Ward, hexproof and protection in Magic
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Ward, hexproof, and protection do not function the same way in Magic. Hexproof prevents spells or abilities controlled by your opponents from targeting your permanent. Ward allows targeting, but triggers an ability that counters the spell or ability unless the opponent pays the specified cost. Protection against a certain characteristic prevents certain targets and adds additional defenses, such as preventing damage from sources with that characteristic. The difference determines which card you can cast and what happens afterward.
The first question is whether the effect targets
Many debates about these defenses begin too late, after the spell has already been attempted to resolve. First, determine whether the text uses the word "target" or whether the spell's rules or Aura imply selecting a target. An effect that affects "all creatures" without targeting is analyzed differently. Hexproof and part of protection mainly restrict who can be chosen as a target; Ward triggers when the permanent is legally targeted by an opponent's spell.
Example: Your opponent has a spell that says "destroy the target creature." Your creature with hexproof cannot be chosen as a target by that spell controlled by your opponent. If your creature has Ward {2} but not hexproof, it can be targeted; then Ward triggers, requiring the opponent to pay an additional cost to prevent the spell from being countered by that ability. If your creature has protection against the quality of the spell, the legality of the target may be blocked before anything is resolved.
Hexproof prevents opponents' targets
The hexproof rule states that a permanent cannot be targeted by spells or abilities controlled by your opponents. The word "controlled" is important. As the controller of the permanent, you can cast your own spells that target it if they meet all other requirements. That's why hexproof often protects a creature from being targeted by your opponent's removal spells without blocking your own increases or enchantments that legally target it.
Hexproof does not make the permanent invulnerable. A global effect that destroys all creatures without targeting can still affect it. It can also take damage in combat and suffer effects that don't target, unless another defense exists. If a card says "hexproof against [quality]," review the specific quality: the restriction applies to the sources described, not necessarily to all of your opponent's spells. Do not turn a printed word into general immunity against any action by your opponent.
Ward allows targeting, but requires a response
Ward is a triggered ability. When a permanent with Ward becomes a legal target of a spell or ability controlled by an opponent, the ability triggers. Its effect counters that spell or ability unless the player pays the specified cost. This means the opponent's spell can be announced with that target: Ward does not make it an illegal target. The decision to pay appears during the resolution of the triggered ability, not when evaluating the legality of the target initially.
Example: You control a creature with Ward {2}. Your opponent casts a spell that targets it and pays the normal cost of that spell. Ward triggers and is placed on the stack when appropriate. If, when resolving the ability, the opponent does not pay {2}, Ward counters the targeted spell as specified in its rules text. If the opponent pays, the spell remains and attempts to resolve afterward. Paying Ward does not guarantee the effect succeeds: the target could change or become illegal due to another response.
Ward is not simply "pay two more when casting"
It is common to summarize Ward {2} as "that spell costs two more mana." This is useful for planning, but it is not the literal sequence. The opponent casts their spell, the permanent becomes a legal target, and Ward triggers. The Ward ability can receive responses, and its cost is paid when that ability resolves if the player wants to prevent the counter. An effect that prevents the spell from being countered may interact differently than a simple cost increase, for example.
To play correctly, announce the target, place the Ward ability on the stack, and ask about the payment when appropriate. Do not force the opponent to reserve mana before finishing casting the spell as if it were part of the original cost. Also, do not ignore Ward because the spell "has already been paid": paying the casting cost and paying Ward are two separate actions. This distinction matters especially when there are multiple responses on top of the triggered ability.
Protection adds several layers of defense
Protection is stated as "protection against [quality]," for example a color. According to the rules, the protected permanent or player cannot be targeted by spells with that quality or abilities from sources with that quality. Additionally, a protected permanent cannot be enchanted by Auras with that quality or equipped by Equipment with that quality; damage from sources with that quality is prevented, and a protected attacker cannot be blocked by creatures with that quality.
It is a broader package of effects than hexproof or Ward, but it does not mean "nothing with that quality affects me ever." A non-targeting effect that does not deal damage may still apply if no part of the protection rule prohibits it. For example, a global instruction to destroy creatures is not stopped by protection simply because the source has a certain quality, as long as it does not target and is not damage or another prohibited interaction. Read what operation the effect performs rather than focusing only on its color.
Your own spell targeting a protected creature
Hexproof distinguishes between the opponent and the controller of the permanent: your own spells can target your creature with hexproof if all other requirements are met. Protection against a quality does not work this way for your spells. If your creature has protection against red, a red spell you control cannot target it due to the protection rule. This difference can frustrate a plan of improvement: a creature heavily protected against the opponent may also reject your own help of that protected quality.
Example: You want to cast a red increase that targets a creature you control. If that creature only has hexproof, the hexproof restriction does not prevent your target. If it has protection against red, the red spell cannot target it even though it is yours. If it only has Ward, a normal Ward ability triggers when an opponent targets it, so your own spell does not trigger that payment simply by targeting. Always review the exact text and who controls the spell.
Combat damage, blocking, and global effects
Hexproof does not prevent combat damage. Ward does not either: attacking and blocking do not necessarily make a creature a target of an opponent's spell or ability. Protection can prevent combat damage from a source with the protected quality and can prevent creatures with that quality from blocking a protected attacker. That's why two creatures that seem "hard to target" can behave very differently when entering combat.
Against a global effect, the comparison changes again. If a spell says it deals damage to all creatures, hexproof and Ward usually don't intervene due to the absence of targets, but protection can prevent damage if the source matches the protected quality. If the global spell says it destroys all creatures without dealing damage, protection's damage prevention does not help against that operation. Identify three things: whether there is a target, whether the effect deals damage, and what quality the source has.
When a creature has two of these abilities
These abilities can coexist. If a creature has both hexproof and Ward, an opponent's spell that attempts to target it normally fails at the target selection phase due to hexproof; no situation arises where paying Ward would make an illegal target legal. If it has protection against the spell's quality and also Ward, the protection can prevent it from being targeted. Ward does not replace the legality check.
On the other hand, if the opponent's effect can legally target the creature—such as because its quality is not protected and no applicable hexproof exists—Ward can trigger. Do not apply the defenses as if they were three identical shields consumed in sequence. One prevents selection, another reacts to selection, and the third also affects damage, Auras, Equipment, and blocking. Classifying each ability first makes the interaction much easier to resolve.
A mental table to decide in seconds
When facing an opponent's spell that targets, ask: "Does hexproof or protection forbid this?" If the answer is yes, that target cannot be chosen. If the answer is no and the permanent has Ward, the target is legal and Ward triggers. When facing a spell without a target, instead ask what it does: damage, destruction, resistance reduction, or another operation. If it deals damage, protection might prevent it when the source matches the protected quality; if it destroys without dealing damage, the three words do not necessarily save it.
During combat, do not automatically ask about Ward. Check whether there is an opponent's spell or ability that is targeting; mere combat does not activate Ward. For hexproof, the question is usually irrelevant if only combat damage is assigned. For protection, check the quality of the blocker and the source of damage. This concise routine avoids wasting a defensive instant because you confused "they attack me" with "they made me a target."
Common mistakes and final check
Common errors include trying to pay Ward to target a creature with hexproof, believing Ward directly increases the casting cost, assuming hexproof prevents an effect that affects all creatures, or thinking protection prevents any instruction from a source of the indicated color. It is also forgotten that protection can block your own spells of that color. All of these are corrected by reading the verbs "target," "deal damage," "destroy," "enchanted," and "block" separately.
To resolve a difficult card, identify the controller of the spell or ability, the proposed target, the quality of the source, and the operation it will perform. Check the legality of the target before announcing Ward. If Ward triggers, place it on the stack and resolve its payment at the appropriate time. If there is no target, analyze damage and other effects of protection without inventing a Ward trigger. This order is more reliable than remembering a vague label of "protected card."
Frequently Asked Questions
Does paying Ward allow targeting a permanent with hexproof?
No. Hexproof prevents the opponent from choosing that target from the start. Ward only triggers when a target is legally chosen by an opponent.
Does protection against red prevent a red spell I cast?
Yes, if that spell needs to target your protected permanent. The restriction of protection does not apply only to spells from opponents.
Do Ward or hexproof prevent a board wipe without targets?
No, by themselves. You must read what the wipe does; protection might matter if the operation deals damage from a source with the protected quality.