---
name: "Arcades, the Strategist"
mana_cost: "{1}{G}{W}{U}"
cmc: 4
type_line: "Legendary Creature — Elder Dragon"
colors: []
color_identity: ["G", "U", "W"]
keywords: ["Flying", "Vigilance"]
set: "M19"
set_name: "Core Set 2019"
collector_number: "212"
rarity: "mythic"
artist: "Even Amundsen"
oracle_id: "e7fc5ad6-f2f0-4b06-a61b-05022db9d93b"
canonical_url: "https://avascry.com/printing/arcades-the-strategist-m19"
legalities:
  commander: "legal"
  standard: "not_legal"
  modern: "legal"
  pioneer: "legal"
  legacy: "legal"
  vintage: "legal"
  pauper: "not_legal"
  penny: "legal"
---

# Arcades, the Strategist
- **Mana Cost:** `{1}{G}{W}{U}` (CMC: 4)
- **Type:** Legendary Creature — Elder Dragon
- **Keywords:** Flying, Vigilance

## Oracle Text
Flying, vigilance
Whenever a creature you control with defender enters, draw a card.
Each creature you control with defender assigns combat damage equal to its toughness rather than its power and can attack as though it didn't have defender.

## Top 4096-Dim Neural Synergies
1. [Arcades Sabboth](/printing/arcades-sabboth-dmr.md) — Legendary Creature — Elder Dragon
2. [Gargoyle Sentinel](/printing/gargoyle-sentinel-jmp.md) — Artifact Creature — Gargoyle
3. [Wakestone Gargoyle](/printing/wakestone-gargoyle-tdc.md) — Creature — Gargoyle
4. [Geist of the Lonely Vigil](/printing/geist-of-the-lonely-vigil-emn.md) — Creature — Spirit Cleric
5. [Cloudheath Drake](/printing/cloudheath-drake-ala.md) — Artifact Creature — Drake
6. [Ageless Sentinels](/printing/ageless-sentinels-scg.md) — Creature — Wall

## Printing Details
- **Set:** Core Set 2019 (M19) #212
- **Rarity:** Mythic
- **Artist:** Even Amundsen

## Format Legalities
Commander: `legal` | Standard: `not_legal` | Modern: `legal` | Pioneer: `legal` | Legacy: `legal` | Vintage: `legal` | Pauper: `not_legal` | Penny: `legal`

## Official Rulings
- *(2021-03-19)* Arcades's last ability doesn't actually change any creature's power. It changes only the amount of combat damage it assigns. All other rules and effects that check power or toughness use the real values. For example, Rabid Bite won't cause a creature with defender to deal damage equal to its toughness.
- *(2021-03-19)* If Arcades leaves the battlefield after a creature with defender has attacked, that creature remains an attacking creature, although it will assign damage equal to its power.