Defend

DefectSkillBasic
Gain 5 Block.

One energy for 5 Block, 8 when upgraded. Block goes away at the start of your next turn unless something keeps it. Dexterity adds to it and Frail cuts it. It carries the Defend tag, which a few cards check, and it is a Skill for anything that counts Skills.

Character
Defect
Type
Skill
Rarity
Basic
Cost
1 Energy
Target
Yourself
Starting deck
4 copies

When to take Defend

Keep your starting Defends through Act 1, since the Defect has no cheap Block engine until Frost Orbs are online. Cut them once Glacier, Coolant or big Frost counts take over.

Cards that synergize with Defend

Fasten
Power
1
Gain an additional 4 Block from Defend cards.
Fasten adds 4 Block to every Defend.Gain an additional 4 Block from Defend cards.
Hologram
Skill
1
Gain 3 Block.
Put a card from your Discard Pile into your Hand.
Exhaust.
Hologram pulls one back from the discard pile in a pinch.Gain 3 Block.
Put a card from your Discard Pile into your Hand.
Exhaust.
Leap
Skill
1
Gain 9 Block.
Leap is the direct upgrade to replace them with.Gain 9 Block.
Beacon of Hope
Power
1
Whenever you gain Block on your turn, other players gain half that much Block.
Beacon of Hope makes Block count for more, and Defend gains itWhenever you gain Block on your turn, other players gain half that much Block.
Entrench
Skill
2
Double your Block.
Entrench makes Block count for more, and Defend gains itDouble your Block.
Prolong
Skill
0
Next turn, gain Block equal to your current Block.
Exhaust.
Prolong makes Block count for more, and Defend gains itNext turn, gain Block equal to your current Block.
Exhaust.

Relics that synergize with Defend

Vambrace
Vambrace doubles the first Block card each combat.The first time you gain Block from a card each combat, double the amount gained.
Ghost Seed
Ghost Seed makes them Ethereal, which removes them from a Frost deck that no longer needs them.Strikes and Defends gain Ethereal.
Parrying Shield
Parrying Shield makes Block count for more, and Defend gains itIf you end a turn with at least 10 Block, deal 6 damage to a random enemy.
Sturdy Clamp
Sturdy Clamp makes Block count for more, and Defend gains itUp to 10 Block persists across turns.
Pael's Legion
Pael's Legion makes Block count for more, and Defend gains itDoubles Block gained from a card, then goes to sleep for 2 turns.
✦
Dualcast
Skill
1
Evoke your rightmost Orb twice.
Zap
Skill
1
Channel 1 Lightning.
Chaos
Skill
1
Channel 1 random Orb.
Charge Battery
Skill
1
Gain 7 Block.
Next turn, gain .
Compact
Skill
1
Gain 6 Block.
Transform all Status cards in your Hand into Fuel.
Coolheaded
Skill
1
Channel 1 Frost.
Draw 1 card.
Darkness
Skill
1
Channel 1 Dark.
Trigger the passive ability of all Dark Orbs.
Double Energy
Skill
1
Double your Energy.
Exhaust.

Changes by version

  1. 1 Sep 2023ArtThe DefectInternal playtest
    Updated Defect's Defend card art

Internal playtest notes are from before the Early Access release. Names and numbers in them can differ from the game today.

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