What is vigilance in Magic: The Gathering? Explanation, examples, and more

With Magic: The Gathering keywords, few are more valuable than vigilance. It was one of the first mechanics to join the game in the first place, and though it didn’t gain the “vigilance” keyword until 2004’s Champions of Kamigawa, this ability has been in the game since the very beginning.

Often referred to by the developers of Magic: The Gathering as the Serra ability, vigilance has always been here and, more often than not, attached to white creatures. It can also appear on green or blue creatures as a secondary, but it’s primarily an ability that white creatures will gain access to.

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Vigilance is a classic Magic: The Gathering ability

The first Magic: The Gathering card technically referenced with vigilance was Serra Angel. A 4 power, 4 toughness Flyer for 4 mana, Serra Angel also had the ability “This creature does not tap to attack.” That’s essentially what vigilance is. If a creature has vigilance, you can attack it without tapping the creature.

However, this doesn’t mean you can attack the creature when it comes into play - unless it also has Haste. One of the significant benefits of this card is that you can attack it and defend it with the next turn. Because of this, most vigilance creatures have decent, balanced stats. You likely won’t see these with lower toughness than power in most cases.

You can’t block twice in a turn with a creature with vigilance. If you’re playing a 3+ player game, this Magic: The Gathering creature can block incoming attacks from different players, but not in the same combat phase.

When you attack a creature with vigilance in Magic: The Gathering, you can use it safely if it has an ability that makes it tap. That is a significant part of the card. In addition, there’s another way you can get more out of a creature with this ability.

Exert is a keyword that gives that creature an extra ability if it stays tapped through the next turn. However, a creature with Vigilance doesn’t tap to attack. That means if you grant a creature with Exert the Vigilance ability, then attack, you don’t have to lose access to it on the next turn. There are plenty of ways to grant that keyword too, so it’s suddenly far more powerful.

There are too many great Vigilance creatures, but I want to highlight a few so you can see how they differ and what they brought to Magic: The Gathering. You’ll notice that most of them are white, but not all.

Questing Beast in Magic: The Gathering (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Questing Beast might have been one of the most overturned, ridiculous creatures in Magic: The Gathering's history. For 4 mana, it simply does too much. A 4 power, 4 toughness green creature for 4 mana, it had Vigilance, Deathtouch, and Haste. It attacks the turn it comes into play. Anytime it damages a creature, it dies, and its stats are bonkers.

It can’t be blocked by creatures with power two or less, and as long as it’s in play, your combat damage cannot be negated. If it deals combat damage to a player, it also damages an enemy planeswalker. If you ran green when it was in Standard, and didn’t run this, you might as well scoop.

Speaker of the Heavens in Magic: The Gathering (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

However, not all MTG creatures with Vigilance are powerful. Speaker of the Heavens is one power, one toughness Human Cleric that comes out for one white mana. It has VigilanceLifelink and will be helpful in the early game. Even better if you can give it First Strike.

The real winner part of this card is that you can tap this to create an Angel token (4 power, 4 toughness, flying), but only if you have seven or more life than your starting total. That makes this card so deadly - you can attack with it, and on your defense, tap it and summon an Angel to block for you.

Heliod, God of the Sun in Magic: The Gathering (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Another favorite card that discusses Vigilance is Heliod, God of the Sun. It technically doesn’t have Vigilance, but it gives your other creatures Vigilance, which is far more deadly. Since Heliod decks will likely have many creature tokens in play, it will be incredibly deadly.

However, if I’m going to pick a single favorite Vigilance creature, it’s, unsurprisingly, overpowered. Zetalpa, Primal Dawn may cost 8 mana, but it’s a 4 power, 8 toughness creature with Flying, Double Strike, Vigilance, Trample, and Indestructible. When this was playable in Standard, there were ways to cheat it into play early, making it a hilariously powerful creature.

Zetalpa, Primal Dawn in Magic: The Gathering (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Vigilance is a fantastic power in Magic: The Gathering. While you’ll primarily see it on White creatures, then Blue/Green, with abilities that grant vigilance, you can give it to pretty much anything. It’s one of many keywords in this wonderful card game, but it can often be overlooked.