Hello Everyone! I'm Levi from The Thought Vessel Show, and today we're exploring whether defense wins championships with the top cards in pillowfort decks. A "Pillow Fort" deck focuses primarily on creating a shell of protection effects that prevent players from damaging you and, in some instances, your permanents. Sometimes these decks aim to win through combat, but more often, an alternate win condition or combo is utilized. This is a fairly deep archetype, with certain staxy cards like Meek Stone and Ensnaring Bridge narrowly missing the list--though if you're building a pillowfort deck, you should check them out. Before we dive into our top ten, here are some honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

The Second Doctor: This card returns from the political list. It allows players to draw a card, and if they accept the offer, they cannot attack you for the turn. Most players tend to take the card to avoid falling behind on value, which keeps your life total healthy.

Pramikon, Sky Rampart: In a strategy where avoiding attacks is the goal, being able to completely shut out two players from attacking you is huge. Typically, one of the two players next to you will be playing something less combat-oriented, like combo or aristocrats. All you have to do is set them as your only attacker, and you'll be in the clear for a few turns.

Queen Marchesa: Adding the Monarch to the game can incentivize players to start dealing damage to their opponents to gain that extra card draw. Unlike many other Monarch-related cards, Queen Marchesa wants other players to have the Monarch so she can keep creating death touching assassin tokens.

Top 10 Pillowfort Cards

10) Dawn Charm: This quiet but wonderful card offers versatility. It can protect you, regenerate one of your key creatures, or blank all combat damage. There's almost never a game where Dawn Charm won't be useful.

9) Breena, the Demagogue: Growing your army off other players attacking each other is great. If players hold back and don't attack, you can bury them in card advantage. The only downside is that in a two-player situation, this card does nothing, becoming just a 1/3 flyer.

8) Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs: With a steep price of three mana, most players won't want to pay the cost, meaning that if you're attacked frequently, you'll end up with an army of 3/3 creatures. Kazuul gets out of hand quickly if players refuse to pay the toll.

7) Trouble in Pairs: This newer stax-like card doesn't slow opponents but speeds you up as they take actions. Trouble in Pairs allows you to draw cards off attacks against you, their second card draw, or their second spell cast. This either forces opponents to slow down their game or lets you fill your hand with more pillowfort pieces or removal. Either way, it's a win-win.

6) Deflecting Palm: This is the best card for protecting yourself from a big burn spell or a voltron deck. Redirecting a massive hit back to its source makes for a great story and can often eliminate a player in the late game. However, it's less effective against go-wide strategies.

5) Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts: No Mercy fits well here too. The risk of having creatures destroyed usually persuades attackers to go elsewhere. While this doesn't save you from lethal attacks in the late game, it effectively nullifies chip damage. Vigilance and protection from creatures ensure Teysa can consistently deal at least 4 damage per turn. The only drawback is her high mana cost of seven.

4) Royal Assassin: An oldie but a goodie, Royal Assassin is excellent for dissuading attacks. Anytime a big creature is declared as an attacker, tap Royal Assassin to send it to the graveyard. On the end step before your turn, you can often make deals at the table and destroy a creature in exchange for a favor.

3) Karmic Justice: Though this doesn't protect you from combat, it's invaluable in Commander. Players cherish their permanents, and Karmic Justice effectively makes your things feel hexproof - no one wants their best cards destroyed in retaliation.

2) Inkshield: This is both a Fog and a win condition. Players need to be wary of this card because it can easily turn a big combat step into their defeat. Countering a massive attack and turning it into an army of blockers often seals the game. Though its five-mana cost is steep, its impact is worth it.

1) Ghostly Prison/Propaganda: These are the ultimate "vegetable" cards for your deck. They're not flashy but are incredibly effective. Having one early in the game can halt an aggressive deck's momentum. You'd be surprised how often players refuse to pay 2 mana per creature, fearing they'll fall behind. For this reason, these cards are the quintessential pillowfort staples.

And there you have it! These are the top cards for pillowfort decks. While this isn't a strategy I'd play every time, it's fun to build the biggest fortress possible. If you've never tried a pillowfort strategy, I highly recommend it. Until next time, may your walls be strong and your games enjoyable.