Arcades, the Strategist
Legendary Creature — Elder Dragon
M19Core Set 2019#212mythic
Foil
- Border
- black
- Security stamp
- oval
- Frame
- 2015
- Pull rate
- about 1 per booster–1 in 3615
- Illustrator
- Even Amundsen
- Found in
- Core Set 2019 MTGO Redemption Foil · Core Set 2019 MTGO Redemption · Core Set 2019 Booster Pack
CommanderLegalModernLegalStandardNot legal
Format legality
AlchemyNot legal
BrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
Competitive BrawlLegal
DuelLegal
Future StandardNot legal
GladiatorLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
Old SchoolNot legal
PauperNot legal
Pauper CommanderNot legal
PennyLegal
PioneerLegal
PreDHNot legal
PremodernNot legal
StandardNot legal
Standard BrawlNot legal
TimelessLegal
Tiny LeadersNot legal
VintageLegal
Flying, vigilance
Whenever a creature you control with defender enters, draw a card.
Each creature you control with defender assigns combat damage equal to its toughness rather than its power and can attack as though it didn't have defender.
3/5FlyingVigilance
Plays as: Card Draw · Etb Value
Market · per finishspark updated 10h ago · prices as of 2026-07-12
Nonfoil+0.8%
$3.94
$2.30 low$0.25 gap
Foil-0.1%
$25.53
$20.36 low$4.36 gap
Finish
Market
Δ 7D · Trend
Low
Buylist
Buy / Sell Gap
Nonfoil
$3.94as of 2026-07-12
+0.8%
H $7.73L $2.24since Feb 2024$2.30
$2.05
$0.25+11% · normal spread
VenuesHide venues
Low: tcgplayer
Buylist: cardkingdom
Foil
$25.53as of 2026-07-12
-0.1%
H $35.05L $17.24since Feb 2024$20.36
$16.00
$4.36+21% · normal spread
VenuesHide venues
Low: tcgplayer
Buylist: cardkingdom
Cheapest playable copy$2.31· across 4 printings
Rulings
2 · latest Mar 19, 2021 · one tap opens all
- WotCMar 19, 2021
Arcades's last ability doesn't actually change any creature's power. It changes only the amount of combat damage it assigns. All other rules and effects that check power or toughness use the real values. For example, Rabid Bite won't cause a creature with defender to deal damage equal to its toughness.
- WotCMar 19, 2021
If Arcades leaves the battlefield after a creature with defender has attacked, that creature remains an attacking creature, although it will assign damage equal to its power.