Arbiter of the Ideal MTG Card
2014-02-01 - Number 31★
2014-02-07 - Number 31
2002-06-24 - Number 51912
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Sphinx |
| Abilities | Flying,Inspired |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Text of card
Flying Inspired — Whenever Arbiter of the Ideal becomes untapped, reveal the top card of your library. If it's an artifact, creature, or land card, you may put it onto the battlefield with a manifestation counter on it. That permanent is an enchantment in addition to its other types.
Cards like Arbiter of the Ideal
Arbiter of the Ideal is an intriguing creature card in MTG, joining the ranks of cards that allow you to manipulate the top of your library and cheat permanents into play. In line with the theme of brinkmanship and foresight, cards like Djinn of Wishes offers a similar promise – both have the ability to play cards from the top of your deck, albeit the Djinn does so at the cost of using charge counters.
Similarly, the enchantment Future Sight provides another parallel, granting the power to play with the top card of your library revealed and allowing you to cast it if it’s a nonland card. While Arbiter of the Ideal requires an inspired trigger, notably after being untapped, to manifest a card onto the battlefield, Future Sight offers consistent access to your top card without the untap prerequisite. Lastly, the Sphinx of the Second Sun shares a kinship with the Arbiter by offering a unique way to manipulate phases and steps within your turn, thus offering more opportunities to activate inspired abilities, although it doesn’t interact directly with the top of the deck.
Assessing these alternatives, Arbiter of the Ideal stands out for the potential it holds in controlled circumstances and the surprise element it brings to the battlefield within MTG’s intricate tapestry of strategies.
Cards similar to Arbiter of the Ideal by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Arbiter of the Ideal can put cards directly onto the battlefield, bypassing your hand. This effect not only efficiently cheats mana costs but also potentially generates significant card advantage as you put more permanents into play.
Resource Acceleration: Through its inspired ability, the Arbiter allows you to play powerful creatures and artifacts without paying their mana costs. This form of resource acceleration can lead to overwhelming board states that can outpace your opponent’s ability to respond.
Instant Speed: While Arbiter of the Ideal itself doesn’t have instant speed, the permanents placed with its ability are not restricted. This means you can use instant-speed effects on these permanents right away, offering immediate response potential once they hit the field.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Arbiter of the Ideal requires a blend of blue and colorless mana, which can create hurdles for decks that aren’t heavily committed to those colors. This specific mana cost makes it a less flexible choice for many players.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost demanding three islands (blue mana) and three other mana, it necessitates a deck built around a blue mana base. For multi-colored decks, fulfilling this cost can be a challenge, potentially delaying the card’s play or even rendering it a dead draw under some circumstances.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The six total mana can be substantial, particularly when comparing Arbiter of the Ideal to other creatures or spells that can create an immediate impact for a similar or lower mana investment. The cost may slow down tempo, making it an awkward fit for faster, more aggressive strategies.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Arbiter of the Ideal is a highly flexible card that can be seamlessly integrated into different blue-based control and combo decks. Its ability to look at the top card of your library at the beginning of each upkeep means you can adapt to various in-game scenarios, making it a valuable asset in any collection.
Combo Potential: The Inspired mechanic releases Arbiter’s potential to cheat big creatures or powerful artifacts into play without paying their mana cost. This opens up a world of combination possibilities, turning any game in your favor with the right library setup.
Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to consistently provide card advantage and put threats onto the battlefield, Arbiter of the Ideal fits well within metagames that favor long-term strategies and big plays. Its presence can often turn the tides of the game in environments where powerful permanents dictate the pace of play.
How to beat
The Arbiter of the Ideal is a potent blue creature card that can shift the tides of any MTG match by bringing cards onto the battlefield directly from the library. This Inspired ability, however, can be mitigated. One strategy to thwart the Arbiter is through the use of removal spells to deal with the creature before it becomes untapped. Board wipes like Wrath of God or Doomskar can be especially effective since they can clear the Arbiter as well as other looming threats on the board.
Counterplay can also include preventing the Arbiter from untapping. Cards that induce sleep or tap creatures, such as Frost Breath or Sudden Storm, serve well in delaying the Arbiter’s advantageous triggers. Alternatively, employing instant-speed removals like Hero’s Downfall or Path to Exile during the opponent’s upkeep can disrupt their plans by removing the Arbiter before they get the benefit of its ability.
Overall, consistent control over the board state, timing your removals skillfully, and hindering your opponent’s creatures from untapping are key in maintaining an edge against the Arbiter of the Ideal. By integrating these tactics into your play, you increase your chances of nullifying this high-value target and paving your way to victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Arbiter of the Ideal MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Born of the Gods Promos, 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 Arbiter of the Ideal and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Arbiter of the Ideal Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2014-02-01 and 2014-02-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 51912 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Johann Bodin | ||
| 2 | 2014-02-01 | Born of the Gods Promos | PBNG | 31★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Johann Bodin | |
| 3 | 2014-02-07 | Born of the Gods | BNG | 31 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Arbiter of the Ideal has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Arbiter of the Ideal card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2014-02-01 | If an inspired ability triggers during your untap step, the ability will be put on the stack at the beginning of your upkeep. If the ability creates one or more token creatures, those creatures won’t be able to attack that turn (unless they gain haste). |
| 2014-02-01 | If the inspired ability includes an optional cost, you decide whether to pay that cost as the ability resolves. You can do this even if the creature leaves the battlefield in response to the ability. |
| 2014-02-01 | If you choose to not put the card onto the battlefield, or if the card isn’t one of the listed types, it will remain on top of your library. (Note that revealing the card is not optional.) |
| 2014-02-01 | Inspired abilities don’t trigger when the creature enters the battlefield. |
| 2014-02-01 | Inspired abilities trigger no matter how the creature becomes untapped: by the turn-based action at the beginning of the untap step or by a spell or ability. |
| 2014-02-01 | The manifestation counter is a memory aid only. The permanent will continue to be an enchantment in addition to its other types even if that counter is removed. |
| 2014-02-01 | The permanent will be an enchantment as it enters the battlefield and will cause constellation abilities of permanents you control to trigger. |