Serra's Blessing MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment

Key Takeaways

  1. Continuous vigilance from Serra’s Blessing means no tempo loss and better resource use during battles.
  2. Serra’s Blessing’s trade-off includes no direct card replacement, which can lead to card disadvantage.
  3. Despite a specific mana cost and potential casting challenges, its strategic benefits are considerable.
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

Attacking does not cause creatures you control to tap.

"I have seen your strength imbued in angels' wings, and I have felt your sorrow rain down on the ruins brought by the Lord of the Wastes." —Hanna, *Weatherlight* navigator


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Serra’s Blessing gives continuous vigilance to your creatures, which indirectly maintains card advantage by keeping your board defended while still allowing for full offensive capabilities.

Resource Acceleration: Despite not producing mana or tokens, the vigilance conferred by Serra’s Blessing accelerates your resource utilization, as your creatures can commit to both attack and defense seamlessly without the usual tempo loss associated with tapping.

Instant Speed: While Serra’s Blessing itself is not an instant, the enduring vigilance it provides ensures your creatures always remain untapped and ready, similar to the flexibility an instant gives by not needing to commit resources until absolutely necessary.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Serra’s Blessing offers some strategic advantages, it doesn’t come without its drawbacks. Unlike other enchantments that might offer a card draw or some additional utility, playing Serra’s Blessing doesn’t allow you to replace the card in your hand, potentially putting you at a card disadvantage compared to other options that help maintain or increase your hand size.

Specific Mana Cost: Serra’s Blessing requires two white mana for its casting cost. This specific mana requirement can be restrictive, making it less flexible for multi-colored decks that may not always have the necessary white mana sources available when they need it. Decks that are not heavily invested in white may find this card challenging to cast on curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite the usefulness of giving all your creatures the ability to attack without tapping, the cost of two white mana might be steep for the effect. As the game progresses and player decks become more efficient, the two mana spent on Serra’s Blessing could potentially be allocated to more impactful spells or creatures that could influence the board state more significantly.


Reasons to Include Serra’s Blessing in Your Collection

Versatility: Serra’s Blessing offers a universal boon by granting all your creatures vigilance. This ability is crucial for both offensive strategies and maintaining a solid defense, making it a functional addition to various deck archetypes ranging from aggressive White Weenie builds to more controlling white-based decks.

Combo Potential: Paired with cards that benefit from tapping and untapping creatures, Serra’s Blessing can unlock several synergies. An untapped army means more opportunities for convoke spells, using tap abilities without sacrificing defense, or simply keeping blockers ready at all times.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where combat is key, the absence of your creatures’ need to tap to attack allows for greater flexibility. This can shift the balance in your favor against aggressive meta decks by maintaining defensive capabilities while applying offensive pressure, making Serra’s Blessing a card worth considering for its strategic advantages.


How to beat

Serra’s Blessing is a notable card within the Magic: The Gathering universe, revered for its ability to grant your creatures untapped status after attacking. Its strength lies in providing you with more flexibility during your opponent’s turn, making it a card that can be challenging to confront head-on. Yet, facing this enchantment is not without its strategies.

One tactic to consider is using enchantment removal spells which are a straightforward answer; cards like Disenchant or Naturalize specialize in removing problematic enchantments like Serra’s Blessing at a low cost and often at instant speed, allowing for a surprise disruption during your opponent’s turn.

Moreover, leveraging counterspells when Serra’s Blessing is cast can prevent it from impacting the board entirely. Blue players, therefore, have an advantage with spells such as Counterspell or Negate to thwart the Blessing from taking root. Finally, for those seeking to stave off aggressive strategies employing Serra’s Blessing, board clears like Wrath of God or Damnation can reset the playing field, eliminating the advantage that Serra’s Blessing provides. Bear in mind, timing and understanding your opponent’s deck capabilities are crucial in optimizing these tactics.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering your MTG gameplay involves not only understanding the powers of individual cards like Serra’s Blessing but also grasping how they synergize with your deck’s strategy. Considering its advantages and limitations, Serra’s Blessing might be the tactical edge your white deck needs, especially if you favor a mix of offense and impenetrable defense. As you weigh its inclusion, think about how it can fortify your creatures against your opponent’s onslaught while keeping them ever-alert for counterstrikes. Want to know if Serra’s Blessing harmonizes with your MTG deck philosophy? Join us for an in-depth analysis and unlock the full potential of your collection with strategic know-how.


Cards like Serra's Blessing

Serra’s Blessing offers an advantageous boon to players, standing out as a powerful utility card in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to grant all creatures you control vigilance ensures your army is ever-ready for defense, even after being aggressive in combat. In comparison, Always Watching is a notable card with a similar vigilance grant, but it adds a twist by also giving a +1/+1 boost to your non-token creatures, heightening their offensive and defensive capabilities. However, Serra’s Blessing is more accessible with fewer color restrictions.

Concordant Crossroads is another card that can be compared, as it grants haste to all creatures. While it’s broader in its effect, impacting all creatures on the battlefield, Serra’s Blessing’s focus on vigilance offers a more defensive edge, affecting just your creatures. Additionally, Brave the Sands serves a similar role, but it provides a double benefit by allowing your creatures to block an additional creature each. Yet, it lacks the simplicity and broad sweeping effect of Serra’s Blessing.

Overall, Serra’s Blessing’s straightforward and potent effect makes it a solid choice for players looking to maintain offensive momentum while safeguarding against counterattacks, marking its place in the library of MTG cards where defense strategy meets proactive play.

Always Watching - MTG Card versions
Concordant Crossroads - MTG Card versions
Brave the Sands - MTG Card versions
Always Watching - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)
Concordant Crossroads - Legends (LEG)
Brave the Sands - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)

Cards similar to Serra's Blessing by color, type and mana cost

Blessing - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: Red - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: Black - MTG Card versions
Island Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: White - MTG Card versions
Crusade - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: Blue - MTG Card versions
Hallowed Ground - MTG Card versions
Circle of Protection: Artifacts - MTG Card versions
Serra Bestiary - MTG Card versions
Energy Storm - MTG Card versions
Ward of Lights - MTG Card versions
Gossamer Chains - MTG Card versions
I'm Rubber, You're Glue - MTG Card versions
Absolute Grace - MTG Card versions
Serenity - MTG Card versions
Mageta's Boon - MTG Card versions
Seal of Cleansing - MTG Card versions
Absolute Law - MTG Card versions
Sacred Ground - MTG Card versions
Blessing - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Circle of Protection: Red - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Circle of Protection: Black - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Island Sanctuary - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Circle of Protection: White - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Crusade - Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Tezzeret (DDF)
Circle of Protection: Blue - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Hallowed Ground - Ice Age (ICE)
Circle of Protection: Artifacts - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Serra Bestiary - Homelands (HML)
Energy Storm - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Ward of Lights - Mirage (MIR)
Gossamer Chains - Visions (VIS)
I'm Rubber, You're Glue - Unglued (UGL)
Absolute Grace - Urza's Saga (USG)
Serenity - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Mageta's Boon - Prophecy (PCY)
Seal of Cleansing - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Absolute Law - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Sacred Ground - Seventh Edition (7ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Serra's Blessing MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight and Classic Sixth Edition, 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 Serra's Blessing and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Serra's Blessing Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1997-06-09 and 2005-07-29. Illustrated by Rebecca Guay.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-06-09WeatherlightWTH 251997normalblackRebecca Guay
21999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 421997normalwhiteRebecca Guay
32005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 442003normalwhiteRebecca Guay
42005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 44★2003normalblackRebecca Guay

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Serra's Blessing has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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