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Indestructible

Keyword abilities

Can't be destroyed — but plenty of other things still kill it.

How it works

An indestructible permanent can't be destroyed. Effects that say 'destroy' do nothing to it, and it isn't destroyed by lethal damage or by deathtouch.

Indestructible is a narrow shield: it only stops destruction. Anything that removes the permanent another way still works.

Common confusions

What still kills an indestructible creature?

Exile, sacrifice, bounce (return to hand), '-X/-X' that drops toughness to 0 or less (a state-based action, not destruction), and effects that put it into a graveyard without using the word 'destroy.'

Board wipe that says 'destroy all creatures.'

Indestructible creatures survive it. A wipe that says 'exile' or 'each player sacrifices' gets them.

0 toughness.

A creature with 0 or less toughness is put into the graveyard as a state-based action — this isn't destruction, so indestructible doesn't save it.

CR 702.12DeathtouchSacrifice vs. destroydoes it die