The Vanguard supplements consist of oversized cards that modify the game. A Vanguard card is selected before the game begins, adjusting a player's starting and maximum hand size and starting life total. Any abilities printed on a Vanguard card are played exactly like those of an in-play Magic card; however, these abilities have no color, and damage from them isn't damage from a permanent of any type or a source of any color. A Vanguard card isn't a Magic card, so it can't be affected by spells or abilities.

• E.12.1 - The effects of Vanguard cards are treated like the first effects in play during the game. They can be overridden by later effects, just like any other effect can. [Aahz 1997/07/21]
• E.12.2 - Vanguard cards are only legal if they are allowed in the given tournament format, or if not in a tournament and all players agree to allow them. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
• E.12.3 - Abilities of a Vanguard card have no color. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
• E.12.4 - Damage from a Vanguard card is not considered to come from a permanent of any type or a source of any color. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
• E.12.5 - A Vanguard card is not considered a Magic "card" so it cannot be affected by any spells or abilities. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
• E.12.Ruling.1 - The Barrin card does not target the creature, so untargetable creatures are not immune. [D'Angelo 1998/01/06]
• E.12.Ruling.2 - Crovax triggers once per player or creature damaged, and not once per point of damage. [bethmo 1998/01/07]
• E.12.Ruling.3 - A player with Gerrard who goes first skips one draw in the first draw step, not both of them. [Aahz 1997/08/10]
• E.12.Ruling.4 - Orim gives the option of blocking as if the creature had Flying. You can choose to block as if you did not have Flying. This is useful with Chaosphere. [bethmo 1998/01/07]

CARD NAME