Rules glossary
313. Vanguards
- 313.1 Vanguard is a card type seen only on nontraditional Magic cards. Only the Vanguard casual variant uses vanguard cards. See rule 902, “Vanguard.” (refs: 902)
- 313.2 Vanguard cards remain in the command zone throughout the game. They’re not permanents. They can’t be cast. If a vanguard card would leave the command zone, it remains in the command zone.
- 313.3 Vanguard cards have no subtypes.
- 313.4 A vanguard card may have any number of static, triggered, and/or activated abilities. As long as a vanguard card is in the command zone, its static abilities affect the game, its triggered abilities may trigger, and its activated abilities may be activated.
- 313.5 The owner of a vanguard card is the player who started the game with it in the command zone. The controller of a face-up vanguard card is its owner.
- 313.6 Each vanguard card has a hand modifier printed in its lower left corner. This is a number preceded by a plus sign, a number preceded by a minus sign, or a zero. This modifier is applied to the starting hand size and maximum hand size of the vanguard card’s owner (normally seven). The resulting number is both how many cards that player draws at the beginning of the game and their maximum hand size. See rule 103.5. (refs: 103.5)
- 313.7 Each vanguard card has a life modifier printed in its lower right corner. This is a number preceded by a plus sign, a number preceded by a minus sign, or a zero. This modifier is applied as the starting life total of the vanguard card’s owner (normally 20) to is determined. See rule 103.4. (refs: 103.4)