White Ward

White Ward is a white-aligned enchantment card from the Unlimited Edition, the second core set of the Magic: The Gathering trading card game released in 1993. As part of the expansion intended to meet the surge in player demand following the initial Alpha and Beta releases, this card reflects the game's early strategic focus on defensive play and color-based protection. The card allows players to enchant a creature to prevent damage from sources of a specific color, embodying the protective, order-oriented philosophy of the game's White mana faction.

The artwork for White Ward was created by illustrator Anson Maddocks, one of the original artists commissioned during the game's inception. Maddocks’ design aesthetic during this period leaned into a gothic, minimalist style that defined the early visual language of the franchise. His interpretation of the card's function—a glowing, spectral ward protecting a warrior—was well-received by early players for its clarity and thematic alignment with the card's defensive mechanics, establishing it as a classic utility spell in the game’s formative years.