Vigilance
Vigilance is a keyword ability on creatures that allows the creature to attack without tapping.
From the Comprehensive Rules (November 8, 2024—Edge of Eternities)
- 702.20. Vigilance
- 702.20a Vigilance is a static ability that modifies the rules for the declare attackers step.
- 702.20b Attacking doesn’t cause creatures with vigilance to tap. (See rule 508, “Declare Attackers Step.”)
- 702.20c Multiple instances of vigilance on the same creature are redundant.
The keyword exists primary on white cards and secondary on green and blue; creatures with vigilance generally are depicted as guards or sentinels. White tends to get this on creatures where the power is equal to or less than the toughness, and seldom with a power greater than 3. Green tends to get this ability on larger creatures to differentiate it from white.[1] R&D decided to also make blue secondary in vigilance because they were looking for more creature abilities to use in blue – the first instance of this was Haunting Figment in Dominaria United.[2][3]
History
Before it was keyworded, vigilance was known as the Serra ability after Serra Angel.[4] The ability has existed in the game since Alpha, where it was not keyworded but instead had the rules text of the ability written out.
Vigilance was introduced as a keyword in Champions of Kamigawa. Ninth Edition was the first core set to follow.[5] Vigilance was retroactively supplanted, via Oracle, on all cards that had “Attacking doesn’t cause this creature to tap.” such as Serra Angel itself.
Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths introduced vigilance counters.
Wylie Duke, Atiin Hero (Outlaws of Thunder Junction) is the first card to use vigilance as a “downside mechanic”.
Vigilance in practice
Vigilance is a great ability becuase that enables your creature for both attack and remained defense active for your opponents attacks
