Dovin's Dismissal MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Instant
Released	2019-01-25
Set symbol
Set name	Ravnica Allegiance
Set code	RNA
Number	267
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Kieran Yanner

Key Takeaways

Bouncing creatures or planeswalkers while sorting the top library cards favors future plays.
Acts as pseudo resource acceleration by disrupting opponent tempo at instant speed.
Requires discarding and precise mana, making it slightly restrictive in some decks.

Text of card

Put up to one target tapped creature on top of its owner's library. You may search your library and/or graveyard for a card named Dovin, Architect of Law, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you search your library this way, shuffle it.

"We're finished here."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Dovin’s Dismissal excels at disrupting your opponent’s strategy while swinging the card advantage in your favor. When you cast this, you not only bounce a target creature, planeswalker, or artifact back to its owner’s hand, but you also get to look at the top two cards of your library, putting one in your hand and the other into your graveyard, potentially setting up your next moves.

Resource Acceleration: Dovin’s Dismissal might not directly produce additional mana or tokens, but by bouncing an opponent’s key piece back to their hand, you effectively slow them down. This loss of tempo for your opponent can be seen as a form of resource acceleration for you, as it gives you more time to develop your board and leverage your mana more effectively than your opponent.

Instant Speed: The fact that this card operates at instant speed is a significant tactical boon. It allows you to keep your options open and respond to your opponent’s threats during their turn, maintaining the ability to adapt in a fluid game state. Whether it’s interrupting a combo or simply removing an attacker from combat, the flexibility offered by instant speed can be a key to victory.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Dovin’s Dismissal necessitates the player to set aside another nonland card from their hand to cast it. During hands-on matches where each card’s value is paramount, this requirement could place the player at a disadvantage, especially in a scenario where holding on to every card is crucial for maintaining tactical versatility.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s cost demands a precise combination of blue and white mana, limiting it to decks that can consistently generate both colors. Players running mono-color decks or those with a weak mana base may find it challenging to cast this card when needed, reducing its overall utility in a broader range of decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, including two that are color-specific, this card’s summoning requirements may seem steep when compared to other control options available in MTG. Control players often seek efficiency and versatility in their spells, so Dovin’s Dismissal might be overlooked in favor of cards with lower casting costs or those that offer additional benefits beyond the scope of this particular spell.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Dovin’s Dismissal fits well in decks that emphasize control and deck manipulation. Its ability to return nonland permanents to an opponent’s hand makes it an excellent choice for disrupting your opponent’s board, regardless of the current state of play.

Combo Potential: This card shines when paired with other bounce or counterspell strategies, paving the way for powerful combinations that can effectively lock out the opposition. It pairs well with cards that benefit from casting spells during your opponent’s turn or effects that trigger upon spells targeting a single opponent.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta heavy with creature-based strategies or permanent-heavy plays, Dovin’s Dismissal becomes a key piece to swing the tide in your favor. It aids in maintaining board control and preventing opponents from advancing their strategy, keeping you ahead in the game.

How to beat

Dovin’s Dismissal is a unique counter-play in the world of Magic: The Gathering. The card puts emphasis on strategy, as it pulls double duty by targeting and returning a nonland permanent to its owner’s hand while giving you the ability to plan your next moves with a look at the top four cards of your library. A versatile play, it can disrupt your opponent’s strategy by bouncing a key permanent and rearrange your next draws.

Overcoming Dovin’s Dismissal requires foresight and the right set of spells. Cards that grant hexproof can shield your important permanents from being returned. Similarly, instants that counter spells ensure that your crucial plays aren’t disrupted. Playing spells with low casting costs can also dilute its impact by making the bounce less crippling. Additionally, permanents that benefit from being returned to the hand or that can be cast again for value will turn the tide in your favor against this countermeasure.

Defeating Dovin’s Dismissal calls for a blend of protective measures and playing cards that either don’t mind being bounced back or that punish your opponent for doing so, turning their strategic play to your advantage on the battlefield.

Cards like Dovin's Dismissal

Dovin’s Dismissal stands out in the realm of Magic: The Gathering as a notable control card. It shares traits with spells like Unsummon or Vapor Snag, which provide a similar return-to-hand effect. However, Dovin’s Dismissal takes this a step further by allowing you to target multiple creatures or planeswalkers, granting it an edge in versatility. Unsummon is more limited, only affecting one creature and lacking the potential to impact planeswalkers.

Comparably, Into the Roil presents an alternative, with the benefit of being a kicker spell that can draw you a card, yet it doesn’t offer the same precision control over multiple targets. Another card worth mentioning is Exclude, offering creature bounce alongside card draw, but it’s restricted to countering creature spells which doesn’t stack up against Dovin’s Dismissal’s direct board impact.

To encapsulate, Dovin’s Dismissal is a unique asset within bounce spells in Magic: The Gathering, delivering a blend of multi-target disruption and control, positioning itself as a formidable option among others in its category.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dovin's Dismissal MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance, 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's Dismissal and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dovin's Dismissal has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2019-01-25	If you choose a target tapped creature and it becomes an illegal target for Dovin’s Dismissal, the spell doesn’t resolve. You don’t search for Dovin.