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Say I have a 5/5 indestructible creature. An opponent plays a 3 damage spell on this creature. After that spell resolves, the opponent then plays a spell which gives the creature -2/-2 until end of turn. Does the creature die?

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Say I have a 5/5 indestructible creature. An opponent plays a 3 damage spell on this creature. After that spell resolves,

It becomes a 5/5 with 3 damage marked on it.

Perhaps you've played DotP where this is shown as 5/2 on the screen, but that's misleading because damage does not reduce toughness. (Damage from a source with Wither or Infect can grant -1/-1 counters which in turn reduce toughness, but that doesn't appear to be what you're asking about.)

the opponent then plays a spell which gives the creature -2/-2 until end of turn.

So it becomes a 3/3 with 3 damage marked on it.

Does the creature die?

No. It has positive toughness, and lethal damage does not destroy indestructible creatures.

702.12b A permanent with indestructible can’t be destroyed. Such permanents aren’t destroyed by lethal damage, and they ignore the state-based action that checks for lethal damage (see rule 704.5g).

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No, he would be a 3/3 marked with 3 damage. This 3 damage would be 'lethal', but since he is indestructible, he is immune to such deaths.

702.12b A permanent with indestructible can’t be destroyed. Such permanents aren’t destroyed by lethal damage, and they ignore the state-based action that checks for lethal damage (see rule 704.5g).

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  • Taking the bouncing ball here, does the indestructible ability makes a creature immune to "remove permanent" spell?
    – LittleViking26
    Commented Mar 7, 2013 at 16:04
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    @LittleViking26 No. Indestructible simply means that destroy effects and lethal damage do not work. forced sacrifice, toughness=0 state check, exile effect, ect... still work.
    – Colin D
    Commented Mar 7, 2013 at 16:11
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    We like to avoid plain links on StackExchange sites; it's often more useful to readers if they can get the full answer just by reading what's here. You might consider editing in the actual rule that's included in that wiki page (700.4).
    – Cascabel
    Commented Mar 7, 2013 at 18:02

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