<p>The damage can't be prevented.</p>

<p>This is a situation covered by the second Golden Rule of the game.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>101.2. When a rule or effect allows or directs something to happen, and another effect states that it can’t happen, the “can’t” effect takes precedence.<br>
  Example: If one effect reads “You may play an additional land this turn” and another reads “You can’t play lands this turn,” the effect that precludes you from playing lands wins.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>As we colloquially say, "can't trumps can".</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-20T14:18:46.493Z
It appears that I misread the question. Nonetheless, I shall leave my answer up because it could be of use to those that land on this page.
ikegami
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-20T19:07:48.360Z
Not misread.I had to pick between two good answers. Thank you for explaining the "can't" vs. "can" semantics.
Dan Solovay
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-20T19:08:33.280Z
I thought you asked if the damage would be prevented or not. I think I extrapolated the question from (an earlier version of) Glorfindel's answer rather than actually reading it.
ikegami
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-19T20:21:46.450Z
2019-05-19T20:21:46.450Z
ikegami
<p>Essentially, <a href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;text=+[%22damage%20can%27t%20be%20prevented%22]" rel="noreferrer">all cards that mention that "damage can't be prevented"</a>, though the sorceries will require additional cards to be cast during Gideon's owner's turn.</p>

<p>Those cards do what they say on the tin; damage can't be prevented, neither by activated abilities like <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bCircle%20of%20Protection%5d">Circle of Protection</a> nor by static abilities like Gideon's.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-19T18:49:59.613Z
Nitpick; the sorceries can be a relevant example even without something else allowing them to be cast, because they could by cast by Gideon's controller.
GendoIkari
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-19T20:22:53.443Z
Rre "*Those cards do what they say on the tin*", True, but it would be nice to know why do those cards do what they say on the tin, and Gideon doesn't.
ikegami
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-19T20:24:35.873Z
Yep, I was going to look for that reference when I got home but I see you already found it :)
Glorfindel
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-19T23:52:46.497Z
What’s “the tin?”
GendoIkari
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-20T05:42:30.267Z
@GendoIkari https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Does_exactly_what_it_says_on_the_tin
Glorfindel
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-20T13:30:46.980Z
Both @ikegami and this answer were very helpful. Giving the check to the latter as I was looking for scenarios, and the link to "damage can't be prevented" addressed that.
Dan Solovay
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-19T18:25:09.160Z
2019-05-19T21:02:16.040Z
2019-05-19T21:02:16.040Z
Glorfindel
<p><a href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=463832" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Gideon, the Oathsworn</a> has a +2 loyalty ability that reads:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>+2: Until end of turn, Gideon, the Oathsworn becomes a 5/5 white Soldier creature that's still a planeswalker. Prevent all damage that would be dealt to him this turn. (He can't attack if he was cast this turn.)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>In the card rulings, it states:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>If damage that can’t be prevented is dealt to Gideon after his first loyalty ability has resolved, that damage will have all applicable results: specifically, the damage is marked on Gideon (since he’s a creature) and that damage causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from him (since he’s a planeswalker). Even though he’s also a creature, if Gideon has no loyalty counters on him, he’s put into his owner’s graveyard.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>What is a scenario that could cause non-preventable damage after this ability has resolved, which states that it will "prevent all damage"?</p>

<magic-the-gathering><mtg-planeswalkers>
Unpreventable damage to Gideon, the Oathsworn
Dan Solovay
# Unpreventable damage to Gideon, the Oathsworn

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-05-19)

[Gideon, the Oathsworn](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=463832) has a +2 loyalty ability that reads:

> +2: Until end of turn, Gideon, the Oathsworn becomes a 5/5 white Soldier creature that's still a planeswalker. Prevent all damage that would be dealt to him this turn. (He can't attack if he was cast this turn.)

In the card rulings, it states:

> If damage that can’t be prevented is dealt to Gideon after his first loyalty ability has resolved, that damage will have all applicable results: specifically, the damage is marked on Gideon (since he’s a creature) and that damage causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from him (since he’s a planeswalker). Even though he’s also a creature, if Gideon has no loyalty counters on him, he’s put into his owner’s graveyard.

What is a scenario that could cause non-preventable damage after this ability has resolved, which states that it will "prevent all damage"?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering, mtg-planeswalkers


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-05-19. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

Essentially, [all cards that mention that "damage can't be prevented"](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&text=+[%22damage%20can%27t%20be%20prevented%22]), though the sorceries will require additional cards to be cast during Gideon's owner's turn.

Those cards do what they say on the tin; damage can't be prevented, neither by activated abilities like [Circle of Protection](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bCircle%20of%20Protection%5d) nor by static abilities like Gideon's.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Nitpick; the sorceries can be a relevant example even without something else allowing them to be cast, because they could by cast by Gideon's controller.  
> **username_1**: Rre "*Those cards do what they say on the tin*", True, but it would be nice to know why do those cards do what they say on the tin, and Gideon doesn't.  
> **username_2**: Yep, I was going to look for that reference when I got home but I see you already found it :)  
> **username_3**: What’s “the tin?”  
> **username_2**: @username_3 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Does_exactly_what_it_says_on_the_tin  
> **username_0**: Both @username_1 and this answer were very helpful. Giving the check to the latter as I was looking for scenarios, and the link to "damage can't be prevented" addressed that.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-05-19. Score: 6

The damage can't be prevented.

This is a situation covered by the second Golden Rule of the game.

> 101.2. When a rule or effect allows or directs something to happen, and another effect states that it can’t happen, the “can’t” effect takes precedence.  
> Example: If one effect reads “You may play an additional land this turn” and another reads “You can’t play lands this turn,” the effect that precludes you from playing lands wins.

As we colloquially say, "can't trumps can".

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It appears that I misread the question. Nonetheless, I shall leave my answer up because it could be of use to those that land on this page.  
> **username_0**: Not misread.I had to pick between two good answers. Thank you for explaining the "can't" vs. "can" semantics.  
> **username_1**: I thought you asked if the damage would be prevented or not. I think I extrapolated the question from (an earlier version of) username_2's answer rather than actually reading it.  

---

