Righteousness

Righteousness was first introduced in the Alpha set of Magic: The Gathering in 1993, designed by Richard Garfield as one of the original white instant spells. The card was created to provide a defensive combat trick that rewarded players for committing to a creature-based strategy, reflecting the game's early emphasis on tactical creature engagement. Over the years, the card has seen numerous reprints, including its inclusion in the Tenth Edition base set in 2007, which updated its frame and brought it into the modern era of the game.

The Tenth Edition version of Righteousness features artwork by Greg Staples, who transitioned the card away from its earlier, more minimalist artistic interpretations. Staples utilized a dramatic, high-fantasy aesthetic that emphasizes the divine power thematic to the card's name, moving toward a more polished and painterly style common in the late 2000s era of Wizards of the Coast. Within the context of Tenth Edition, the card served as a foundational element of the white color identity, designed to support the set's accessibility to newer players while maintaining mechanical consistency with the game's long-standing rules.