| Type | Icon | Name | SP | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 
|
Def Ploy 1 | 60 | — | At start of turn, inflicts Def-3 on foes in cardinal directions with Res < unit's Res through their next actions. |
 | Def Ploy 2 | 120 | Def Ploy 1 | At start of turn, inflicts Def-4 on foes in cardinal directions with Res < unit's Res through their next actions. | |
 | Def Ploy 3 | 240 | Def Ploy 2 | At start of turn, inflicts Def-5 on foes in cardinal directions with Res < unit's Res through their next actions. | |
| No restrictions. | |||||
Available as a Sacred Seal.
Notes
- The stat decrease that can be applied by Def Ploy is considered a
Penalty.
- Any 【Penalty】 effect on a unit lasts until that unit takes an action. If the unit takes multiple actions in a turn, they will only have Penalties for their first action.
- If the unit also has
Grand Strategy, any Penalties will remain active until the start of that unit's next phase.
- If the unit also has
- Any 【Penalty】 effect on a unit lasts until that unit takes an action. If the unit takes multiple actions in a turn, they will only have
- Stat comparison takes place after all
Bonuses on allies are removed, and before any new bonuses or Penalties are applied. Other existing bonuses and penalties on both units count towards their respective stats during stat comparison. - Cardinal directions refers to spaces directly north, south, east, or west of the user. Distance does not factor.
List of owners
| Unit | Skill chain | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Def Ploy 1 3  | Def Ploy 2 3 | Def Ploy 3 4  | – |
 | Def Ploy 1 3 | Def Ploy 2 4 | Def Ploy 3 5  | – |
 | Def Ploy 1 4 | Def Ploy 2 4 | Def Ploy 3 5 | – |
 | Def Ploy 1 5 | Def Ploy 2 5 | Def Ploy 3 5 | Def/Res Ploy 3 5 |
 | Def Ploy 1 4  SR | Def Ploy 2 4 SR | Def Ploy 3 5 | – |
 | Def Ploy 1 4 SR | Def Ploy 2 4 SR | Def Ploy 3 5 | – |
 | Def Ploy 1 5 | Def Ploy 2 5 | Def Ploy 3 5 | Def/Res Ploy 3 5 |
* 
Alfonse: Prince of Askr, 
Sharena: Princess of Askr, 
Anna: Commander, and 
Forma units cannot be used for skill inheritance or turned into combat manuals.
**
Rearmed and 
Attuned Heroes cannot be used for normal skill inheritance or turned into combat manuals after using their Arcane/Elite Inheritance unless their Arcane/Elite Inheritance is restored via merges.
Alfonse: Prince of Askr, Sharena: Princess of Askr, Anna: Commander, and Forma units cannot be used for skill inheritance or turned into combat manuals.**
Rearmed and Attuned Heroes cannot be used for normal skill inheritance or turned into combat manuals after using their Arcane/Elite Inheritance unless their Arcane/Elite Inheritance is restored via merges.Availability
Summoning events
| Start | End | Event | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-06-30 | 2017-08-01 | Ylissean Summer | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2018-02-28 | 2018-03-05 | Legendary Heroes - Ephraim | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2018-06-25 | 2018-07-25 | Ylissean Summer | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2018-09-14 | 2018-10-10 | New Heroes: Nohrian Dusk | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2018-12-28 | 2019-01-08 | Legendary Heroes - Azura | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2019-02-02 | 2019-02-09 | Special Hero Summon (Year 1) | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2019-04-23 | 2019-05-02 | Focus: Heroes with Iceberg | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2019-06-26 | 2019-07-26 | Ylissean Summer | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2019-08-20 | 2019-09-01 | Focus: Heroes with Solo Skills | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2020-06-08 | 2020-06-09 | Focus: Heroes with Iceberg | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2020-06-18 | 2020-07-02 | Call of the Sea - Special Hero Gift | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2020-07-07 | 2020-07-21 | Ylissean Summer | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2021-06-10 | 2021-06-18 | Focus: New Power | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2021-07-06 | 2021-07-20 | Ylissean Summer | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2021-08-07 | 2021-08-18 | Focus: Felicia & Flora's Battle | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2021-08-22 | 2021-08-29 | Focus: Weekly Revival 33 | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2022-07-06 | 2022-07-16 | Ylissean Summer (4★SHSR) | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2022-07-31 | 2022-08-07 | Focus: Weekly Revival 33 | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2023-07-06 | 2023-07-16 | Ylissean Summer (4★SHSR) | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2023-08-06 | 2023-08-13 | Focus: Weekly Revival 33 | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2023-11-07 | 2023-12-07 | Our Path Ahead | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2023-12-14 | 2024-01-14 | Holiday Lessons | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2024-01-30 | 2024-03-05 | Special Hero Summon (Year 7) | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2024-03-25 | 2024-04-08 | Focus: Double Special Heroes | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2024-04-11 | 2024-04-25 | Focus: Double Special Heroes | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2024-06-12 | 2024-06-28 | Double AHR: Bottom Height | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2024-07-03 | 2024-07-13 | Ylissean Summer (4★SHSR) | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2024-08-02 | 2024-09-02 | Hero Fest | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2024-08-25 | 2024-09-01 | Focus: Weekly Revival 33 | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2024-09-05 | 2024-09-16 | Focus: Tempest Trials | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2024-09-23 | 2024-10-04 | Aided Heroes: ω Special Heroes | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2024-11-09 | 2024-12-06 | Our Path Ahead | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2024-12-25 | 2025-01-04 | Holiday Lessons | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2025-04-17 | 2025-05-06 | 35th Anniv.: Rising Heroes Summon 1 | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2025-04-20 | 2025-04-21 | 35th Anniversary: Daily Revival 33 | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2025-07-04 | 2025-07-14 | Ylissean Summer (4★SHSR) | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2025-08-17 | 2025-08-24 | Focus: Weekly Revival 33 | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2025-11-14 | 2025-11-21 | Our Path Ahead | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2025-12-25 | 2026-01-01 | Winter Festival: ω Special Heroes | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2026-02-10 | 2026-02-14 | Ylissean Summer (4★SHSR) | Def Ploy 3 |
| 2026-04-22 | 2026-05-13 | Focus: Hall of Forms | Def Ploy 3 |
Distributed units
- Arvis: Emperor of Flame (×1)
- Arvis: Emperor of Flame (×2)
- Candace: Sly Snatcher (×1)
- Candace: Sly Snatcher (×2)
- Tempest Trials+: Life Is But Fleeting (×1)
- Tempest Trials+: Life Is But Fleeting (×1)
- Use Heroic Grails (×20)
- Use Heroic Grails (×20)
- Use Heroic Grails (×20)
- GHB Elite 2 quest (April 2018) (×1)
- Grand Hero Battles quest (April 2025) (×1)
- Grand Hero Battles quest (March 2018) (×1)
- Grand Hero Party quest (August 2024) (×1)
- Resplendent Hero (×1)
Combat Manuals
| Start | End | Hero | Currency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-09-06T03:00:00Z | 2021-10-28T06:59:59Z | Flora: Cold as Ice | Divine Code: Ephemera 9 |
Seal acquired from
Tempest Trials reward
- Tempest Trials Mini: Stepping into the New Year ( – ): 10,000 Score.
Sacred Seal Forge
Def Ploy 1: Create for 20 
Great Verdant Badge, 100 
Verdant Badge, 20 
Sacred Coin.
Def Ploy 2: Enhance for 60 Great Verdant Badge, 200 Verdant Badge, 50 Sacred Coin.
Def Ploy 3: Enhance for 400 Great Verdant Badge, 1000 Verdant Badge, 100 Sacred Coin.
In other languages
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Japanese | 守備の謀策 |
| German | Ver.-Trick |
| Spanish (Europe) | Ardid Def |
| Spanish (Latin America) | Ardid Def. |
| French | Ruse Déf |
| Italian | Complotto Dif |
| Traditional Chinese (Taiwan) | 防守謀策 |
| Portuguese | Manobra Def. |