Vivien, Monsters' Advocate MTG Card
2020-04-24 - Number 175
2020-04-24 - Number 277
2020-04-24 - Number 175p
2020-04-24 - Number 175s
2002-06-24 - Number 80799
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Type | Legendary Planeswalker — Vivien |
| Loyalty | 3 |
Text of card
You may look at the top card of your library any time.
You may cast creature spells from the top of your library.
+1: Create a 3/3 green Beast creature token. Put your choice of a vigilance counter, a reach counter, or a trample counter on it.
-2: When you cast your next creature spell this turn, search your library for a creature card with lesser mana value, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Cards like Vivien, Monsters' Advocate
Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate introduces a unique dynamic to creature-based strategies in Magic: The Gathering. Her abilities resonate with enchantments like Elemental Bond or Garruk’s Uprising, which also reward players for casting creatures with a significant power. Elemental Bond offers the card draw perk without the versatility of a planeswalker, while Garruk’s Uprising provides a consistent boost to creatures but lacks the direct creature-tutoring ability that Vivien possesses.
Likewise, we can draw parallels with other planeswalkers, such as Vivien, Arkbow Ranger, whose focus is also on buffing creatures. However, Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate goes a step further by facilitating deck manipulation and ensuring that your creatures have an immediate impact upon entering the battlefield. The ultimate abilities also differ, with Monsters’ Advocate enabling a stream of creature plays, compared to Arkbow Ranger’s singular targeted emblem that gives creatures you control trample and +2/+2.
Examining these cards side by side, Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate stands out for its flexibility and potential to create overwhelming board states. It holds an edge due to its capacity to seek out specific creatures while maintaining a formidable board presence.
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Vivien, Monsters' Advocate. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Nic Fit | Legacy | Charlotte Legacy League Season 1 Week 8 | |
 | Sultai Combo | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 15 2024 | |
 | Naya Midrange | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 14 2024 | |
 | Gruul Combo | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 09 2024 | |
| Four-color Combo | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 08 2024 | |
 | Gruul Stompy | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 11 2024 | |
 | Abzan Planeswalkers | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 13 2024 | |
| Gruul Control | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 14 2024 | |
| Golgari Midrange | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 12 2024 | |
| Four-color Midrange | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 12 2024 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate enables you to look at the top card of your library at any time, and if it’s a creature card, you can cast it. This unique ability offers consistent card advantage, allowing you to effectively extend your hand and giving you additional options for plays every turn.
Resource Acceleration: One of the central features of Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate is her -2 loyalty ability, which lets you create a 3/3 green Beast creature token. Moreover, when you cast your next creature spell this turn, you get to search your library for a creature card with lesser converted mana cost and put it onto the battlefield, thus accelerating your resource deployment and establishing a formidable board presence swiftly.
Instant Speed: With Vivien’s emblem acquired from her -8 loyalty ability, you can cast creature spells as though they had flash, offering the capacity to surprise opponents at instant speed. This elevated flexibility ensures that you can respond to your opponent’s actions even on their turn, setting up potential advantageous blocks or creating threats at times when your opponent might least expect them.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One downside to Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate is that it has no inherent way to protect itself. Without creatures or other cards to defend it, this planeswalker can be vulnerable to attacks, leading to a swift defeat.
Specific Mana Cost: This card has a specific mana cost that includes two green mana symbols, making it challenging to fit into multicolor decks that are not heavily green.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of five, including two green, Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate can be considered high, especially when competing with other impactful five-mana cards in the current meta that may offer immediate board presence or effects.
Reasons to Include Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate in Your Collection
Versatility: Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate is an adaptable planeswalker card well-suited for creature-based decks. Her ability to look at the top card of your library at any time and cast creature spells from the top grants consistent card advantage and potential for strategic play.
Combo Potential: With her -2 ability, Vivien allows you to cast creatures with total mana cost less than the power of creatures you control, opening up a variety of powerful combo possibilities and synergies with high-powered creatures.
Meta-Relevance: In an ever-shifting MTG meta, Vivien’s ability to create a 3/3 green Beast creature token as well as her contribution to creature-based strategies makes her a formidable force against many deck archetypes, ensuring her relevance in various competitive scenes.
How to Beat Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate
Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate is a powerful planeswalker in MTG, creating a substantial advantage by casting creature spells and digging through the deck with her static ability. Her second ability to create a creature token is also not to be underestimated. A player facing Vivien needs to control the board early, preventing the opponent from utilizing her creature tutoring effect. Efficient removal spells to handle creatures can diminish her impact, while direct planeswalker removal or damage spells can deal with Vivien directly before her loyalty becomes insurmountable.
Counterplay strategies involve disruption tactics like Thoughtseize or Duress to remove her from your opponent’s hand before being cast. Remember, countering creature spells is more challenging due to her static ability allowing creatures to be cast from the library. Dispelling Vivien through countermagic works well when she’s on the stack. For those in green, Beast Within offers a versatile answer. Control decks using blue can leverage counterspells such as Negate or Essence Scatter, enforcing board control and maintaining card advantage.
When aiming to dethrone Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate, the cornerstone is anticipation and prevention, keeping her off the board and swiftly dealing with the creatures she might help summon.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Vivien, Monsters' Advocate MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, 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 Vivien, Monsters' Advocate and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
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- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
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Printings
The Vivien, Monsters' Advocate Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-04-24 and 2020-04-24. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 80799 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | ||
| 2 | 2020-04-24 | Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths | IKO | 175 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lius Lasahido | |
| 3 | 2020-04-24 | Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths | IKO | 277 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Kev Walker | |
| 4 | 2020-04-24 | Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Promos | PIKO | 175p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lius Lasahido | |
| 5 | 2020-04-24 | Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Promos | PIKO | 175s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lius Lasahido |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Vivien, Monsters' Advocate has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Vivien, Monsters' Advocate card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-04-17 | After activating Vivien’s last loyalty ability, the delayed triggered ability it creates will put a creature card onto the battlefield before the creature spell that caused the ability to trigger resolves. |
| 2020-04-17 | For spells with in their mana costs, use the value chosen for X to determine the spell’s converted mana cost. |
| 2020-04-17 | If a card in a player’s library has in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0. |
| 2020-04-17 | If the top card of your library changes while you’re casting a spell, playing a land, or activating an ability, you can’t look at the new top card until you finish doing so. This means that if you cast the top card of your library, you can’t look at the next one until you’re done paying for that spell. |
| 2020-04-17 | If you cast a mutating creature spell, you must choose a target for it before the triggered ability from Vivien’s last ability puts a creature onto the battlefield. The creature you find can’t be the target of the mutating creature spell. |
| 2020-04-17 | Normally, Vivien allows you to cast the top card of your library if it’s a creature card, it’s your main phase, and the stack is empty. If that creature card has flash, you’ll be able to cast it any time you could cast an instant, even on an opponent’s turn. |
| 2020-04-17 | The top card of your library isn’t in your hand, so you can’t cycle it, discard it, or activate any of its activated abilities. |
| 2020-04-17 | Vivien lets you look at the top card of your library whenever you want (with one restriction; see below), even if you don’t have priority. This action doesn’t use the stack. Knowing what that card is becomes part of the information you have access to, just like you can look at the cards in your hand. |
| 2020-04-17 | You’ll still pay all costs for that spell, including additional costs. You may also pay alternative costs such as mutate costs. |
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.