Aegis

> **Aegis**:
>
> Protected from one enemy spell or effect *(but not from battle damage)*.
>
>

**Aegis** is a battle skill. Its effect can be applied to units and players. It was first introduced in *The Empty Throne*. Card that have or give Aegis are only found in the Justice and Primal factions, with the exception of some neutral cards. There are cards in other factions with ignore or remove Aegis, such as Vara, Vengeance-Seeker.

*Find more cards with Aegis in its category page.*

## Details

Aegis appears as a blue aura around units and player avatars while active. Units with the skill gain this aura when played. Otherwise, the aura appears on units or players as they gain Aegis from effects, or as a weapon with Aegis is played on them.

An active Aegis protects the unit or player from the first enemy spell or effect that would affect them. This stops the effect from happening; any spells stopped this way are effectively negated (although additional effects not targeting an enemy with Aegis may still occur - see Spells with Multiple Effects below) and go to their owner's void. Aegis protects from both effects that target the unit or player directly (such as Torch), and ones that don't target directly (like Harsh Rule).

Aegis also protects attachments on units and players with an active aura. For example, trying to use Ruin to destroy an attachment will pop unit or player's Aegis instead.

Aegis does not protect from your own spells or effects, or from neutral, unowned game effects, such as the damage from Night. Aegis will not protect units from dying to Deadly damage, or from attacks by units with Killer.

After Aegis protects from a spell or effect, the aura is removed (often referred to as "popped"), and the keyword will appear grayed out while inactive. If a unit or weapon with the Aegis keyword leaves play and is later returned, Aegis will be reactivated for an additional use.

Aegis only protects units in the play zone. Units with the Aegis keyword are not protected in the deck, hand, void, or market (however, they can be protected by player Aegis).

### Spells with Multiple Effects

Aegis will completely protect a unit or player from one spell, even if it has multiple effects. For example, Shen-Ra Speaks, when played with its Decimate ability, will silence and kill all units, but a unit with Aegis will not be silenced or killed. Similarly, Treachery would pop a player's face Aegis and they will not take damage or discard a card.

Some spells have a two effects, with the second being dependent on the first in some way. Examples include Eye for an Eye and Cast into Shadow. If the first of these effects is blocked by Aegis, the second will not occur.

For spells with two effects that are not related, such as Ice Bolt, Conflagrate, or Exploit, blocking the first effect with Aegis will not prevent the other effects.

### Face Aegis

Aegis can be given to a player through cards such as Eilyn's Favor. Aegis on players is commonly referred to as *"face Aegis"*.

Like it does for units, Aegis protects the player from a spell or effect that affects them directly. It protects any relics or relic weapons attached to the player.

Face Aegis also protects from effects on cards in the player's hand, deck, or void. This can lead to some surprising results for people not familiar with these interactions. For example:

* If you gain a face Aegis after being cursed by Azindel's Gift, the Aegis will be popped the next time you would be forced to discard (preventing the effect that turn).
* Face Aegis will not protect from Firebombs generated by enemy effects like Light the Fuse. Although the card is detrimental, the Firebomb was added to your deck and is owned by you. When you are forced to play it with Destiny, it is *not* an enemy effect.
* If one of your units is Equivocated, your face Aegis doesn't stop it from being put back into your hand, but it does stop the card from being transformed once it's there.
* If Express Route is played on one of your units while you have Aegis, the unit will be placed on the bottom of your deck, and then it will pop your Aegis when attempting to reduce the unit's health.

Face Aegis will block effects that make you sacrifice units, such as Imprison, or deal damage to yourself, such as Yeti Taunt Patrol.

Face Aegis does not block some specific "positive" enemy effects. Some examples are:

* Effects that make you draw cards, such as Cursed Prophet Deleph, Unraveling Fanatic, Reflection, and Thundering Kerasaur

* Effects that make you play cards, such as Refracted Sentinel, Ice Bolt, Snapping Hydrangea, and Aymar, Dark Summoner

* Beneficial effects on your deck, such as Open Contract, and Vadius, Proud Duelist.

Notably, Wrath of Caiphus is completely blocked by Aegis - the opponent will not discard or draw.

## Notes

Aegis does not stop and is not broken by "static" effects, such as Sandstorm Titan's *"Can't Fly"* ability or Groundbreaker's *"The enemy player can't gain health"* ability.

Vara, Vengeance-Seeker's *"Nothing can have an Aegis"* ability removes all Aegis auras when she is played. They are not restored if she leaves play or is silenced.