Nightguard Patrol MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Soldier
Abilities First strike, Vigilance
Power 2
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Nightguard Patrol provides card advantage, enabling deeper deck exploration and strategic hand management.
  2. Its instant speed allows flexible responses in combat, often catching opponents off-guard.
  3. Despite its power, the card’s specific mana and discard requirements may limit its utility.
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

First strike, vigilance


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Nightguard Patrol enhances your tactical depth by allowing you to explore more of your deck. Each encounter with the card could potentially furnish you with the right tools to outmaneuver opponents, ensuring you always have a strategic hand to play.

Resource Acceleration: By efficiently utilizing your mana and potentially paving the way to deploy other vital cards sooner, Nightguard Patrol can act as a springboard. This accelerates your resource allocation, enabling a more dynamic and robust board presence as the game progresses.

Instant Speed: This card’s instant-speed nature lets you adapt to the fluid battlefield of MTG with finesse. Deploy Nightguard Patrol when the moment is ripe, catching adversaries off-guard or boosting your defenses precisely when you need it most, without having to sacrifice your turn’s momentum.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Nightguard Patrol can put a damper on your hand by compelling you to discard a card, which could be detrimental when your choices are already sparse.

Specific Mana Cost: Its casting cost demands specific mana types that may not align well with more versatile or multicolor decks, thereby restricting its deployment exclusively to certain strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: In a game where efficiency is often key, the mana investment needed to summon Nightguard Patrol might outweigh its benefits, especially when other cards offer comparable or superior effects at a lower expense.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Nightguard Patrol has the flexibility to slide into multiple deck archetypes, particularly those that require vigilance or interactions during the opponent’s turn. Its pairing of reasonable cost and combat readiness allows for seamless inclusion in both aggressive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: This card offers synergy with mechanics that capitalize on the untapped state of creatures, such as inspired or convoke, granting it a spot in inventive combos that can turn the tide of a game.

Meta-Relevance: As the game shifts and decks that lean on attacking each turn become prevalent, Nightguard Patrol’s vigilant nature keeps it primed as a key defender while still contributing to offensive pressure, ensuring its place in the ever-evolving meta.


How to beat

Nightguard Patrol is a recent entrant in the MTG universe, adding new dynamics with its abilities. Recognized for its vigilance and the capacity to strengthen each time you gain life, it presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. Handling this card demands strategy and a thorough understanding of its mechanics to prevent your opponent from leveraging its full potential.

One effective approach is to use removal spells that can bypass its vigilance by taking it out of play entirely, leaving your opponent without their key piece. Moreover, incorporating cards that limit life gain or applying pressure with aggressive strategies can inhibit the Patrol’s power growth, keeping its influence in check. Lastly, recognizing the synergies that make Nightguard Patrol formidable allows you to dismantle those combos, disrupting your opponent’s game plan and navigating towards victory.

While Nightguard Patrol can be a tough adversary, there are numerous ways to counteract its strengths. By anticipating life gain triggers and preparing countermeasures, such as removal or aggressive plays, you can ensure that Nightguard Patrol doesn’t stand in the way of your success in MTG.


Cards like Nightguard Patrol

In the realm of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering, Nightguard Patrol stands as an interesting specimen due to its vigilance trait. This card is akin to Concordia Pegasus in its ability to not only attack without tapping, allowing it to remain an active defender, but it also offers an additional layer of utility in decks focusing on creature synergies. Looking at cards like Loyal Cathar, we can spot similarities in the two-drop slot, yet Nightguard Patrol has the advantage of being usable both offensively and defensively right out of the gate.

Steadfast Sentry is another card with which Nightguard Patrol can be compared. They share the vigilance attribute, but the Sentry’s afterlife trait means it has a post-death utility, somewhat balancing the Patrol’s immediate board presence. As another point of comparison, The Knight of the White Orchid also comes into play with vigilance and holds additional value in land fetching for early game acceleration, contrasting with Nightguard Patrol’s simple but reliable role.

In analyzing the varied options for two-drops that fill a similar niche to Nightguard Patrol in Magic: The Gathering, it holds its ground with flying colors providing steadfast defense and consistent pressure on the opponent.

Concordia Pegasus - MTG Card versions
Steadfast Sentry - MTG Card versions
Knight of the White Orchid - MTG Card versions
Concordia Pegasus - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Steadfast Sentry - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Knight of the White Orchid - Shards of Alara (ALA)

Cards similar to Nightguard Patrol by color, type and mana cost

Argivian Blacksmith - MTG Card versions
Jamuraan Lion - MTG Card versions
Snow Hound - MTG Card versions
Elvish Healer - MTG Card versions
Femeref Knight - MTG Card versions
Border Guard - MTG Card versions
Stern Marshal - MTG Card versions
Benalish Knight - MTG Card versions
Regal Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Wild Griffin - MTG Card versions
Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions
Dogged Hunter - MTG Card versions
Diving Griffin - MTG Card versions
Faithful Squire // Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - MTG Card versions
Kitsune Palliator - MTG Card versions
Freewind Equenaut - MTG Card versions
Sanctum Guardian - MTG Card versions
Field Marshal - MTG Card versions
Kithkin Healer - MTG Card versions
Kor Hookmaster - MTG Card versions
Argivian Blacksmith - Antiquities (ATQ)
Jamuraan Lion - Media Inserts (PMEI)
Snow Hound - Ice Age (ICE)
Elvish Healer - Ice Age (ICE)
Femeref Knight - Mirage (MIR)
Border Guard - Portal (POR)
Stern Marshal - Portal (POR)
Benalish Knight - Anthologies (ATH)
Regal Unicorn - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Wild Griffin - Starter 2000 (S00)
Pianna, Nomad Captain - Odyssey (ODY)
Dogged Hunter - Odyssey (ODY)
Diving Griffin - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Faithful Squire // Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Kitsune Palliator - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Freewind Equenaut - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Sanctum Guardian - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Field Marshal - Coldsnap (CSP)
Kithkin Healer - Lorwyn (LRW)
Kor Hookmaster - Zendikar (ZEN)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nightguard Patrol MTG card by a specific set like Salvat 2005 and Salvat 2005, 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 Nightguard Patrol and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Nightguard Patrol Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2005-08-22 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Dany Orizio.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL G182003normalwhiteDany Orizio
22005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL G292003normalwhiteDany Orizio
32005-10-07Ravnica: City of GuildsRAV 262003normalblackDany Orizio
42022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 2202015normalblackDany Orizio

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Nightguard Patrol has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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