Shadowcat - Guerrilla Tactics

I stand in defense, pun intended, of Expert Defense's use for Shadowcat. I conceded that it didn't work in a previous version of this deck, but I just can't make it settle in my mind. Let's break it down.

Let's examine the evidence. First, Rule Reference 1.7 for Defense:

"When a player initiates a triggered ability labeled as a defense—such as “Hero Interrupt (defense)”— during an enemy attack, that player’s identity becomes the defender (key evidence 1) and is considered to have defended the attack if there is not already a defender.

The player’s identity is considered to be the defender as soon as the defense-labeled ability begins resolving (key evidence 2). Abilities that trigger “when your hero defends against an attack” can be triggered when resolving a defense-labeled ability.

Playing a defense-labeled ability is not a basic defense and does not cause a hero to reduce the amount of damage dealt by that hero’s DEF (not a problem, because not the goal).

Unless specified by the ability’s text, a hero does not exhaust when using a defense-labeled ability (key evidence 3)."

Second, Expert Defense is 1) a Defense trait event and 2) has the triggered ability labeled "Hero Interrupt (defense)".

If Expert Defense is a triggered ability labeled as Defense (which it is), it should make Shadowcat the defender "as soon as the defense-labeled ability begins resolving" per the rules and Shadowcat should not have to "exhaust when using a defense-labeled ability" per the rules. I fully understand that once the card continues resolving with the "when your hero defends, (which I feel like she is once you play the card), it gets +3 DEF for that attack", it doesn't do a lot for you in that defense. It is kind of a waste on Shadowcat, maybe, but I do believe that getting a 1ER defense where you can trigger Phased without having to exhaust is still worthwhile.

Third, if cards like Quick Shift, Defiance, Cuts Both Ways, and Hercule's Herc's Helm count as defending without needing to exhaust your hero, I am not sure why Expert Defense would not count. Sure, you are likely getting nothing gained from that +3 DEF, but it should still count as defending without having to do a basic exhaust and still trigger the "While Shadowcat is defending" requirement for Phased.

That being said, the goal of this deck is to start the villain phase in Phased if you can, use Powerful Punch if you aren't, defend using a 0 cost event, then trigger Powerful Punch or possibly "Stop Hitting Yourself" to put yourself back into Phased form. This is where Expert Defense has its value. It turns your base defense with the +3 defense into a 5 damage event that can put you back into Phased on the villain's turn.

If you don't agree with me, no problem! I would love to understand what makes Expert Defense so different though.

That all being said, maybe Cuts Both Ways is a better card than Expert Defense anyways, but not in late game (which is why Armored Vest and Defensive Conditioning are even in this deck). If you go with Cuts Both Ways, I would likely change out: 3 Expert Defense for 3 Cuts Both Ways 3 "Stop Hitting Yourself" for 2 Counter-Punch Remove 1 Armored Vest Remove 1 Defensive Conditioning Consider adding Dauntless

Ultimately, I'm not saying that Expert Defense is a good card and I'm not saying that this is a good deck, but I do believe that Expert Defense for Shadowcat deserves a bit more consideration in the face of the 1.7 rules and how other similar defense event cards have been ruled.

Thanks for reading!