Defensive Maneuvers MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2002-10-07
Set symbol
Set name	Onslaught
Set code	ONS
Number	23
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Luca Zontini

Key Takeaways

Provides card advantage and disrupts opponents while bolstering your hand.
Instant speed reaction allows for flexible and timely defensive plays.
Demands balancing resource management with its specific mana requirements.

Text of card

Creatures of the type of your choice get +0/+4 until end of turn.

"Only on the battlefield can we repay all the Order has given us."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Defensive Maneuvers provides a significant edge by potentially buffering your hand with extra cards. Every time you protect your creatures, you’re likely disrupting your opponent’s strategy while keeping your resources high.

Resource Acceleration: This card can act as an engine for propelling you forward by outpacing your opponent in terms of sheer board presence, setting up for pivotal plays that can swing the game in your favor through smart defense.

Instant Speed: The versatility of instants cannot be overstated, and in the case of Defensive Maneuvers, it allows you to adapt on the fly to the changing battlefield. Reacting to threats immediately, especially during combat, can turn the tide in a game where timing is everything.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While aiming to fortify your board presence, Defensive Maneuvers asks you to part with another card from your hand. This trade-off could leave you at a disadvantage, particularly if you are playing a strategy that already puts a strain on your card resources. Losing a potentially crucial card could be a steep price to play for this effect.

Specific Mana Cost: With its stringent requirement for a precise mana combination to cast, Defensive Maneuvers fits snugly into decks that can readily produce both white and blue mana. However, this specific cost can be restrictive, potentially sidelining the card in color-flexible or mono-colored strategies where its inclusion is not viable.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When it comes to investing mana in your spells, Defensive Maneuvers demands a sizeable chunk of your resources. Considering the competitive environment of MTG, where efficiency is key, its mana cost may deter players in favor of options that maintain tempo or provide similar effects for less investment.

Reasons to Include Defensive Maneuvers in Your Collection

Versatility: Defensive Maneuvers offers a range of uses across various deck types in MTG. Its ability to untap creatures offers defensive utility and can serve to surprise opponents during combat, leading to advantageous board states.

Combo Potential: In decks that highlight tap/untap strategies, this card’s untap effect can be a linchpin for initiating combos. It synergizes well with cards that have tap abilities or ones that benefit from multiple untap phases.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames that lean heavily on combat interactions or where creatures with tap abilities are prevalent, Defensive Maneuvers can become particularly impactful. It shifts the pace of the game and makes it difficult for opponents to predict the flow of combat, often leading to misplays on their part.

How to beat Defensive Maneuvers

Defensive Maneuvers stands out in MTG as an enchantment that turns the tide in combat, especially for players who favor a defensive playstyle. Its ability to untap all creatures at the end of combat can be a surprise element, thwarting opponents’ attacks while setting the stage for a counterstrike. However, overcoming this card hinges on understanding its mechanics and planning an effective strategy.

One approach is to utilize spells that don’t target or don’t rely on the combat phase. Cards that can bypass creatures directly, such as those that cause loss of life or deck milling strategies, can circumvent Defensive Maneuvers’ protective capability. Additionally, playing instant-speed removal spells right after attackers are declared, and before the end of combat, can neutralize the enchantment’s effect, thereby depriving an opponent of their planned defense.

Timing and card choice are crucial when playing against Defensive Maneuvers. Adapt your tactics to the strengths and weaknesses of this enchantment. By staying one step ahead of your opponent and rendering their defensive strategies ineffectual, you can claim victory on the battlefield.

Cards like Defensive Maneuvers

Defensive Maneuvers stands out within the sphere of combat trick cards in Magic: The Gathering. It echoes parallels to other protective cards like Make a Stand, which also provides indestructibility to your creatures. However, Make a Stand demands one mana less and adds the benefit of +1/+0 to each creature until end of turn, unlike Defensive Maneuvers’ feature of untapping all creatures.

Against other cards such as Rootborn Defenses, Defensive Maneuvers holds its own by untapping all creatures, a strategic move that can not only save your creatures from destruction but also prepare them to block again or fuel other abilities requiring tapping. Though it doesn’t populate like Rootborn Defenses, its ability to open up options during your opponent’s turn is notable.

In essence, Defensive Maneuvers secures a niche in the MTG defensive lineup. While it may not provide the permanency of a stat boost or token creation, its unique untapping utility paired with a shield against lethal damage makes it a clever tactical play that can turn the tide of a game.

Cards similar to Defensive Maneuvers by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Defensive Maneuvers MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught, 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 Defensive Maneuvers and other MTG cards: