Trample — what does it mean?
If this creature is blocked, any leftover combat damage goes through to the player or planeswalker.
Trample appears on 1,035 cards.
How does Trample work?
Trample only changes how an attacking creature assigns its combat damage. If it's blocked, you first have to assign lethal damage to every blocking creature. Whatever's left over can go to the player, planeswalker, or battle you're attacking. You're allowed to put more than lethal on a blocker if you want, but if any blocker gets less than lethal, nothing goes through.
Lethal here means the blocker's toughness minus damage already marked on it this turn. A 2/2 that already took 1 damage only needs 1 more. Effects that prevent or double damage are ignored while you assign. If a 2/2 with protection from your creature's color blocks, you still have to assign 2 to it, even though that damage will be prevented. Same with indestructible: 2 is enough, even though the blocker won't die.
Trample does nothing when the creature is blocking, and nothing for noncombat damage, like a fight. If the only blocker disappears before damage, say to a removal spell, your creature stays blocked, but with trample all its damage goes to the defender. Without trample it deals no damage at all. Two instances of trample on the same creature don't add anything.
An example at the table
You attack with a 5/5 with trample. Your opponent blocks with a 2/3 and a 1/1. You have to assign 3 damage to the 2/3 and 1 to the 1/1 first. That's 4, so 1 is left for your opponent. If the 2/3 had already taken 2 damage earlier this turn, 1 would've been enough for it and 3 would've gone through. If your 5/5 also has deathtouch, 1 damage per blocker is enough, so 3 goes through to the player there too.
Cards with Trample
Rampaging BalothsIllustration: Steve Prescott
Ghalta, Primal HungerIllustration: Chase Stone
Hellkite TyrantIllustration: Aleksi Briclot
Mossborn HydraIllustration: Monztre
Etali, Primal Conqueror // Etali, Primal SicknessIllustration: Ryan PancoastCommon mistakes
- Thinking only the difference between power and toughness goes through. You assign lethal damage, and damage already on the blocker counts. A wounded blocker soaks up less.
- Thinking trample helps when blocking. It only works for an attacking creature dealing combat damage.
- Assuming you can go around a blocker with protection or indestructible. You still assign lethal damage based on its toughness, even if that damage never lands.
- Thinking a blocked creature whose blocker is gone automatically hits the player. That only happens with trample. Without it, the creature deals no damage.
Frequently asked questions
- Does trample work with deathtouch?
- Yes, and it's a strong combination. With deathtouch, 1 combat damage counts as lethal, so you assign 1 to each blocker and the rest goes to the player.
- Does trample damage go through to a planeswalker?
- If you're attacking the planeswalker, the excess goes to that planeswalker. Only the variant trample over planeswalkers lets damage beyond its loyalty continue to the player who controls it.
- Does trample work with fight?
- No. Fight damage isn't combat damage, and trample only affects combat damage from an attacking creature.
- Can I assign more damage to a blocker than needed?
- Yes. Once every blocker has lethal damage assigned, you split the rest however you like among the blockers and whatever you're attacking.
Official rule: Comprehensive Rules 702.19. More on where this rulebook comes from under Sources.
Often seen with
FlyingHasteReachVigilanceTransform
Which cards with Trample do you own? →
Last updated: 26 October 2026