Vanguard Cards

Index | Series 1 | Series 2 | Series 3 | Series 4


Vanguard cards are oversized character cards, measuring about 3.5" × 5" (9 x 12,5 cm) which are set aside at the beginning of the game. They modify the maximum hand size and the starting life point total and grant additional abilities throughout the game.

Vanguard cards were given out in sets of eight cards to every participant as additional game accessory during specific Arena League seasons. For these seasons, the format required players to choose and play with one Vanguard card of their choice from the appropriate set.

The first Vanguard set was broken into two subsets, and each player received only one randomly chosen subset. Subsequent sets were handed out completely. Two cards from the fourth Vanguard set, Ashnod and Tawnos, were given out in preceding Arena League seasons as a participation bonus.

The first series of Vanguard cards was also available in a special Vanguard Gift Box released in December 1997. It contains:

* 1 set of Vanguard cards series 1, consisting of 2 sealed packs of 4 cards (Made in the U.S.A)
* 1 standard Italian Mirage starter pack (Made in Belgium)
* 1 standard Japanese Visions booster pack (Made in Belgium) or 1 standard Traditional Chinese Visions booster pack (Made in the U.S.A)
* 1 standard Korean Weatherlight booster pack (Made in the U.S.A)
* 1 Vanguard rules sheet
* WOC06025
* ISBN: 1-575306696-7
* GTIN: 7 42818 06025 7

By order of appearance in the sealed boosters.

Sealed Vanguard series 1 booster comes with 4 cards: Gerrard, Mirri, Tahngarth, Squee.
Sealed Vanguard series 1 booster comes with 4 cards: Maraxus, Karn, Sisay, Ertai.
Sealed Vanguard series 2 booster comes with 4 cards: Hanna, ?, ?, ?
Sealed Vanguard series 2 booster comes with 4 cards: Volrath, Starke, Crovax, Orim.

Sealed Vanguard series 3 booster comes with 8 cards: Eladamri, Oracle, Lyna, Sliver Queen, Brood Mother, Takara, Multani, Sidar Kondo.
Sealed Vanguard series 4 booster comes with 8 cards: ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?

Single Vanguard cards were additionally distributed in magazines.

Illustrations on the sleeve box are:

Ertai by Randy Gallegos
Gerrard by Douglas Shuler
Karn by Anthony S. Waters
Maraxus by Matthew Wilson
Sisay by Kaja Foglio
Squee by Daniel Gelon
Tahngarth by Pete Venters

Illustrations on the inside box are:

Dance of the Dead by Randy Gallegos
Guardian Beast by Ken Meyer, Jr.
Juzám Djinn by Mark Tedin
Lich by Daniel Gelon
Minion of Tevesh Szat by Julie Baroh
Nether Shadow by Christopher Rush
The Wretched by Christopher Rush

The concept of Vanguard had not been forgotten and was reintroduced six years later in May 2005 on Magic: The Gathering Online.

Errors, Misprints and Typos
Tawnos: Wrong artist Donato Giancola instead of Stephen Daniele.



Vanguard Gift Box front and back.


Vanguard Gift Box info back.


Italian Mirage starter - Traditional Chinese Visions booster - Korean Weatherlight booster.


InQuest #29 magazine (Tahngarth) - InQuest #47 magazine (Mishra) - Scrye 4.4 (Ertai) - The Duelist #19 magazine (Gerrard) - The Duelist #33 magazine (Multani) - The Duelist #37 magazine (Urza).


Vanguard Booster Magic: The Gathering Online.


Vanguard Series 1, 7 x 7 uncut sheet.


Vanguard Series 2, 7 x 7 uncut sheet.


Vanguard Arena League advertisement.


Ertai full art by Randy Gallegos - Gerrard full art by Douglas Shuler.


Karn full art by Anthony S. Waters - Maraxus full art by Matthew Wilson.


Mirri original art by Richard Kane Ferguson - Sisay full art by Kaja Foglio.


Squee original art by Daniel Gelon - Tahngarth original art by Pete Venters.


Barrin original art by Christopher Rush - Crovax full art by Ron Spencer.


Greven il-Vec full art by Mark Tedin - Hanna full art by Liz Danforth.


Orim original art by Rebecca Guay - Selenia full art by Quinton Hoover.


Starke full art by Donato Giancola - Volrath original art by Anson Maddocks.


Eladamri full art by Mark Zug - Lyna full art by Adam Rex.


Multani full art by Brom - Oracle full art by Dan Frazier.


Rofellos full art by Daren Bader - Sidar Kondo full art by Kev Walker.


Sliver Queen, Brood Mother full art by rk post - Takara full art by DiTerlizzi.


Ashnod original art by Ron Spencer - Gix full art by Pete Venters.


Mishra full art by Anson Maddocks - Serra full art by Matthew Wilson.


Tawnos full art by Donato Giancola - Titania full art by Rebecca Guay.


Urza full art by Mark Tedin - Xantcha full art by Heather Hudson.

EXTERNAL LINKS
Vanguard Product Info
Vanguard Series 1; Magic Arcana
Vanguard Series 2; Magic Arcana
Weather(light) Report; Making Magic
Vanguard; Feature Article
Vanguard Portraits; Magic Arcana
Thank You Sir, May I Have Another; Feature Article

INTERNAL LINKS
Arena League Promos (English)
Magic: The Gathering Online Cards
6 x 9 Cards


Series 1 - Vanguard Cards
SETNUMCARDNAMEARTISTSOURCEDATEINFO
001 ErtaiRandy GallegosArena League Summer 97 season participation bonus set 1
Scrye #4.4 magazine addition
Vanguard Gift Box addition		1997-07-18
1997-11
1997-12
002 GerrardDouglas ShulerArena League Summer 97 season participation bonus set 2
The Duelist #19 magazine addition
Vanguard Gift Box addition		1997-07-18
1997-10
1997-12
003 KarnAnthony S. WatersArena League Summer 97 season participation bonus set 1
Vanguard Gift Box addition		1997-07-18
1997-12
004 MaraxusMatthew WilsonArena League Summer 97 season participation bonus set 1
Vanguard Gift Box addition		1997-07-18
1997-12
005 MirriRichard Kane FergusonArena League Summer 97 season participation bonus set 2
Vanguard Gift Box addition		1997-07-18
1997-12
006 SisayKaja FoglioArena League Summer 97 season participation bonus set 1
Vanguard Gift Box addition		1997-07-18
1997-12
007 SqueeDaniel GelonArena League Summer 97 season participation bonus set 2
Vanguard Gift Box addition		1997-07-18
1997-12
008 TahngarthPete VentersArena League Summer 97 season participation bonus set 2
InQuest #29 magazine addition
Vanguard Gift Box addition		1997-07-18
1997-09
1997-12
 


Series 2 - Vanguard Cards
SETNUMCARDNAMEARTISTSOURCEDATEINFO
001 BarrinChristopher RushArena League Winter 98 season participation bonus1998-01-02
002 CrovaxRon SpencerArena League Winter 98 season participation bonus1998-01-02
003 Greven il-VecMark TedinArena League Winter 98 season participation bonus1998-01-02
004 HannaLiz DanforthArena League Winter 98 season participation bonus1998-01-02
005 OrimRebecca GuayArena League Winter 98 season participation bonus1998-01-02
006 SeleniaQuinton HooverArena League Winter 98 season participation bonus1998-01-02
007 StarkeDonato GiancolaArena League Winter 98 season participation bonus1998-01-02
008 VolrathAnson MaddocksArena League Winter 98 season participation bonus1998-01-02
 


Series 3 - Vanguard Cards
SETNUMCARDNAMEARTISTSOURCEDATEINFO
001 EladamriMark ZugArena League Autumn 98 season participation bonus1998-10-23
002 LynaAdam RexArena League Autumn 98 season participation bonus1998-10-23
003 MultaniBromArena League Autumn 98 season participation bonus
The Duelist #33 magazine addition		1998-10-23
1999-01
004 OracleDan FrazierArena League Autumn 98 season participation bonus1998-10-23
005 RofellosDaren BaderArena League Autumn 98 season participation bonus1998-10-23
006 Sidar KondoKev WalkerArena League Autumn 98 season participation bonus1998-10-23
007 Sliver Queen, Brood Motherrk postArena League Autumn 98 season participation bonus1998-10-23
008 TakaraDiTerlizziArena League Autumn 98 season participation bonus1998-10-23
 


Series 4 - Vanguard Cards
SETNUMCARDNAMEARTISTSOURCEDATEINFO
001 AshnodRon SpencerArena League Winter 99 season participation bonus
Arena League Spring 99 season participation bonus		1999-01-01
1999-04-02
002 GixPete VentersArena League Spring 99 season participation bonus1999-04-02
003 MishraAnson MaddocksInQuest #47 magazine addition
Arena League Spring 99 season participation bonus		1999-03
1999-04-02
004 SerraMatthew WilsonArena League Spring 99 season participation bonus1999-04-02
005 TawnosDonato GiancolaArena League Tempest 99 season participation bonus
Arena League Spring 99 season participation bonus		1999-02-11
1999-04-02		YES 
006 TitaniaRebecca GuayArena League Spring 99 season participation bonus1999-04-02
007 UrzaMark TedinThe Duelist #37 magazine addition
Arena League Spring 99 season participation bonus		1999-03
1999-04-02
008 XantchaHeather HudsonArena League Spring 99 season participation bonus1999-04-02