creatures, that planeswalker, and that planeswalker's controller. When checking for assigned damage equal to a planeswalker's loyalty, take into account damage from other creatures that's being assigned during the same combat damage step, but not any abilities or effects that might change the amount of damage that's actually dealt.
Example: A player controls a planeswalker with three loyalty counters that is being attacked by a 1/1 with no abilities and a 7/7 with trample over planeswalkers. The active player could assign 1 damage from the first attacker and 2 damage from the second to the planeswalker and 5 damage to the defending player from the creature with trample over planeswalkers.
702.19d If an attacking creature with trample or trample over planeswalkers is blocked, but there are no creatures blocking it when damage is assigned, its damage is assigned to the defending player and/or planeswalker as though all blocking creatures have been assigned lethal damage.
702.19e If a creature with trample over planeswalkers is attacking a planeswalker and that planeswalker is removed from combat, the creature's damage may be assigned to the defending player once all blocking creatures have been dealt lethal damage or, if there are no blocking creatures when damage is assigned, all its damage is assigned to the defending player. This does not cause the creature to be attacking that player.
702.19f If a creature without trample over planeswalkers is attacking a planeswalker, none of its combat damage can be assigned to the defending player, even if that planeswalker has been removed from combat or the damage the attacking creature could assign is greater than the planeswalker's loyalty.
702.19g Multiple instances of trample on the same creature are redundant. Multiple instances of trample over planeswalkers on the same creature are redundant.
Why bother with mere rulings when so many answers can be found in the Rules?
