All 17 You Have Hexproof Cards in Magic Ranked

Leyline of Sanctity | Illustration by Noah Bradley

Isn’t it frustrating when you’re in the middle of a Magic game and a player forces you to sacrifice a permanent or take a bunch of damage to the face? There’s an answer for dealing with those unfortunate mishaps, and that’s cards that give you hexproof. Building a strong board state in Magic is only getting half the job done when playing a game. You need spells to protect yourself and even your permanents.

So let’s discuss cards that give you hexproof specifically. What are the benefits of these cards and how good are they?

Let’s dive right in!

What Are You Have Hexproof Cards in MTG?

Surge of Salvation | Illustration by Dominik Mayer

Magic’s “you have hexproof” cards make it so that you can’t be the target of spells or abilities that your opponents control. If you have hexproof, your opponent can’t target you with a card like Archon of Cruelty. They could still play the creature, and it would enter the battlefield. But if your opponent attempts to target you with a spell or ability with wording like this, it won’t go through as long as you have hexproof.

There are also “you have hexproof” cards that protect you specifically. Most of these effects are mono-white, with some exceptions.

#17. Surge of Salvation

Surge of Salvation can protect you and your permanents from any type of damage until the end of the turn. It’s legal in all formats except Pauper and Penny, so this situational “you have hexproof” card keeps you protected from your pod members playing red and black, at least for one turn. Surge gives hexproof from anything, not just red and black spells.

#16. Lazotep Plating

Lazotep Plating generates a blocker for your board and gives you and your permanents hexproof for the remainder of the turn. It’s best to keep the mana up for this instant spell to protect yourself from massive damage from a burn spell or targeted removal aimed at one of your permanents. This spell is especially flavorful in a Dimir zombie typal deck since it amasses a Zombie Army creature token.

#15. Blossoming Calm

Blossoming Calm is a useful “you have hexproof” card for lifegain decks. Gaining the life from this card can enhance the value of lifegain commanders like Lathiel, the Bounteous Dawn and Trelasarra, Moon Dancer. Plus, its rebound ability generates additional value as you can cast it for free from exile on your next upkeep. It's cheap cost and effectiveness make it playable in a wide variety of strategies, though.

#14. Veil of Summer

Veil of Summer is a situational card as you and other permanents you control only gain hexproof from specific colors until the end of the turn. This spell can also act as a great cantrip and temporary protection resource. Plus, it’s guaranteed that you can resolve instant spells after casting Veil of Summer on an opponent’s turn for more interaction. If you decide to cast this spell on your turn, you can build your board state without counterspells interfering.

#13. Gruul Spellbreaker

Gruul Spellbreaker gives itself and you hexproof only on your turn, but the best part is that you can attack freely without having to deal with targeted removal. This was printed at a time where Settle the Wreckage was popular in Standard, and that sentiment follows in Commander so long as Spellbreaker stays on offense.

#12. Orbs of Warding

Orbs of Warding is the second highest costing card that gives you hexproof, and it doesn’t do much else besides also preventing 1 damage that a creature deals to you. This particular card works best in synergistic artifacts-matter Commander decks like Osgir, the Reconstructor and Breya, Etherium Shaper. Even Modern and Pioneer pillowfort decks with other cards like Propaganda and Ghostly Prison would be another great home for Orbs of Warding.

#11. Witchbane Orb

Witchbane Orb is more of a situational “you have hexproof” card that can destroy all the curses attached to you when it enters. If you’re in a pod where one of your opponents runs an enchantment matters deck with many curse spells, then Witchbane Orb could be a good addition for the protection and removal you need since it can slot into any colored deck.

#10. Imperial Mask

Imperial Mask is mainly playable in Archenemy and Two-Headed Giant Commander formats since the card not only gives you hexproof, but also your other teammate(s). If you play these formats, Imperial Mask is worth running. Pick something else if you’re playing against opponents by yourself.

#9. Aegis of the Gods

Aegis of the Gods is an enchantment creature that gives you hexproof, which makes it a natural fit for enchantments-matter builds. Run cards that reward you for casting more enchantment spells like Sythis, Harvest's Hand, Argothian Enchantress, and Enchantress's Presence so you can get more value when you cast your Aegis.

#8. Metropolis Reformer

Metropolis Reformer is best played in lifegain decks considering it helps you gain life when it’s dealt damage. Enchant Metropolis Reformer with Shielded by Faith or equip it with Darksteel Plate for indestructible. You can run Brash Taunter to have it fight Metropolis Reformer to cause useful lifegain triggers from staples like Heliod, Sun-Crowned and Archangel of Thune.

#7. Keen-Eared Sentry

Keen-Eared Sentry is another situational “you have hexproof card,” but it’s one of the most valuable when its trinket text matters. Throw this into your deck if one of your pod members runs a dungeon deck so you can lock them out of their value engine. They’d only be able to do their first venture into the dungeon trigger each turn, which hinders them from gaining more in-game value with the permanents they control. This would also be a great protection card if you’re running a soldier typal deck, and one of your regular pod members runs Sefris of the Hidden Ways.

#6. Teyo, the Shieldmage

Teyo, the Shieldmage is a good card that grants you hexproof for proliferate decks since it only has a minus ability and would come in with 10 loyalty. Not only does that mean more walls, but it also means it'll stick around for much longer to keep that passive benefit going. The Wall tokens can act as chump blockers to protect Teyo, the Shieldmage.

#5. Spirit of the Hearth

Spirit of the Hearth is the highest mana value “you have hexproof” card. However, it’s still a useful mid-game piece to run because having a flying creature this big acts as an absolute tank. Especially when your deck doesn’t include many fliers, having at least Spirit of the Hearth can give you the protection you need.

#4. Shalai, Voice of Plenty

Shalai, Voice of Plenty is especially effective when playing a superfriends or angel typal deck. It’s a more useful addition to the 99 than utilized as a Commander. While you may never use this creature’s activated ability because of how expensive it is, it’s a nice back-up plan to have if you find yourself top-decking and need a way to buff up your army in a pinch.

#3. Sigarda, Heron’s Grace

Sigarda, Heron's Grace is a great option in the 99 of a human typal deck, granting you and the humans you control hexproof. This angel supports a Kyler, Sigardian Emissary Commander deck, where you also have Sigarda, Champion of Light in the 99 for better human typal synergy. If you cast Sigarda, Heron's Grace after a board wipe, you can rebuild your board state slowly but surely with its activated ability that creates Human Soldier creature tokens.

#2. Enduring Angel / Angelic Enforcer

Enduring Angel and its transformed version, Angelic Enforcer, provide you hexproof when your back is against the wall with a low life total. This is a great card to cast late-game if you’re about to be drained of your life total.

The creature’s transformed version gets bigger as your life total increases from attacking with it and doubling your life total. Of course, this aggro tactic requires you have other blockers up so you won’t lose the life you just gained. Back it up with something like a Platinum Angel on the field at the same time to help you stay in the game.

#1. Leyline of Sanctity

Leyline of Sanctity is the best “you have hexproof” card because you can put it into play for free if you’re lucky enough to draw it in your opening hand. That makes it very popular in different metagames (less so in Commander).

While this card slots well into any deck featuring white, it’s especially flavorful in an enchantment matters deck featuring the other leyline cards like Leyline of the Guildpact, Leyline of Singularity, and Leyline of the Void.

Does You Have Hexproof Include Everything You Control?

When a card says that you have hexproof, it doesn’t include all the permanents you control. You’re only protected from things that specifically target a player, such as burn spells, sacrifice abilities, or discarding cards. If the spell or ability they’re attempting to throw at you says “target opponent” or “target player,” your opponent won’t be able to target you.

If you’re looking for cards that give your permanents hexproof, you can include one of these:

• Sigarda, Font of Blessings
• Heroic Intervention (until the end of that turn it’s cast)
• Privileged Position
• Dawnglade Regent (as long as you are the monarch)
• Simic Charm (until the end of that turn it is cast)

Wrap Up

Witchbane Orb | Illustration by John Avon

Integrating at least 2-3 spells that grant you hexproof in your decks can keep you protected from taking a lot of damage to the face, being forced to sacrifice permanents, or having to discard cards from your hand. These protective cards are especially effective against red players that cast burn spells or black players that force discarding and sacrificing permanents.

Are you ready to learn more ways to protect yourself during a Magic: The Gathering game? Head over to the Draftsim blog to stay updated on the latest content to learn more about your favorite tabletop game. When you aren’t browsing the blog, you can get notified when a new blog post is published by following Draftsim’s Twitter page.

Until next time, be sure to protect yourself in a Magic game with these “you have hexproof” cards.