The Fourth Doctor MTG Card


Grants card advantage and insight, offering a strategic upper hand in MTG matches. Instant usage promotes flexibility, allowing you to adapt swiftly to game changes. Despite its high cost and discard requirement, The Fourth Doctor is a game-changer.
Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Time Lord Doctor
Abilities Food
Power 4
Toughness 4

Text of card

You may look at the top card of your library any time. Would You Like A...? — Once each turn, you may play a historic land or cast a historic spell from the top of your library. When you do, create a Food token. (Artifacts, legendaries, and Sagas are historic.)


Cards like The Fourth Doctor

The allure of The Fourth Doctor card brings a unique charm to the realm of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. Its idiosyncratic capabilities echo those found in cards like Timestream Navigator, which allows players to take an extra turn after shuffling it back into the library. The Fourth Doctor also gifts players an additional turn, but with the condition of controlling two or more companions – fostering a deck-building challenge around synergy and coordination.

Another card that invites comparison is Sage of Hours. This card relies on accruing time counters for extra turns, a method demanding direct manipulation of counters on the creature. The Fourth Doctor card, by contrast, is less reliant on counters and more on the thematic companions it operates with, setting a different tactical stage. Medomai the Ageless, offers a similar benefit of granting extra turns, yet it does so through combat damage inflicted on a player. However, it cannot attack during extra turns, a limitation The Fourth Doctor does not share.

When considering this array of cards that bend the precious resource of time in MTG, The Fourth Doctor stands out with its requirements and flavor, providing a distinctly strategic angle and fostering creative deck designs.

Timestream Navigator - MTG Card versions
Sage of Hours - MTG Card versions
Medomai the Ageless - MTG Card versions
Timestream Navigator - MTG Card versions
Sage of Hours - MTG Card versions
Medomai the Ageless - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to The Fourth Doctor by color, type and mana cost

Living Airship - MTG Card versions
Adrix and Nev, Twincasters - MTG Card versions
Parcelbeast - MTG Card versions
Grazing Kelpie - MTG Card versions
Swirling Spriggan - MTG Card versions
Jungle Barrier - MTG Card versions
Fathom Mage - MTG Card versions
Horizon Chimera - MTG Card versions
Patagia Viper - MTG Card versions
Ezuri, Claw of Progress - MTG Card versions
Altered Ego - MTG Card versions
Rashmi, Eternities Crafter - MTG Card versions
Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix - MTG Card versions
Master Biomancer - MTG Card versions
Frilled Mystic - MTG Card versions
Zegana, Utopian Speaker - MTG Card versions
Sharktocrab - MTG Card versions
Louvaq, the Aberrant - MTG Card versions
Manifestation Sage - MTG Card versions
Kianne, Dean of Substance // Imbraham, Dean of Theory - MTG Card versions
Living Airship - MTG Card versions
Adrix and Nev, Twincasters - MTG Card versions
Parcelbeast - MTG Card versions
Grazing Kelpie - MTG Card versions
Swirling Spriggan - MTG Card versions
Jungle Barrier - MTG Card versions
Fathom Mage - MTG Card versions
Horizon Chimera - MTG Card versions
Patagia Viper - MTG Card versions
Ezuri, Claw of Progress - MTG Card versions
Altered Ego - MTG Card versions
Rashmi, Eternities Crafter - MTG Card versions
Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix - MTG Card versions
Master Biomancer - MTG Card versions
Frilled Mystic - MTG Card versions
Zegana, Utopian Speaker - MTG Card versions
Sharktocrab - MTG Card versions
Louvaq, the Aberrant - MTG Card versions
Manifestation Sage - MTG Card versions
Kianne, Dean of Substance // Imbraham, Dean of Theory - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Fourth Doctor card shines when it comes to giving players an edge in hand resources. With its ability to provide additional insight into upcoming plays, you maintain a crucial upper hand.

Resource Acceleration: This card offers a significant boost in mana efficiency, enabling quicker and more powerful turns. It’s a game-changer for ramping up your strategy and getting ahead of the competition.

Instant Speed: The nimble nature of The Fourth Doctor card, being an instant, allows for flexibility in gameplay. It keeps opponents guessing as you adapt to in-game dynamics with swift and surprising maneuvers.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Fourth Doctor card mandates that you discard another card from your hand. This could pose a challenge during gameplay when your hand is already depleted, forcing difficult decisions about resource management.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise combination of mana types to cast. In the case of The Fourth Doctor, a deck that doesn’t consistently generate the required mana can find this card cumbersome or unplayable in certain scenarios.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its high mana cost for entry, players may find The Fourth Doctor card a less appealing option compared to other cards with similar abilities but lower casting requirements. In a game where pace can be a determining factor, this can potentially put players at a disadvantage.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Fourth Doctor card can easily adapt to a variety of deck strategies, synchronizing well with time-related mechanics and offering unique interactions that can catch opponents off guard.

Combo Potential: This card presents the opportunity to create powerful synergies, especially in decks that capitalize on manipulating time counters or taking extra turns, thereby unlocking the potential for devastating combo chains.

Meta-Relevance: Given the shifting landscape of competitive play, The Fourth Doctor card can offer a strategic edge in environments where resource manipulation and control are paramount for maintaining an advantage over the field.


How to beat

The Fourth Doctor card in Magic: The Gathering offers a unique twist in gameplay, challenging opponents with its combination of abilities. Understanding its intricacies can be the key to overcoming this formidable card. It’s similar to powerful creatures that can seemingly take over a game if left unchecked. However, one could look at cards or strategies that specifically neutralize or bypass its strengths.

For instance, consider employing removal spells that can handle difficult-to-target creatures. Cards like Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization can offer a swift answer to The Fourth Doctor, irrespective of its protective abilities. Alternatively, you can opt for a strategy that focuses on controlling the overall pace of the game, using counterspells and board wipes to prevent it from having a lasting impact.

Essentially, tackling The Fourth Doctor is about being proactive and adaptive in your gameplay. Whether it’s through targeted removal, counterspells, or even indirect damage that bypasses traditional combat, finding the right balance in your deck to manage such threats is crucial. As always, a well-timed response can disarm your opponent’s strategy and tilt the game in your favor.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG means not just knowing your cards but understanding how they interact with the game at large. The Fourth Doctor card, with its balanced pros and cons, and unique position within the MTG realm, is more than just a card – it is a gateway to honing your strategic thinking. Whether you’re accelerating your mana or weaving together a game-winning combo, this card invites a deeper exploration of gameplay mechanics. For those seeking to amplify their collection and gameplay prowess, we suggest considering the diverse tactical opportunities The Fourth Doctor provides. Continue on this journey with us and unlock new dimensions of play to dominate the battlefield.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase The Fourth Doctor MTG card by a specific set like Doctor Who and Doctor Who, 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 The Fourth Doctor and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The The Fourth Doctor Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-10-13 and 2023-10-13. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 11462015NormalBorderlessJack Hughes
22023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 1932015NormalBlackDavid Auden Nash
32023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 4152015NormalBlackDavid Auden Nash
42023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 10062015NormalBlackDavid Auden Nash
52023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 5552015NormalBorderlessJack Hughes
62023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 22015NormalBlackDavid Auden Nash
72023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 555z2015NormalBorderlessJack Hughes
82023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 6072015NormalBlackDavid Auden Nash

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where The Fourth Doctor has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2023-10-13 Essentially, The Fourth Doctor lets you play with the top card of your library revealed only to you. Knowing what that card is becomes part of the information you have access to, just like you can look at the cards in your hand. You may look at the top card of your library whenever you want, even if you don't have priority. This action doesn't use the stack.
2023-10-13 If an effect instructs you to choose a creature type, you may choose Time Lord.
2023-10-13 If the top card of your library changes during the process of casting a spell or activating an ability, you can't look at the new top card until the process of casting the spell or activating the ability ends (all targets are chosen, all costs are paid, and so on).
2023-10-13 Neither "Time" nor "Lord" are creature types. Some older cards were printed with the subtype "Lord," but all of those cards have updated Oracle card text that removed that type.
2023-10-13 Unlike other creature types in Magic that are each only one word, the two words "Time Lord" represent a single creature subtype. Time Lord is the only two-word creature type.