City Gate Stalwarts

Basilica Guards is a compact defensive piece that fits cleanly into any white shell that needs a reliable blocker and incremental life gain. At {2}{W} you get a 1/4 creature with Defender that soaks damage while preserving tempo. The card performs well against wide aggro lines where one sturdy body can delay a rush and buy time for your late game.

The Extort ability rewards casting even small spells. Each time you cast a spell you may pay {W/B} to drain a point of life from each opponent and gain that life back yourself. In multiplayer or grindy games this chip damage adds up while your 1/4 remains a consistent roadblock. Basilica Guards pairs logically with mass removal and lifegain synergies and slots into control builds that value attrition and steady advantage. The card reads like a municipal guard posted at Ravnica gates standing ready to tax the unwary.

Card Details:

• Mana Cost – {2}{W}
• Card Type – Creature
• Subtypes – Human Soldier
• Card Text / Rules Text (Printed) – Defender. Extort (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay {W/B}. If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life.)
• Power / Toughness – 1/4