Candlelight Vigil MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant

Key Takeaways

  1. Improves single creatures significantly, altering the game’s dynamics with a permanent +3/+2 and vigilance.
  2. Shines in slow-paced games, turning ordinary creatures into persistent threats on the battlefield.
  3. Countered by removal spells, making strategic deck-building with diverse removal vital against it.
Vigilance card art

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +3/+2 and has vigilance.

Selesnya guildmages do not sleep so the rest of the Conclave can.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Candlelight Vigil provides a static boost to a creature, which can translate to card advantage by making your creature a more formidable threat, deterring your opponent from attacking or blocking, effectively working as if you’ve drawn an additional defensive card.

Resource Acceleration: While Candlelight Vigil itself does not directly provide resource acceleration, it can potentially lead to accelerated board presence by making a single creature more powerful, thus reducing the need to play multiple creatures for the same impact.

Instant Speed: Though played at sorcery speed, the vigil’s ability to attach to a creature of your choosing upon casting can lead to surprise shifts in board state, albeit not at instant speed. The strategic timing of when to enchant your creature can simulate the advantage of instant-speed effects by enhancing your creature right before a crucial combat phase.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Candlelight Vigil requires a specific combination of mana to cast, one white and three generic mana, which might restrict its inclusion in multi-colored decks that can’t consistently produce the needed white mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of four mana for an aura that provides +3/+2 and vigilance, Candlelight Vigil may be seen as an inefficient option when compared to other buffs or creature enhancements available in MTG that cost less and deliver similar or better effects.

Discard Requirement: While Candlelight Vigil itself doesn’t have a discard requirement, its relatively high mana cost might necessitate discarding cards for a more immediate board presence or defense, especially in formats where tempo plays a critical role.


Reasons to Include Candlelight Vigil in Your Collection

Versatility: Candlelight Vigil can be a flexible addition to decks focusing on defensive strategies or ones that aim to overrun opponents with larger creatures. The aura provides an essential boost to both power and toughness.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with creatures that have lifelink or other abilities that trigger when dealing damage, enhancing both the creature’s impact on the game and your overall strategy.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where games tend to last longer, Candlelight Vigil can turn a regular creature into a significant threat, influencing the board state and shifting the balance in your favor.


How to beat

Candlelight Vigil is a versatile aura that can significantly boost a creature’s power and toughness in Magic: The Gathering. This card gives a creature +3/+2 and vigilance, allowing for both aggressive and defensive plays. To effectively counter this, removal spells that can target either the aura itself or the enchanted creature are key. Cards like Disenchant can take care of the Candlelight Vigil directly, preventing the power-up of any creature.

Moreover, considering the vigilance provided, tapping mechanisms such as Sleep or Verity Circle might be less effective. Hence, versatile removal like Assassin’s Trophy or Bedevil, which can target any permanent, are excellent choices. These not only deal with Candlelight Vigil but also serve as a catch-all solution against various threats. Additionally, board wipes like Wrath of God can reset the board, nullifying the advantage gained by your opponent through buffing their creature with Candlelight Vigil.

Ultimately, keeping a balanced mix of targeted and mass removal in your deck enhances your ability to control the board against buffs like Candlelight Vigil. Reacting swiftly to its casting can prevent your opponent from leveraging its full potential and help you maintain the upper hand in the game.


Cards like Candlelight Vigil

Candlelight Vigil adds a unique layer to the selection of aura enchantments available in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to grant a creature +3/+2 and vigilance makes it a functional parallel to Cartouche of Solidarity, which similarly boosts a creature while also conferring vigilance. Where Candlelight Vigil shines is in its potency, offering a heftier power bump compared to the cartouche’s +1/+1 and creating a more formidable defending creature.

Looking towards luminous bonds, the focus shifts slightly. Unlike Candlelight Vigil, Luminous Bonds is more defensive, restraining an opponent’s creature without buffing our own—an important strategic alternative when preventing damage takes precedence over dealing it. Then there’s Angelic Gift, providing a smaller power boost of +1/+1 and the added advantage of flying. Though less robust in terms of power, it grants an evasive skill that can be pivotal in certain matchups.

In reflection, Candlelight Vigil’s value within the spectrum of enchantments in Magic: The Gathering is rooted in its ability to make creatures larger threats and formidable blockers. It competes admirably with other auras by offering a balanced mix of offense and defense, tailored for players looking to make a single creature a keystone of their strategy.

Cartouche of Solidarity - MTG Card versions
Luminous Bonds - MTG Card versions
Angelic Gift - MTG Card versions
Cartouche of Solidarity - Amonkhet (AKH)
Luminous Bonds - Rivals of Ixalan (RIX)
Angelic Gift - Battle for Zendikar (BFZ)

Cards similar to Candlelight Vigil by color, type and mana cost

Castle - MTG Card versions
Karma - MTG Card versions
Conversion - MTG Card versions
Angelic Voices - MTG Card versions
Seeker - MTG Card versions
Drought - MTG Card versions
Justice - MTG Card versions
Divine Transformation - MTG Card versions
Field of Souls - MTG Card versions
Opal Titan - MTG Card versions
Ivory Mask - MTG Card versions
Parallax Wave - MTG Card versions
Worship - MTG Card versions
Diversionary Tactics - MTG Card versions
Moat - MTG Card versions
Teleportation Circle - MTG Card versions
Hallowed Haunting - MTG Card versions
Proper Burial - MTG Card versions
Armored Ascension - MTG Card versions
Light from Within - MTG Card versions
Castle - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Karma - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Conversion - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Angelic Voices - Legends (LEG)
Seeker - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Drought - Ice Age (ICE)
Justice - Ice Age (ICE)
Divine Transformation - Renaissance (REN)
Field of Souls - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Opal Titan - Urza's Saga (USG)
Ivory Mask - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Parallax Wave - The List (PLST)
Worship - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Diversionary Tactics - Apocalypse (APC)
Moat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Teleportation Circle - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Hallowed Haunting - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Proper Burial - Dissension (DIS)
Armored Ascension - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Light from Within - Eventide (EVE)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Candlelight Vigil MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica and Mystery Booster, 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 Candlelight Vigil and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Candlelight Vigil Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Alexander Forssberg.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-10-05Guilds of RavnicaGRN 32015normalblackAlexander Forssberg
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 432015normalblackAlexander Forssberg
32020-09-26The ListPLST GRN-32015normalblackAlexander Forssberg

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Candlelight Vigil has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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