The Battlefield

Damning Verdict

$9.27

Emrakul, the World Anew

$4.43

AI DraftMay 5, 2026

Damning Verdict + Emrakul, the World Anew

AI draft — not yet human-reviewed. Check citations and flag anything that looks wrong. How pages are reviewed.

Overview

Damning Verdict is a non‑targeted sorcery; Emrakul’s protection is a static ability that functions on the battlefield . Because Damning Verdict’s text doesn’t include the word “target,” it doesn’t target any creatures when it’s cast or when it resolves . Protection that prevents being targeted by spells does not stop a non‑targeted destroy effect, so Damning Verdict will destroy Emrakul (if Emrakul has no counters) when Damning Verdict resolves.

Step 1

Emrakul’s static abilities (including protection) function while it is on the battlefield .

Step 2

Damning Verdict is a sorcery whose oracle text reads "Destroy all creatures with no counters on them." That text contains no targets; it does not use the word "target," so the spell doesn’t require or choose targets when it’s cast .

Step 3

Because Damning Verdict doesn’t target, any parts of Emrakul’s protection that prevent it from being targeted by spells are irrelevant to Damning Verdict (Damning Verdict never attempted to target Emrakul) .

Step 4

Protection also has other specific effects (as defined by the protection rules), but those only apply where their specific prevention applies; they do not automatically stop all non‑targeted spells from affecting the creature. (Emrakul’s protection text is a static ability on the battlefield .)

Step 5

When Damning Verdict resolves it performs its one‑shot effect: "Destroy all creatures with no counters on them." Emrakul meets that criterion if it has no counters, so it is destroyed as part of the resolution of Damning Verdict.

Step 6

After the spell’s resolution, normal checks (including state‑based actions and any triggered abilities that resulted) occur as usual .

Resolution

If Emrakul, the World Anew is on the battlefield and a player resolves Damning Verdict ("Destroy all creatures with no counters on them."), Emrakul will be destroyed by that resolution if it has no counters. Emrakul’s protection from spells and from permanents that were cast this turn is a static ability that functions on the battlefield , but Damning Verdict does not target and so the protection doesn’t prevent that non‑targeted destroy effect from putting Emrakul into its owner’s graveyard.

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