What it does
A creature with Defender simply can't attack. That's the whole rule—it has nothing to do with blocking, which it does perfectly well. Walls are the classic example, often boasting high toughness to hold the ground.
The most common mistake is thinking Defender stops a creature from blocking or that it prevents the creature from dealing combat damage; neither is true. Defender only restricts attacking. Some cards remove Defender or let creatures with Defender attack anyway, and certain effects (like assigning combat damage equal to toughness) reward you for fielding big defensive bodies.
In Commander, Defender creatures shine as cheap, durable blockers that stall aggressive boards and protect your life total or your commander. They pair well with payoffs that let them attack or that care about toughness, turning a pure wall into a real threat.
Iconic cards with Defender
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