Defy Gravity MTG Card

Judgment (JUD)
2002-05-27 - Number 38

Ultimate Masters (UMA)
2018-12-07 - Number 48

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Abilities	Flashback

Key Takeaways

Defy Gravity enhances creatures’ mobility by granting them the flying ability twice with flashback.
Its inflexibility and required discard can be detriments under certain strategic conditions.
The card synergizes well with certain decks, making it a strong option for diversified tactics.

Text of card

Target creature gains flying until end of turn. Flashback o U (You may play this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then remove it from the game.)

Magical or not, it's still a cloud.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Defy Gravity stands out by granting a creature flying until end of turn with the added benefit of flashback, essentially providing two uses from a single card, and thus delivering a tactical advantage when maneuvering around defenders.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting mana resources, the strategic use of Defy Gravity accelerates your board presence by enabling surprise aerial attacks potentially leading to quicker victories.

Instant Speed: The instant speed nature of Defy Gravity offers flexibility, allowing for reactive plays in response to opponents’ actions or end-of-turn plays to keep opponents guessing, augmenting its utility in fast-paced matches.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To harness the full potential of Defy Gravity, players often have to discard another card, making it costly for those already struggling to maintain a hand advantage. This can set you back in the game, especially if you’re forced to throw away a key piece of your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Defy Gravity’s mana cost, which requires one blue mana, pigeonholes it into blue-centric or compatible two-color decks, potentially limiting its broader playability. Decks without blue mana sources will find it impossible to cast, reducing its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although it costs only one blue and one generic mana, when judged against other cards that provide flying until end of turn, Defy Gravity can seem expensive. There are alternatives that offer additional effects or greater flexibility for a similar or lower cost, raising questions about its efficiency in a mana-tight situation.

Reasons to Include Defy Gravity in Your Collection

Versatility: Defy Gravity works well in decks that want to exploit the aerial dimension by giving creatures flying, making it a useful surprise tactic against opponents not prepared for air combat.

Combo Potential: Its instant speed enables it to be a part of intricate plays, possibly pairing with cards that capitalize on flying creatures or using it to enable a quick defensive block or a fatal attack.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where evasion is key, Defy Gravity ensures your creatures can overcome ground stalls and ensures your impactful creatures can stay relevant, no matter the board state.

How to beat

Defy Gravity is a unique instance of blue’s arsenal in Magic: The Gathering, offering temporary flight to creatures who typically don’t have that capability. This jump-start to creatures in the form of flying can be a game-changer in the right deck, especially those built around evasion. Yet, despite this advantageous addition, knowing its limitations can turn the tides back in your favor.

To effectively counteract Defy Gravity, removal options that don’t discriminate based on a creature’s abilities are key. Universal removal spells like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can readily dismiss the threat of an aerial attacker, regardless of its newfound flying ability. Furthermore, you could utilize spells that restrict the possibilities of flying specifically, such as Gravity Well, which grounds the advantage Defy Gravity seeks to secure.

Preparing your deck with versatile responses ensures that when a card like Defy Gravity appears on the battlefield, you’re ready with answers. It’s about balancing your strategy with preparation for the unexpected boosts from spells in your opponent’s repertoire. With the right planning, a card like Defy Gravity can be reduced from a major threat to just a minor hiccup in your path to victory.

Cards like Defy Gravity

Defy Gravity brings a unique twist to Magic: The Gathering’s suite of card options designed to manipulate creature dynamics. It is akin to cards like Leap, which also grants a creature flying until end of turn. Yet, Defy Gravity offers an additional edge with its flashback ability, allowing it to be played from the graveyard for a second aerial boost. Leap lacks this recyclability, limiting its use to a single interaction.

In a similar perspective, we have cards such as Jump, with its simplistic approach granting instant flight without the frills. Despite being cost-effective at one mana, Jump falls short in versatility when compared to Defy Gravity’s reusable nature. Another card in this lineage is Winged Words, where the flying condition is a cost-reduction mechanic rather than the primary effect, showing that while the theme of flight pervades, functionality can vary widely.

Ultimately, in terms of flexibility and long-term strategic impact, Defy Gravity soars among its comrades. Its ability to be used twice makes it a potentially game-altering card compared to its one-off counterparts. Adept players might glean more from this secondary play, mastering the skies not once, but twice in their match.

Cards similar to Defy Gravity by color, type and mana cost

Blue Elemental Blast - MTG Card versions

Whispers of the Muse - MTG Card versions

Ancestral Recall - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)

Sleight of Mind - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)

Twiddle - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)

Unsummon - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)

Siren's Call - Collectors' Edition (CED)

Power Sink - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)

Blue Elemental Blast - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Spell Blast - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)

Magical Hack - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)

Hydroblast - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)

Whispers of the Muse - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Defy Gravity MTG card by a specific set like Judgment and Ultimate Masters, 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 Defy Gravity and other MTG cards: