46 Commander-legal instants that give hexproof or, in white, protection from a color are on this list. The most-played are Heroic Intervention, Dawn's Truce and Snakeskin Veil (card data dated November 1, 2026).
Hexproof stops opponents from targeting a permanent; protection from a color stops more. Here are 46 Commander-legal instants that give one.
These instants protect a creature or another permanent from removal at the last moment. Hexproof means opponents can't target it; protection from a color also stops that color's damage, blockers and Auras. Heroic Intervention gives every permanent you control hexproof and indestructible at once, and Snakeskin Veil protects one of your creatures and Tamiyo's Safekeeping one of your permanents, each for a single green mana.
Green and blue give hexproof most often, sometimes with a pump or indestructible on top, as with Tyvar's Stand and Overprotect, and white gives protection from the color of your choice: Gods Willing, Shelter, Emerge Unscathed. Hexproof stops targeted removal; protection also gets an attacker past blockers of that color.
Rules note: a spell checks its targets again as it resolves, so a permanent given hexproof or protection in response stops a removal spell aimed at it alone; neither stops a wipe that destroys or exiles without targeting.
On this list, the most-played white instants that give protection from a color: Sejiri Shelter // Sejiri Glacier, Shelter, Gods Willing, Brave the Elements and Apostle's Blessing.
46 cards in all. The 40 most-played are listed here, each linked to its page with printings, prices and format legality.
Commander-legal instant cards whose rules text gives a permanent hexproof, in any color, and white instant cards that give protection from a color, as each card was judged against the questions "instants that give hexproof" and "white instants that give protection from a color". Permanents with hexproof of their own are not listed. One entry per card, most-played first.
Built from the card data dated 2026-11-01.
Results on . The six cards on this list that Scry ranked highest that day for "instants that give hexproof".
Hexproof means the permanent can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control (rule 702.11b). Protection from a quality, usually a color, works against every player: the permanent can't be targeted, enchanted, equipped or blocked by anything with that quality, and damage from sources with it is prevented (rules 702.16b to 702.16f).
Yes. A spell checks its targets again as it resolves, and if every target has become illegal, it doesn't resolve (rule 608.2b), so an instant that gives hexproof, or protection from the removal's color, stops a removal spell aimed at that permanent alone.
Only part of one. A wipe that destroys or exiles every creature doesn't target, so protection doesn't stop it, but if the wipe deals damage and its source has the stated color, that damage is prevented (rule 702.16e). Indestructible, which Heroic Intervention adds, survives destroy effects (rule 702.12b).
No. Hexproof stops only spells and abilities your opponents control (rule 702.11b), so you can still target your creature with Auras, Equipment and pump spells. Shroud stops everyone (rule 702.18a), and protection from a color stops your own spells of that color too (rule 702.16b).