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Rules AnswersCombat & Damage

Does trample carry over excess damage to the player if all blockers have indestructible?

Short answer
Yes. With trample, you must assign lethal damage to each indestructible blocker, then excess damage carries over to the defending player.

Yes, trample damage does carry over to the defending player even when all blockers are indestructible. The key is understanding how "lethal damage" is defined for trample assignment purposes under CR 702.19b and CR 510.1c.

When assigning combat damage with trample, the attacking creature must assign an amount of damage to each blocking creature equal to that creature's toughness (its lethal damage amount) before any excess can be assigned to the defending player. Crucially, CR 510.1c defines lethal damage as damage equal to the creature's toughness minus any damage already marked on it — it does not take indestructibility into account. Indestructibility only prevents the creature from being destroyed as a state-based action (CR 702.12b), it doesn't change the creature's toughness.

So even though an indestructible blocker will survive, the attacking creature with trample still satisfies its obligation by assigning damage equal to that blocker's toughness. Any remaining damage beyond that threshold is then legally assigned to the defending player.

Concrete example: You attack with a 10/10 trample creature. Your opponent blocks with an indestructible 3/3. You must assign at least 3 damage to the blocker (its toughness), and you may assign the remaining 7 damage to the defending player. The 3/3 survives due to indestructibility, but the player still takes 7 damage.

Relevant rules: CR 702.19b (trample damage assignment), CR 510.1c (definition of lethal damage for assignment), CR 702.12b (indestructible).

HIGH confidence CR 702.19b CR 510.1c CR 702.12b
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Unofficial fan resource — not affiliated with or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast. Answers are AI-generated estimates grounded in the Comprehensive Rules and are not a substitute for an official judge. Verify anything match-critical.