Defend the Campus MTG Card

Defend the Campus - Strixhaven: School of Mages

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2021-04-23
Set symbol
Set name	Strixhaven: School of Mages
Set code	STX
Number	12
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Izzy

Key Takeaways

Offers flexibility with instant speed that introduces surprise factors during combat phases.
May implement a resource strategy by preserving creatures, accelerating board presence.
Presents a dual-mode to either enhance creature strength or remove threats efficiently.

Text of card

Choose one — • Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn. • Destroy target creature with power 4 or greater.

Professors scrambled to push the mage hunters back, leaving the heart of Strixhaven undefended.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Defend the Campus aids in maintaining board presence. While it does not directly draw you cards, it has the potential to eliminate two attacking or blocking creatures your opponent controls, potentially resulting in a two-for-one scenario that can swing the game in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Though this card doesn’t directly increase your resources, successfully defending your creatures with Defend the Campus can indirectly lead to accelerated board development. Preserving your creatures can mean more attacks, more abilities activation, and ultimately, quicker progression towards your game plan.

Instant Speed: The true strength of Defend the Campus lies in its instant speed, offering flexibility in combat or in response to an opponent’s actions. It allows players to stay reactive, adjusting their strategy and tactics based off the current battlefield and opponent’s maneuvers. This instills an element of surprise and strategic depth.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Defend the Campus doesn’t have a discard requirement itself, preparing to cast it might force a player to potentially conserve cards in hand to ensure its optimal use, rather than developing board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Defend the Campus requires both white mana and generic mana, making it a less flexible choice for multi-colored decks that may struggle with mana consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, Defend the Campus is considered expensive for its primary mode providing +1/+1 to creatures. Other spells in MTG offer creature buffs or removal at a lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Defend the Campus offers a flexible response in decks that focus on board control. It can act as a removal spell against an opponent’s creature or as a means to reinforce your own line of defense, making it suitable for various in-game scenarios.

Combo Potential: With its ability to grant +1/+1 counters, Defend the Campus can work well with strategies that revolve around counter manipulation or with cards that benefit from creatures getting stronger. It can also be instrumental in enabling surprise blocking tactics or counter-based synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-based strategies are common, having a card that can both eliminate threats and buff your own creatures is highly valuable. Especially in a counter-heavy meta, the flexibility to choose between a modest combat trick and a creature removal gives Defend the Campus relevance in numerous deck builds.

How to beat

Defend the Campus stands out as a versatile removal and combat trick in MTG. This card allows players to choose between buffing their creatures or eliminating opposing threats on the battlefield. Although it offers a flexible solution, understanding its dual nature is crucial for developing effective counterstrategies.

To surpass Defend the Campus, focus on timing your actions accurately. Since it can bolster a player’s creatures, consider handling combat situations after your opponent has spent mana, reducing the likelihood of surprise buffs. Likewise, when it comes to its removal aspect, prioritize creatures with toughness higher than four, as they remain beyond the card’s targeted removal capability.

Additionally, using counter spells at the right moment can effectively negate Defend the Campus, ensuring your board presence remains intact. Implementing instant-speed removal can also disrupt your opponent’s combat calculations, giving you an advantage. By leveraging these tactics, players can turn the tide of the game and weaken the impact of Defend the Campus on their strategy.

Cards like Defend the Campus

Defend the Campus has carved its niche in MTG as a versatile choice for players looking to reinforce their defensive lines. Similar to other protection spells, it provides options depending on the in-game situation. Take a look at Alabaster Potion – much like our aforementioned card, it offers both life gain and the ability to prevent damage. Yet unlike Defend the Campus, which can escalate your defensive power by strengthening multiple creatures, Alabaster Potion focuses on a single target or player’s life total.

Considering the flexibility of creature buffing, Fortify is a card that resonates in this category. It enhances your creatures’ offense or defense for the turn, a trait reminiscent of Defend the Campus’s own mode of creature boosting. However, Fortify lacks the choice component and doesn’t provide the added bonus of potentially removing an attacker opponent has, showcasing the strategic depth Defend the Campus can offer in a tightly contested game.

Ultimately, Defend the Campus stands out in MTG for providing a dual-mode solution that can adapt to various board states. Competing cards may share aspects of its functionality, but few deliver the same blend of flexibility and tactical advantage, making it a solid pick in the realm of combat tricks and defensive spells.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Defend the Campus MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Defend the Campus and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Defend the Campus has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Timeless	Legal