Defy Death
Sorcery
Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. If it's an Angel, put two +1/+1 counters on it.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Avacyn Restored
- Price
- $0.36
- EDHREC rank
- #12216
Defy Death returns any Angel from your graveyard to the battlefield — and if that Angel is Gisela, Blade of Goldnight, the +1/+1 counter rider is irrelevant noise next to a 5/5 double-striker that halves all damage your opponents deal. Five mana is steep for a reanimation spell, but Angel tribal runs enough high-value targets that the rate pays off.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight is exactly the kind of haymaker Defy Death was built for — she dies to removal constantly, and five mana to put her back into play and swing immediately is a better deal than rebuilding from the command zone at increasing tax.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Defy Death is a Commander card, full stop. Angel tribal is almost exclusively a Commander archetype, and the five-mana ask is far too slow for Legacy or Vintage, where reanimation happens at two mana or less. In those formats, Defy Death never sees a sideboard slot. Commander is where the card earns its keep: Angel commanders run deep enough threat density that Defy Death reliably hits something game-changing, and the +1/+1 counter upside occasionally matters in games that go long.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.36 bulk tier
At $0.36, Defy Death sits firmly in bulk territory — it's an easy pickup that won't strain any budget. Bulk rares in narrow tribal roles tend to stay cheap, so don't expect the price to move unless a pushed Angel commander spikes demand.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.