search
HomeMobile Game TutorialMobile Game GuideMagic: The Gathering - What Is Defender?

Defender: A Deep Dive into Magic: The Gathering's Stalwart Mechanic

Defender is a long-standing mechanic in Magic: The Gathering, debuting in the Alpha set and formally named in Champions of Kamigawa (2004). This evergreen keyword frequently appears in new releases, yet its card pool remains relatively small compared to other mechanics of similar age. This is largely due to the inherent limitations of defenders outside of Limited formats.

Magic: The Gathering - What Is Defender?

Understanding the Defender Mechanic

Magic: The Gathering - What Is Defender?

A creature with defender can only block; it cannot attack. While often characterized by low power and high toughness, this inherent limitation makes it less versatile than other mechanics. The drawback of sacrificing offensive capabilities often outweighs the benefit of increased toughness in constructed formats.

The Wall creature type inherently possesses defender. Pre-official naming, Walls functioned as defenders; any Wall without explicitly stated defender has since been errata'd to include the ability.

To compensate for their defensive nature, defender creatures frequently possess additional abilities or effects. These might include deathtouch for favorable trades, or damage-dealing abilities for offensive contributions.

While generally unable to attack, certain cards allow defender creatures to attack, often dealing damage equal to their toughness instead of their power. This ability, known as "backbone" (unofficial keyword, implemented on Magic: Arena in 2020), is frequently paired with cards that enable defender attacks.

The defender ability can be bestowed upon other creatures, typically through Auras. These Auras might also strip the enchanted creature of other abilities, further hindering its offensive capabilities.

Magic: The Gathering - What Is Defender?

Strategies and Synergies for Defender Decks

Magic: The Gathering - What Is Defender?

Defender creatures are rarely effective on their own in constructed formats. However, a well-constructed deck built around the mechanic can be surprisingly powerful, particularly in Commander. Arcades, the Strategist, is a prime example of a commander that excels in this strategy, enabling attacks and providing card draw for each defender entering the battlefield.

Cards like High Alert and Assault Formation grant defender creatures the ability to attack, dealing damage equal to their toughness. Towering Titan provides significant stat boosts based on toughness and trample upon sacrificing a defender. Overgrown Battlement and Axebane Guardian generate mana based on the number of defenders controlled, acting as mana dorks for the deck.

A strong defender deck provides a robust defense, safeguarding life totals against attackers, especially against opponents with smaller boards. The high toughness of many defenders ensures effective blocking without significant creature loss.

Top Defender Cards

Tree of Perdition

Magic: The Gathering - What Is Defender?

Tree of Perdition is a powerful card, not for its direct use, but for its graveyard synergy. Exiling it with Agatha's Soul Cauldron grants its effect to another creature, creating a devastating combo. Often paired with a low-toughness creature, it allows for game-ending damage.

Thermo-Alchemist

Magic: The Gathering - What Is Defender?

Thermo-Alchemist is a standout card in burn decks. Each burn spell untaps it, amplifying damage output. Its high toughness ensures survivability in combat. Combined with burn spells, it can inflict significant damage in a single turn.

Sunscape Familiar

Magic: The Gathering - What Is Defender?

Sunscape Familiar simplifies mana costs for green and blue spells. Crucial to Pauper Familiar decks, it enables infinite loops and significant card draw. Its mono-white classification expands deckbuilding options.

Magic: The Gathering - What Is Defender?

The above is the detailed content of Magic: The Gathering - What Is Defender?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Statement
The content of this article is voluntarily contributed by netizens, and the copyright belongs to the original author. This site does not assume corresponding legal responsibility. If you find any content suspected of plagiarism or infringement, please contact admin@php.cn
R.E.P.O. Energy Crystals Explained and What They Do (Yellow Crystal)R.E.P.O. Energy Crystals Explained and What They Do (Yellow Crystal)Mar 18, 2025 am 12:07 AM

I bought expensive weapons or drones in R.E.P.O. but found that the energy was exhausted and became useless? Don't worry, you don't have to spend $50,000 on replacements, just charge your gear! That strange machine at the back of your truck is not a decoration. Here are how to get energy crystals and use them to keep your gear running continuously to avoid bankruptcy. More Reads: All R.E.P.O. Items How to get energy crystal You can buy energy crystals from the service store between levels. They usually cost between $7,000 and $9,000 — while expensive, they are far cheaper than repurchasing gear. In the first few levels, no purchase is required. You don't need them for the time being, so

How Long Does It Take To Beat Split Fiction?How Long Does It Take To Beat Split Fiction?Mar 07, 2025 am 04:16 AM

Detailed explanation of the game duration of "Split Fiction": main line, branch line and 100% completion Like Hazelight Studio's previous works, Split Fiction is a relatively linear game, but it also contains some extra interesting content. There are some side stories, optional dialogues and easter eggs in the game, but there are not many elements to collect. Although the level is long and includes multiple mechanisms and boss battles, it still takes a considerable time to complete "Split Fiction", especially to achieve 100% completion. The following is a detailed analysis of the game duration: The main plot duration In the case of two-player game (the player level is comparable), it takes about 12 hours to pass the main plot. But this game is more suitable

R.E.P.O. Best Graphic SettingsR.E.P.O. Best Graphic SettingsMar 18, 2025 am 01:33 AM

R.E.P.O. Game Screen Setting Guide: How to improve frame rate while ensuring picture quality? This article will guide you to optimize game settings and find the best balance point. Step 1: Full Screen Mode and Frame Rate Adjustment Before adjusting other settings, make sure the game is running in the best mode: Display Mode: Full Screen - Always use Full Screen Mode for optimal performance. Window mode will reduce the frame rate. Vertical Sync (V-Sync): Off - Unless a screen tear occurs, turn off vertical synchronization for a smoother gaming experience. Maximum FPS: Unlimited - If your computer is configured strongly, you can set it to Unlimited. Otherwise, it is recommended to limit it to 60 frames or match your monitor refresh rate. second

Assassin's Creed Shadows: Seashell Riddle SolutionAssassin's Creed Shadows: Seashell Riddle SolutionMar 28, 2025 am 01:58 AM

Assassin's Creed: Shadows boasts a vast world brimming with activities beyond the main storyline. Side missions and various encounters significantly enrich the immersive experience of in-game Japan. One particularly memorable encounter is the Seashe

R.E.P.O. How to Fix Audio if You Can't Hear AnyoneR.E.P.O. How to Fix Audio if You Can't Hear AnyoneMar 17, 2025 pm 06:10 PM

Can't hear other players' voices in the R.E.P.O. game? Even if your microphone is working properly, it can be a problem caused by audio settings or device conflicts. Here are some effective solutions to help you restore your voice chat functionality. 1. Check the output device Open the audio settings of R.E.P.O. and check the output device settings. If set to "Default", manually select your headset or speaker. Restart the game and test voice chat again. 2. Adjust Windows sound settings If R.E.P.O. does not output the sound to the correct device, check the Windows Sound Settings: Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar and select Sound Settings. Under "Output",

WWE 2K25: How To Unlock Everything In MyRiseWWE 2K25: How To Unlock Everything In MyRiseMar 15, 2025 pm 12:03 PM

WWE 2K25's MyRise mode is one of the best career modes in WWE games in recent years, telling an exciting story: a group of disgruntled NXT superstars take over WWE. However, enjoying the plot is not the only reason to play this mode. By playing MyRise, you can also unlock many content such as new superstars, new arenas, extra costumes, special weapons, and more. However, you can't get everything in a round of games, so you may want to prioritize certain items. Before you do this, you need to know what unlockable content is and how to get them. All this information is included here. Unlocked content through plot promotion By advancing the main plot and completing the chapters, you can solve

Where to find the Crane Control Keycard in AtomfallWhere to find the Crane Control Keycard in AtomfallMar 28, 2025 am 02:17 AM

In Atomfall, discover hidden keys and passages, including multiple ways to access key locations. This guide focuses on using the Crane Control Keycard for easy, unguarded Entry to Skethermoor Prison, bypassing the need to cooperate with Captain Sims

Assassin's Creed Shadows - How To Find The Blacksmith And Unlock Weapon And Armour CustomisationAssassin's Creed Shadows - How To Find The Blacksmith And Unlock Weapon And Armour CustomisationMar 22, 2025 am 01:06 AM

In Assassin's Creed Mirage, early game progression is limited until you recruit allies and unlock key features. Weapon customization, for instance, requires finding the blacksmith, Heiji. This unlocks through a side quest, impacting gameplay signif

See all articles

Hot AI Tools

Undresser.AI Undress

Undresser.AI Undress

AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover

AI Clothes Remover

Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Undress AI Tool

Undress AI Tool

Undress images for free

Clothoff.io

Clothoff.io

AI clothes remover

AI Hentai Generator

AI Hentai Generator

Generate AI Hentai for free.

Hot Article

R.E.P.O. Energy Crystals Explained and What They Do (Yellow Crystal)
2 weeks agoBy尊渡假赌尊渡假赌尊渡假赌
R.E.P.O. Best Graphic Settings
2 weeks agoBy尊渡假赌尊渡假赌尊渡假赌
R.E.P.O. How to Fix Audio if You Can't Hear Anyone
2 weeks agoBy尊渡假赌尊渡假赌尊渡假赌

Hot Tools

Dreamweaver Mac version

Dreamweaver Mac version

Visual web development tools

mPDF

mPDF

mPDF is a PHP library that can generate PDF files from UTF-8 encoded HTML. The original author, Ian Back, wrote mPDF to output PDF files "on the fly" from his website and handle different languages. It is slower than original scripts like HTML2FPDF and produces larger files when using Unicode fonts, but supports CSS styles etc. and has a lot of enhancements. Supports almost all languages, including RTL (Arabic and Hebrew) and CJK (Chinese, Japanese and Korean). Supports nested block-level elements (such as P, DIV),

PhpStorm Mac version

PhpStorm Mac version

The latest (2018.2.1) professional PHP integrated development tool

SublimeText3 Chinese version

SublimeText3 Chinese version

Chinese version, very easy to use

MinGW - Minimalist GNU for Windows

MinGW - Minimalist GNU for Windows

This project is in the process of being migrated to osdn.net/projects/mingw, you can continue to follow us there. MinGW: A native Windows port of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC), freely distributable import libraries and header files for building native Windows applications; includes extensions to the MSVC runtime to support C99 functionality. All MinGW software can run on 64-bit Windows platforms.