Guard Duty
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has defender.
- CMC
- 1
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Rise of the Eldrazi
- Price
- $0.05
- EDHREC rank
- #21992
Guard Duty locks a creature out of attacking or blocking for one white mana — the effect is real, the card is not. A one-mana aura that does nothing when the enchanted creature dies or gets bounced is the definition of card disadvantage, and white has better permanent answers at the same cost.
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 | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Guard Duty sees essentially no competitive play across any format where it's legal. In Pauper it occupies a niche as the cheapest possible pacifism variant, but Oblivion Ring effects and even Choking Restraints outclass it by removing the creature from relevant zones entirely. In Commander, a single creature tap-out piece that evaporates to any removal or bounce targeting the host creature is too fragile and too narrow to justify a slot — the format demands answers that trade up, not sideways. Legacy and Vintage have no interest; Guard Duty isn't doing anything those formats can't ignore.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.05 bulk tier
At $0.05, Guard Duty is deep bulk — you'll find copies in any dollar-bin or bulk lot without trying. That price reflects demand accurately: don't expect it to move.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.