Shu Defender
Creature — Human Soldier
Whenever this creature blocks, it gets +0/+2 until end of turn.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Portal Three Kingdoms
- Price
- $2.38
- EDHREC rank
- #30367
Shu Defender is a 1/3 defender for two mana — a body so small and passive it rarely justifies a slot in any competitive list. The ceiling is a blocker that trades down; the floor is a card that does nothing the turn you play it and nothing meaningful after.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Shu Defender sees no meaningful play anywhere it's legal. In Commander, a 1/3 with defender occupies a slot that could be ramp, draw, or a creature with an actual activated or triggered ability — the opportunity cost is too high to clear. In Pauper, where commons compete hard for board presence, Shu Defender's stats and lack of any relevant ability put it outside consideration. Legacy and Vintage are non-starters; the card doesn't interact with anything those formats care about. There is no shell, at any power level, where Shu Defender is the correct choice.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$2.38 cheap tier
At $2.38, Shu Defender is overpriced relative to its playability — the price reflects age and scarcity, not demand. Don't expect that number to mean the card earns a slot; it doesn't hold value the way a staple does, and there's no competitive pressure driving it upward.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.