Creatures are one of the most integral part of Magic: The Gathering. One of the primary sources of a deck’s damage output, the strength of many creature’s lies in their abilities. However, one of the most often overlooked elements of creatures in Magic is their toughness.
A creature’s toughness is simultaneously it’s defense and it’s health, as once a creature sustains an amount of damage equal to it’s toughness, it dies. This means that creatures with high toughness are among the most resilient in the games, capable out living through damage-based removal like Lightning Bolt. So today, we’re going to examine the defensive creatures of Magic and see the ten creatures with the highest toughness in the game’s history.
10 Emrakul, the Promised End
Emrakul, the Promised End is a 13/13 Legendary eldrazi from Eldritch Moon. Costing one less mana for each type among cards in its caster’s graveyard, Emrakul has flying, trample, and protection from instants, defending it from all instant-based removal.
As if Emrakul’s massive size and combative abilities weren’t enough, upon entering the battlefield, Emrakul allows it’s controller to gain control of an opponent during their next turn.
9 Tree Of Redemption
A strictly defensive creature, Tree of Redemption is a 0/13 plant with defender for four mana. While most defense oriented creatures provide their utility through blocking, Tree of Redemption has the distinct ability to tap, exchanging it’s toughness with its owner’s life total.
This can raise it’s toughness when it’s owner’s life total is high, or set its owner’s life total to thirteen if they’re in dire straights.
8 Tree Of Perdition
A mono-black reflection of Tree of Redemption, Tree of Perdition is a a mono black 0/13 with defender. However, while Tree of Redemption can be tapped to exchange it’s toughness with its controller’s life total, Tree of Perdition can be tapped to exchange its toughness with an opponent’s life total.
This ability can be used offensively, especially when Tree of Perdition’s toughness is reduced by -1/-1 counters or the effects of enchantments.
7 Autochthon Wurm
6 Worldspine Wurm
Appearing in Return to Ravnica, Worldspine Wurm is an enormous 15/15 with trample for eleven mana. A green creature, one would be hard pressed to find a creature capable of besting a Worldspine Wurm in combat due to it’s high power and toughness. Even in the instance that an opponent were to overcome Worldspine Wurm’s incredible toughness, upon dying, Worldspine Wurm’s stats are redistributed , creating three green 5/5 wurm tokens.
When paired with “anthem” effects and spells that buff all creatures under a player’s control, Worldspine Wurm’s death can actually result in a more threatening board state.
5 Emrakul, The Aeon’s Torn
The original incarnation of one of the three eldrazi titans, Emrakul, the Aeon’s Torn is a creature that can often win a game upon being cast. A 15/15 that can’t be countered, while Emrakul lack’s haste, it’s stellar stats can be used upon being cast, as upon entering the battlefield, this creature’s controller takes an extra turn!
In addition to it’s phenomenal power and toughness, Emrakul also possesses flying, protection from colored spells, and annihilator 6. This protection from colored spell’s compliments Emrakul’s high toughness quite well, as it makes it nearly impossible to remove without a board-wipe.
4 Impervious Greatwurm
While Impervious Greatwurm doesn’t have trample, it is essentially a strictly stronger alternative to Autochthon Wurm. A 16/16 for ten mana, Impervious Greatwurm has convoke just like the aforementioned Autochthon Wurm.
However, in addition to its lower cost and higher power and toughness, Impervious Greatwurm also has indestructible! Between indestructible and a toughness of sixteen, few creatures are as resilient as Impervious Greatwurm.
3 Marit Lage
Not a conventionally casted creature, Marit Lage is a legendary token that can be created by the effects of the cards Dark Depths and Marit Lage’s Slumber. Marit Lage is immensely powerful from both offense and defensive perspectives, being a black 20/20 avatar with flying and indestructible.
Dark Depths is a land that sees a play in formats such as legacy. While this land can’t tap for mana like one may expect from a land, it enters the battlefield with ten ice counters on it that can be removed for the cost one three mana. Once there are no ice counters left on Dark Depths, it is sacrificed and Marit Lage is created. While Dark Depths may appear mana intensive, there are numerous means of removing these counters without paying their cost.
2 Kharis & The Beholder
1 B.F.M. (Big Furry Monster)
Not legal in any formats, the B.F.M. is a black 99/99 for fifteen mana. This creature is so large that it is split across two cards that must be played simultaneously, a concept that would be revisited by Wizards of the Coast in Eldritch Moon with the Meld mechanic.
In addition to it’s terrifying size, the B.F.M. has evasion in the form of requiring a minimum of three creatures to block it, helping it push its damage through.
NEXT: Magic: The Gathering - 5 Mechanics That Should Be Brought Back (& 5 That Shouldn’t)
