Phalanx Vanguard MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Soldier |
| Abilities | Vigilance |
| Released | 2022-11-18 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | The Brothers' War |
| Set code | BRO |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 19 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Izzy |
Text of card
Vigilance Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield under your control, Phalanx Vanguard gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
The cool, sleek automatons beside her mirrored her own iron resolve.
Cards like Phalanx Vanguard
Phalanx Vanguard is an intriguing creature card that offers a twist on battlefield dynamics in Magic: The Gathering. When comparing it to other cards, it shares some similarities with cards like Veteran Armorsmith. Both cards benefit soldiers on the field, though Phalanx Vanguard’s effect is activated with the targeting of a creature you control, offering a buff to that creature. Moreover, the Vanguard’s effect can stack with multiple activations, as opposed to Armorsmith’s static bonus.
Bolstering its army, we have cards like Benalish Marshal. While the Marshal’s static buff requires no activation and affects all other creatures you control, Phalanx Vanguard’s targeted nature allows for more tactical adjustments during combat. Moving on, Knight-Captain of Eos presents another layer of strategy, generating soldier tokens and offering a sacrifice-based fog effect, yet it does not inherently strengthen creatures like Phalanx Vanguard does.
When it comes to managing on-the-fly buffs and leveraging targeted interactions, Phalanx Vanguard presents strategic depth within the Magic: The Gathering battlefield. While it competes with cards offering wider army enhancements, its pinpoint precision can turn the tides of combat, making it a noteworthy option for soldier-themed decks.
Cards similar to Phalanx Vanguard by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Phalanx Vanguard provides inherent card advantage through its ability to support other creatures, bolstering your battlefield presence without depleting your hand. Over time, this can lead to overwhelming board states that are hard for opponents to recover from.
Resource Acceleration: The synergy with token-generating cards enhances your resource acceleration. By protecting and empowering a growing army of tokens, Phalanx Vanguard helps you maximize your resources to deploy threats quicker and more efficiently.
Instant Speed: While Phalanx Vanguard itself isn’t an instant, it interacts favorably with things that happen at instant speed. Being vigilant and able to buff creatures whenever makes it a flexible ally during combat on any player’s turn, ensuring you’re always one step ahead.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Phalanx Vanguard demands certain conditions to leverage its full potential, leading to strategic restrictions. If you are unable to satisfy the discard condition, you may miss key opportunities for developing your board presence.
Specific Mana Cost: Tailored for a deck with white mana, Phalanx Vanguard’s mana cost can be a hindrance in multicolored or mana-fluid decks. Ensuring the necessary white mana to play it may require deck adjustments that could compromise other strategy elements.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Phalanx Vanguard offers a solid body and potentially impactful abilities, its mana cost is notably high when compared to other creatures with similar stats. This might result in a slower gameplay, particularly in fast-paced matches where efficiency and speed are crucial.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Phalanx Vanguard’s capacity to strengthen creatures makes it a strong addition to any deck that focuses on creature synergy. Its ability to instantly bolster your battlefield presence means it can be a game-changer whether you’re playing aggro or midrange decks.
Combo Potential: With Phalanx Vanguard, you have the potential to craft a formidable engine. It pairs exceptionally well with cards that generate creature tokens, amplifying each token’s threat level and enabling you to turn a moderate board state into a dominating one.
Meta-Relevance: Given its capacity to both support and elevate creature-based strategies, Phalanx Vanguard holds its ground in a diverse meta. It provides valuable support against control decks by offering persistent threats that must be addressed while bolstering your forces against aggressive matchups.
How to beat
Phalanx Vanguard is a card that can present significant battlefield challenges in MTG. This formidable creature excels when properly supported by other creatures, making it crucial to strategize effectively to overcome it. One key to victory is through utilizing removal spells efficiently. Cards such as Murder or Go for the Throat can bypass the Vanguard’s bolster effect by directly removing it from combat before it can become a larger threat.
Control decks could deploy counterspells like Counterspell or Negate when the Vanguard is cast, preventing it from entering the battlefield in the first place. For those favoring a more aggressive strategy, overpowering the Vanguard by amassing a wide array of creatures can dilute its impact, making it less effective in combat. Cards that provide -1/-1 counters or effects such as Languish can be extremely impactful against Phalanx Vanguard, weakening it and the surrounding creatures it aims to enhance. Lastly, blocking wisely and trading off smaller creatures when the Vanguard is still manageable can also keep it from becoming insurmountable.
In essence, timely removal, counter spells, and strategic combat are the keys to dismantling the impact of Phalanx Vanguard on the game board.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Phalanx Vanguard MTG card by a specific set like The Brothers' War, 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 Phalanx Vanguard and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Phalanx Vanguard has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
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.