Defiant Vanguard MTG Card

Nemesis (NEM)
2000-02-14 - Number 7

Defiant Vanguard - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)

Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)
2006-10-06 - Number 5

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Rebel
Power	2
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Provides card advantage by recruiting Rebels directly onto the battlefield, enhancing board presence.
Enables instant speed flexibility, allowing strategic reaction to opponents’ moves.
Demand for white mana and potential card disadvantage are notable considerations for deck builders.

Text of card

When Defiant Vanguard blocks, at end of combat, destroy it and all creatures it blocked this turn. o5, oc T: Search your library for a Rebel card with converted mana cost 4 or less and put that card into play. Then shuffle your library.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Defiant Vanguard offers tactical versatility on the battlefield. With the ability to search your deck for a Rebel card and put it into play, it can help you consistently maintain card advantage by expanding your board presence.

Resource Acceleration: This card streamlines your gameplay by effectively bypassing mana costs for the Rebels it recruits. This acceleration can be pivotal in outpacing opponents and securing a robust line of defense or offense.

Instant Speed: The activation of Defiant Vanguard’s ability can be performed at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to react to your opponents’ actions during their turn before committing your own resources, thus strategically bolstering your position.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Defiant Vanguard’s activation can be a setback when it compels you to say goodbye to valuable cards in your hand. This can leave you at a disadvantage, especially when you’re strapped for options.

Specific Mana Cost: Deck building with this card demands a commitment to white mana sources. This specificity can make Defiant Vanguard a less flexible option for multicolored or mana-intensive strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment to get Defiant Vanguard on the battlefield is not trivial. In environments where the pace of play is faster, or in formats that are mana-efficient, its cost may outweigh its benefits.

Reasons to Include Defiant Vanguard in Your Collection

Versatility: Defiant Vanguard offers the flexibility to adapt to different play styles. It can act as an early blocker or an effective way to search for key rebel cards, making it a multifaceted addition to your deck.

Combo Potential: This card can seamlessly integrate into and enhance rebel-themed strategies. It’s a linchpin for activating searches for other rebels, thereby allowing for various combos to unfold during gameplay.

Meta-Relevance: Given the fluctuating nature of MTG’s meta, Defiant Vanguard can become a tactical asset. Its ability to tutor for other cards becomes especially poignant in a meta with an emphasis on specific creature-based synergies or toolbox-style decks.

How to beat

Defiant Vanguard from Magic the Gathering proves to be a tactical challenge on the battlefield. This versatile card offers a dual threat, reinforcing your ranks while demoralizing your adversary. To undermine its potential, players must shift their strategy towards removal spells that can bypass its searching ability. A popular tactic involves utilizing instant speed removal in response to the Vanguard’s trigger, snatching away the opportunity to search for a Rebel.

Rapid board-clearing cards, like those unleashing destructive waves or executing wrath effects, also dismantle the Vanguard’s advantage. Timing is critical; launching these spells before it taps will prevent it from ever activating its notorious ability. Hand disruption techniques, aimed at plucking key pieces from your opponent’s grip before they can cast them, diminish the utility of the Defiant Vanguard before it even enters the fray.

To conquer this stalwart card, players must craft their deck with answers ready to disrupt, dismantle, and dissuade the tactics that make Defiant Vanguard a force to be reckoned with. A well-prepared plan can turn this defiant enemy into a mere memory on the battlefield.

Cards like Defiant Vanguard

Defiant Vanguard showcases its unique role in Magic: The Gathering as a proactive army creator. It shares its creature summoning ability with cards like Kjeldoran Outpost, yet differentiates itself by not requiring a land sacrifice. While Kjeldoran Outpost offers a steady flow of soldiers, Defiant Vanguard adds flexibility by allowing you to search for any Rebel card upon its destruction.

Another peer in this space is Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero. Lin Sivvi provides a direct tutor ability for Rebels, enabling strategic deck manipulation. Unlike Lin Sivvi’s repeatable use, Defiant Vanguard’s tutoring is a one-time effect. However, it compensates with the potential to bring any Rebel directly into play, skipping your hand and saving mana.

Turning to Zealot il-Vec, we see a similar death-triggered tutoring ability. Yet, Defiant Vanguard edges out with its lower tutoring cost and the absence of echo payments. For players seeking a more combative strategy, Defiant Vanguard offers a way to pressure the opponent and transition into a stronger board state upon its inevitable end.

In conclusion, Defiant Vanguard holds a distinct niche among MTG’s Rebel cards, balancing the act of applying pressure and developing board presence with an advantageous one-off tutor mechanism.

Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Defiant Vanguard by color, type and mana cost

Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Defiant Vanguard MTG card by a specific set like Nemesis and Time Spiral Timeshifted, 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 Defiant Vanguard and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Defiant Vanguard Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2000-02-14 and 2006-10-06. Illustrated by Pete Venters.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2000-02-14	Nemesis	NEM		7	1997	Normal	Black	Pete Venters
2	2006-10-06	Time Spiral Timeshifted	TSB		5	1997	Normal	Black	Pete Venters

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Defiant Vanguard has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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