im so going to hate playing against that, mostly because it is the most powerful wall i have in a long time.
davidhuman
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(10 votes)
thankfully instead of getting rid of walls, they decided to make only playable walls instead
talonaris
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(4 votes)
It seems to me all walls should be able to block any number of creatures. It helps the flavlour a lot, and makes walls more playable. Remember "wall of glare?"
Demonic_Angel13
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I hated playing against this card at the prerelease. Almost everyone got it but me and out of 10 games this was played against me 6 times.
Dynames
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(6 votes)
best is debateable, but it is the most efficient at stopping creatures without deathtouch from attacking. I hope wizards continues the trend of making powerful walls
RecurringSearch
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Yeah. I'm totally gonna play this. Probably not too much so my friend doesn't crucify me.
On another note, does anyone else see a Predator in the blue?:-)
Treima
★★☆☆☆ (2.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Very, very difficult to kill through conventional methods. I love this thing.
Asinine-Ultimatum
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(14 votes)
It's going to take a long time to smash through that thing! The flavour text is so elegantly fitting too.
Skybreaker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This is a very good wall, but should have the ability to block any number of creatures to be complete
True_Mumin
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(4 votes)
I hate walls as a principle, but I'm gonna have to make an exception for this one. It's just great! 4/5.
xxxnicius
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's amazing.
Arachibutyrophobia
★★☆☆☆ (2.9/5.0)(5 votes)
It's the perfect wall. If I had a white/blue deck I would easily choose this card over Black Lotus.
Salostot
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
i hate this wall... i was playing red/black i couldn't get through... till Malfegor showed up ;D
good card 4.5/5
norbit444
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(15 votes)
its an artifact too, for all you blue white artifact deck keepers.
h4mx0r
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Don't get too ***y with this wall. It's not invincible, so don't let your guard down. I've had my Wall nuked, taken, and trampled in various situations. All it does, is buy you time. Use the time wisely.
Grimn777
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(6 votes)
this wall lets you hold onto counters for more important spells, because medium sized creatures are not a threat. only way to kill it is boardwide sweep, basically planar cleansing... or forcing them to sacrifice a creature, and unless this is their only creature, that won't work either
nineyears
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
The great Wall Of Denial... in my oppinion I believe that this is the best wall ever printed. Flying, Shroud, 0/8 for BW1 and it sure does what it says.
Great card. Even though I'm playing an Esper deck, I pack 4 of this for fast Naya decks. A Woolly Thoctar combined with a Knight Of New Alara breaks through it though. For a measly 4 mana as well! ):
Nonetheless, its shroud gives invincibility to cards like Path To Exile, Call To Heel or Unsummon. Its stable toughness magnitude of 8 makes it difficult for other creatures to break through too. A solid 4.5/5.
ratchet1215
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Not something you hear often, but damn, that is one amazing, playable wall. 4.5/5
SStopher
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(3 votes)
@Demonic_Angel13: for my pre-release i pulled 3 of them lol, nobody liked me to say the least, came 2nd overall because nobody could hit me
On another note, not looking forward to losing my fave 5 colour deck when Zendikar come's out: 5 Colour Wall of Rocks. Loved playing a 8/8 wall of denial lol Doran Rocks ftw lol
his00
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(8 votes)
this card just says no plain and simple
Tezz
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@ norbitt its an artifact?
Guest882324448
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Why does it have flying?
kriissii
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
5/5. best wall ive ever seen. stops most decks for a long time
sarroth
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I absolutely hate this wall because I have to go against it so often and I have little that can tackle it. It's an amazing card but ridiculously overpowered. Even though it takes two colors of mana, it still has a CMC of only 3, and with that gets 2 abilities and 0/8. It would need to be higher than 5 mana or not have flying or be a 0/4 or some combination thereof to find this uncommon to be anything but ridiculous. If you're playing blue/white this card seems to have no drawback whatsoever. It's a 5/5 card, nonetheless, because it does everything you need, but dang it could be less overpowered in my book.
Gaussgoat
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
The most-uber wall... ever. Seriously, 0/8 flying shroud? For 3CC?!?!
5/5, should be a 10/5
PEVE_O
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
this wall is so annoying. my friend uses them all the time and it frustrates me.
TheAlucinaut
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Great wall, great art, great 3-drop. A favorite of mine. 4/5
DonRoyale
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"You have been...Denied."
As for the reason it has flying: Windstorm can kill it (albeit, it needs 9 mana to use to kill it), and widespread flying hate can take care of it as long as it does 8+ damage.
NeverendingDream
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Come on Raging Ravine, just a few more turns!
thezanet
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Nice.
GooberSnotpants
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The day my treefolk blasted through one of these fair and square was a happy one. But, unless your deck habitually pumps out 8 power creatures, shit sucks!
CatsAreCthala
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I got 4 of these used against me and I had a doran and 2 mystic enforcers out. It was really bad.
SleetFox
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
This is probably the best wall ever. It should have been reprinted in Rise of the Eldrazi.
the only wall that comes close to this one is wall of frost. everything else is useless. the only prob i have is it cant kill anything it blocks and it can only block one creature.
Sironos
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Must have been a mistake, this card is simply way too good for that low mana cost, shame on you wizards, flying, toughness 8 and shroud for 3CMC is simply not balanced.
surewhynot
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I big fat chunk of "Nope".
Evermint
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
There has never been a time I have disliked drawing this, sans decks without a single creature.
niallcmurray86
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Im usually dont like walls, I cant justify playing creatures that I cant attack with, you never know when the most wierd creature ends up doing your offensive dirty work, but I LOVE this wall. It does just what the flavor text says and it does better than most cards in the game.
TheSwarm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
haha the flavor text is sooooo perfect for this card
Blackworm_Bloodworm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
One of the few creatures that truly exemplify the combination. Also one of the best walls ever printed. 5/5
AEKblackheart
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Just discovered this, and now kicking myself for buying four wall of air. Big fail there.
n00bmag1
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
One of the best walls imo, this thing can be a real obstacle.
Also fantastic with smite.
5/5
Virens
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(15 votes)
DENIED
VoidedNote
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The perfect defense for a mill deck.
divine_exodus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It is as good as wall of frost because while it is stronger, wall of frost can freeze. Then again, this has flying and shroud. 5/5. why not?
midnightvenom
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think this card is the reason wall is my favorite creature type.
greyhour
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You played wall of denial? I need some time to think!
Rumblin-Slumm
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(38 votes)
The hands on the wall should be giant middle fingers instead...
5/5
count_dorku
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So your two choices are to spam creatures with some kind of evasion (unblockable and islandwalk), or to simply produce something on the scale of Helllkite Overlord and slam through it. Nasty.
NARFNra
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
3 cost? For this thing? Oh shi-
storophanthus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
3th turn.. it's flying, shroud, and big! stopping my wennies exalted agro..
Demoncollecter
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The best wall i've seen, this card really works good with smite or assassinate, this card is hard to kill because it has shroud maybe thats y its called wall of denial it denys almost everything.the flavor text is kinda funny.
LemonParty
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Its the best wall, no doubt (at least in terms of literal walling) but how useful is this really? It may slow your opponent down but so do more powerful cards like Wrath of God or Counterspell. How many tournament winning decks actually use this?
Great wall, but not nearly as useful as it could be.
desolation_masticore
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pheonix Wright's favorite wall. Not fun to lose to consuming vapors though.
All this for 3 is simply great. Yet to have it, but will certainly be in my deck once I do. 5/5
Feralsymphony
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(8 votes)
I don't understand why they gave this flying. Does it look like its flying to you? They should give walls reach instead of flying, fits much better imo.
bijart_dauth
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The highest rated wall in the entire game as of this post. And for good reason.
redsoxftw
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Scumbling1, notice how the cmc is 3. This is what walls are for, slowing down your opponent early in the game so you have time and mana to crush them. They aren't meant to win, though many times wall of tanglecord has indirectly won me games.
Great card, 4/5.
Tetsu_tora
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Crap. I'm buying 4 of these on my next singles online purchasing jag....and they're replacing my storm crows. That. Is. How. GOOD. This. Wall. Is. 6 out of 5
scumbling1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.6/5.0)(5 votes)
Extremely overrated.
Rather than playing passive defenders, you could play cards that help actively help you accumulate resources or otherwise further your gameplan. Rather than playing a wall, it's more beneficial to drop a mana stone or tutor for something -- anything to get to the business of winning, rather than not-losing.
EDIT: But my point is that all speed is relative, so why not just make your deck faster? Mana doesn't soak up damage directly, but if you start taking control of the game sooner, it doesn't matter what you're life total is. Mana can be used to cast spells and fuel abilities, while resources sunk into a wall do just one thing. I see defenders like Wall of Denial as very similar to straight life gain, which is a bad thing.
Superllama12
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(16 votes)
This should read: {1}{W}{U}: Obstruct target problem
agentvirgo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm sure this is really hilarious with Followed Footsteps.
kpwebb12
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
@agentvirgo
Do you not know what shroud means?
FiveEight
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(5 votes)
I guess this wall's true weakness is Infect but as the flavour text suggested, this card still bought me quite a bit of time.
Bought me 8 turns, to be exact.
scorpiolegend
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
When this card rotated, my U/W control deck started to fail me.
Who would have guessed that a wall would get a rating of 4 1/2 stars? It's an awesome wall for sure, stopping even the most broken of of Turn 2-3 attackers (where's your Abyssal Persecutor now?
@Scumbling: Buying time is a critical aspect of the game. Nobody said that I was playing walls instead of game-winning spells and abilities. Reliably and repeatedly buying time isn't good on it's own, and filling a deck with only that results in a lot of slow defeats. But if you buy time efficiently and early enough, it gives you more time to ramp mana and drop those finishers, because ramping and playing creatures takes up time, and this has unprecedented delaying power at a relatively manageable cost. On top of all that, a lot of decks burn themselves out quickly, if they can't get through those first few turns. Defenders repeatedly thwart their attempts at getting through, which means that after they've emptied their hand, all they can do is wait for you to draw your finisher. It's also helpful to remember that a lot of walls have Mana Ramp and card advantage worked into them.
TL;DR Walls don't win games, they save you an indefinite amount of time, ideally until you can drop the spells that do.
It's not the best strategy, but it counters certain deck types, and can hold its own in some competitive environments.
Salient
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(7 votes)
Simple, elegant, perfect.
Rezzy64
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(7 votes)
This card is a staple in my favorite blue white control deck. This card hits the field by turn 3 and my friends all groan and curse. Ah... such a good feeling. This is the only wall card I've ever played that literally feels like something safe to hide behind.
equip this with a spirit mantel and nothing gets through
Shadoflaam
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(3 votes)
@FierceDeityLink
IT HAS SHROUD. YOU CAN'T 'EQUIP' IT AT ALL, and even if you did Spirit MANTLE is an enchantment!
Hackworthy
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(2 votes)
I don't always play walls, but when I do...
dragonhat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Unfortunately, shroud (rather than hexproof) makes it so you can't give this some Slagwurm Armor. Other than that, this card will annoy your average Dragon player to no end.
Paolino
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Probably the best wall ever. The artwork is nice. The name fits perfectly! Only massdestructionweapons can remove this bulwark!
@Humor_love Black Cat. Kids these days complaining that wall of denial needs shroud and smallpox sucks. Spoiled MTG community.
BongRipper420
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This wall's a ***.
django_unchained
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It doesn't attack.
Karkain
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Without a doubt, it's an awesome defender and has turned games, but it has very little value against half of my decks because I run an absurd amount of Wither/Infect.
Xineombine
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You could use Sudden Spoiling for either tearing it down or putting enchantments on it (like Spirit Mantle), it's a gamble, but it just might work.
Pick15
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It blocks. A lot. 4.5/5.
strider24seven
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Shadoflaam You can bring an aura back from the graveyard and stick it on shrouded creatures. Or cheat it into play with Show and Tell, Braids, Conjurer Adept, etc.
That way you get around targeting the creatures you want to "equip" (attach) the aura to.
RiftenBlack
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
As far as walls go, this is about one of the best ever printed in magic. Maybe the Wall of Omens/Blossoms is better for drawing cards, and there's a wall that gains a little bit of life unless things are getting pretty bad, but as far as walls go doing what walls should be doing, this is probably the best one I can think of. It will probably save you 10-50 life over the course of a game.
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This would be much more popular if Liliana of the Veil didn't eat up tournies so often. Between her, Pulse, Putrefy, and Abrupt Decay it's very hard to keep stuff on the board against B/G aggro.
What's worse is that T1 and T2 also look the same as Pod making it difficult to see what's coming.
OlvynChuru
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Scumbling1
The reason why Wall of Denial is good is because is gives you time to get out the cards that do win you the game. Not all decks are aggro decks.
Wall of Denial is much better than straight-up lifegain. The former improves your board position, while the latter does not. They are not the same thing. Rest for the Weary won't help much if you have no creatures and your opponent is hitting you with a Pelakka Wurm each turn, but Wall of Denial sure will.
Comments (93)
On another note, does anyone else see a Predator in the blue?:-)
i was playing red/black
i couldn't get through... till Malfegor showed up ;D
good card 4.5/5
Nonetheless, its shroud gives invincibility to cards like Path To Exile, Call To Heel or Unsummon. Its stable toughness magnitude of 8 makes it difficult for other creatures to break through too. A solid 4.5/5.
On another note, not looking forward to losing my fave 5 colour deck when Zendikar come's out:
5 Colour Wall of Rocks. Loved playing a 8/8 wall of denial lol Doran Rocks ftw lol
its an artifact?
5/5, should be a 10/5
A favorite of mine.
4/5
As for the reason it has flying: Windstorm can kill it (albeit, it needs 9 mana to use to kill it), and widespread flying hate can take care of it as long as it does 8+ damage.
Turn 2: Wall of Omens
Turn 3: Wall of Denial
Turn 4: /lol
Also one of the best walls ever printed. 5/5
Also fantastic with smite.
5/5
I need some time to think!
5/5
Great wall, but not nearly as useful as it could be.
wither/infect ftw!
silly walls >.>
now only if glyph of doom could work...
Great card, 4/5.
Rather than playing passive defenders, you could play cards that help actively help you accumulate resources or otherwise further your gameplan. Rather than playing a wall, it's more beneficial to drop a mana stone or tutor for something -- anything to get to the business of winning, rather than not-losing.
EDIT: But my point is that all speed is relative, so why not just make your deck faster? Mana doesn't soak up damage directly, but if you start taking control of the game sooner, it doesn't matter what you're life total is. Mana can be used to cast spells and fuel abilities, while resources sunk into a wall do just one thing. I see defenders like Wall of Denial as very similar to straight life gain, which is a bad thing.
Do you not know what shroud means?
Bought me 8 turns, to be exact.
It's an awesome wall for sure, stopping even the most broken of of Turn 2-3 attackers (where's your Abyssal Persecutor now?
@Scumbling: Buying time is a critical aspect of the game. Nobody said that I was playing walls instead of game-winning spells and abilities. Reliably and repeatedly buying time isn't good on it's own, and filling a deck with only that results in a lot of slow defeats. But if you buy time efficiently and early enough, it gives you more time to ramp mana and drop those finishers, because ramping and playing creatures takes up time, and this has unprecedented delaying power at a relatively manageable cost. On top of all that, a lot of decks burn themselves out quickly, if they can't get through those first few turns. Defenders repeatedly thwart their attempts at getting through, which means that after they've emptied their hand, all they can do is wait for you to draw your finisher.
It's also helpful to remember that a lot of walls have Mana Ramp and card advantage worked into them.
TL;DR
Walls don't win games, they save you an indefinite amount of time, ideally until you can drop the spells that do.
It's not the best strategy, but it counters certain deck types, and can hold its own in some competitive environments.
IT HAS SHROUD. YOU CAN'T 'EQUIP' IT AT ALL, and even if you did Spirit MANTLE is an enchantment!
The artwork is nice.
The name fits perfectly! Only mass destruction weapons can remove this bulwark!
@Humor_love
Black Cat. Kids these days complaining that wall of denial needs shroud and smallpox sucks. Spoiled MTG community.
4.5/5.
You can bring an aura back from the graveyard and stick it on shrouded creatures.
Or cheat it into play with Show and Tell, Braids, Conjurer Adept, etc.
That way you get around targeting the creatures you want to "equip" (attach) the aura to.
What's worse is that T1 and T2 also look the same as Pod making it difficult to see what's coming.
The reason why Wall of Denial is good is because is gives you time to get out the cards that do win you the game. Not all decks are aggro decks.
Wall of Denial is much better than straight-up lifegain. The former improves your board position, while the latter does not. They are not the same thing. Rest for the Weary won't help much if you have no creatures and your opponent is hitting you with a Pelakka Wurm each turn, but Wall of Denial sure will.