Dovin, Grand Arbiter MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Dovin
Loyalty 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides significant card filtering with the ability to sift through the top cards of your library.
  2. Creates Artifact tokens with flying to enhance defense or complement various strategies.
  3. The need for specific mana types slightly limits deck-building flexibility.

Text of card

+1: Until end of turn, whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, put a loyalty counter on Dovin, Grand Arbiter. −1: Create a 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature token with flying. You gain 1 life. −7: Look at the top ten cards of your library. Put three of them into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Dovin Grand Arbiter lets you dig three cards deep into your library with his +1 loyalty ability. While you only get to keep one of those cards, it outperforms in filtering unnecessary cards and getting the ones required.

Resource Acceleration: The card ramps up your game with his -7 loyalty ability, providing you with three Artifact tokens with flying. These can be used as a powerful defensive line or a resource to fuel other strategies.

Instant Speed: Although not technically an instant spell, Dovin’s loyalty abilities can be activated during your main phase when your opponent least suspects, providing a strategic advantage. Plus, his entering ability comes with instant benefits, securing your initial board state.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The use of Dovin Grand Arbiter requires a sacrifice in the form of discarding. This can be of great disadvantage, especially when you’re running low on cards or resources, hindering your adaptation to in-game developments. Also, this discard requirement narrows down the strategic options for its use.

Specific Mana Cost: The activation of Dovin Grand Arbiter requires very specific mana colors. In this case, both blue and white mana are necessary, presenting a restriction for its integration unless your deck is aligned with these mana types. It detracts from the flexibility of deck-building and strategy design.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighing in at three mana cost for its active effects, Dovin Grand Arbiter comes with an expensive price tag. With the high opportunity cost, players are often able to find other cards providing more cost-effective solutions, alternative control mechanics or instant resource generation. Thus, it raises the question of resource management efficiency within the game.


Reasons to Include Dovin Grand Arbiter in Your Collection

Versatility: Dovin Grand Arbiter fits seamlessly into a variety of decks. His abilities can aid control strategies, offering deck manipulation and life gain. He can also serve as a reliable blocker for flying creatures, adding to the versatility he brings to the table.

Combo Potential: The power of Dovin lies in his +1 and -1 abilities, which opens up a wide range of combo possibilities. By generating Thopter tokens, it enables strategies revolving around artifact or token generation. Plus, his -1 ability provides valuable card selection, further enhancing combo potential in your matches.

Meta-Relevance: Due to the strong presence of Midrange and Control decks in the current meta-game, Dovin enjoys high relevance. His abilities offer card selection control and an excellent way to generate sustained value throughout the game, making him a solid choice for various competitive decks.


How to beat

Overcoming Dovin, Grand Arbiter, a standout Planeswalker card in Magic: The Gathering, requires comprehensive understanding and strategic gameplay. This versatile and potent card has the ability to generate Thopter tokens and manipulate the game in favor of its controller, creating hurdles for the opponent.

To beat Dovin, Grand Arbiter, the primary aim should be eliminating the Thopter tokens that it generates. Cards with Mandate Control or Electrickery are efficient in dealing with these pesky tokens. They either take control of smaller creatures or deal damage to every creature, respectively, nullifying the generated advantage.

Furthermore, keeping a check on Dovin’s loyalty counters is crucial. Utilizing cards with direct damage like Lightning Strike or those allowing your creatures to bypass any blockers such as Rogue’s Passage can effectively corner Dovin. These strategies can help remove Dovin from the battlefield, or prevent its potentially game-ending ultimate ability.

In essence, tackling Dovin, Grand Arbiter means managing its unique utility and neutralizing its advantages swiftly. Successfully implementing this approach consolidates your position against this formidable Planeswalker and tips the game balance in your favor.


BurnMana Recommendations

Time to up your MTG game? Whether you’re enriching your collection or refining your strategies, Dovin Grand Arbiter offers nuanced gameplay opportunities with its sleek deck manipulation and resource acceleration abilities. Dive deeper into your deck strategy, optimizing control and rhythm with Dovin’s card selection. Remember, an adept player harnesses the subtle interplays between cards, turning each match into a display of skill and cunning finesse. Are you ready to master the art of MTG? Join our community for in-depth insights and enrich your experience with each card you play. Transform your tactical approach with Dovin Grand Arbiter today.


Cards like Dovin, Grand Arbiter

Dovin, Grand Arbiter shines in its unique position among planeswalker cards in Magic: The Gathering. It’s often paralleled with cards like Teferi, Time Raveler due to their similar loyalty counter mechanics. Dovin, Grand Arbiter remarkably lets players gain loyalty counters each time they attack with a creature, giving characters an added layer of protection and strategy. In contrast, Teferi, Time Raveler lacks this extension and rather, uses its loyalty counters more defensively.

Alternatively, we can explore a comparison with Narset, Parter of Veils. Narset also manipulates deck drawing dynamics. However, it doesn’t match the tempo of Dovin’s cheap entry cost and aggressive leaning playstyle. Dovin, Grand Arbiter offers an additional advantage thanks to its secondary ability of creating Thopter token creatures which Narset doesn’t provide.

Therefore, assessing the range and benefits, Dovin, Grand Arbiter positions within the MTG planeswalker cards as an aggressive and tactical tool, attributing to strategic gameplays with supportive and offensive capacities.

Teferi, Time Raveler - MTG Card versions
Narset, Parter of Veils - MTG Card versions
Teferi, Time Raveler - War of the Spark (WAR)
Narset, Parter of Veils - War of the Spark (WAR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dovin, Grand Arbiter MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance and Crimson Vow Commander, 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 Dovin, Grand Arbiter and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Dovin, Grand Arbiter Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-01-25 and 2021-11-19. Illustrated by Kieran Yanner.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-01-25Ravnica AllegianceRNA 1672015normalblackKieran Yanner
22021-11-19Crimson Vow CommanderVOC 1532015normalblackKieran Yanner

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dovin, Grand Arbiter has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dovin, Grand Arbiter card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2019-01-25 If you have fewer than ten cards in your library as Dovin's last ability resolves, look at however many cards you have, put three of them into your hand (or all of them if you have fewer than three cards in your library), and then put the rest back in a random order.
2019-01-25 The delayed triggered ability created by Dovin's first ability triggers for each creature you control that deals combat damage to a player this turn. Dovin gets only one loyalty counter as each ability resolves, no matter how much damage was dealt.

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