Duergar Mine-Captain MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Dwarf Soldier |
| Released | 2008-07-25 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Eventide |
| Set code | EVE |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 138 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Matt Cavotta |
Key Takeaways
- Duergar Mine-Captain excels in card advantage, enabling powerful combos and resource acceleration in the game.
- Several drawbacks include a mandatory discard, rigid mana requirements, and a potentially high total mana cost.
- Strategically, the Captain shines in versatility, combo potential and adapts to various meta contexts effectively.
Text of card
{GU}, {Q}: Attacking creatures get +1/+0 until end of turn. ({Q} is the untap symbol.)
Duergars are prodigious workers with long memories. Some still fulfill intricately detailed orders given decades, if not centuries, before.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Duergar Mine-Captain is known for enabling combos that can lead to significant card advantage. This dwarven warrior allows you to untap important artifacts or creatures, which could result in drawing more cards or playing additional spells within the same turn.
Resource Acceleration: The untap ability of Duergar Mine-Captain can be easily leveraged to fast-track your resources. It can accelerate the use of mana-generating abilities multiple times, giving you a surge in resources that could be the deciding factor in a match.
Instant Speed: The capability to activate its untap ability at instant speed provides great flexibility. It means you can respond to your opponents’ actions during their turn or maximize the effect of other instant speed spells on yours, thus optimizing your plays and maintaining the element of surprise.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Players must discard a card to fully utilize Duergar Mine-Captain’s ability, which can be a setback for those looking to maintain a full hand of strategic options.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting and ability activation cost for Duergar Mine-Captain are both specifically red and white, meaning this card might be less flexible outside of a Boros deck build.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a combined cost to play and activate the ability, Duergar Mine-Captain demands significant mana investment, which might compromise the ability to play other impactful cards in the same turn.
Reasons to Include Duergar Mine-Captain in Your Collection
Versatility: Duergar Mine-Captain’s ability to lead your dwarves in battle makes it a versatile addition to any deck that capitalizes on a tribe-focused strategy. Its tap and untap abilities also offer tactical advantages during your turns or in response to your opponents’ actions.
Combo Potential: This card possesses inherent combo potential with its untap ability. Players can creatively exploit this for untapping effects or to amplify the results of cards that track the number of times a creature has been tapped in a turn.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where control or tribal synergies prevail, Duergar Mine-Captain can play a significant role. Its capacity to untap dwarves or other key creatures could swing the tempo in your favor, adapting effectively to the prevalent strategies.
How to beat
The Duergar Mine-Captain presents itself as a tactical asset for players delving into Magic: The Gathering. This particular Dwarf Soldier wields an ability to untap target creature, which can be strategically used to either bolster your defense or reinvigorate an offense during your turn. Its ability, however, comes at the cost of one red or white mana along with tapping another untapped Dwarf you control.
To effectively counter the Mine-Captain, consider utilizing removal spells that can bypass its untap potential. Swift action through instant speed removals such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push can ensure the captain leaves the battlefield before its ability can be activated. Alternatively, leveraging control cards that restrict the tapping or untapping of creatures, like Frozen Aether or Linvala, Keeper of Silence, can mitigate the advantage the Mine-Captain offers. It’s crucial to disrupt the captain’s synergy with other dwarves, so tactics that prevent or penalize creature tapping can be incredibly effective.
Layers of strategy are essential for mastering Magic: The Gathering, and understanding how to neutralize the Duergar Mine-Captain will reinforce your defense against decks that capitalize on its unique untap mechanics.
Cards like Duergar Mine-Captain
The Duergar Mine-Captain, a notable figure among Magic: The Gathering ability granters, stands out for its versatility on the battlefield. It can be compared to other cards like the Veteran Armorsmith, which also beefs up your warriors but does so passively. The Mine-Captain’s active ability provides a critical tactical advantage by untapping another target creature, which can be pivotal during combat phases.
Exploring further, the Fervent Champion offers a good comparison. Both cards lend support to the player’s creatures, yet the Champion is optimized for swift and aggressive plays. Unlike the Duergar Mine-Captain, it comes with haste and buffs equipped creatures—traits that cater to a more immediate impact on the game. Conversely, the Mine-Captain’s potential lies in its ability to manipulate the board state over time, allowing for intricate playmaking.
Considering overall utility, the Duergar Mine-Captain provides strategic depth and control. It’s a card that doesn’t just lend power but also offers the opportunity to outmaneuver an opponent. Adaptability and the element of surprise are its core strengths when compared to its kin within Magic: The Gathering’s vast array of creature support options.
Cards similar to Duergar Mine-Captain by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Duergar Mine-Captain MTG card by a specific set like Eventide, 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 Duergar Mine-Captain and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Duergar Mine-Captain has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Duergar Mine-Captain card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-08-01 | If the permanent is already untapped, you can’t activate its {Q} ability. That’s because you can’t pay the “Untap this permanent” cost. |
| 2008-08-01 | The “summoning sickness” rule applies to {Q}. If a creature with an {Q} ability hasn’t been under your control since your most recent turn began, you can’t activate that ability. Ignore this rule if the creature also has haste. |
| 2008-08-01 | This ability affects only creatures that are attacking at the time it resolves. It won’t affect creatures that attack later in the turn. |
| 2008-08-01 | When you activate an {Q} ability, you untap the creature with that ability as a cost. The untap can’t be responded to. (The actual ability can be responded to, of course.) |
