Indestructible — what does it mean?

Can't be destroyed by damage or by effects that say "destroy."

Indestructible appears on 115 cards.

How does Indestructible work?

A permanent with indestructible can't be destroyed. That covers two things: effects that use the word “destroy,” and lethal damage. An indestructible creature can take as much damage as you like, including damage from a deathtouch source, and it just stays on the battlefield.

There are still plenty of ways to get rid of it, since indestructible only stops destruction. A creature with 0 or less toughness goes to the graveyard, so “gets -3/-3” works. Sacrifice works, exile works, returning it to hand works. An indestructible planeswalker with no loyalty left goes to the graveyard too.

Damage on an indestructible creature stays marked until the cleanup step at the end of the turn. If it loses indestructible later that same turn with lethal damage on it, it's destroyed right away. In combat, it does everything normally: it blocks, it deals damage, and an attacker with trample only needs to assign damage equal to its toughness before the rest goes through.

An example at the table

You block an attacking 6/6 with your 4/4 indestructible creature. The 6/6 deals 6 damage to your 4/4, more than its toughness, but it isn't destroyed. Your 4/4 deals 4 back. Then your opponent casts an instant that destroys all creatures; your 4/4 survives that too. If they then cast a spell giving your 4/4 -4/-4, its toughness becomes 0 and it goes to the graveyard. That isn't destruction, so indestructible doesn't help.

Cards with Indestructible

The One RingIllustration: Veli NyströmMithril CoatIllustration: Igor KrsticDarksteel CitadelIllustration: John AvonToski, Bearer of SecretsIllustration: Jason RainvillePurphoros, God of the ForgeIllustration: Eric Deschamps

Common mistakes

• Thinking indestructible protects against everything. It only stops destruction; -X/-X down to 0 toughness, sacrifice, exile, and bounce all still work.
• Thinking deathtouch kills an indestructible creature anyway. Deathtouch destroys, and that doesn't work here.
• Forgetting that the damage stays. If the creature loses indestructible later that turn with lethal damage marked, it's destroyed.
• Thinking a trampler can't get damage past an indestructible blocker. It only has to assign damage equal to the blocker's toughness.

Frequently asked questions

Does deathtouch work against indestructible?

No. Deathtouch destroys the creature, and an indestructible creature can't be destroyed.

Can an indestructible creature be sacrificed?

Yes. Sacrificing isn't destroying, so indestructible doesn't stop it.

What happens when an indestructible creature gets -X/-X?

If its toughness drops to 0 or less, it goes to the graveyard. That isn't destruction.

How does trample work against an indestructible blocker?

You assign lethal damage based on its toughness, and the rest goes through to the player. The fact that the blocker won't die doesn't change that.

Official rule: Comprehensive Rules 702.12. More on where this rulebook comes from under Sources.

Often seen with

FlyingTrampleEquipHasteVigilance

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Last updated: 26 October 2026