Ral's Vanguard MTG Card


Ral’s Vanguard rewards clever deck construction, excelling in instants and sorceries for continuous hand growth. It’s a double-edged sword requiring strategic discards and tailored mana, which may limit deck versatility. The card’s ability to permanently gain power makes it a formidable threat in the right MTG environment.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
RarityRare
TypeVanguard

Text of card

Requirement — Your starting deck contains only instant, sorcery, and land cards. Starting hand size +1 Starting life total -5 If an instant or sorcery spell you cast would cause you to draw one or more cards, draw an additional card. If an instant or sorcery spell you cast would deal damage to a permanent or player, it deals 1 additional damage to that permanent or player.


Cards like Ral's Vanguard

Ral’s Vanguard has distinct similarities and differences when compared to other creature cards in MTG. Take Wee Dragonauts, for instance; both share the prowess of increasing power with instant or sorcery spell casting. Yet, Ral’s Vanguard has an edge with its unique ability to gain a +1/+1 counter, enhancing its staying power on the battlefield.

Another notable comparison is with Goblin Electromancer. While Goblin Electromancer reduces the cost of casting your instant and sorcery spells, it doesn’t directly beef up its combat capabilities like Ral’s Vanguard, which grows in strength as you cast more noncreature spells. Nivix Cyclops also plays in the same space, with the potential to grow larger during your turn with its spell-triggered ability. However, unlike Ral’s Vanguard, Nivix Cyclops resets after each turn, lacking the incremental permanent growth offered by the +1/+1 counters.

While each of these cards contributes to a spell-slinger strategy, Ral’s Vanguard presents a longer-term investment and can become a game-ending threat if left unchecked. Its ability to accumulate power provides a distinctive advantage, underlining its potential as a formidable inclusion in decks focusing on spell synergies.

Wee Dragonauts - MTG Card versions
Goblin Electromancer - MTG Card versions
Nivix Cyclops - MTG Card versions
Wee Dragonauts - MTG Card versions
Goblin Electromancer - MTG Card versions
Nivix Cyclops - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Ral's Vanguard by color, type and mana cost

Maraxus - MTG Card versions
Takara - MTG Card versions
Sidar Kondo - MTG Card versions
Urza - MTG Card versions
Barrin - MTG Card versions
Mishra - MTG Card versions
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Hanna - MTG Card versions
Karn - MTG Card versions
Starke - MTG Card versions
Gerrard - MTG Card versions
Rofellos - MTG Card versions
Squee - MTG Card versions
Eladamri - MTG Card versions
Crovax - MTG Card versions
Titania - MTG Card versions
Lyna - MTG Card versions
Orim - MTG Card versions
Multani - MTG Card versions
Oracle - MTG Card versions
Maraxus - MTG Card versions
Takara - MTG Card versions
Sidar Kondo - MTG Card versions
Urza - MTG Card versions
Barrin - MTG Card versions
Mishra - MTG Card versions
Gix - MTG Card versions
Hanna - MTG Card versions
Karn - MTG Card versions
Starke - MTG Card versions
Gerrard - MTG Card versions
Rofellos - MTG Card versions
Squee - MTG Card versions
Eladamri - MTG Card versions
Crovax - MTG Card versions
Titania - MTG Card versions
Lyna - MTG Card versions
Orim - MTG Card versions
Multani - MTG Card versions
Oracle - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ral’s Vanguard is a notable choice for players looking to build their hand. It enables you to sift through your deck and select the most beneficial spells, ensuring that your options expand as the duel progresses.

Resource Acceleration: This card has the potential to propel your mana resources forward. Deploying it at the right moment could give you the upper hand by providing the necessary acceleration to cast more impactful spells sooner than your opponent.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Ral’s Vanguard shines at instant speed, allowing reactive gameplay. With this card in your arsenal, you maintain the element of surprise, keeping your adversaries on their toes while you optimize your strategic plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ral’s Vanguard requires the player to discard a nonland card with a converted mana cost 3 or greater just to deploy it. If you find yourself tight on resources or clutching to your high-impact spells, this can set you back, diluting your hand for a potential game-changer.

Specific Mana Cost: To cast Ral’s Vanguard, you’ll need to tap into both blue and red mana sources. This two-colored mana requirement pigeonholes the card into certain archetypes, reducing its flexibility across various deck builds. Players not running these colors will find it unusable.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At an expense of four mana, Ral’s Vanguard may come across as a costly affair for the provided benefits. This is especially true when the card is stacked against others with lower mana costs that offer similar or even more potent board presence.


Reasons to Include Ral’s Vanguard in Your Collection

Versatility: Ral’s Vanguard offers flexibility in deck building, shining in blue and red spell-heavy decks. It supports strategies that revolve around casting a lot of instants and sorceries.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes with decks that capitalize on spellcasting or prowess-like effects, allowing players to exploit its ability to grow in power with each noncreature spell cast.

Meta-Relevance: Given its potential to quickly become a substantial threat, Ral’s Vanguard can perform well in a meta where tempo decks are prominent, and every cast spell makes a significant impact.


How to Beat Ral’s Vanguard

Ral’s Vanguard can be a key piece in a spell-slinging deck, enabling strategies where casting several spells in a single turn can significantly alter the game state. This potential for explosive turns makes it a card worth preparing for. To counter Ral’s Vanguard effectively, consider utilizing removal spells that can target creatures regardless of their power and toughness. Spot removal cards like Path to Exile or Doom Blade are ideal because they can remove the creature before it becomes a larger threat. In addition, board clearers like Wrath of God or Damnation will reset the board and eliminate any advantage accrued through Ral’s Vanguard.

Beyond removal, one can also employ counterspells to prevent Ral’s Vanguard from ever entering the battlefield. Counterspell, Mana Leak, and Negate offer cost-effective ways to deal with it as long as mana is kept open during the opponent’s turn. Another strategy is to limit the number of spells the opponent can cast, using cards like Rule of Law or Deafening Silence to hamper a spell-heavy approach. Counter play and disruption are key tactics to undermine the effectiveness of Ral’s Vanguard, ensuring the card doesn’t tip the scales against you.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ral's Vanguard MTG card by a specific set like Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2019 and Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2021, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Ral's Vanguard and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ral's Vanguard Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-11-07 and 2021-08-20. Illustrated by David McDarby.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-11-07Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2019CMB1 12015VanguardBlackDavid McDarby
22021-08-20Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2021CMB2 12015VanguardBlackDavid McDarby

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ral's Vanguard card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2019-11-12 A vanguard with a requirement can’t be your vanguard unless its requirement is met as the game begins.
2019-11-12 Copies of spells you control won’t cause you to draw additional cards or deal additional damage.
2019-11-12 Vanguard cards can be used only in a format that allows them (such as Limited events using the Mystery Booster set). Each player may begin the game with up to one vanguard card they own in the command zone. This card doesn’t count towards the minimum deck size.
2019-11-12 Vanguard cards can’t be included in a deck or brought into the game from outside the game.
2019-11-12 Your starting and maximum hand size is modified by the vanguard as noted. Your starting life total is similarly modified.
2019-11-12 Your starting deck includes only those cards that will be shuffled to become your library. It doesn’t include your sideboard or any other cards that begin the game outside the game.