Great Defender MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Instant
Released	1994-06-01
Set symbol
Set name	Legends
Set code	LEG
Number	16
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mark Poole

Key Takeaways

Great Defender bolsters defenses, providing a persistent barrier and card advantage on the battlefield.
Enhances your gameplay with instant speed summoning, surprising opponents and boosting strategic options.
Its specific mana costs and discard requirements may lead to difficult in-game resource management decisions.

Text of card

Target creature gains +0/+X until end of turn where X is the creature's casting cost.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Great Defender excels by offering persistent defensive capabilities that can lock down the battlefield, effectively protecting your life total and other valuable permanents. By deterring attacks, it helps you maintain card advantage, as opponents are less likely to engage in unfavorable combat that could result in their losing cards while you retain yours.

Resource Acceleration: This stalwart card often comes with abilities that bolster your mana pool, allowing you to deploy other threats or answers more quickly than your opponent. It may provide additional mana or other resources simply by being on the field, accelerating your game plan and giving you an edge in resource management.

Instant Speed: The ability to summon this powerful guard at instant speed cannot be overstated. Reacting to your opponent’s moves with a surprise blocker can turn the tide of the game. This flexibility enables you to adapt to the flow of the match, holding back on casting until the most opportune moment, thus preserving the element of surprise and maximizing strategic depth.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The gameplay of Great Defender necessitates discarding a card as part of the cost to activate its ability. This condition can be a significant drawback during moments when your hand is already depleted, and every card counts. It forces players to make tough decisions about resource management, potentially hindering their ability to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a particular combination of mana to cast, Great Defender may sometimes be challenging to play on curve, especially in multicolored decks. This could delay its deployment, giving an edge to opponents who are executing a faster game plan or those with a more stable mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its high mana cost, this card comes into play later in the game when players might be looking to deploy more impactful spells or creatures. In comparison, other cards with lower casting costs might provide a more immediate defensive benefit or flexibility, making Great Defender potentially less appealing in fast-paced or highly competitive environments.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Great Defender can serve as an excellent addition to various deck archetypes that prioritize defense. Its ability to possibly deter attacks can seamlessly integrate with control or ‘pillow fort’ strategies.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with effects designed to benefit from high toughness creatures. It can enhance strategies that leverage creatures’ defensive statistics for alternative win conditions or value generation.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where aggressive decks are prevalent, The Great Defender can be a crucial card to slow down the onslaught and stabilize the board, providing you the time needed to execute your game plan.

How to beat

The Great Defender card in Magic the Gathering offers a unique challenge on the battlefield. It distinguishes itself with robust defensive stats. As a solid wall, it can effectively stonewall your offensive efforts. To bypass this obstacle, consider using spells that neutralize without relying on combat. Cards with abilities such as exile, bounce, or direct destruction can provide a clear path. Utilize effects that avoid the combat phase or alter the combat rules, ensuring your attacks land effectively.

Direct removal spells such as Path to Exile or Terminate can work around the Great Defender’s sturdy stance. Alternatively, countering it before it lands on the board with spells like Counterspell or Mana Leak can keep your strategy fluid. Adapt your deck to include non-combat solutions and you’ll find the Great Defender becomes less of an impasse and more of a minor hiccup in your game plan.

Remember that part of the strategy in Magic the Gathering is anticipation. By having the right tools to deal with powerful defenders, you maintain momentum and keep your opponents on their toes, leading you closer to victory.

Cards like Great Defender

The Great Defender card serves as an enduring bulwark in Magic: The Gathering, often compared to other prominent defender options. Wall of Omens is frequently cited alongside Great Defender due to its also offering a draw card ability. Yet, Great Defender stands out with its potentially higher toughness, providing more resilience against attacks. Wall of Omens offers card advantage at a lower mana cost but lacks the staying power.

Analogous to Great Defender is the Guard Gomazoa, a card with a similar defensive mindset, preventing all combat damage that would be dealt to it. Guard Gomazoa excels in stalling aggressive strategies, much like Great Defender, though it has no ability to influence card advantage.

Considering the balance between cost, defensive capability, and potential for card draw or combat benefits, Great Defender holds a unique position. It embodies a strategic element for players who favor long-term play, ensuring both battlefield stability and an edge in card economy over time. Overall, it represents a compelling option for those crafting a deck with a focus on formidable defenses.

Cards similar to Great Defender by color, type and mana cost

Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Great Defender MTG card by a specific set like Legends, 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 Great Defender and other MTG cards: