Fend Off MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Abilities	Cycling
Released	1999-06-07
Set symbol
Set name	Urza's Destiny
Set code	UDS
Number	7
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Paolo Parente

Key Takeaways

Draw a card after casting Fend Off to maintain hand advantage and momentum.
Using Fend Off can protect key creatures and save in-game resources efficiently.
Casting at instant speed gives flexibility to respond to threats effectively.

Text of card

Cycling Target creature deals no combat damage this turn.

The best defense is to not get hit.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Fend Off in MTG ensures you maintain momentum by replacing itself in your hand. When you cast this spell, the ability to draw a card afterward keeps your hand stocked, giving you the options you need to stay ahead in the resource game.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly affecting your mana pool, Fend Off can save crucial resources by protecting a key creature from destruction or damage. This efficiency can indirectly accelerate your game plan by safeguarding your board presence without having to redeploy.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Fend Off at instant speed provides you with the flexibility to adapt to your opponent’s moves. Reacting to threats as they arise, without preemptively committing to a line of play, means you can efficiently manage your turn and respond to the evolving state of the game with precision.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Fend Off necessitates discarding another card, potentially depleting your hand when you might need those resources for future plays.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Fend Off includes both white and blue mana, making it less flexible as it requires a deck tailored to support these colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that is substantial for its effect, players may find that other cards provide similar or greater defensive capabilities for less, or offer additional benefits beyond what Fend Off can deliver.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Fend Off easily slides into multiple decks that require defensive plays. Its ability to prevent damage from a source means it has use against both direct damage spells and combat scenarios, adapting to various threats on the board.

Combo Potential: This card has potential in combinations with mechanics like lifelink or effects that trigger upon preventing damage. It can create opportunities to stabilize the game or turn defensive moments into advantages.

Meta-Relevance: It shines in environments filled with aggro decks that focus on early and consistent damage. Fend Off becomes a key card for surviving the initial onslaught and reaching the later stages of the game where more strategic decks can take control.

How to beat

Fend Off is a unique card within Magic: The Gathering, offering utility and protection against a variety of threats on the battlefield. This card acts as a shield, turning potential damage from an attacking or blocking creature right back onto itself. When considering how to neutralize Fend Off’s defensive capabilities, direct removal spells can be particularly effective. Cards that can unconditionally destroy or exile the target, bypassing Fend Off’s response, are key in such scenarios.

Alternative strategies include utilizing counterspells to prevent Fend Off from ever taking effect. This proactive approach can ensure your creatures’ safety and maintain offensive pressure. Moreover, evasion abilities like flying or trample can minimize the impact of Fend Off by bypassing the targeted creature altogether or by dealing damage regardless of the prevention effect. It is also worth noting that Fend Off is limited to one-time use, so baiting it out with less critical attacks could clear the way for more significant threats.

In summary, countering Fend Off involves a combination of preemptive action, employing removal or counterspells, and strategic combat decisions to minimize its protective effect. Such tactics help maintain momentum and pave the way for a victorious match in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards like Fend Off

Fend Off finds its place in the pool of protective instant spells in Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities with the classic Counterspell, which negates the threat of an opponent’s spell completely, yet Fend Off brings its own twist to the table. Where Counterspell requires a player to accurately predict and deny an opponent’s move, Fend Off provides a defensive cushion by preventing damage from a source of the player’s choice for the turn.

Cards like Brave the Elements also offer protection but take a different approach, guarding a broader range of targets by focusing on color-specific creatures. In contrast, Fend Off is limited to one damage source, granting it a more focused application. Then there’s Make a Stand, which not only protects your creatures but also bolsters them with an increase in power for the turn. While it doesn’t prevent damage like Fend Off, the emphasis lies on turning defense into offense.

To contextualize its role within this niche, Fend Off solidifies its place for players who favor pinpoint defensive tactics over broader protection spells, offering strategic flexibility in direct response to threats on the battlefield.

Cards similar to Fend Off by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Fend Off MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Destiny, 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 Fend Off and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Fend Off has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Fend Off card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2008-10-01	Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not.