Umbra Armor
Umbra armor is a keyword ability that was introduced as Totem armor in Rise of the Eldrazi and returned in the Savage Auras deck of Planechase 2012, the Adaptive Enchantment deck in Commander 2018, and in Modern Horizons[2].
If a permanent enchanted by an Aura with umbra armor would be destroyed, the Aura is destroyed instead. If that permanent is a creature, all damage is removed from that creature. In this sense, umbra armor works similarly to Regeneration.
From the Comprehensive Rules (November 8, 2024—Edge of Eternities)
- 702.89. Umbra Armor
- 702.89a Umbra armor is a static ability that appears on some Auras. “Umbra armor” means “If enchanted permanent would be destroyed, instead remove all damage marked on it and destroy this Aura.”
- 702.89b Some older cards were printed with the ability “totem armor” or referenced that ability. The text of these cards has been updated in the Oracle card reference to refer to umbra armor instead.
History
In the Rise of the Eldrazi set there are 10 aura cards with umbra armor; green (4), white (3) and blue (3). In addition, the creature card Umbra Mystic can give the umbra armor ability to auras.
All auras with umbra armor in Rise of the Eldrazi have a two-word name, consisting of the name of an animal followed by the word ‘Umbra’. The artwork of these cards (all illustrated by either Howard Lyon or Christopher Moeller) depicts a floating humanoid, surrounded by a glowing ‘aura’ in the color of the card and in shape of the animal the card is named after. For example, Bear Umbra depicts an elf surrounded by the glowing green figure of a bear, Hyena Umbra depicts a human surrounded by the glowing white figure of a hyena, and Eel Umbra depicts a merfolk surrounded by the glowing blue figure of an eel.
Totem-Guide Hartebeest, also from the Rise of the Eldrazi set, is a card that tutors for an aura. Although its name links it to the umbra armor auras, it can tutor for any aura card, not just ones with umbra armor.
Three new Umbras were printed in preconstructed decks; one white and the only multicolored one in Planechase 2012, and a blue one in Commander 2018. Estrid, the Masked also generates Aura tokens that have umbra armor. Modern Horizons brought another green Umbra, with the distinction of having a new artist (Zack Stella).
Umbra Armor in practice
Umbra Armor is an aura form that wants to protect your creatures from destroy effects, but only one time.
Remember this Ability was renamed to Umbra Armor.
