Vanilla

Vanilla is a slang term that refers to creatures without rules text.
==Description==
Many of the iconic cards from Alpha were actually vanilla creatures. They appeared in all colors (e.g.<c>Savannah Lions</c>, <c>Merfolk of the Pearl Trident</c>, <c>Scathe Zombies</c>, <c>Hurloon Minotaur</c>, <c>Craw Wurm</c>). For decades, almost every expansion has featured at least a couple of vanilla creatures. Green gets the best large vanilla creatures and white gets the best small vanilla creatures. There have been some tournament level vanilla creatures, like <c>Savannah Lions</c> and <c>Memnite</c>.
However, since 2021 R&D has reduced their use and they have become deciduous. <c>Yargle and Multani</c> marked the first Vanilla creature printed since and , both in Strixhaven: School of Mages, two years prior.
Returning to Core Sets with Magic: The Gathering Foundations, five reprints and one new card were of vanilla creatures. Such cards would be legal for five years. The following set Aetherdrift had a cycle of uncommon Legendary vanilla creatures that were oversized for their cost, plus another common.
===Variants===
While Vanilla creatures are becoming scarcer post-2020, the following variants are regularly present in all sets.
"French vanilla" refers to creatures that only have keyword abilities (e.g. <c>Akrasan Squire</c>). 
"Vanilla flyer" is such a creature where the keyword is flying (e.g. <c>Storm Crow</c>).
"Virtual vanilla" refers to creatures that are essentially vanilla after the first turn they enter the battlefield (e.g. <c>Augur of Bolas</c>). 
"Virtual french vanilla" refers to creatures that are essentially French vanilla after the first turn they enter the battlefield (e.g. <c>Armada Wurm</c>).
===Vanilla Test===
A basic heuristic that judges the playability of a creature by consider the total stats in comparison to its cost. The test is more relevant in Limited than in Constructed, as rarely are vanilla creatures above the cost of two ever playable regardless of size, while occasional vanilla five or six mana creatures are playable in Limited. It is also a measure of power level over time, as the math below has been calibrated for the last five years and creatures prior were usually worse: common 3 mana 3/2s were once not printed without a downside mechanic, whereas now all colors can get them, with upside.
The Limited math typically follows that a creature needs double the stats of the mana value (i.e. 1/3 or 2/2 for 2, 3/3 or 2/4 for 3), but the scaling become less linear at higher costs. Only green can get a common 4-mana 4/4, with red getting them with downsides, which means that 4-drops are measured against seven points and 5-drops against nine points. Toughness comes at a lower premium after a certain number, as a 1/7 does not compare to a 7/1, but both are generally worse than a 4/3. Furthermore, double-colored costs are often problematic enough to be counted an extra partial mana tax.
Going beyond "vanilla", good evergreen abilities can usually be rated at one mana each, though power scaling makes these evaluations less linear. As Limited is the main driver for these tests, "French Vanilla" creatures are often added. Evaluating new and contextual abilities shapes the learning curve of Limited. 
In Constructed, a 3-mana 4/3 is already considered inconsequential, and is close to the lower edge of acceptability; even , a card that passes vanilla and has about four mana in abilities, was relegated to "powerful sideboard option". This is due to removal choices being capped at three mana or less to be considered good, and so any creature lacking in protection or entry value suffers at mana over three.
==="Vanilla matters"===
For a long time, <c>Muraganda Petroglyphs</c> was the only card that rewarded vanilla creatures for having no abilities. The Petroglyphs inspired many fans to ask for a set with a "vanilla matters" themes. Mark Rosewater has extensively explained why such a theme is not feasible and won't make good game play.
Commander 2021 added <c>Ruxa, Patient Professor</c>, while <c>Jasmine Boreal of the Seven</c> was released in the Legends Retold of Dominaria United.
Aetherdrift. which partially takes place in Muraganda, has a two-card "vanilla matters" subtheme.
==References==
Category:Magic slang