Arcades, the Strategist

one generic mana one green mana one white mana one blue mana Legendary Creature — Elder DragonPower and toughness3/5

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.

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Showing Core Set 2019#212

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3.82 $

Foil 27.65 $

23 printings

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Arcades, the Strategist 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.

Arcades, the Strategist keyword rules

Flying Rule 702.9

Flying is an evasion ability.

A creature with flying can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying and/or reach. A creature with flying can block a creature with or without flying. (See rule , “Declare Blockers Step,” and rule , “Reach.”)

Multiple instances of flying on the same creature are redundant.