Righteousness MTG Card


Righteousness offers valuable instant combat adjustments with its +7 toughness boost during defense. Requires white mana exclusively, which may limit its versatility in multicolor deck strategies. Despite a narrow application, it’s a game-changer against creature-heavy opponents.
Card setsReleased in 20 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityRare
TypeInstant

Text of card

Target defending creature gains +7/+7 until end of turn.


Cards like Righteousness

Righteousness stands out in Magic: The Gathering as an impactful defensive spell. It shares common ground with other instant cards that boost creature toughness like Shielded by Faith. However, one stark difference is Righteousness’s one-time boost of +7 toughness is a substantial increase during the combat phase compared to Shielded by Faith’s ongoing effect.

Mirroring the defensive theme, we also see cards like Brave the Elements, which offers a wider shield by granting protection from a color of your choice to all creatures you control. While this can be a game-changer, it doesn’t alter individual creature stats like Righteousness does. Invulnerability is another card to consider, granting outright indestructibility for a turn, surpassing Righteousness in terms of total protection but falling short due to its higher mana cost and the lack of immediate toughness increase.

Within the realm of protective spells, Righteousness offers a unique blend of sudden and sizable defensive power, solidifying its niche among the options available to players who value surprise and resilience in their deck. Its place is assured among those looking to turn the tide of a seemingly uneven battle.

Shielded by Faith - MTG Card versions
Brave the Elements - MTG Card versions
Invulnerability - MTG Card versions
Shielded by Faith - MTG Card versions
Brave the Elements - MTG Card versions
Invulnerability - MTG Card versions

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Death Ward - MTG Card versions
Blaze of Glory - MTG Card versions
Healing Salve - MTG Card versions
Purelace - MTG Card versions
Guardian Angel - MTG Card versions
Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions
Indestructible Aura - MTG Card versions
Glyph of Life - MTG Card versions
Warning - MTG Card versions
Heal - MTG Card versions
Anoint - MTG Card versions
Reaping the Rewards - MTG Card versions
Rally the Troops - MTG Card versions
Scent of Jasmine - MTG Card versions
Moment of Silence - MTG Card versions
Enlightened Tutor - MTG Card versions
Orim's Touch - MTG Card versions
Pollen Remedy - MTG Card versions
Sacred Rites - MTG Card versions
Pay No Heed - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While not a direct card-drawing mechanism, Righteousness packs a powerful punch by drastically boosting a defending creature’s power. It can turn the tide of combat in your favor, effectively negating your opponent’s attacking strategies and maintaining your presence on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: Righteousness doesn’t provide traditional mana ramp. However, its low mana cost is a form of resource acceleration in itself, allowing you to play impactful spells without a significant mana investment. This leaves more resources available for other strategic plays during your turn.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Righteousness at instant speed offers versatile defensive tactics. It enables surprise combat tricks that can decimate an attacker, save a key creature, or even create an opening for a lethal counterattack, all while keeping your mana untapped for other immediate responses.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One point of drawback for Righteousness is the necessity to hold onto it until the perfect timing arises. While it doesn’t require actual card discard, its conditional nature means it might sit uselessly in hand when a proactive play could be preferred.

Specific Mana Cost: Righteousness demands white mana, which can be restrictive. Decks not heavily invested in white might struggle to keep this mana open, compromising their flexibility in responding to other threats or advancing their board state.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The card’s steep cost for a single target defensive boost, often doesn’t equate to turning the tide of the entire game, making it less appealing when compared to other lower-cost defense-oriented spells. Alternatives at lower mana costs could provide a more consistent defensive strategy throughout the game.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Righteousness provides an instant boost in defense, which can be pivotal in a wide array of white decks. Whether it’s to protect a high-value creature or to turn the tides in combat unexpectedly, its flexibility is a valuable asset.

Combo Potential: This card can be wonderfully synergistic with creatures that benefit from taking damage or with effects that trigger when a creature survives combat. It can also serve as a surprise factor in decks that focus on life total as a resource.

Meta-Relevance: With aggressive and creature-heavy strategies often dominating matches, Righteousness has the potential to be a game-changer, offering a cost-effective way to disrupt opponent tactics and maintain board presence without committing a lot of mana.


How to beat

Righteousness stands out as a distinct card in Magic: The Gathering with its ability to grant a tremendous +7/+7 boost to a defending creature until the end of the turn. This significant increase not only helps in thwarting attacks but can turn the tide in combat by eliminating an attacker that the opponent didn’t expect to lose.

To effectively counter this card, players should consider using instant-speed removal spells that can target a creature in response to Righteousness being cast. This strategy ensures the creature is removed before the buff takes effect. Moreover, applying pressure outside of combat phases, or on your turn, mitigates the potential impact Righteousness can have, as it requires a blocking creature to be active. Additionally, spells that prevent life gain or direct damage spells can circumvent the inflated defense provided by Righteousness, diminishing its effectiveness. Awareness and anticipation are key — predicting when an adversary may use such combat tricks allows you to hold back key spells or attackers to avoid the crushing blow Righteousness can deliver.

Adapting your strategy to include these considerations can make Righteousness less impactful and aid in maintaining dominance during your MTG matches.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Righteousness MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Righteousness and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Righteousness Magic the Gathering card was released in 18 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by 4 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 361993NormalBlackDouglas Shuler
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 371993NormalBlackDouglas Shuler
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 371993NormalWhiteDouglas Shuler
41993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 371993NormalBlackDouglas Shuler
51993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 371993NormalBlackDouglas Shuler
61994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 371993NormalBlackDouglas Shuler
71994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 371993NormalWhiteDouglas Shuler
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 371993NormalWhiteDouglas Shuler
91995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 461993NormalWhiteDouglas Shuler
101995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 461993NormalBlackDouglas Shuler
111997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 561997NormalWhiteMike Dringenberg
122005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 36★2003NormalBlackMike Dringenberg
132005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 362003NormalWhiteMike Dringenberg
142007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 362003NormalBlackWayne England
152009-07-17Magic 2010M10 272003NormalBlackWayne England
162013-09-06Duel Decks: Heroes vs. MonstersDDL 202003NormalBlackWayne England
172019-10-04Throne of EldraineELD 272015NormalBlackHoward Lyon
182022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 3331997NormalBlackDouglas Shuler
192022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 362015NormalBlackDouglas Shuler
202022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 2352015NormalBlackWayne England

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Righteousness has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Righteousness card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2009-10-01 A “blocking creature” is one that has been declared as a blocker this combat, or one that was put onto the battlefield blocking this combat. Unless that creature leaves combat, it continues to be a blocking creature through the end of combat step, even if the creature or creatures it was blocking are no longer on the battlefield or have otherwise left combat.