Bold Defense is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Kicker(You may pay an additional
Complete guide
Bold Defense is a versatile white instant that can turn a small skirmish into a decisive victory. Whether you need a minor boost to survive combat or a massive surge to end the game, this card scales with your available mana. Its kicker ability ensures it remains relevant from the early turns to the late game.
What It Does
Bold Defense provides a global buff to all creatures you currently control. By default, it gives your team +1/+1 until end of turn. However, if you pay the additional Kicker cost of {3}{W} while casting it, the effect is replaced by a much stronger one: your creatures get +2/+2 and gain first strike until end of turn.
How It Resolves
First, you determine the total cost, which is {2}{W} normally or {5}{W}{W} if kicked. Upon resolution, the game checks which creatures you control at that exact moment. If the spell was kicked, those creatures gain +2/+2 and first strike. If not, they receive +1/+1. Crucially, any creature that enters the battlefield after Bold Defense has resolved will not receive the bonus.
Common Mistakes
A common error is thinking that the first strike granted by the kicked version can save a creature that has already dealt damage. If you cast this after the first combat damage step has ended, a creature that didn't have first strike will still deal damage in the normal damage step as usual. Additionally, remember that copying a permanent that was 'kicked' does not mean the copy is kicked; this only applies to spells on the stack.
When to Play It
Bold Defense is best used as a combat trick to surprise your opponent during their block. If you have the mana to kick it, the first strike keyword allows your creatures to deal damage before your opponent's creatures, often clearing their board without losing any of your own units.
Interaction examples
Generous GiftIf your opponent targets one of your creatures with Generous Gift, you can cast Bold Defense in response. While Bold Defense won't save the targeted creature from being destroyed, the 3/3 Elephant token created by Generous Gift will not receive the +1/+1 or +2/+2 bonus because it was not on the battlefield when Bold Defense resolved.
Teferi's ProtectionIf you cast Teferi's Protection and then attempt to cast Bold Defense, the Defense will have no effect on your creatures. Phased-out permanents are treated as though they do not exist, so Bold Defense will not 'see' them to apply the +1/+1 or +2/+2 bonuses.
During your combat phase, you attack with three 2/2 creatures. Your opponent blocks with three 3/3 creatures. By casting Bold Defense and paying the kicker cost, your creatures become 4/4s with first strike. They deal 4 damage each and destroy the blockers before the blockers can even strike back.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Bold Defense
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
To determine a spell's total cost, start with the mana cost (or an alternative cost if another card's effect allows you to pay one instead), add any cost increases (such as kicker), then apply any cost reductions. The spell's mana value remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If you copy a kicked spell on the stack, the copy is also kicked. If the copied spell is a permanent spell, the token the copy of that spell becomes when it enters is also kicked.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If a card or token enters as a copy of a permanent, the new permanent isn't kicked, even if the original was.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell's kicker cost was paid, the spell is "kicked."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
The kicker ability doesn't let you pay a kicker cost more than once.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If you put a permanent with a kicker ability onto the battlefield without casting it, you can't kick it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature doesn't have first strike, granting it first strike after combat damage has been dealt in the first combat damage step won't prevent it from dealing combat damage. It will still assign and deal its combat damage in the second combat damage step.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Only creatures you control as Bold Defense resolves are affected.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Bold Defense
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.