Steelclad SpiritHow it works & interactions with other cards

How Defender Works

Steelclad Spirit naturally has the Defender keyword, which is a static ability preventing it from being declared as an attacker during your combat phase. Under normal circumstances, it can only block incoming creatures. However, its triggered ability provides a temporary bypass of this restriction whenever an enchantment enters the battlefield under your control.

The Trigger Mechanism

Whenever an enchantment enters the battlefield—whether it was cast as a spell, put there by an effect, or is a token—Steelclad Spirit's ability triggers and goes on the stack. Once this ability resolves, the Spirit gains a special permission to attack that turn as though it did not have defender. Note that this does not grant Haste; unless it has been under your control since the beginning of your most recent turn, it still cannot attack.

Timing and Strategy

To utilize Steelclad Spirit's ability effectively, the enchantment must enter the battlefield before the 'Declare Attackers' step of your combat phase. If an enchantment enters during your post-combat main phase, the ability still triggers and resolves, but it won't allow you to attack since the combat phase has already passed. Remember that the ability triggers for any enchantment type, including Sagas, Auras, and global enchantments.

Interaction examples

Early Game Pressure

On turn two, you cast Steelclad Spirit. It enters the battlefield with 'summoning sickness.' On turn three, if you play an enchantment, the Spirit's ability triggers. Because you have controlled it since the start of the turn, you can now declare it as an attacker.

Supporting the Squad

Foundry InspectorOrnithopter of Paradise

If you have Foundry Inspector on the battlefield, your artifact spells cost less. You can use mana from Ornithopter of Paradise to cast your spells efficiently. While these two creatures are artifacts and do not trigger Steelclad Spirit's ability themselves, they help you develop your board state so you can save your blue mana for enchantments that will allow Steelclad Spirit to join Foundry Inspector and Ornithopter of Paradise in a multi-creature assault.