Baffling Defenses MTG Card

Baffling Defenses - Jumpstart: Historic Horizons

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2021-08-26
Set symbol
Set name	Jumpstart: Historic Horizons
Set code	J21
Number	2
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Andrey Kuzinskiy

Key Takeaways

Baffling Defenses offers additional battlefield control and can indirectly contribute to preserving player resources.
The instant speed of the card allows for flexible and tactical response to threats during battle.
Despite its defensive merits, the card’s requirements and costs could hinder its playability in certain situations.

Text of card

Target creature's base power perpetually becomes 0.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Baffling Defenses, players can establish superior battlefield presence by generating additional blockers or deterring attacks, indirectly contributing to card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct means to accelerate resources, Baffling Defenses can indirectly preserve valuable mana by discouraging enemy attacks, allowing players to utilize mana more efficiently in upcoming turns.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Baffling Defenses gives players the flexibility to react swiftly to incoming threats and strategically control the timing of engagements on the battlefield.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Baffling Defenses demands that you discard a card, which might deplete your hand and weaken your strategy, particularly in tense moments where every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell requires a precise mana arrangement to cast, including a blue mana source. This can be restrictive, limiting its inclusion to decks that can confidently generate blue mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its defensive utility, Baffling Defenses comes with a mana value that might be perceived as steep, especially when you’re aiming for a mana-efficient play and competing against spells that achieve similar effects for less.

Reasons to Include Baffling Defenses in Your Collection

Versatility: Baffling Defenses offers a unique defensive angle for decks that seek to thwart aggressive strategies. Its ability to nullify an attacker’s combat damage can be a game-changer in various matchups, making it suitable for sideboards and main decks alike.

Combo Potential: This card has the potential to synergize with effects that trigger upon creatures being declared as attackers or blockers, creating opportunities for inventive combat plays and unexpected turns in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-based aggro decks are prevalent, Baffling Defenses can serve as an effective tool to stall opponents and gain the upper hand. Its inclusion can be particularly impactful in shifting the balance of power in your current meta.

How to beat

Baffling Defenses is a unique enchantment in MTG that can pose quite the conundrum for players looking to breach their opponent’s bastions. Its ability to fortify defenses while potentially incapacitating an attacker adds complexity to the combat phase. To successfully navigate around this tricky card, understanding timing and selecting the right removal is crucial.

Utilizing instant-speed removal can be a clever workaround. Cards that allow you to destroy or bypass enchantments before your attack phase can leave your opponent’s strategy in shambles. Moreover, choosing creatures that have abilities triggered upon attacking or entering combat can minimize the potency of Baffling Defenses, since their effects occur regardless of being blocked or tapped.

Another effective strategy involves redirecting your game plan towards non-combat centric victory conditions such as milling, direct damage, or accumulating enough value over time with abilities and card interactions. By adjusting your approach, Baffling Defenses becomes less obstructive, allowing you to push forward towards securing your win.

Cards like Baffling Defenses

Baffling Defenses is an intriguing entry into the suite of defensive magic in Magic: The Gathering. It parallels with enchantments like Ghostly Prison, which also seeks to deter attackers by imposing an additional cost. In contrast, Baffling Defenses brings a unique twist by potentially turning the defensive play into an offensive edge with its conditional creature phase-out ability. Ghostly Prison purely focuses on protection and doesn’t offer this sort of board impact.

Mirroring this tactical defense is Propaganda, echoing the tax-like mechanic on opponents’ creatures. While it shares the same mana cost as Baffling Defenses, Propaganda lacks the secondary effect but is consistent in its defense. Then there’s Sphere of Safety, which can potentially provide even greater protection depending on the number of enchantments you control. It’s more mana-intensive but its scaling nature can create a formidable barrier against attackers.

In essence, when evaluating defensive options and strategic depth, Baffling Defenses carves out its niche within Magic: The Gathering. It can offer more than just deterring assaults; it gives a strategic advantage under the right conditions, balancing defense with a touch of unpredictability in gameplay.

Cards similar to Baffling Defenses by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Baffling Defenses MTG card by a specific set like Jumpstart: Historic Horizons, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Baffling Defenses and other MTG cards: