The Unmoved Mover

So you just played your big, game-ending finisher. A 10-drop creature so threatening and powerful your opponents will never be able to stop you. Except, unfortunately, they do, with just a small removal spell that only cost two mana.

Losing your creatures to removal in Magic: The Gathering is an unfortunate but normal part of the game. That’s why creatures that are indestructible are so powerful. The indestructible keyword prevents that creature from being removed by damage or “destroy” effects, two of the most common in the game. Here are the Top 15 most powerful creatures with this equally powerful keyword, indestructible.

 

15. Zetalpa, Primal Dawn

"Rargh."

At some point, if you staple enough keywords on a creature it becomes great. This is the case with Zetalpa, Primal Dawn. Flying, double strike, and trample effectively make her “unblockable,” or at least incredibly difficult to block. Not to mention, vigilance also let’s her block on the crackback. Zetalpa is a force to be reckoned with, albeit a slow one at eight mana —especially without haste.

Pros:

• Excellent keywords
• Good attacker and defender

Cons:

• Slow without haste
• Expensive casting cost

How to get it: Rivals of Ixalan

 

14. Brash Taunter

"Bring it on!"

Brash Taunter is a feisty one to be sure. And with indestructible, you can’t really blame him. He’ll take on anyone thrown his way, even Zetalpa if he has to.

The best part of Brash Taunter is his ability to redirect damage he receives (but crucially doesn’t die from) to an opponent’s face. A Stuffy Doll-esque effect, and one of the best. You can easily design a whole deck around this card, the cherry on top being the fight ability stapled onto the card. Brash Taunter is both a payoff and an enabler in one card.

The downsides are that, while Brash Taunter’s effect is good, it’s rather limited in scope. If there are no other high power creatures on the battlefield, it doesn’t do much of anything for five mana. It’s at least still a good blocker, but an expensive one without killing power at that point.

Pros:

• Can redirect substantial damage
• Great blocker — disincentivizes opponents from attacking you
• Build-around combo potential

Cons:

• A bit slow
• Does relatively little without other big creatures on the battlefield

How to get it: Core Set 2021

 

13. Klothys, God of Destiny

"Your fate is in my hands now."

Klothys is the first God on the list, and certainly not the last. In fact, you could make a tier list entirely comprised of the indestructible Gods from Theros. A unique feature of all these Gods is that they are enchantments first and creatures second. Play the Gods by themselves and they will just be enchantments, albeit indestructible ones. With enough devotion (color pips on permanents you control), they’ll become creatures with powerful stats for their mana cost.

 

This being said, the Gods are powerful additions to any deck with their respective colors, though some are more powerful than others. Here, Klothys potentially serves as ramp, consistent damage, graveyard hate, a beater, or all of the above. This Gruul God certainly requires a build-around, but you can easily do so if you play your cards right. However, Gruul isn’t necessarily the best color combination for graveyard shenanigans.

Pros:

• The “Theros God” benefits (indestructible enchantment and creature)
• Flexible ability that’s always beneficial

Cons:

• Requires graveyard synergies to be effective, and doesn't have the best colors for that strategy
• Theros God downsides (Needs other permanents to manifest as a creature)

How to get it: Theros Beyond Death

 

12. Iroas, God of Victory

"Onwards! To glorious victory!"

Boros Legion, rejoice! You God is here. Now, while Ravnica and Theros are two separate planes, red and white decks will still love to run Iroas. He’s an indestructible beater that improves your attackers attacks by giving them all menace, including himself. He also prevents all damage done to your creatures that do get blocked. And he has that lucky number seven as his power if you want to run him as your commander.

Where Klothys is more of a build-around card, Iroas is relatively straightforward. And that’s both to his advantage and detriment. He’s good in pretty much any deck, but the ceiling to his power level is a bit lower.

Since you likely want to be attacking with Iroas, it’s crucial you reach that seven devotion to creature-ify him. If you don’t, he might not provide as much advantage as you need him to.

Pros:

• Enables great attacks
• Is a strong beater himself
• Theros God benefits

Cons:

• Limited in capabilities
• High devotion matters
• Theros God downsides

How to get it: Journey Into Nyx

 

11. Sliver Hivelord

It is the writhing fear in your heart.

The Sliver Hivelord is a God for Slivers in everything but its name and typing. And it’s exactly as good as you think it is. A 5/5 for five that gives all your Slivers indestructive, itself included. It’s protection, it’s offense, it’s defense it enables your Slivers like few other cards do. The only real downside is that it’s just limited to Sliver tribal decks or decks that run Maskwood Nexus.

Pros:

• Gives all your Sliver indestructible
• Protects itself
• Enables aggressive attacks

Cons:

• Only gives Slivers indestructible

How to get it: Core Set 2015

 

10. Erebos, God of the Dead

His rule is eternal.

Erebos really steps up the power level here. Unlike the multi-colored Theros Gods, the single-colored ones only need five devotion to manifest as a creature. Since Erebos himself supplies one devotion, you only need two other permanents with two black color pips each to manifest him.

The God of the Dead’s 5/7 statline for four mana is incredibly beefy. He also shuts down any potential lifegain your opponents might have. He also gives you repeatable and relatively cheap card advantage that you can use all game long. He really is a great all-around card, with few downsides.

Pros:

• Theros God benefits
• Shuts down opponent’s life gain
• Repeatable card draw

Cons:

• Theros God downsides

How to get it: Theros

 

9. Thassa, Deep-Dwelling

Her wisdom is as the depths.

Thassa, Deep-Dwelling is excellent as she provides you a repeatable, indestructible blink effect. This comes with all the upsides of usual blink strategies that take advantage of powerful enter the battlefield effects. And, if you ever need, she can tap another creature to shut down a dangerous enemy attacker. If you ever do reach five devotion, she becomes a beefy creature to attack and block with. Another great all-arounder with few downsides.

Pros:

• Theros God benefits
• Blink deck enables
• Consistant

Cons:

• Theros God downsides

How to get it: Theros Beyond Death

 

8. Ulamog, the Ceasless Hunger

A hunger that brings famine.

Ulamog, the Ceasless Hunger is big, powerful, and terrifying. Where Ulamog really shines is in 60-card decks that can generate massive amounts of mana. The 10 casting-cost is incredibly prohibitive. But if you’re able to not only cast, but actually attack with Ulamog, it’s likely your opponent won’t survive the game.

Pros:

• Incredibly powerful cast ability
• Incredibly powerful attack trigger
• Huge statline

Cons:

• Incredibly expensive mana cost
• Very slow

How to get it: Battle for Zendikar

 

7. Heliod, Sun-Crowned

"Brilliant!"

Heliod, Sun-Crowned is amazing in any life-gain deck, especially in ones with small, but frequent triggers. He’ll continuously buff your board much faster than you’d imagine if you haven’t played with or against him before. The fact that he can put counters on enchantments means that he can even buff himself if he’s not yet a creature. Already a 5/5 for three mana, Heliod is a force to be reckoned with and an easy auto-include in any lifegain deck.

Pros:

• Theros God benefits
• Amazing lifegain enabler
• Lifegain payoff

Cons:

• Doesn’t do much the turn you play him
• Theros God downsides

How to get it: Theros Beyond Death

 

6. Xenagos, God of Revels

"Dance, dance!"

Xenagos, God of Revels is one of the best mid-game beater enablers you could ask for. He can give your other creatures huge buffs and enable them to attack by giving them haste when they enter the battlefield. He turns your otherwise decent attackers into fast and incredibly formidable threats. Another easy include in any Gruul deck that wants to smash face as hard and as fast as possible.

Pros:

• Theros God benefits
• Massive buffs to your attackers
• Grants haste

Cons:

• Devotion can matter
• Theros God downsides

How to get it: Born of the Gods

 

5. Toski, Bearer of Secrets

"What vast knowledge hides in such a small body."

A change of pace from the recent stream of Gods, Toski is certainly up there with the best of them. An uncounterable, indestructible card-advantage generator, Toski provides utility just like a Theros God. In fact, he goes perfectly in the same kind of deck that’s running Xenagos — one that wants to attack often and get in for damage. Toski will make sure that your creatures that connect are refilling your hand, allowing you to advance your game state even further.

Pros:

• Uncounterable
• Great card advantage in the right deck

Cons:

• Can’t be held up to block
• Low power for the mana value

How to get it: Kaldheim

 

4. Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre

It churns.

This Ulamog, like its counterpart, has a great cast trigger and attack trigger. However, this one has more effects on the board state, again potentially locking out your opponent from winning the game. It also has the small but real upside of effectively shutting down mill decks entirely by reshuffling itself upon hitting the graveyard. While the Ulamogs may seem similar at first, their differences are real and their power levels and position in the list reflect that difference.

Pros:

• Incredible removal
• Powerful, game-ending attacker
• Shuts down mill decks

Cons:

• Very slow

How to get it: Rise of the Eldrazi

 

3. Purphoros, God of the Forge

"Be free my creations!"

Purphoros, God of the Forge is cooking, and dinner’s looking excellent. Red already has tons of strategies that encourage you to swarm the board with small creatures like Goblins. Pair that with a color like White, Green, or both and you’ve got the perfect home for Purphoros. While his enter the battlefield effect is the main reason you’ll run him, he can also buff your team to swing in for the win. Purphoros is a brutal and punishing card to play against and is a threat that absolutely must be dealt with.

Pros:

Theros God benefits

• Can deal tons of damage incredibly quickly
• Can buff you team to benefit attackers

Cons:

• Very little if any
• Theros God downsides

How to get it: Theros

 

2. Blightsteel Colossus 

Run.

Blighsteel Colossus is a absolute powerhouse. While it’s expensive, both mana-wise and wallet-wise, Blighsteel is a true game-ender. As soon as this card hits the table, it’s just a matter of time before opponents start dropping like flies.

That’s because infect completely changes the kind of game you’re playing. Life totals no longer matter, only poison counters. Blightsteel wouldn’t be so oppressive it it didn’t also have trample, making chump blocks effectively irrelevant. This card is a ticking clock that will have your opponents sweating if it ever resolves.

Pros:

• Infect makes it a lethal one-hit K.O.
• Trample allows it to push through damage more effectively
• Commander powerhouse

Cons:

• Expensive to cast
• Expensive to afford

How to get it: Mirrodin Besieged 

 

1. Avacyn, Angel of Hope

Hope is travels on her wings like the dawning of the sun.

True to her name, Avacyn, will grant you hope while taking it away from your opponents. She’s truly the strongest of all indestructible creatures in that she also gives indestructible to all your other permanents, even your lands. She effectively solidifies your board state and makes it relatively un-interactable. Avacyn is a must-remove threat, otherwise you’ll inevitably take over the game.

Pros:

• Gives all your permanents indestructible
• Strong attacker and blocker
• Evasive
• Great in Angel tribal decks

Cons:

• Expensive to cast
• Expensive to afford

How to get it: Avacyn Restored

 

Removal Wins Games, Except When It Doesn’t

Removal is one of the most important elements of a deck to include plenty of. Without interaction, it’s difficult to respond to what your opponents are doing. That’s why indestructible is such a powerful and effective keyword. It effectively eliminates most removal options your opponents have for dealing with your threats. By running some of the cards on this list, you’ll be putting yourself in a position to inevitably take over and win the game. 

Also Be Sure To Read:

• [Top 15] MTG Best Lands for EDH That Are Powerful
• [Top 25] MTG Best Auras That Are Powerful
• [Top 15] MTG Best Angel Commanders That Are Powerful