CARD INFORMATION

SUBTYPES:
- Item
RULES:
- During your opponent's next turn, all of your Metal Pokémon take 30 less damage from attacks from your opponent's Pokémon (after applying Weakness and Resistance). (This includes new Pokémon that come into play.)
- You may play any number of Item cards during your turn.
RARITY: Uncommon
REGULATIONMARK: I

CARD ABILITIES

This card has no abilities

CARD ATTACKS

This card has no attack

MARKET PRICES FOR IRON DEFENDER 💰

Last updated: 2025/10/11

HIGH	4.99	USD
MID	0.14	USD	TREND
LOW	0.01	USD

Check the latest prices on:

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Iron Defender brings critical damage reduction to Metal-type decks in a format where defensive options are highly valued.

This Item card provides temporary but significant protection that can completely swing matchups, potentially turning OHKOs into 2HKOs and giving your Metal Pokémon crucial survivability in the current high-damage meta.

Offensive rating: 2/10

Iron Defender offers no direct offensive capabilities, as its function is purely defensive.

The card doesn't boost damage output, add effects to attacks, or provide any direct offensive advantage to your Pokémon.

However, by reducing incoming damage, it can indirectly extend your attacking Pokémon's lifespan, allowing them to execute their offensive strategy for additional turns.

This sustainability can translate to more attack opportunities over the course of a match, but the card itself provides zero direct offensive value in a deck's damage equation.

Survival rating: 9/10

Where Iron Defender truly shines is survival enhancement.

The 30 damage reduction applies to all Metal Pokémon for an entire turn, which can be game-changing against spread damage decks or multi-attack strategies.

For bulky Metal-types with high HP pools like Dialga or Copperajah, this reduction effectively extends their HP by a significant margin.

The card can completely negate smaller attacks and substantially mitigate larger ones, often turning potential KOs into survivable hits.

The universal application to all Metal Pokémon on your field makes it an excellent defensive option for Metal-type decks facing aggressive opponents.

Versatility rating: 5/10

Iron Defender's versatility is limited by its type-specific application - it only benefits Metal Pokémon.

While this makes it useless in non-Metal decks, within Metal-based strategies it offers broad utility.

The damage reduction works against any type of attack without restrictions, applies to both Active and Benched Pokémon, and even protects Metal Pokémon that enter play after you've used the card.

This makes it excellent against both single-target and spread damage strategies.

Its versatility is further enhanced by having no discard requirement or limiting conditions, allowing it to be played liberally whenever protection is needed.

Speed/Setup rating: 10/10

Iron Defender scores extremely well for setup speed, requiring just a single card play with no energy attachment, evolution requirements, or additional support cards.

It can be played immediately from hand and takes effect on your opponent's very next turn.

The timing is crucial but straightforward - play it before you anticipate heavy incoming damage.

Since it's an Item card with no play restrictions, you can even use multiple copies in a single turn to stack protection across multiple turns (though each individual card's effect only lasts one turn).

With searchable access through cards like Ultra Ball and Quick Ball, Iron Defender can reliably be found when needed.

Iron Defender thrives in Metal-focused decks with high-value Pokémon worth protecting.

The card pairs exceptionally well with Metal energy acceleration strategies and recovery tools that can retrieve it from the discard pile for repeated use.

Decks focusing on tanky Metal Pokémon can maximize its protective value.

Perfect Partners examples:

Zacian V

This powerful Metal attacker has high damage output but moderate HP. Iron Defender helps protect your investment in energy attachments by keeping Zacian on the field longer, allowing additional Brave Blade attacks.

Bronzong

Metal energy acceleration from Bronzong complements Iron Defender perfectly, allowing you to quickly power up attackers while simultaneously protecting them from KOs, creating a strategy that balances offense and defense.

Ordinary Rod

Provides recovery for both Pokémon and energy, extending your Metal deck's longevity. When combined with Iron Defender, this creates a sustainable cycle of protected attackers that can be recovered if they eventually get knocked out.

Iron Defender represents essential protection technology for Metal-type decks in the current meta.

While offering no offensive benefits and limited cross-type versatility, its exceptional damage reduction capability and immediate playability make it a must-consider for any Metal strategy.

The 30 damage reduction can completely neutralize smaller attacks and significantly blunt larger ones, often changing the KO mathematics in your favor.

What makes Iron Defender particularly valuable is its universal protection for all your Metal Pokémon with zero setup requirements.

Metal deck players should consider running multiple copies to ensure protection during critical game moments, especially against aggressive matchups where surviving an extra turn can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

Its stackable nature across turns (by playing multiple copies) provides strategic depth beyond simple one-time protection.