Totem Armor and Umbra Armor in MTG: Rules, History, Best Cards

Last updated on March 5, 2024

Spider Umbra | Illustration by Christopher Moeller

Rise of the Eldrazi is one of the most interesting Magic sets ever released. You have a superb limited format, monstrous creatures, and level-up creatures. But there's also an interesting mechanic, with a little tweak in history that saw lots of competitive play, and that’s totem armor.

Today I’m going to go over everything related to totem armor. Ready? Let’s dive in!

How Does Totem Armor Work?

Bear Umbra | Illustration by Howard Lyon

Totem armor is a static ability on an enchantment – aura that basically saves the enchanted creature if it would be destroyed, destroying the enchantment in the creature’s place. The totem armor still adds a relevant mechanic like vigilance, trample, or flying.

Every card with totem armor has the name of an animal and the term “Umbra” as the card name, more on this later.

The History of Totem Armor in MTG

Totem armor made its debut in 2010’s Rise of the Eldrazi set and it makes sense since one of the themes of the set was to cast big monsters or make small creatures bigger to compete with eldrazi, whether by leveling them up or with auras.

There are 11 cards in Rise of the Eldrazi with the totem aura mechanic across all rarities, though most of them are commons and uncommons for Limited play. The mechanic was used again in supplemental sets like Planechase, Commander 2018, and Modern Horizons.

Totem Armor vs. Regeneration

It’s easy to consider the totem armor effect as the same as the regeneration effect, but there are some differences.

If you cast a card like Wrath of God, your creatures with totem armor are safe because it has nothing to do with regeneration.

But what happens if a creature with the regenerate ability and totem armor were to be destroyed? In this case, it depends on whether the regeneration shield is active or not. If the shield is active, the creature won’t be destroyed and the totem armor aura stays. Otherwise, the totem armor aura is destroyed to save the creature.

Totem Armor vs. Indestructible

Indestructible makes it so that any effect that would destroy a creature won’t destroy it, while a creature enchanted with a totem armor aura loses the aura instead of being destroyed.

Does Totem Armor Work Against Destroy Effects?

Yes! Although the description of the mechanic states that you would remove the damage from the creature, it works for other destroy effects too like “destroy target creature” or “destroy all creatures.”

What Happens with Multiple Totem Armor?

If a creature has multiple totem armor effects and would be destroyed, the creature’s controller chooses which totem armor aura to destroy. The creature must be destroyed a second time to lose the second totem armor aura, and then a third time for three, etc.

Does Totem Armor Protect Against Exile?

No, totem armor only protects against destruction effects, not exile. Exiling a creature with totem armor is a good answer.

What Happens If You Sacrifice a Creature with Totem Armor?

The totem armor effect does not protect against sacrifice effects because the creature wasn’t destroyed, which is what matters for the mechanic.

Is Totem Armor Mandatory?

Yes, totem armor is mandatory. It doesn't matter how many effects say that the creature with totem armor will be destroyed, a totem armor aura will be destroyed instead. But if a creature has totem armor and is indestructible, the totem armor aura won’t be destroyed because the creature wouldn’t be.

What If You Give Totem Armor to an Indestructible Creature?

If an indestructible creature is enchanted with totem armor then the aura will likely remain on the creature forever because the creature cannot be destroyed.

The totem armor aura can still be exiled or interacted with using cards like Disenchant.

What If You Give Totem Armor to a Creature with Regeneration?

If a creature has the ability to regenerate and a totem armor aura, there are two possibilities that depend on whether the regeneration shield is active or not. Since a lot of regenerate abilities need to be activated, there’s a chance that the regeneration shield is not active when it needs to be. In this case, the totem armor aura is destroyed instead since the creature would be destroyed. But if the regeneration shield is activated, then the aura won’t be destroyed because the creature is regenerated.

What If Your Totem Amor Umbra Gets Destroyed at the Same Time as the Creature?

In the case of a spell-like End Hostilities that destroys a permanent and all auras attached to it, the totem armor effect still works. The effect destroying the aura and the totem armor’s effect destroying itself to save the enchanted creature happen at the same time, so the creature is still saved.

Gallery and List of Totem Armor Cards

• Bear Umbra
• Boar Umbra
• Crab Umbra
• Drake Umbra
• Eel Umbra
• Eland Umbra
• Estrid, the Masked
• Felidar Umbra
• Hyena Umbra
• Indrik Umbra
• Mammoth Umbra
• Octopus Umbra
• Snake Umbra
• Spider Umbra
• Treefolk Umbra
• Umbra Mystic

Best Totem Armor Cards

#9. Octopus Umbra

It costs a ton for an aura, but making a creature into an 8/8 that taps an enemy creature on attacking is powerful. Don’t rule Octopus Umbra out.

#8. Indrik Umbra

Indrik Umbra is recommended for EDH Voltron strategies because it’s such a powerful aura, but maybe too much for six mana. It’s a way to clean the board of an opponent.

#7. Bear Umbra

Untapping all your lands can be very powerful in EDH, so Bear Umbra has its uses. You can use all your mana to play something in the first main phase, attack with the enchanted creature, and get all your mana back, even making Bear Umbra free depending on the situation.

#6. Umbra Mystic

The Umbra Mystic will make great use of the fact that each instance of armor counts separately, and favorites like Rancor and Sentinel's Eyes become stronger.

#5. Felidar Umbra

Giving lifelink is very good in Voltron strategies, and being white is a huge plus to play Felidar Umbra in Sram, Senior Edificer mono white EDH decks. Two mana also isn’t on the expensive side for an aura strategy, and you can even switch the aura host by paying an extra when needed.

#4. Eel Umbra

Although paying for +1/+1 is on the expensive side, Eel Umbra at least has flash so it can also be played as a protective spell in response to a creature being destroyed.

#3. Spider Umbra

Costing one is key on Spider Umbra, more than the reach ability. Aura decks require a critical mass of cheap auras, but reach is somewhat useful.

#2. Snake Umbra

Snake Umbra quickly became one of the most popular totem armors after it was released. It's not the cheapest at 3-mana, but it offers all your necessary protection and some highly sought-after card advantage!

#1. Hyena Umbra

Hyena Umbra takes the lead here because it costs a single mana and gives a relevant ability (first strike) to a creature that’s often going to be big and sometimes have multiple auras on it. Enemy creatures with deathtouch are a weakness of the aura strategy, and first strike deals with that nicely.

Is Totem Armor Now Umbra Armor?

Yes, “umbra armor” replaces “totem armor” as a keyword ability. Wizards made the change along with other terminology changes in an announcement about Khans of Tarkir for Arena.

Decklist: Modern Bogles

Slippery Bogle | Illustration by Dave Allsop

Decklist

Modern Bogles is a deck that goes tall in a creature with multiple auras, and this creature usually has hexproof. Slippery Bogle is the creature of choice here, and that’s why this deck is called “Bogles.”

The deck has three creatures that interact well with auras. Slippery Bogle and Gladecover Scout have hexproof and Kor Spiritdancer grows with auras played and you can draw cards.

Auras like All That Glitters and Ethereal Armor grow a creature based on the number of enchantments you have in play. The totem armor auras protect your creatures from wraths, which is a weakness of those decks.

You’re playing mostly cheap auras, especially since you have a companion (Lurrus of the Dream-Den) that synergizes with permanents that cost three or less mana. This is a Modern decklist with the exception of Lurrus, which is banned in Modern, but you'll see Bogles run a few Modern tables these days.

Wrap Up

Octopus Umbra | Illustration by Howard Lyon

Well, that’s all I have for today on totem armor, folks! It’s an interesting mechanic but is far from being evergreen because the rules implications that come with it are somewhat complicated. It’s also difficult to interact with in Limited and even in Standard.

We have something similar with shield counters that have already warped a Limited format. There’s a reason why WotC and R&D avoid regeneration effects and powerful hexproof creatures, so I’d expect totem aura effects to only be present in supplementary sets in the future.

What totem armor cards do you usually play in your Modern or EDH decks? Let me know in the comments below or over on the Draftsim Twitter.

Stay safe until the next time!